Who needs AAA, anyway?
I was driving thru Ocean Springs on the way to work today when the right front tire on the Nissan blew out, just as I was turning onto the Biloxi Bay bridge. At first, I was just disappointed because a) I had figured the potholes on Hamill Farm Rd. had caused the flat and I should have driven more carefully around them and b) I'd better call work and let them know what was up. No sooner did I hang up with them than I realized the important thing: visibility was limited to about 100 yards, the roads were pretty slick, and vehicles were taking scant notice of the truck until the last second. This was a particularly bad section, simply because once people turn onto the bridge they know they can't be busted for speeding, so some like to floor it. Yes, the weather was nasty today, but some traditions die hard. At the time, this seemed like one of those fairly obvious Choose Your Own Adventure options, such as "The flood has swept you away. If you would like to stay in the Range Rover and continue to float down the river, turn to Page 25". F that noise, I turned to Page 8 and got out of the car.
The tire was slashed all the way down the side and totally flat with steam coming out of the hole. Needless to say, it was screwed. On the good side, this was *before* rush hour and, thankfully, on the O.S. side. Those fleeing a workday in Biloxi tend to be a little bit more reckless, for whatever reason. Also, I'd remembered to grab both my heavy coat and (most importantly) cellphone right before I left. I swear, had I woken up 5 minutes later, they'd have been left behind like they usually are. Despite the lousy weather conditions, the truck had only two near collisions before the cops arrived (I was also lucky in that the station is right by the library and only a half mile away, if that). One of the near collisions involved a lady in a Camry who just sped past me and at the *last second* got in the left lane between a van and a pickup slamming on its brakes. Anyways, the cop was pretty cool, and provided an escort for me as I drove about 2 miles an hour over the rest of the bridge and into the parking lot of the casino. Man, that tire was mangled. Wish I'd have saved it for posterity, but the old man had swung on by and changed it out for me while I was working. Should have picked up some Shiner Bock on the way home for him to say thanks. Ack, I suck. Gotta remember that for tomorrow.
Considering the circumstances, things worked out well. Oh, and any job that requires standing anywhere near Hwy. 90 should come standard with full body armor.
The tire was slashed all the way down the side and totally flat with steam coming out of the hole. Needless to say, it was screwed. On the good side, this was *before* rush hour and, thankfully, on the O.S. side. Those fleeing a workday in Biloxi tend to be a little bit more reckless, for whatever reason. Also, I'd remembered to grab both my heavy coat and (most importantly) cellphone right before I left. I swear, had I woken up 5 minutes later, they'd have been left behind like they usually are. Despite the lousy weather conditions, the truck had only two near collisions before the cops arrived (I was also lucky in that the station is right by the library and only a half mile away, if that). One of the near collisions involved a lady in a Camry who just sped past me and at the *last second* got in the left lane between a van and a pickup slamming on its brakes. Anyways, the cop was pretty cool, and provided an escort for me as I drove about 2 miles an hour over the rest of the bridge and into the parking lot of the casino. Man, that tire was mangled. Wish I'd have saved it for posterity, but the old man had swung on by and changed it out for me while I was working. Should have picked up some Shiner Bock on the way home for him to say thanks. Ack, I suck. Gotta remember that for tomorrow.
Considering the circumstances, things worked out well. Oh, and any job that requires standing anywhere near Hwy. 90 should come standard with full body armor.