A tyring day

The pneumatic tyre was invented in 1887 by a Scot, John Boyd Dunlop. Apparently, he was trying to prevent the headaches suffered by his son while riding rough roads on his bicycle.

Nearly 130 years later, we are still using inflatable tyres, and still getting punctures. Sarah has had two on her bike recently after the field hedges were cut, so one of her Christmas presents was a pair of puncture resistant tyres. They aren't easy to get on, though...

I had a puncture in my car tonight as well.. drove over something going through the industrial estate but managed to reach home before serious deflation. I took off the wheel and there are THREE fencing hooks embedded in the rubber. No spare wheel on my car so I will have to take the wheel into town tomorrow. Ho hum. Apparently Michelin are trialling something called a "Tweel" which never goes flat. Bring it on!

The puncture happened on our way home from the cinema, where we saw "Mandela, The Long Walk To Freedom". Plenty of food for thought in a film which I will be thinking about for a long time to come. (and a graphic depiction of one of the worst uses of old tyres)