pro·cras·ti·nate: (noun)
1. To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.
2. To postpone or delay needlessly
See also: Winter season vehicle preventative maintenance. For as long as there have been cars there have been steps needed in order to make sure that the all-metal AMT model parked in your driveway doesn’t turn into a 1994 Camry-cicle. What you do depends on where you live, of course…some of the Southern guys just check lights, wipers and tire pressures, but our friends in Canada don’t get off the hook that easy. All items need a once-over: oil, coolant, battery, lights, and because it’s Canada, you might want to have a set of snow tires ready to go. When the ice and snow just aren’t going away anytime soon, nothing helps more than a good, grippy snow tire…and if they are studded, all the better. Now…raise your hands if you think that proper preventative maintenance was at the top of every Canadian’s list of to-do items?
During winter tire panic season in Canada, this is a win.
Oh, of course…it’s halfway through November and it’s panic mode at every tire shop in the provinces…because nothing says “sideways fun” quite like when your Chevy Captiva loses it turning into the parking lot at work, right? I will never understand it…it’s not like winter is on a different day this year. If it’s sunny and 73 degrees out on November 29th, and you’re not in Arizona or New Mexico, consider yourself blessed. The reality is that by the end of the month it’s gonna be cold with a capital “F!” and if you haven’t gotten your stuff taken care of yet, then it sucks to be you, bro. But taking it out on the guy who just told you that they are out of tires since half of Manitoba figured it out before you did isn’t cool. There are tire irons in the back, and they will do the job nicely.
Hey… let’s not forget the part where the tire shops are inundated with calls looking for snow tires – 10 minutes after the blizzard starts. Not before, not when it’s announced, after it starts. It’s a Manitoba tradition. And to make it official, these calls are from the long term Manitoba residents who should know better. Of course they are angry there is nothing in stock, or the shop isn’t open at 7pm on a Sunday – when you think they should be – because you need them now to get to work tomorrow, or the shop is telling you the next available appointment is closer to spring than the day you are calling. No excuse this year… our public insurance company is offering low interest loans for snow tires. Best idea they’ve had since rebates
We’re having winter this year too? Dagnabbit!
As a parts guy that now sells tires at a tire shop for a living in Canada (glamorous let me tell you) it never fails to amaze me how long people will go without doing anything to prepare. Snow hits and its a mad panic! 5 lines lit up, 10 people line deep and panic. “How dare you not have tires! How dare you not get them on in 20 minutes!”
The absolute worst though are the little old ladies. No single group of people is responsible for more swearing, disappointment and disturbing of the peace then the little old lady.
Is it beer o’clock yet?
I put new tires on the Escape right after losing it at 40 mph going in a straight line. Amazingly, the tire store not only had tires, they sold them to me!
Prime the supply lines fellas. If you’re not the guy who orders tires, it’s not your fault. If you are the guy that orders tires, I’d probably be giving you the evil eye too… but then again, I put antifreeze in the truck at 31 degrees F, so I know a little about procrastination.
I bought every McLane edger blade from a local supplier one year, got tired of them being backordered and bought the production from our supplier for about 3 months… got a huge price break. Lots of other dealers were pretty pissed, but guess who had blades? I could sell them to other dealers at their normal cost and make money. Sometimes, turning yourself into a distributor is good. How many sizes of tires fit a Cramery anyway?
I should say the Escape looped on ice at 40 mph and I though – huh, I should go buy some new tires… left the car there and said “Call me when it’s done”, then went to the bar across the street to the bar.
5 beers later, all is well. THAT is preparation in my mind. Make sure there is a place with eats and drinks close to the tire store. When I was a kid, I wanted to put a topless bar next to the lawnmower shop… seriously. Wanna wait for your mower? Haven’t you been in here three times this month?
Being next door in Saskatchewan I have a complete set of winter rims and tires for the wifes car and my truck. Just unbolt one set and put the other on. The winter newbies were out in force…or should I say in the ditch in force as the first snow hit last weekend.
Today is when everyone that forgot how to drive on snow takes to the roads. The snow magically gets packed into ice and the automatic traffic lights get fooled by the ice packed on top of the sensors. Can it get any better? Not until January or so when the no drivin sob’s start to figure out it’s slippery out and start to remember what they did last year in the same situation. So until January rolls around, I’ll be driving the side streets that no one else wants to take so I can get where I wanna go with a reasonable chance of making it there in one piece.
ah, ya poor fellahs…..I’m in Australia and its been 35 degrees (C) most of the week… like, I dunno 90 – 100 degrees F? We’re just coming into summer now so quite a few months left of it yet…dunno how to deal with all the car shows, beaches and chicks…..life can be soo tough some times.
We will remember that in July, mate LOL