This little post has nothing to do with Sarah Palin, with the conventions, or with the elections. Nevertheless, it is equally important, or much more important, depending on your priorities. It has to do with your life and the lives of your loved ones.
A good friend sent me a link to a video. I get so many of these that I only view a few of them. I am glad, however, that I clicked on this one:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897
It took me to a video of an ABC investigative report of July 24, 2008, “Aged Tires: A Driving Hazard.” It is a fascinating look into how many of the “new” tires we buy for ourselves or our loved ones, are not really “new,” and can cause, and have caused, numerous fatalities and injuries to unsuspecting Americans.
It describes how many tires sold as new have actually been sitting on store shelves for six, eight years, or longer and—even though they have not been driven a single mile—can, once on the highway, experience thread separation with catastrophic, tragic results.
Some may have already seen this report, but how many have actually checked the manufacture date—the video tells you how to do it—on their tires or on the tires of their “kids’” cars? I had not, but I will, right after I post this.
Sorry, no gossip, no political excitement in this one; just a tip that may save someone’s life.
Footnote: The ABC report points out a serious problem in the marketing and sales of automobile tires. But, what is even more serious, and shameful, is that, according to the ABC report, the U.S. tire industry has fought efforts to require that expiration dates be placed on tires. Also, that the U.S. Rubber Manufacturers Association continues to claim that there is no need to give U.S. drivers the same warning that British car owners have received on the danger of “new” tires that have been sitting on store shelves for more than six years.
And, as usual, our own government just sits on their collective, do-nothing hands.
