Flat Tire Vandalism???

[matthewb0051]

My wife was heading out this afternoon and noticed she had a flat on her Land Rover. Not like this hasn't happened before but I really don't see how a 3 inch screw can be perfectly placed in one of the tracks that run the circumference of the tire.

Looks like someone screwed it in.

Thoughts??

[stevej37]

If I ever wanted to sabotage a persons tire....I sure wouldn't do it that way.
Looks like a common deck screw.

[Bob Kontak]

I say no way to vandalism. Think of the many options someone would have to put a tire down.

If I was a miscreant wanting to cause you harm, I would take all four out with a drill into the sidewall. That is terminal and probably under a $1,000 deductible.

[stevej37]

^^^ a waste of a good screw! Coulda used it three more times.

[fastfredracing]

I have seen some crazy things go through tires . How about an antenna mast ? A pocket screwdriver ?
You probably just picked that up . I bet there is construction near you .

[masraum]

What did the head of the screw look like? Was it "sanded" or polished by being embedded in the tire facing the road surface?

Seems perfectly possible that it could have been natural, but, sure, could have been idiot kids or something.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I have seen some crazy things go through tires . How about an antenna mast ? A pocket screwdriver ?
You probably just picked that up . I bet there is construction near you .

I've seen photos on the 'Net of pliers, wrenches and just the other day a railroad spike.

Years ago, I was driving to work and in a .5 - 1 mile stretch of freeway very near my work, I saw what must have been 10 - 15 cars on the side of the road. I got to work with no issues. My boss came in and had something that he'd supposedly picked up.

It looked a lot like this. The tips of each end looked like the tip of a nail with the 4 facets.

[fastfredracing]

This is how I roll when I vandalize tires .

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

This is how I roll when I vandalize tires .

Hahah, bet he won't do that again.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by masraum

What did the head of the screw look like? Was it "sanded" or polished by being embedded in the tire facing the road surface?

Seems perfectly possible that it could have been natural, but, sure, could have been idiot kids or something.

The only damage to the head was from me taking it out. I has to unscrew in reverse to get it out.

[JackDidley]

Once, I was visiting my sister and that night I saw her 14 year old and his buddies in the driveway standing around my Vette. Next day near the end of my 300 mile drive home I felt a tire getting low but I got home. Knife blade was broken off in my tire tread. That was vandalism. I think your wife ran over a screw.

[Sooner or later]

I had a 7 mm open end wrench go through a tire. Craftsman. Still use it.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

The only damage to the head was from me taking it out. I has to unscrew in reverse to get it out.

Even if you run over a drywall or deck screw, you're almost certainly going to have to unscrew it to get it out. But if the head wasn't polished, then seems to me that there's at least a chance that it was intentional.
It's minimal, but this one has the effects of some grinding.


Usually, by the time I've got a tire noticeably losing air, the head of whatever is in the tire looks like it's been hit with a grinder

[stevej37]

I guess the only reason I can find for someone screwing in a 3 inch screw...would be because they couldn't find a 1 inch screw.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by masraum

Even if you run over a drywall or deck screw, you're almost certainly going to have to unscrew it to get it out. But if the head wasn't polished, then seems to me that there's at least a chance that it was intentional.

The thing I can't wrap my head around is the fact that it is 3 inches long and not bent at all. It would have to be perfectly aligned, or at least in my mind...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

Once, I was visiting my sister and that night I saw her 14 year old and his buddies in the driveway standing around my Vette. Next day near the end of my 300 mile drive home I felt a tire getting low but I got home. Knife blade was broken off in my tire tread. That was vandalism. I think your wife ran over a screw.

Wow, that's really messed up.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by stevej37

i guess the only reason i can find for someone screwing in a 3 inch screw...would be because they couldn't find a 1 inch screw.

lol

[masraum]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

The thing I can't wrap my head around is the fact that it is 3 inches long and not bent at all. It would have to be perfectly aligned, or at least in my mind...

Yep, but at high speed, weird stuff can happen. It's one of those things that 99% of the time, things happen at weird angles and weird locations, but then 1% of the time, things naturally happen in a way that seems unlikely. It's like when you buy gas or a bunch of stuff at a store and the total comes out to an even dollar amount. It seems unlikely, but do it often enough and that can happen.

[Scott Douglas]

Last flat tire I had to deal with had a small, self-tapping screw in it. Really pissed me off as it was in one of my wife's new Michelin's. I started to unscrew it and heard it leaking so screwed it in really tight and marked it. Held air for most of the day as I waited for my appointment time at the tire shop.
I've had bolts/screws as large as 3/8" in diameter go into my tires. I used to carry that big one in my lunch box to remind me how lucky I was I didn't crash when it entered the tire. (Long story)

[Sooner or later]

When the wrench went through my tire I hit it with the front tire and I could hear it bounce off the undercarriage and evidently positioned itself perfectly to impale the rear.

Needless to say it went flat immediately. I could hear it click click click as pulled into a parking lot.