[crg2mls]

I better really love my Giman countertop/island I purchased today at the Brooklyn store.

This morning I hijacked my son for this 75 mile trip. About 15 miles shy of reaching the store I hit something small and shiny on the highway and immediately my tire blew out. I quickly crossed 3 lanes only to realize that there was no shoulder. Trucks and cars were speeding past us as we sat like sitting ducks. Nothing but a huge wall next to us. As I look through my rear view mirror I see that other cars have suffered the same fate and are pulling their cars over. I called for a tow and sat patiently, but nervously. The tow truck arrives and stops at the car the furthest from me in my rear view mirror. Hey, I was here first....I called first. My son and I sat in the car for 90 minutes until a tow truck finally reached us after all of the others that pulled over behind us.

$80 later we're towed to what I will describe as a yucky station. The guy shows me my tire has a horizontal slash from top to bottom. $35 later we're back on the road with a used tire. According to my dh that tire would be able to get me home. According to me that tire was going to get me to the Brooklyn store. The $329 Giman countertop/island was on sale there for $129 and I was not going home without it.

So the $200 I should have in my pocket has dwindled down to $85 after the tow and tire. I left my house at 10:30 and didn't get home until 6 (I just love rush hour traffic in NYC).

After all I went through to get this island it had better become my most favorite part of my kitchen!

	DH definition DH usually means Dear Husband (or, pick your own adjective starting with D).

[dalbrough]

Oh what a day you had - but a few things:
-glad you are okay.
-glad you are okay.
-glad you are okay.

Reading your post and envisioning what could have happened I think you made out pretty lucky.

Nothing worse sitting at the side of the road like a sitting duck with no shoulder.

Too bad your budget was blown a bit but happy you made it there and back all in one piece.

[SEEGAYE]

Every year DH , myself, and our apprentice take a trek to OKC. We are pulling a large trailer filled with horses. Enroute one year we had a big tire blow out. Another year our truck broke down. It seemed bad at the time and certainly felt inconvenient. I believe, however, that many times things are allowed to prevent worse things. Perhaps your delay prevented your path from crossing something worse down the way. That tire was gonna blow eventually and thankfully when it happened you were not harmed. Could have happened on a rainy day in an even worse spot.

Most importantly you DID secure your counter top! It has a story now!

	DH definition DH usually means Dear Husband (or, pick your own adjective starting with D).

[crg2mls]

Thanks dalbrough! You have put my day in perspective. Thankfully I can't recall the last time I was stranded. Driving home Ben was cringing everytime we hit a little bump in the road. You would think he'd be afraid, no, he said he didn't want to be so thirsty again.

SEEGAYE, wow, a blown tire on a trailer filled with horses. I hope it didn't take too long to get you back on the road. I am always saying that things happen for a reason but I can't say that I frequently look at it as you do. One event does impact on other events and it is certainly conceivable that it could be to prevent something else from occurring.

Not that long ago dh & I were shopping. After leaving the store we realized we'd forgotten something. We weren't eager to get back on line but decided to do it anyway. On our way home we passed a multi-car accident. I remember saying that had we not gone back into the store we would have been in that location at that time.

And you are right, things could always be worse.

Most importantly you DID secure your counter top! It has a story now!

	DH definition DH usually means Dear Husband (or, pick your own adjective starting with D).

[Narf]

Originally Posted by dalbrough

Oh what a day you had - but a few things:
-glad you are okay.
-glad you are okay.
-glad you are okay.

Definitely glad you are okay!

Nothing worse sitting at the side of the road like a sitting duck with no shoulder.

One of the first things dad told me that in event of a flat or blowout, KEEP ON GOING until it's absolutely safe. The worst thing to happen is that the rim has to be replaced too ... and that a lot cheaper than life. Unless the freeway is really slow going, the shoulder is NOT considered safe.

YouTube - Car Crashes Into A Traffic Stop

The surface streets aren't any better ... you're still not going to win against a car that's "only" going 25mph. Pull into a parking lot instead.

[Toxigal]

Originally Posted by Narf

Definitely glad you are okay!



One of the first things dad told me that in event of a flat or blowout, KEEP ON GOING until it's absolutely safe. The worst thing to happen is that the rim has to be replaced too ... and that a lot cheaper than life. Unless the freeway is really slow going, the shoulder is NOT considered safe.

YouTube - Car Crashes Into A Traffic Stop

The surface streets aren't any better ... you're still not going to win against a car that's "only" going 25mph. Pull into a parking lot instead.

[Harpy]

I missed this yesterday somehow. I'm just glad you're okay!

[quiltmaster]

I always knew shopping at IKEA was dangerous, but that's pretty scary. You'll have a hard time getting that son back in the car again...

So what was the small shiny thing?

[kelly]

I join those who express how glad they are that you're ok!!

Apprentices! I love that! I need some apprentices. Mine would all have to be evil, though.

This is like a vision to me!

[crg2mls]

Sorry for not responding to everyone's thoughtful remarks. I have been up to my ____ in Ikea projects and had a small window of time that dh could help me.

Narf, your dad was definitely correct. Where this occurred was right where two highways converge. So when I pulled off to the shoulder area I had to contend with the two lanes that were speeding by. When the tow truck finally came he acknowledged that I had nowhere else to go and further ahead was an even worse location.

quiltmaster, I never did find out what was in the road. It certainly was something quiter dangerous as it didn't puncture my tire but slashed the outside from top to bottom. There's no doubt in my mind that my son will not be volunteering to join me on any future trips to that store. My daughter on the other hand thinks she missed out on an adventure and may volunteer if I can promise her some drama.

	DH definition DH usually means Dear Husband (or, pick your own adjective starting with D).