I’m starting a new collection – Addendum

Addendum:  This is an addendum to my post of November 2018.

Can you believe it?  I had another freaking flat tire today when I ventured out to take my trash to the recycling.  The garbage men were there emptying the bins.  One of them noticed my tire was flat.  It was pretty flat.  I can’t believe I hadn’t felt it when I was driving.  Then, they changed it for me!  One of them jokingly made a gesture of showing his muscles and said “see, men come in handy sometimes!”  to which I said “YES!  sometimes!”  That was sooo nice of them and they certainly didn’t have to do it.  I made them each take 5 euros and said to please have a couple of beers.  Thank God.  Now I just have to get a new tire.  They told me car repair shops are essential, so, I’ll need to do that.

After I wrote the post below, I had another flat tire in June 2019.  That was an ordeal.  They didn’t have my tire in stock anywhere in town and it took two days to get one, all while I had guests in Barcelona waiting for me.  

November 2018:

The second day in Spain in my new car, I hit a curb on a curve going faster than I should have on a dark, narrow and winding road, and punctured the tire.  It entailed an expensive cab ride home from town and a trip to the repair shop the next day.  Peugeot, the lessor of my car, will reimburse me for the tire, but I must return the original tire when I return the car.  I’m storing the tire in the storage closet at my apartments.

Last week, in Barcelona, multiple people on the street, drivers, and motorcycle drivers let me know that I had a flat tire.  I called Peugeot and the guy they sent to change the tire told me the tire had been deliberately slashed by a knife.  He said that it is common that a motorcyclist will puncture your tire with a knife and then indicate that he will help you if you follow him.  I was too busy negotiating traffic to pay attention to what he was trying to say, so fortunately, I avoided being robbed!  The tire store where I replaced the tire confirmed that is what happened.

I am starting a collection of tires in my storage closet!