Posted on 04/10/2019 7:31:07 PM PDT by End Times Sentinel
So,
I live in the city. And every couple of months, I’d get a slow leak in one of my tires. I figured that was normal as I work in an area with a highly unusual amount of metal shavings on the pavement.
Well, last week, I had another slow leak, so I went to the tire store:
“Hey! Mr. Hawthorne!” because if they had a frequent customer program, I’d have a full set of NASCAR tires. The co-owner takes a look at it and says “You’ve already got 3 patches and two nails in there. I can put another couple of patches on it, but you really shouldn’t have more than three.”
Now, I don’t advertise my Conservatism, but in a deep blue precinct, folks just seem to know. (I also happen to be a member of a profession that liberals despise and illegals hate. I’ve been seen in semi or full uniform at times).
So, I’m not moving, out of the question. Any suggestions on how to catch the offender on this caper? Again, to help visualise, row homes, one next to the other, on street parking. (The local gendarmes are sympathetic)
FReepers are the greatest resource on earth for this stuff, thanks in advance, and any humor will be welcome.
One last thing, some tire companies do free nail removal such as Discount Tire if theres one near you next time you get new tires ask.
Firstly, thank you for your input.
I'm not at all sure. While I do spend time where there's a lot of metal shavings, nails are not present at all.
I really don't spend enough time at areas that would have metal shavings. And I do get flats WAY more often than the rest of my team combined (there's 30 of them) and most of them work at sites where there's WAY more metal shavings.
You seem to know a lot about this issue, whatever you can give me, I'm thankful for.
My father in law has a couple, they seem kind of bulky to stick on the underside of the car, are there smaller ones?
Yup.
Probably best advice is to check every tire for twisted nails (Or, if the enemy isn't savvy, just a nail under the tire).
Trust your wife’s intuition:)
Believe it or not, that’s the most comforting thing I’ve read on this entire thread.
Thanks much!
Buy a steam roller and park it there. Let them try to puncture holes in those tires. </sarc>
I really don’t know what to do. It might just be some neighborhood kids having some jollies at your expense.
I would install a car alarm with the alarm sound replaced by a fake explosion. That would scare the stuffing out of the idiot.
What kind of vehicle do you have and what tire? Maybe try a different tire. Maybe try a runflat option or tougher LT E-rated tire if you drive in areas with metal road debris. Maybe you drive a Chevy Volt and have an electric vehicle hater in your area. Maybe you drive a Ford F-150 and have a Ford-hating Chevy Silverado fanboy in your neighborhood. Sorry to hear about your trouble. Try the camera, too. If it’s vandals, here’s a couple articles on the subject...
http://www.fox9.com/news/multiple-cases-of-tires-punctured-by-nails-investigated-by-buffalo-police
I don’t know your area, but with only ‘on street’ parking it sounds like burbs/city and most are lined with trees.
A tree is necessary to catch whoever it is because you’ll need a trail-camera and the only way to hide and protect the camera is putting it in a tree.
Nobody is going to look up in a tree to see who is watching, and they mostly won’t know where the camera flash came from.
OK...put a trail-cam in a tree and park under it. Chances are good that you will catch them is short order. If your camera isn’t in a tree the perp likely will steal it. 15’ in a tree the camera is safe and hidden.
Many security cameras to look at.
https://www.amazon.com/Surveillance-Cameras/b?ie=UTF8&node=898400
Also look at dash cams. Some are small and can swivel in any direction. Plug in a fuse box by the steering column and they are on all the time. Record any motion by your car.
Print out any of these security camera signs.
http://tinyurl.com/y2r69pxc
I printed one out on glossy paper and put it in my apt window by the door. The owners came by for an “inspection” (casing the joint) of all the apts. I knew they were behind the vandalizing and the break-ins to drive people out as they could charge higher rent to newcomer.
They saw the sign and skipped my place.
Could be an ice pick caper. When pulled out of the tread it somewhat seals back up, but very slowly continues to leaks. A nail can have the same effect. Takes some time to get significantly deflated. Union boys have used the ice pick tactics in their bag of tricks.
I have four on my lux sedan and I live in MA, the roads are terrible with pot holes, weather sucks with snow and ice - they last me abt 3 years but I only drive apx 12k a year. They’re expensive, $250-350 per tire but worth it for me not to deal with tires every winter. My elderly mother has them on her car in CA and they saved her life from her own bad driving.
Nails in the front are fairly rare and would indicate a deliberate set up. Nails in the rear tires are most likely from natural causes.
A nail lying on the road is unlikely to puncture a tire. The usual way it happens is that the front tire rolls over it and causes it to bounce. Every once in a while it is bouncing at just the right time and angle for the rear tire to hit it and be punctured.
* * * * * * * * * * *
You do not have to solve the mystery in one fell swoop. An inexpensive camera can monitor the car from your house. If you do not see anyone and there are still flats, they are natural, or maybe happening somewhere else.
If you do see activity, then invest in a much better camera to identify the culprit.
How many “homeless” (drugged out zombies) are there? They are often the cause of random vandalism of all sorts and the law can do nothing about them.
Put either an Obunghole sticker or a Che Guevara sticker on it...
Solution is really simple: Dash cams. I caught someone messing with my car. Had the video evidence to see exactly who it was and what they did.
Dash cam how does it activate when you’re not around? sound/motion or something else?
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