I pulled onto the interstate today behind a midsize Buick sedan from the mid 90's. I then notice that the drivers side rear spring is hanging 1/2 way out of the car. I can see the pigtail and about 3 coils hanging under the axle (about 3" from dragging the ground). The car was sitting remarkably level, nearly level actually (odd since the spring was at least 1/2 way out of the vehicle). I was afraid it would come loose and wind up coming through my windshield (I stayed far back until I could pass him). I can't imagine how it was even still in the car, or what it was caught on. It is probably an easy fix (unless something broke, like the spring perch), but it will probably not get fixed until it falls out completely and the driver notices. It's scary to think that there are people who are that clueless about their own cars (but we all know they exist). My wife always reminds me that she's glad she found a guy who can work on cars (if I could only learn to drive them ).

The everyday person is clueless about thier car/truck! They know that something is wrong but will not do anything until it stop's the car from moving I watched this lady yesterday get out and kick the tire's and look under the car as her car made this death cry scream! And i can tell you this wasn't her brake's!

At least in some state's the car get's a inspection and a smog test, here in CA the car is OK if it doesn't pollute the air! It's just scary

Last fall I was driving to work and the lady in front of me had a flat left rear tire; the tire probably had about 5 psi in it. I did the right thing and at the next light I got out of my truck and told her that she has a flat tire. She said, "Oh thank you for stopping and telling me". You would think someone would take it easy after that. Well, the light after I told her about her tire she takes a fast right hand turn, like she was autocrossing. Then a few more miles up the road she passes right by a gas station without stopping. It takes like a minute to air up a tire and even if she couldn't do it herself she could have easily asked someone to do it for her. This was in a very nice part of town, during the day, so no worries about getting mugged or something. I really don't understand people like that. The way she was driving if the tire came off the rim I'm sure she still wouldn't of stopped.

Ironically, in WV, we had yearly safety inspections (they check the brakes, lights, look under the car, exhaust system, etc). In Ohio, we have nothing (some areas have smog, mine does not). It's nice to not have to go do the inspection thing (since my cars are well cared for), but it may not be such a bad idea in the grand scheme of things (the "big" picture). It will be a PITA for people like us, but it may be a good idea.

Last week on my way home from work I saw a Lincoln Mark VIII with it's fuel tank hanging at an angle under the car. As I got up to it at a light, I realized that it was being held on by bungee cords.

As the man said:
If you hold you car together with bungee cords and bailing twine... you might me a red-neck.

Heh... on the way back from New Albany on Saturday, I turned on to 161 and was stuck behind a guy with no more than 2 psi in his LR tire. Sped up and pulled along side him as we merged onto the highway and signaled. He signaled back that he was aware of it and continued to speed up to highway speeds! It's one thing to not have a problem with ruining your own equipment. It's totally another to endanger the lives of everyone near you on that highway.

I was shocked when I moved to ohio (from WV), the first thing I asked when I did the car registration was about inspections. The lady looked at me like I was crazy. EVERY state I've lived in sans Ohio has some sort of inspection.

I'm glad I wasn't alone. What part did you move from? I was in Martinsburg (out by Summit Point raceway).

I was driving on the 118 west freeway here in so cal last sunday, well I merged onto the 118 west from the 5 south and got stuck behind a little Acura Integra with a HUGE fart can muffler. Well, the funny thing about this is when she was just cruising along, there seemed to be no problem, but when she stepped on the gas to speed up, there was a HUGE cloud of blue smoke and it oddly smelled like oil.. When I first saw this, I though she dropped a ring or 10.. thats how bad the smoke was.. but then when she let off the gas, the smoke cleared and it looked normal again...

She then stepped on the gas again to get over and exit the freeway, well this time the smoke was so bad I had to step on my brakes and slow down, I couldnt even see my hood, needless to sat the lanes or other traffic.. and I was at least 10 cars back

You think someone with an issue like that would want to fix their car if its that bad, but I guess not.. at least not until they cause an accident and somehow get cought and blamed for it..

The average person will drive a car till it dies then try and have it fixed.

A couple years back I was on my home from work and got stuck behind a POS hatchback on HWY1 between Goleta and Lompoc in CA.

Car kept on wiggling back and forth for several miles... I figured the guy had too many drinks, so I just kept my distance. It wasnt until I saw the right rear tire slide out of the wheel well a good 2-3 inches that I knew something bad was going to happen.

I start flashing my lights and honking. Cant get too close 'cause I didnt want to fall victim to his 13 inch rim.

He wanted nothing to do with me... in fact he sped up a few.

Then pop, rim and tire are off completely and rolling along side the car for about 30 yards before launching off a berm into the bushes.

Car and driver ...... keep on going.

It wasnt for another 1/2 mile until the guy pulled over. Got too love those rear sway bars.

Weirton (North of Wheeling) via Charlotte, NC.

Friday, I was driving into work and pulled up behind a Volvo wagon with a well dressed gentleman driving it (and talking on his cell phone). I then noticed that there was a full ring of keys hanging from the lock on the hatch on said Volvo. I pulled up beside him and got his attention. He looked puzzled when I said he had keys hanging out of the back of his car, then he suddenly looked like it all made sense. It seems like he remembered doing something that may have involved leaving a ring of about 10-12 keys stuck in the hatch. They were still there when I saw him downtown, I wonder how far they traveled before that.