Heading home, spotted something in the oncoming lanes that didn't look right. Traffic somewhat obscured The Big Picture,, but the wheel and tire rolling around unaccompanied was easy to see. A pickup was slowing and turned up the street,, I thought the tire had fallen OUT,, turned around to see if the guy needed help tossing it back in.. He'd pulled into the parking lot at the corner,, and had already hopped out and was rolling it to the truck when I got there. Noticing the left rear brake disk on the ground and the combination of bent (3) and broken studs, and the bent up bedside, I concluded the thing had loosened up and got away.. So, naturally I asked
Who had that wheel off last? A tire shop on 80, he says.. Yeah, there are a few over there that cater to the Bilingual crowd. I decided to give one a shot a few years ago. I wasn't treated well. Won't be back.
Anyway, he said he just bought the rims, and tires, had them done Last Week.. This guy had every opportunity to figure this out. Ruined the wheel, wrecked his bedside, and wound up needing a towtruck, and will be without his truck for WhoKnowsHowLong..
Because someone didn't tighten the lugnuts, And he kept driving while it made the noises loose wheels make. The L.R.wheel? Dude,, instead of turning the radio up, lower the window and turn the radio Off.. Even if yer deaf, the clunking caused by a slight swing of the steering wheel Otta be something a guy would Feel.
I left the guy,on a knee, staring at the bent/broken studs and screwed up wheel opening, once I figured out I couldn't help him out and he had told me the story. As I was mounting up I was saying goodbye,  and caught myself in mid sentence,, somehow it just doesn't seem very sensitive to say
Ookay,, well,, you have a nice day,,
I managed to check myself about half way though,, and, A little embarrassed, started over with
I'll see ya later..
Poor guy,, just doing Life stuff,, and wound up in a pretty big pile of crap. Could have been Much worse,, it Could have been at seventy, instead of slowing for a turn. The tire could have launched the back of the truck, on a busy, high speed two lane, the tire Could have taken out some geezer on a bike,, Lotsa WURSER options. And he Could have checked his lugs after he got home and avoided the Whole Thing..
I know what I'll be doing in the future. Instead of just believing the Tech has, again, annoyingly over-torqued them, I'll be hauling My torque wrench and checking them out before I drive off.
I Really miss being able to watch the work being done on my car..
I'd happily sign a waiver..