It was Tuesday and the sun was beating down, it was only 10 am but it is summer now. Bright and early, rise and shine. I had made sure to plan my day ahead of today, but as usual things just happen. Come up out of nowhere. With a coffee in hand, I lazily shuffled to back of my car and opened the boot, lifted up the centre flap and pulled out the jack, the wheel brace and the nuts. So begin my day of changing the tire.

First thing first, loosen the nuts with the wheel brace. Then proceed to place the jack under the car, for me I had to find a small section where it slides into position then using a an attachable handle, turn the jack. When the car us up, it was time to go to town. But there was one small problem…something I forgot about and something I paid no attention to.

There was a lock nut on my wheel. Lock nuts are annoying plain and simple. There for anti-theft so someone doesn’t nick your wheels, but nobody cares and it just make your life harder when you have to change a tire because you have to use an extension nut on top of your wheel brace to get them off. Which the are incredibly stiff to loosen. Well, I ended up breaking on of the lock nuts. Took the protruding tip clean off. Made my life even harder.

Around a hour later, much longer than planned I was in the car heading for the town. What a sad case it was let me tell you. See the spare tire is not really meant for much use, its skinnier, shorter and can only handle so much milage. So in my case, my car was lobsided towards the front and after covering a short distance a warning lights comes on.

What’s it doing? Starts beeping.

What’s it beeping for? Your anti-lock braking system has been shut off mate.

By your cars computer because the sensors cant read the spare.

14 minutes later and I am in town, shopping for a tire. It is now midday. Place #1 was a guy I knew through a guy and would be able to help me out for a good price. So I rolled up and…closed. Tuesday 14:05 and it’s shut. I looked at the opening times and it should have been open, but it wasn’t. So I gave Mr.Tyre a call.

“Tomorrow morning, half-nine in the morning.”

Right, next place. I don’t know any of these guys but them suppose to be fast. So I rock up and it’s open and they’re working away. I told them what I want done and they gave me a quote and told me to bring it back in half an hour as they’re busy at the moment. €75. For a new.

So I’ve got half an hour to kill. I spun down to the junction and drove sneakily to another dealer. I told this guy what tire I wanted and he told me €95. A tick of the clock at its 15:30.

Time’s up time go back to the fast lads. Gliding on the tarmacadam back to the workshop and what’s happen?

Place is packed. Cars everywhere.

People out and about talking, mechanics not even working anymore.