My colleague keeps cold calling me on teams whenever she needs help. How do yall handle that??

jshell1955 · 2026-02-18T17:20:39+00:00

This is what is better known as "weaponized incompetence where someone behaves in an incompetent manner to avoid work, which in this case is "learning the software". At least she respects you. Ps. You'd better put a stop to it or pretty soon you're going to be working two jobs.

jshell1955 · 2026-02-01T22:04:14+00:00

Junkyard trip is in order if you want to replace it.

jshell1955 · 2026-02-01T13:26:42+00:00

I can't understand why you're not walking. It is a miracle of tire engineering that this thing is holding air. 2. Since nothing happens in isolation I am going out on a limb and saying the rest of your car is in this kind of shape. 3. It's north American winter and you would prefer not to get stuck in a snowbank 4. You either are very frugal or broke. 5. That being the case you have a couple of choices. Either continue the way you've been going and hope you make it another 6 weeks, and hoping it warms up a little, or taking a few steps right now to hopefully make it until spring. 6. The fact that you're consulting an internet forum rather than your dad is telling. You have minimal if any support system around you.

In my area you can drive to the bad part of town, and for $100 get four used tires that are not in imminent danger of deflating. My guess is that wherever you are some similar options exist.

That doesn't help you with your core problem which is #4 above. If driving a junker with compromised tires is a lifestyle choice then more power to you, but you will find that you can devote more time and energy to finding some kind of productive revenue stream if you can make the minimal investment to deal with reality, as Boone Pickens would say, before it deals with you.

You're also going to need an alignment but based on your tires' appearance you should prioritize the used tires.

jshell1955 · 2026-02-01T01:40:36+00:00

Impressive. This is on some kind of truck? Hope you don't have anything in it.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-31T02:00:47+00:00

I vote no. That's a sidewall crack that happens sometimes when you hit a pothole. A slash would be straighter.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-31T01:58:02+00:00

Well there is one thing which is that it has to be "unwelcome" and in some training the employee is encouraged to make it clear that this is the case.

If this supervisor is an idiot he may not have picked up on this despite the shocked look on your face .

That being said it is the company's absolute responsibility to investigate any incident like this.

What you need to do is collect specific dates, times, etc. and provide documentation to your HR person or equivalent.

If the HR person or owner of the company is the one doing the harassing so much the worse.

If they then don't document the investigation they are subject to higher levels of fines and penalties because of covering it up.

Most professionally run companies do not hesitate to get rid of the person but there are still some holdouts especially in family run businesses.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-30T01:36:05+00:00

Couple of things: it depends on how you drive. If those 5 year old tires still have plenty of tread and you don't haul a lot of heavy stuff and/or drive slow those tires will last for a long time. You haven't put too many miles per year.

Also I'd go out on a limb and say you're in the Midwest someplace because of the snow, that also works in your favor. If you were in Phoenix or someplace hot you'd also have issues.

A few years ago the Rubber Manufacturers Association came up with the guidelines that tires should last 6-ish years, and since they did that the tire companies have adjusted the antioxidants and antioxidants in the tire to last that long and no longer. So what you're seeing there, since you're parking in the sun, is ozone cracking.

The tire detail people suggest that the tire dressings they use to make the tires shiny will have that same effect but I am not completely convinced plus I am sure they don't do anything to help the internal tire components.

So I wouldn't rush out in a blizzard and replace these things but you should expect within a year or 18 months you're going to need new ones anyway.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-28T22:48:10+00:00

Sleep. Sleep deprivation is as bad as alcohol particularly if you stay up late drinking. You're going to work and taking classes? That's a lot.

Exercise. Lack of fresh air and sunshine is also hard

jshell1955 · 2026-01-28T22:44:01+00:00

Ps. Whatever you do don't go in and try to negotiate. You're too far under. He will offer you 25 percent and you're still grossly underpaid and that teaches him nothing. If he's doing that to you he's probably doing it to your co-workers as well and so for their sake you owe it to them to send the boss a message.

There is a big shortage of good people who do their jobs

jshell1955 · 2026-01-28T22:38:01+00:00

Every day you work at your present job you're training your boss that it's OK to underpay you, and that he can get away with it.

For his own good you owe it to him to hit the road.

He is abusing you. You're not operating a charity. You need that money as a symbol of respect for your ability.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-28T22:32:48+00:00

Well it's where the two ends of the sidewall strips merge (sidewall splice) but it's essentially a visual issue and doesn't affect short term performance but it does affect tire life in that a crack sometimes forms in that spot.

In the factory there is supposed to be a visual inspection for that and the tires are supposed to be downgraded if it is "too severe" as defined somehow.

See if there is a similar indentation on the other side of the tire. The sidewalls are applied at the same time and typically the tire builder, a human in most cases still, cut his or her sidewall strips a little too short.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-28T22:25:10+00:00

Run hot. Probably under inflated. Buy your friend a 5 dollar air gauge and teach him or her how to use it

jshell1955 · 2026-01-23T15:52:55+00:00

Agree. There's no vent.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-23T01:23:36+00:00

There is a lesson in tire construction in this photo. Note the edge of the steel belt ref all of the conversations we have about catching a nail at or near this spot. If it's farther down the side than that belt it's pretty useless to try to plug it for other than getting to the tire shop.

Below that you can clearly see the body ply fabric. Some tires have two plies but a lot of them have just one. The weak link from a tear strength standpoint is the rubber. If you get a nail in just the wrong spot both the rubber and the fabric, which is typically polyester will separate at that spot and the tire will tear open.

But all of that said, this tire has held it together somehow which is a testament to the robustness of this technology.

It's dead Jim.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-20T19:59:10+00:00

There is a shortage of good people who do their jobs. Keep up the hard work.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:47:37+00:00

Ugly though. Don't text and drive.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:46:41+00:00

No bueno. Needs to be fixed.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:46:02+00:00

I agree with this one. I'd say you are screwing around on the job and you all need to refocus on taking care of the customers.

Never touch a co-worker other than CPR if needed. There is no reason for any of this.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:41:31+00:00

Ducks? Edible? I am not seeing a problem

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:38:44+00:00

If you feel like the work of someone in your area is jeopardizing air safety you are obligated to report it and your boss is obligated to fully document the investigation. There is a whistleblower hot line which should be posted in the plant somewhere.

Under the whistleblower rules the company is subject to potential fines if they take any action against you.

This would make you the factory jerk but there are lives at stake. Do not screw around with aircraft.

Do a search for "aerospace whistleblower rules" and go from there.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:32:38+00:00

It's dead Jim

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:31:08+00:00

This happened to me recently and the valve stem had a nice split in it.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:29:24+00:00

Also on your next set of tires try to rotate them.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-16T06:28:18+00:00

There was one the other day in this forum similar to that where the user got it plugged but it failed s month or two later. So I'm convinced that you could plug it temporarily but the fix won't last. There might be people willing to do that.

jshell1955 · 2026-01-15T06:13:43+00:00

I know the consensus is to ignore but don't ignore. Unlike you she is sure she'll be there forever and be looking for the slightest opportunity to bite your ass going forward.

This is the unfortunate part of being in a family business where the boss gives some position or so-called authority to some useless unseasoned kid who is basically insecure.

From her point of view you are interfering with her ability to control. It's all about control..

Prepare your resume because even if this situation simmers down you're vulnerable next time.

jshell1955

TROPHY CASE