Ever broken down on the motorway? Scary stuff right? When I was younger I didn’t care much for car maintenance. Being a bit of a girl racer I wanted my little Clio to look nice and that was about it! I can tell you the time that changed though and I’ll never forget it.
Around 8 years ago I was driving down the M1 in the fast lane, as I always did. Music on, singing my heart out like I was in a music video. Suddenly the steering became almost uncontrollable. I remember holding my breath wondering what was going on and saying out loud that there was something wrong with the car. Now although I was slack with car maintenance, I’ve always been proud of my actual driving. I stayed calm and gently slowed down. I put my hazards on and gently switched lanes keeping my hand firmly on the wheel that felt like it was going to turn full force if I dared let go. Once I hit the hard shoulder, I realised I’d never broken down before let alone on the motorway. Thanks goodness I was sensible enough to have breakdown cover.
My tyre had gone flat. Ahhhh I thought. That’s not bad. That’s not even my fault! I probably went over a nail or something like that. These things happen. When the breakdown guy turned up and looked at my tyre, his face made me feel anxious straight away. He looked at me and said your tyre is almost bald. ALMOST illegal. I vaguely knew what that meant but just thought I’d pop somewhere to get new tyres in a month or two. But his face made me feel like a naughty child. Then he showed me the tyre and not only had it punctured it had literally blown. The hole in the tyre was massive. I suddenly realised this could have been a whole different story if it was raining or if I wasn’t as alert as I was.
From that moment on, I get my tyres checked A LOT. Even if I just pop it to check they are safe. I make sure I invest in new tyres even if I hate spending the money. Not only are bald tyres dangerous but also they’re illegal! I was lucky I was on the verge of breaking the law! Road safety is so important. For yourself and the road users around you.
I understand it can be hard to find somewhere trustworthy to get new tyres and car stuff done. Choosing to buy car tyres from Jet Wheel Tyre and other places you know is a good idea, and once you’ve found a good company, stick with them. IT makes the whole car maintenance thing seem far less stressful. Just to give you a reminder, these are my 5 tips for helping you stay road safe and to keep up the maintained on your car.
- Find somewhere you trust to carry out your car maintenance and stick with them. It’s far less stressful and you’ll find it lots easier to keep going back.
- Before long drives check the basics. It takes 5 minutes on the way to get petrol but could save you a fortune (and your life!) in the long run.
- Breakdown cover is a must. It might seem pointless if you’ve never broken down, but one day, it may just happen.
- Listen to advice. If a pro says your tyres are worn, invest in getting new ones. Don’t hold off. Get them as soon as financially possible.
- Don’t be an idiot.
I’m even more careful now I have a family, but just doing those few checks occasionally can make a huge difference.
