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Had a cashier at a gas station in Ohio tell me my tire pressure was dangerously low | Off the Record - Free To Speak

Had a cashier at a gas station in Ohio tell me my tire pressure was dangerously low

I was just grabbing a soda at a Pilot in Columbus, and this older guy working the counter said he noticed my front left tire looked soft from the window. He came out with a gauge and showed me it was at 22 PSI, which he said was way under. Turns out he used to run a tire shop for 30 years and just pays attention. Saved me from what could have been a blowout on the highway. Anyone else had a random stranger give them solid advice they didn't ask for?

3 comments

3 Comments

drew_hart44mo ago

Man that's a solid story right there. Did you end up asking him if he could spot other issues with your tires or did you just take his word and go? I'm curious if he gave you any advice on what PSI you should be running for your specific car or if he just told you to air it up. Seems like the kind of guy who'd have a lot more to share if you pushed a little.

brianm664mo ago

Nah I feel you @drew_hart4, but honestly I didn't push it too far. He just told me to air em up to like 35 PSI all around which is pretty standard for most sedans anyway. I probably shoulda asked about wear patterns or sidewall stuff but the guy was clearly in a hurry helping another customer too. What he did say that stuck with me though was checking the valve stems while you're at it since they can dry rot over time and cause slow leaks. Still kicking myself for not asking about alignment specs though, that woulda been useful.

viola_lopez304mo ago

Yo @drew_hart4, that's exactly what I was wondering too. @brianm66, you said he mentioned valve stems drying out - did he walk you through how to actually check em or just drop that tip and dip? Like, is it a visual thing or do you gotta spray soapy water on em to find leaks? Seems like that kind of advice would save you a trip to the shop later on. Also, did he say anything about tire pressure changing with the weather or was it just a "set it and forget it" type deal?