View Full Version : Malicious and criminal tyre fitting
LBD
23rd February 2009, 01:55
This is shocking , true, and it happened in a NZ bike shop.
Travelling on the ferry back from Wellington 9th Jan, I met up with two Ashburton lads and a 4th person. (And sorry but I must be somewhat vague about the 4th person and the bikeshop involved)
After a time this forth person relayed the following story that starts with a flat rear tire near Waiuru on Waitangi day. This was on a new rear tire that was fitted a few days earlier. If I recall correct the tire went down while stopped at traffic lights for road works, and not while riding.
Accomodation was found for the night and a bike shop was called that came the following day with a trailer and spare bike so they could all get back to the bike shop where the tyre was repaired....Now this is where it gets interesting, The tire was a tubed version and the bike shop handed the biker a handfull of worn paperclips that he found between the tyre and the tube. While relaying the story the rider produced a zip loc bag with the worn paper clips...that were on the way back to the bikeshop where the tyre was fitted.
Can anyone add to what happened at the bike shop in the next few days? I have tried to contact the rider involved to find out, At the very least the tire fitter must have lost his job one would hope and the rider recompensed for costs plus...
We have to contend with enough hazards on the road without needing to worry about malicious acts by those who look after our bikes.
Why would a tyre fitter do this when it would obviously come back to him? Again without going into details there may have been a grudge against the rider involved, but still?
And a thanks to the shop that helped with a breakdown in a remote area on a Waitangi Weekend Saturday.
Following is in response to some postings made further down
.... man I would be jumping up and down about it The 3 of us were astounded, I am still trying to find out what happened at the visit back to the shop
How do you tell a worn paperclip from an unworn one? The tube moves inside the tyre, some of the ends were worn to a needle sharp points
I can't see a motorbike shop doing this to another biker, unless it was a teenage low paid shop assistant? :shutup:
. Or there was a grudge which I suspect was the case.
In the interest of public safety I think a "name and shame" is required really.....there's. Would love to name and shame, but that would need to be done by the victim and not second hand
Maybe you should read the above quote I pulled for ya.....one or two is pushing it.....but a handful? come-on.....:eek5:I'd call that grossly negligent at best. Gross neglect at least...To clarify a handful. I may have exagerated, maybe 10 in the bag, different sizes thicknesses and colours
As far as the paper clip thing goes,
who but the tyre installer knows,
Could have come from anywhere as has been said before. I can not for the life of me imagine someone deliberately "getting back at someone" by putting paper clips in his tyre. Probably a young'un who is not well versed in changing a tyre with a tube in it. You do actually have to check the inside of the tyre and the rim for sharp things, before you put the tyre back on the rim, and sometimes even when you do check you can miss the sneaky sharp thing that sends the tube flat again. True, who but the tyre fitter would know....This was a well known large reputable company. There is reason to read between lines and suspect a grudge.
rabidnz
23rd February 2009, 05:49
if you have pissed someone off, dont put your life in there hands :D
Grizzo
23rd February 2009, 06:32
WTF? That is freakin outrageous!
JacksColdSweat
23rd February 2009, 06:36
Er, to me that sounds criminal
IMHO You should really be telling this to the cops...
If this story is true as told to you then a formal investigation needs to be done
Bass
23rd February 2009, 07:30
IMHO there is a lot being assumed here.
I think that it is entirely possible that the paper clips were put in the tyre well beforehand and that the tyre fitter simply did not notice them. I have had instances where I have known or strongly suspected that there was something loose inside a tyre and have still had to look pretty hard to find it.
Brand new tyres are seldom inspected internally by the installer before fitting.
I have watched almost all my bike tyres being fitted and I have never seen a new tyre being inspected internally.
I am not suggesting that this is acceptable - just questioning whether there was any intent involved.
3umph
23rd February 2009, 07:41
that's not very good, lucky it went flat when it did... even if not intentional the tyre still should of been checked especially with being fitted with a tube as well.... man I would be jumping up and down about it
awayatc
23rd February 2009, 07:44
Can not believe that a bikeshop would do anything like this on purpose.....
Makes no sense, because you will get found out.
Heaps of other ways to sabotage your bike without leaving traces.
Was done inadvertedly...
has to be..
Okey Dokey
23rd February 2009, 08:27
How do you tell a worn paperclip from an unworn one?
CB ARGH
23rd February 2009, 08:38
How do you tell a worn paperclip from an unworn one?
Depends if the worn one's been up a cows arse or not, that makes it a bit easier.
I can't see a motorbike shop doing this to another biker, unless it was a teenage low paid shop assistant? :shutup:
Glad no harm was done.
Taz
23rd February 2009, 09:00
Those bloody paperclips are sneaky little buggers! You got to keep an eye on them and never let them out of their magnetic cage unless to do their sole job. You have been warned!! Oh and don't feed them after midnight :blink:
firefighter
23rd February 2009, 09:29
In the interest of public safety I think a "name and shame" is required really.....there's nothing to excuse shit like this and I see no problem with this shop being named.....in fact I want to know so I never, ever go there.
sondela
23rd February 2009, 09:44
Every biker should boycott a bike shop that would intentionally endanger a life, BUT proof that they are indeed guilty without a shadow of a doubt, would be required first would it not?
Ixion
23rd February 2009, 10:11
Careless perhaps, but I cannot see a case for malicious. Things can fall inside a tyre, and with a tube type, it would be quite easy to grab the tyre (with foreign body sitting in the bottom well), lay it flat (foreign body slides to the bottom again) stuff the tube in (foreign body now not going to fall out and invisible) and carry on. The paperclips might have been in there when the fitter picked the tyre off the rack , having fallen in from someones bench somewhere.
Hanlon's law, I think.
firefighter
23rd February 2009, 10:16
handfull of worn paperclips that he found between the tyre and the tube
Careless perhaps, but I cannot see a case for malicious. Things can fall inside a tyre, and with a tube type, it would be quite easy to grab the tyre (with foreign body sitting in the bottom well), lay it flat (foreign body slides to the bottom again) stuff the tube in (foreign body now not going to fall out and invisible) and carry on.
Maybe you should read the above quote I pulled for ya.....one or two is pushing it.....but a handful? come-on.....:eek5:
I'd call that grossly negligent at best.
3umph
23rd February 2009, 10:18
In the interest of public safety I think a "name and shame" is required really.....there's nothing to excuse shit like this and I see no problem with this shop being named.....in fact I want to know so I never, ever go there.
Yeah I agee and dont agree....
he needs to back to the shop first and tell the and see what there comments about it is first.... and what they are going to do about it...
FROSTY
23rd February 2009, 10:46
This is making a heck of an assumption.
Tried and found guilty on the internet. good plan --NOT.
Apply a touch of common sense. If you were a tyre guy and wanted to samatage a bike theres a shit load of other ways to do it that would make it look like a "shit happened" deal.
I'd say at some stage the paperclips fell into the tyre ---be it on the truck be it on the rack and they have gone unnoticed.
Ixion
23rd February 2009, 10:53
IN fact I'm a bit surprised (not a lot, just a bit) that a paper clip was able to deflate an inner tube. They're not that sharp and would lie flattish. Lots of 'better' ways if you actually wanted to bring someone down.
Ever watched a storeman clearing the crap of the stores bench ? Usually, old cardboard folder, swish swish and whatever's lying on the bench gets swept off onto the floor - or whatever happens to be leaning up against the bench. Done it m'self.
Virago
23rd February 2009, 11:12
"Malicious and Criminal tyre fitting"
I would suspect that the only thing malicious and criminal here, is your own hysterical response, to what is in all likelihood simply a silly and embarrassing accident.
pritch
23rd February 2009, 13:14
Usually, old cardboard folder, swish swish and whatever's lying on the bench gets swept off onto the floor - or whatever happens to be leaning up against the bench. Done it m'self.
Nooooo surely not?
That's almost like when I found out there was no Father Christmas...
klingon
23rd February 2009, 13:25
...Done it m'self.
Ixion did it! :eek5:
We should make him account for every paperclip he's been issued in the last 24 months.
Meanwhile, on the subject of stupid and dangerous tyre fitting, some friends left on Friday in the pouring rain for a two week, two-up South Island tour. Their VStrom was behaving a bit oddly on the wet road so when tying down on the ferry they went over it to see what the problem was. Answer: The front tyre had been fitted back to front.
Needless to say, the tire fitter will be getting a visit and some very stern words from my friends on their return. I think the full story (including name & shame) will also be told on here. As it should be when that kind of incompetence is exposed.
Ixion
23rd February 2009, 13:30
I once worked for a boss who was so anal that he actually did issue paperclips! You had to sign for them! :eek: :bash:
vagrant
23rd February 2009, 13:37
I have had a new tyre develop an annoying slow leak. Cause was the very long staples used to attach the pricing label. I had eight nice little pin holes that matched the price label perfectly.
The shop investigated and found the stock boy had run out of staples, so grabbed the gun that the sales team used to put up their posters, with much longer staples in it.:Oops:
AllanB
23rd February 2009, 14:05
Probably just a accident - you know like those guys who run around with hard-ons and trip up falling on some unsuspecting woman. <_<
Bonez
23rd February 2009, 14:55
Can the thread be renamed "Clippys Revenge" please.
Taz
23rd February 2009, 16:06
The tyre fitter should always check for items in the tyre before fitting. It's just good practise and common sense. No excuse really.
ducatilover
23rd February 2009, 16:23
Probably just a accident - you know like those guys who run around with hard-ons and trip up falling on some unsuspecting woman. <_<
yeah thats very easy to do...........:Oops:
Zoolander
23rd February 2009, 17:11
Every biker should boycott a bike shop that would intentionally endanger a life, BUT proof that they are indeed guilty without a shadow of a doubt, would be required first would it not?
Nah, who needs proof when you have KB??
Mom
23rd February 2009, 17:37
I once worked for a boss who was so anal that he actually did issue paperclips! You had to sign for them! :eek: :bash:
I once worked for a boss who told me in no uncertain terms that "THE BANK IS NO PLACE FOR FRIVOLITY!!!!"
I made the mistake of smiling, I may have laughed out loud a tiny bit too :nono:
As far as the paper clip thing goes,
who but the tyre installer knows,
to make it an issue,
that requires a tisue,
on the internet really blows!
Could have come from anywhere as has been said before. I can not for the life of me imagine someone deliberately "getting back at someone" by putting paper clips in his tyre. Probably a young'un who is not well versed in changing a tyre with a tube in it. You do actually have to check the inside of the tyre and the rim for sharp things, before you put the tyre back on the rim, and sometimes even when you do check you can miss the sneaky sharp thing that sends the tube flat again.
Kickaha
23rd February 2009, 18:10
IN fact I'm a bit surprised (not a lot, just a bit) that a paper clip was able to deflate an inner tube. They're not that sharp and would lie flattish. Lots of 'better' ways if you actually wanted to bring someone down.
They will but normally from chafing between the tube and tyre, it would leave a paper clip shaped imprint in the tube
The tyre fitter should always check for items in the tyre before fitting. It's just good practise and common sense. No excuse really.
No there isn't any excuse not to do it when a tube is fitted and in the case of a tube being fitted tyre talc should also be used
barty5
23rd February 2009, 18:16
surly a hand full of paper clips would have a hard time staying in the tyre asuming the shop uses a tyre machine to fit tyres as it would have been laying down flat gravity should cause them to fall out or at least move around so as to be notices before or while the tube was fitted???
Lucy
23rd February 2009, 18:36
I once worked for a boss who was so anal that he actually did issue paperclips! You had to sign for them! :eek: :bash:
Once, when I was young and brave, (in the 80s) I asked the TWO guys who ran the stationery department (did I mention it was the 80's?) where I worked, for two bottles of Twink, and they asked me if I was painting the ceiling.
Number One
23rd February 2009, 19:37
The tyre fitter should always check for items in the tyre before fitting. It's just good practise and common sense. No excuse really.
My thoughts exactly. One of the first things I remember Sully telling me to do...however that may be more about the state of our workspace in the garage than anything else :shutup: :chase:
Once, when I was young and brave, (in the 80s) I asked the TWO guys who ran the stationery department (did I mention it was the 80's?) where I worked, for two bottles of Twink, and they asked me if I was painting the ceiling.
Did you tell them NO that you were instead painting your nails :crazy:
jtzzr
23rd February 2009, 19:38
surly a hand full of paper clips would have a hard time staying in the tyre asuming the shop uses a tyre machine to fit tyres as it would have been laying down flat gravity should cause them to fall out or at least move around so as to be notices before or while the tube was fitted???
You just never know how surly a handful of paperclips can get.
Surely an accident (well one hopes so).
LBD
24th February 2009, 01:24
Following is in response to some postings above
.... man I would be jumping up and down about it The 3 of us were astounded, I am still trying to find out what happened at the visit back to the shop...
How do you tell a worn paperclip from an unworn one? The tube moves inside the tyre, some of the ends were worn to a needle sharp point
I can't see a motorbike shop doing this to another biker, unless it was a teenage low paid shop assistant? :shutup:
. Or there was a grudge which I suspect was the case.
In the interest of public safety I think a "name and shame" is required really.....there's. Would love to name and shame, but that would need to be done by the victim and not second hand
Maybe you should read the above quote I pulled for ya.....one or two is pushing it.....but a handful? come-on.....:eek5:I'd call that grossly negligent at best. Gross neglect at least...To clarify a handful. I may have exagerated, maybe 10 in the bag, different sizes thicknesses and colours
As far as the paper clip thing goes,
who but the tyre installer knows,
Could have come from anywhere as has been said before. I can not for the life of me imagine someone deliberately "getting back at someone" by putting paper clips in his tyre. Probably a young'un who is not well versed in changing a tyre with a tube in it. You do actually have to check the inside of the tyre and the rim for sharp things, before you put the tyre back on the rim, and sometimes even when you do check you can miss the sneaky sharp thing that sends the tube flat again. True, who but the tyre fitter would know....This was a well known large reputable company. There is reason to read between lines and suspect a grudge.
Skyryder
24th February 2009, 09:28
In the interest of public safety I think a "name and shame" is required really.....there's nothing to excuse shit like this and I see no problem with this shop being named.....in fact I want to know so I never, ever go there.
Ask for a PM. Name and shame can cause a lot of grief not only for the poster but KB as well. Defamitory laws can bite in the arse for the unwary.
Skyryder
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