Changing A Tyre Bye The Side Of The Road

[icyfroth]

Sitting here at the computer earlier this morning, browsing the chat boards whilst listening to talk back radio.

Listener called in to say "watch out, there's a car pulled over by side of James Ruse drive and the driver's on the outside changing a tyre". 

About ten minutes later there was a report that a man had been fatally struck by a car while he was changing a tyre. 

Turned out it was the same guy. 

That was creepy, and very sad.

Very risky business to be changing a tyre on the outside of a breakdown lane though. You hear of ppl being struck that way fairly often.

Best to call Roadside Assistance.

[esayaf]

Better still people should be able to drive without hitting a stationary vehicle

[lloydslights]

As far as I know, Roadside Assistance usually send a tow truck to take the vehicle to a garage for the wheel to be changed.  

That is the scenario on motorways.

DEB

[*tippy*toes*]

I saw that incident on the RTA site and it was a truck that hit him. It's possible that the truck had nowhere to go if there was traffic coming in the other direction. I have seen people on the side of the road standing well into the lane and vehicles having to swerve to miss them. I have also seen people stopped where there is no shoulder and the vehicle is half hanging into the lane.

In that situation, you are better driving on your flat tyre to a safe place off a main road, or where the shoulder is wide enough that you're safe. Yes, it will destroy what's left of the tyre, but better than losing your life. I have completely shredded a tyre because it wasn't safe to pull over when I first became aware the tyre was flat. I slowed right down, but there was no way I was stopping.

The sad thing about this is, the poor truck driver will cop the blame by the general public lynch mob, because regardless of the circumstances, the truck is automatically in the wrong in their eyes.

[go-tazz]

Looks like he was changing the tire in the fast lane,

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-man-killed-after-being-hit-by-car-while-changing-tyre-20160603-gpau...

[icyfroth]

Yep. Not a wise move.

Young man, 19yo.  

[davidc4430]

then of course theres all the ones who dont get themselves killed doing really dumb things

they meet other equally stoopid people and make stoopid kids,

its a never ending circle

[chameleon54]

I had a car break down one night on an open country highway. It was on a perfectly straight road with plenty of room to pull right off the side of road. I had a trailer on behind and some-one still managed to drive off of the side of the road and slam into the back of the trailer, writing my car off and injuring my mum and myself. The driver said he just got confused.

It was 250 km. from the city and I suspect the guy was just sleeping at the wheel. This was very common on this stretch of road, with cars and trucks regularly hitting trees and rolling over. The straight section of road was 20 km. long and people just doze off from boredom. Maybe if the speed limit was raised to a realistic level, people would concentrate on driving a bit more.

[davidc4430]

in the situation like you described if the flat tire was on the road side of the car/trailer i would have crossed to the other side of the road then onto the verge so the flat was away from the road, then changed it. at night make sure warning lights are on and prolly parkers.

still no garantee you'll be safe but at least your not trying to change a wheel a metre from traffic.

[bright.ton42]

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@go-tazz wrote:

Looks like he was changing the tire in the fast lane,

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-man-killed-after-being-hit-by-car-while-changing-tyre-20160603-gpau...

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Yes poor boy, poor truck driver,poor everyone.