Would you change a tire on 400 series highway?

[lewd]

Or even the DVP or Gardiner for that matter?
With the way drivers seem to be blind to anything that isn't directly in front of them, changing a tire on the side of a highway seems like a recipe for disaster.

Do you change your flat tire or do call your auto manufacturer's service/CAA?
Nobody seems to want to get their hands dirty anymore anyways.
Frankly, I don't think many would do it themselves if it were in their own driveway.

 

[Drizzt]

Depends what part of the highway and how far onto the shoulder i am.

400 series outside of GTA sure. 400 series within GTA and off considerably onto the shoulder, yes. 401 and Yonge no chance.

 

[Insidious Von]

In the GTA, never, ever! Too may people take driving for granted and are too busy with their cell phones to care.

Even if it means destroying the tire, I'll pull over to a side street to change a tire. I can afford a new set of tires, you cannot buy a new spinal column of the rack.

And driverless cars are supposed to fix this - are we all born yesterday?

 

[Intrepid416]

Anyone who has done it will know just how much the earth shakes when a fully loaded trailer zoooms by at 120. Have done it, never again. The CAA membership is worth it and gives some decent discounts on things like VIA Rail and other programs.

 

[jackaubrey]

My dad was a full time be prepared dude. I've Tthree suggestions:
1 Be prepared. I pack a cone, small strobe and safety flare - not sure if the flare is any good - but nothing is better than fire to get folks attention. Post them at least 20 feet away downstream, turn on car flashers. Open the trunk. I have a Safety reflector vest, gloves and an ugly poncho - makes me a big ass target. New addition - garden knee pad.
2. Practice at least once, in the driveway on a sunny day. You don't want to be learning the subtleties of your jack at the side of a road. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes - actually, well prepared you can probably be on your way in 5 minutes.
3. Keep alert. You can feel the nuts (LOL) while keeping your eyes on traffic as much as possible.
Twenty years driving and I only had to do it once on DVP at night but thank god for practice. Most folks slowed and pulled over a lane, cause they saw the show.

 

[Bostonmass]

I've owned a vehicle with run flat tires, the best idea ever .
If your tire goes flat, you'll know by the tire pressure monitor, you continue on your way until you reach someplace safe, or in the case of late night, put it off till a better time to deal with it.

Whether you have a spare or not, you still have to visit a garage to deal with the flat tire, it's just that run flats allow you to do it safely ,at a place and time of your choosing.

Technology and production will soon make runflats as common as seat belts and ABS, for those that remember a time when neither were on a vehicle.

 

[IRIS]

I got flat tire once. I called CAA and wait for them 100 meter from my car. My friend died in Europe while waiting for help inside the car on the highway. So I never wait inside the car for help. Too much truck driver texting , talking and drive on a service line many times.
Guys !!! Never wait for help in the car. You can die instantly!!

 

[thumper18474]

I got flat tire once. I called CAA and wait for them 100 meter from my car. My friend died in Europe while waiting for help inside the car on the highway. So I never wait inside the car for help. Too much truck driver texting , talking and drive on a service line many times.
Guys !!! Never wait for help in the car. You can die instantly!!

IRIS....

That is not good advice...
Every vehicle is constructed with a crash safety zone inside their passenger area...
you have a better chance of surviving inside your car...inside the protective zone ...then standing outside ..on the side of the highway..
never get out of your vehicle unless its on fire....

 

[Drizzt]

In the GTA, never, ever! Too may people take driving for granted and are too busy with their cell phones to care.

Even if it means destroying the tire, I'll pull over to a side street to change a tire. I can afford a new set of tires, you cannot buy a new spinal column of the rack.

And driverless cars are supposed to fix this - are we all born yesterday?

I second this. If you burst a tire on the highway, its a goner. On a city road you may have a chance to pull over and save the tire if its just punctured but not on highway. The sidewall of tire is toast. Of im on highway and there isnt a nice safe wide shoulder to pull over on, i drive on my rim until i find one. my life is worth.more then a new.tire and rim.

 

[Drizzt]

I got flat tire once. I called CAA and wait for them 100 meter from my car. My friend died in Europe while waiting for help inside the car on the highway. So I never wait inside the car for help. Too much truck driver texting , talking and drive on a service line many times.
Guys !!! Never wait for help in the car. You can die instantly!!

Nooooooooooo! Never ever leave the vehicle unless you have somewhere safe to go, or like thumper says, the car is.on fire. Standing on side of road is not safe.

 

[IRIS]

Ok I understand Thumper but my friend died inside the car. He doesn't have any chance when the track hit him on the back with 100km an hour.
He just shattered to pieces. Sad.

 

[italianguy74]

IRIS....

That is not good advice...
Every vehicle is constructed with a crash safety zone inside their passenger area...
you have a better chance of surviving inside your car...inside the protective zone ...then standing outside ..on the side of the highway..
never get out of your vehicle unless its on fire....

I agree if your car is in the express lanes or pulled over on the left shoulder, but if the car is on the right and there is a field or a guard rail that I could hop over and leave the car on the highway. I would rather not be inside staring at the rear view mirror, and instead go grab a coffee lol

 

[Thunderballs]

I remember listening to a highway patrol officer who told his family that he didn't care if they ruined the tire and the rim. He instructed them to get off the highway at the next exit and either change it there or call a tow. He had seen too many people hit while changing a tire on the highway.

 

[dirkd101]

Never would I do so.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

I have, both day and night. My current vehicle still has the manufacturers roadside assistance but I have not used it yet.

A couple of years ago my car would not start. I had roadside assistance on warranty and called the manufacturer. They sent a flat bed truck to pick up my car. I saw the invoice the flatbed truck driver gave the dealership. It cost $600 to transport a car less than 5 kms. So if your car is out of warranty the a CAA membership is not a bad idea.

I keep a breaker bar in my car for in case I have to change a tire. It is much better than the jack that comes with the car. They cost about $30 at CDN Tire, but if you watch the flyers you may be able to pick it up on special for $10. It is also useful when changing to winter tires with rims.

 

[SchlongConery]

I got flat tire once. I called CAA and wait for them 100 meter from my car. My friend died in Europe while waiting for help inside the car on the highway. So I never wait inside the car for help. Too much truck driver texting , talking and drive on a service line many times.
Guys !!! Never wait for help in the car. You can die instantly!!

Despite the other fellows with the reading comprehension issues, your is excellent advice. If you cant make it to an exit, get your car far off the road as possible, get out of your car and get as far away from the travelled road as possible, behind a guard rail, a bridge abutment etc and call a a tow truck. Let them take your car off the highway to be fixed.

There is some weird phenomena in which when some people see a an object, like a car on the side of the road, thy fixate on it and drive right into it. If you get rear enedd at Hwy 400/401 speed like 120km ... you WILL die.

1. If a tire blows, slow down and drive at maybe 30 moh to the next exit. On steel wheels if needed. But get OFF the highway.

2. Call a town truck and get far away from th traffic. Do NOT stand near your disabled car.

 

[fuji]

Depends how wide the shoulder is. If you can get off far enough that there's a good six feet between the lane and your car you should be OK. If your car is two feet from the lane or less that's just dangerous.

 

[TheDr]

Having seen drivers on the 400 series highways.. hell no... CAA, come get my vehicle outta here and change my wheel somewhere safe. Don't want them risking their neck any more than they have to.

In the interim until they arrive:

-Get everyone out of the car. It is irrelevant how strong the safety cell is on your car, almost any vehicle at highway speed hitting a stationary vehicle will cause acceleration injuries significant enough to be life changing if not terminal.
-No matter how undignified it is, climb across the central console and get out only on the nearside of the vehicle.
-Get behind the armco / barrier and a good distance away from your vehicle... yes you may be cold and wet, but the barrier is designed much better than your body to deflect people who can't drive between the lines. Mild hypothermia is much easier to deal with from a medical standpoint than your internal organs trying to leave your body through your eye sockets....

 

[IRIS]

Having seen drivers on the 400 series highways.. hell no... CAA, come get my vehicle outta here and change my wheel somewhere safe. Don't want them risking their neck any more than they have to.

In the interim until they arrive:

-Get everyone out of the car. It is irrelevant how strong the safety cell is on your car, almost any vehicle at highway speed hitting a stationary vehicle will cause acceleration injuries significant enough to be life changing if not terminal.
-No matter how undignified it is, climb across the central console and get out only on the nearside of the vehicle.
-Get behind the armco / barrier and a good distance away from your vehicle... yes you may be cold and wet, but the barrier is designed much better than your body to deflect people who can't drive between the lines. Mild hypothermia is much easier to deal with from a medical standpoint than your internal organs trying to leave your body through your eye sockets....

Thank you! It was my points too. You can survive a little hypothermia but you can't when a 30 tons truck hit you 100km/hour.

 

[italianguy74]

There's also this if the tire isnt completely destroyed

personally never tried it but I heard good things about it.