A Bad End to an Incomplete Day

As a motorist, there are few things as anxiety-inducing as the annual MOT test, aside from maybe spotting a police van with the rear window open parked on the side of the road. Fortunately, our company car has never failed an MOT, and this year was no different. We were hit with a hefty bill of around £500, made even worse by the fact that the car was also due for a major service, which would set us back another £300.

But our relief was short-lived. On our way to a job, we heard an awful noise coming from the back of the car. Worried about what it could be, we pulled over on the A30 to investigate. It turned out to be a flat tire, and not just any flat tire, but one so flat it was practically touching the rim.

Thankfully, we like to be prepared for the worst, and we had some emergency repair liquid in the boot, which we quickly discovered was utterly useless. The tire briefly inflated to around 11psi with an electric pump but quickly deflated as soon as it was disconnected.

Should we abandon life as we know it and retreat to the woods along the A30?

We were not ready to give up and live in the woods alongside the A30, so we emptied the boot to find the spare tire and tools. But naturally, the tool we needed to undo the bolts was nowhere to be found. We spent 15 freezing cold minutes at the side of the road waiting for a solution, but eventually, we had to give in and call the AA, who arrived promptly and changed the tire in just a few minutes.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I tried to explain the missing tool, but it turned out it was just folded in with the other tools. Oops. We decided to forget the whole thing, so as not to appear completely incompetent.

Loss turns into Pizza and Whisky

By the time we were back on the road, we had missed our second job of the day. Frustrated and out of pocket, we decided to salvage the evening by grabbing a pizza from Co-op and a small whisky. After all, what else could we do?

Back in North Devon, we rescheduled with the client and booked the car in with the mechanic, only to discover we were facing yet another bill of £120. Suddenly, the idea of ditching the car at the side of the road and starting a new life seemed appealing.

Overall, it was a frustrating day, but at least we learned a valuable lesson: always check the tools before assuming they're missing.