Shouldn't…but Do

“Good morning Cynthia, what can we do for you?”

Car repair horror stories are known to all drivers, but the place that services my car is manna from automobile heaven.

Friendly, expert and fair, big, brightly lit, clean. From routine oil changes to nervous calls when my children were small, far afield, when car noises rattled both me and the undercarriage.

Today, it was tires, where rubber hits the road. Those rugged hard wheels that can go flat, yet, like Atlas, hold a small world of car and occupants between heaven and earth.

Snow tires to all-season radials. Most, I am told, go the mid-route, all season, all year. Being a tire-for-every-season gal, I opt for the ritual switch, rotate and spin balance two times a year.

Tires, I find, can be a lot like people. Snow tires – rugged, but actually composed of softer compounds and sippling allowing for better grip in inclement or cold weather. Built for intensity, but serviceable in good weather too, their flexible hearts wear out a little faster if used constantly.

All-seasons, good for where you’re going, your average ride in average time. High performance tires – harder, faster, meant to go, not linger. Will roll on turns made too fast, useless if the weather’s poor.

Tires, so much rides on them.