[johnco]

lost a rear tire at 70mph coming home one morning after a rough night in N.O.. seems the highschool age part time tire monkeys that installed my new rims the day before figured that since 15 studs went in easy on the other three wheels, just because these 5 were SAE and not metric like the others doesn't mean you can't get them in. all you need is a large air impact. stripped threads almost completely out but left just enough to make the drive to N.O. and halfway back before falling out. thought I saw something go past my window,barely miss an oncoming car, cross the road, jump the canal and disappear into the trees. couldn't imagine what it could have been until my car drops in the back and fireworks are coming from my rotor digging into the blacktop. 2-3am, moonless night, 2 lane blacktop in Chacahoula Louisiana. for those wondering.. go 20 miles south of Bum****, turn right and it's maybe 20 more miles past Nowhere. no tools, no lights. I have to find my wheel in the woods by the light of passing cars. robbed a nut/stud from another wheel and screwed it into the only hole that had a few threads I could catch. anything more than handtight and it broke loose. stuck an old lugbolt into another hole to keep the wheel from wobbling too much and drove the 35-40 miles left to go pissed off and puckered tight watching and waiting for my wheel to roll by again. Monday morning all I got were denials, then excuses, then blame shifted to me for my stripped out axle. no offers of compensation, no apologies. maybe they all got a little scared with all the yelling and cursing. couldn't speak face to face with the manager owner after he closed and locked his office door and wouldn't come out.. the tire monkeys were about to piss themselves and said nothing. well, my car wasn't wrecked, no one was killed or injured, I'm used to things like happeneing to me all the time so It really wasn't a big deal. kind of funny actually Ijust wanted them to understand how incredibly stupid they were, how someone could easily have been killed by their mistake and maybe make a half ass apology. pretty sure they understand just how unsatisfied I was with their work. as I drove off I could see the flashing lights and hear the sirens of the city's finest coming to access the situation