Keepers of the Road
Mr Chiots and I enjoy going on walks. We don’t get to go every single day, but we manage to get a few walks in each week. We have a few different routes that we take from our home depending on how long of a walk we want. It’s also nice to have a change in scenery. As we walk, we watch the road and pick up all the nails we see and anything that could be hard on a tire. You’d be amazed at the things we find. Part of the reason we find lots of things is that there are no sidewalks here in our community. The last three days we’ve gone on walks and each day we’ve found something. This is what I found yesterday.
I kind of wish I had started throwing them all in a can in the garage. By now I would have a big bucket filled with all sorts of things from screwdrivers to a giant 12 inch nail and screws of all shapes and sizes! We’re hoping this is good karma and it will help keep us from getting a flat tire from screw, nails and all the sorts of things we carry home from our walks.
Have you ever gotten a flat tire from something on the road?
Do you pick up nails & screws you find in parking lots and on the road?
This cracked me up, because I am fanatical about picking up nails and other potential tire-flattening debris from the road and our yard. Unfortunately, I’m also notorious from getting flat tires…
to Ivy Mae's comment
Funny you should ask. Last Friday, I pulled over the side of the road to let a police car pass and picked up a piece of plastic with a big, fat screw. I left it in and thumped to the tire store and they were able to fix it–thank goodness. First time that’s happened to me. And yes, I pick up stuff in the road.
to Mary W's comment
My mom once got a flat tire and the mechanic told her they think she drove over an animal tooth!
to Daedre Craig's comment
I’ve gotten flat tires from nails and, most disturbing, a razor blade! I always pick them up with I see them. I don’t want anyone to get a flat tire, but I’m really always worried that someones going to step on one of those rusty nails and it will go straight through their shoe. OUCH!
to Songbirdtiff's comment
We have had a few slow leaks in our vehicles from running over things here – screws and nails. I seem to get all my flats on the lawn mower and the two yard carts. I should be happy it happens on those instead of the car/truck, but it gets downright frustrating. While walking I carry a bag to pick up trash, but I have never thought to do it in a parking lot..thanks for that idea. I will do that from now on, it just makes real good sense! When we lived in Kenya it was a weekly occurrence to get a flat tire – running over long acacia thorns was the norm! Emily
to Sincerely, Emily's comment
I never thought about picking up sharp objects on the road, actually. But when I was little and walking country roads to get to my friend’s house, I’d pick up the woolly worms crossing the road and put them on the side they were heading for, to keep them from getting squished by passing cars.
to Jessica's comment
So funny you say this, I do this as well. I also pick up earth worms and any other bug see crossing the road and move them safely to the side.
to Susy's comment
This triggers a memory of an art show in Boston. There was an artist who collected nails from her walks. She turned them into art pieces by nailing them into rustic boards. It was amazing how the different types of nails, some bent, some rusted, some very very old, created patterns and textures. It was as though each and every nail had a history… a story to tell.
Good Karma to help prevent flat tires.
to Seren Dippity's comment
Yes – baling wire, nails, screws
Yes
to MAYBELLINE's comment
I pick up flat rusty bottle tops, in fact I actively seek them out. Nothing like the sight of a hmm older, plumper woman scavenging around the back of the hotel picking things up in the carpark!!! Oh I use them in my natural dye practice as a source of iron and they make great marks.
to Tracy Willans's comment
Susy, I remember one time I was working on my car and dropped a screw. It dribbled down through the parts of the car and hit the ground. I looked and looked for that screw but didn’t find it. Apparently it had rolled under the tire with the pointy end up because I found the screw right after I backed out of the driveway.
Keep on picking up those road hazardous things. Of course I could just drive down the road before you and my tires would find them all.
Have a great walking day.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
We need to take more walks. I do tend to pick things up that need picking up, though, such as paper towels on the restroom floor.
to Corner Garden Sue's comment
Holy cow! Is that a nail setter???
to Missy's comment
Occy, our Aussie Shepherd, and I pick up trash on our walks, but we don’t come across many nails and screws. I’m sure you’re raking in the karma for preventing flats in your neighborhood!
to Morgan G's comment