Pardon me, but didn’t cars used to have real spare tires or is it just me? These space saver pieces of shit are a threat to humanity! I have seen so many people driving on the freeway with one (or more) of these things on their cars that I cringe to think about. At the very least these things should be painted a bright neon day glow color so that the Highway Patrol can bust them on sight.
These solid rubber tires are unable to withstand high speed driving for any significant distance. The tire overheats and will fragment in a catastrophic fashion. There are fines for driving with one on the freeway, but I’ve yet to see a single person ever to be pulled over for it.
In another different yet similar vein. What the fuck is it with these new pinspot (read; pinhead) headlights? However cool they may look, their small diameter reduces the night time visible cross section of the vehicle to that of a motorcycle. I think that any pedestrian struck at night by an automobile that has these lamps should be able to sue the manufacturer. Yes, I know that they reduce the forward drag profile of the car and therefore increase fuel economy. However, this is one area where I feel that the old design is better.
Now, don’t even get me started on these stinking blue and yellowish halo-fucking-gen ultrabright, blind you quicker than shit at night, styles that these pinspot headlights come in. At least not until my next bump… er, post to this thread.
Ya know, Zenster, you wouldn’t have that problem with the spare tire if you were driving an SUV or a BMW. If you pay for a deathtrap shitbox, that’s what you get.
Zenster- if you don’t like the compact spare tire your car came with go out and get yourself a real spare tire and stop whining. I have one in my car because stuffing a 235/50 15 in my relatively small trunk would take up too much space and add un-neccessary weight. My van carries a real spare tire. They have their place.
If anyone has to use one of those spares please realize that they are for temporary use only. Don’t exceed the advised speed with them either. If you slap one on your Camaro know that it does not work like the real tires. If you are driving around with two on your car you deserve to be arrested.
And for those assholes who have those bright as the fucking sun headlights… if they came with your car I guess you have an excuse. For those people who add them to their vehicle and can’t even get them aimed properly, I hope someone goes after your car with a big fucking bat.
On the good side they have been considering passing laws against this type of lighting here as it is hazardous to everyone on the road.
[loving voice] Dear Tymp and Feynn, cram it with walnuts! [/loving voice]. My armor plated Swedish snow mobile (read: Volvo) has wheel wells for TWO FULL SIZE SPARES in the trunk. I don’t know where you got the notion I drive some sort of compact, but as you can see, you are dead-nuts wrong. Just because a bunch of whiney ass rice burner pilots pissed and moaned in my SUV thread doesn’t mean I’m brain dead enough to get out on the road without some protection. Now, remember to trade in your Firestones real soon kiddies.
As to the pinhead / pinspot headlights, glad we agree there Feynn, these things are a menace and should be exterminated from the open roads with everything short of gunfire.
My Cadillac has a mini-spare, so they’re not only found on deathtrap shitboxes.
BTW, the next person complaining about xenon headlights gets bitch-slapped. If you don’t want to be blinded, don’t look directly at the freaking headlights. It’s just common sense.
Perhaps you are referring to the Xenon headlamps which provide more illumination over the same or greater surface area. If you drive in your own lane it really shouldn’t be a problem. Hmmmm…I think there’s a motorcycle in the other lane so I’ll give 'em a little scare. Oh shit, that was an Audi! Yup, I see the logic in that argument.
Do you know what a pinspot is? These new high intensity headlights are far more directional than the older designs were. Do you know what a visible cross section is? Since the headlight’s output is more directionalized, there is less side or quasilateral glare. This makes the vehicle much harder to detect visually at night unless you are directly in its path (when it might be too late). The off axis illumination of older style headlamps are a great boon to public safety.
Nen, as to your suggestion that I would intentionally attempt to endanger a motorcyclist or any other driver, why don’t you pound sand up your ass!
Necros, as to the solution of “not looking at the headlights”. Get a fucking life, what am I supposed to do on a curve, take my eyes off of the road? These things are a menace, pure and simple.
I’ve been smeked! :eek:
You don’t have to take your eyes off the road. Just take your eyes off the headlights. Dumbass.
It doesn’t matter if they’re xenon or not. If you’re driving in the dark, and you stare at some headlights, you’re gonna lose that night vision you’ve so scrupulously built up. Use the peripheral vision, Luke…
Actually Necros, the best solution that I’ve found is that when I need to avert my eyes, I look at the white stripe at the right hand edge of the road. When the roads have them, that is. When you are on a right hand curve, you really do not have much choice about the headlights, though.
**
**
**I don’t know where you’ve been Necros, but the majority of spacesaver tires are solid rubber.
Now admit it and I’ll reverse smek you (with the backhand that is).
::hands Tymp a bowl of Brazil nuts::
Zenster - That little spare tire in my car isn’t solid either, gotta love those Volvos huh?
Necros…
come here…
a little closer…
Wanna see the Canadian bitch slap?
grabs and pulls Necros’ shirt up and over Necros’ head in one fluid motion…
SMEK SMEK SMEK SMEK SMEK SMEK SMEK!
I wanted to that to the dickwad I met in the alley the other night, he/she had those fucking headlights on some four wheel drive monstrosity but I was so blinded they got away… they might work as driving lamps but otherwise they are a fucking menace to other people.
Just from my own limited experience, all the “bicycle” tires I’ve seen have been air filled (I was going to say pneumatic(sic), but I’m not sure of the spelling and I don’t have a dictionary handy).
I don’t see where they save space since most of the spare tire wells are big enough for a regular tire. It’s just a way for the car companies to save money (BTW, aren’t they called emergency tires now instead of spares?)
For what It’s worth, If you special-order a new car, you can specify a full size spare on a matching rim if you don’t mind spending four hundred or so.
Zenster, perhaps you’re missing the point, eh? The headlamps in question produce a greater intensity of light in a more selectively focused range than conventional headlamps; therefore, they are visible at greater distances. It doesn’t matter if 1) you’re not on the same axis as the light because if you swivel your head you can see the origin or, 2) if the configuration of the headlamps makes the vehicle appear to have a cross section of a motorcycle (as you stated) because you should be in your own lane! I agree with you regarding the space-saver tires, but this headlight idea is ridiculous.
Nen, you are missing the point entirely. A car should be visible regardless of whether you are in its lane or not! The highly directional nature of these new small diameter lamps restricts the ability of others (not in the same lane) to detect or notice a car that has them until is is much closer than an ordinarily equipped automobile. I am hoping that Feynn will jump in here and give you another explanation of this same concept in fluent Canadian, because you obviously don’t get it.
