Smartass Sundar
Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 10:51PM Driving back from work to home on one of the worst highways in the local area. Worst in the sense that the highway is in really bad condition. As soon as you merge in, the noise level increases tremendously due to the roughness of the surface and the numerous bumps.
As is customary, I just have the radio on and drive, zombie mode. The dude on the radio is going on and on about greenhouse gases, auto industry, environmentalists recommendations and suddenly something jumps out and wakes me up..
"we can significantly reduce greenhouse gases if everyone in America can inflate their vehicle tires to the correct pressure! under inflated tires cause not just more wear and tear and frequent tire disposal, but they also decrease gas mileage!"
the inventor in me went to overdrive!
What? Is that really that simple? Half the time I dont check my tire pressure. Is this the real reason for all the noise or is it the crappy highway. In this day and age when we have diapers which turn color on the outside, when the little one does a number on the inside, how come we dont have an automatic tire pressure indicator that goes red or green? Should I patent that and make millions? If it is that easy to improve gas mileage, there should be one already? and given free with every tire! Hell, it should be built into the tire and there would probably be a law that mandates all tires have built in pressure sensors that alarm when the tire needs to be inflated some more! So far we have not seen anything like it!
Smiling from ear to ear on hitting a possible jackpot and visualizing myself as the next tire sensor baron, I came home, logged on and went on the internet and checked for tire pressure indicator ... and the future tire sensor baron sank into the couch more like a tired senseless moron.
Looks like there is one out there (or god knows how many more). But they want 15 bucks for four sensors. Now, I am upset! Why shouldn't tire manufacturers who charge 75$ a tire add this under 5$ sensor to the tire? Why doesn't the state of California which is hit so hard with emissions, mandate that all tires come with sensors?
I am going to see if someone gives out these things for free. In the meantime, if any of you who read this blog, know of any other such indicator that is cheaper or free, let me know. For now, it is back to the gas station to check tire pressure...
ps. there is an automatic tire pressure indicator in my Toyota Sienna van. But this light is perpetually on!! I know my tires have the right pressure (every local mechanic has told me so, except the toyota service!).
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gas mileage, greenhouse gases, inventor, patent, pollution, pressure, radio news, tire
Reader Comments (3)
Check the pressure in all 4 tires first, adjust as necessary. Then consult the manual for the van - usually you have to reset the tire "setting" (i.e., recalibrate it) in order for the tire warning to go off. This usually consists of some combination of buttons on your dash. If it keeps going off after you reset it - you may want to consider either you have a slow tire leak or there's something wrong with the computer...
Your thought process is good - really all you need is one simple idea to be successful so you can retire early and not worry about the astronomical increases in college tuition... ;)
mg,
thanks.. yes. I could also dream of owning fancy Italian cars.
;)
;)