by Michael S. Kaplan, published on 2012/09/05 07:01 -04:00, original URI: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/michkap/archive/2012/09/05/10346426.aspx
I've had flat tires before in my life.
I guess a lot of people have.
I've changed them myself sometimes.
Once when I was dressed up, chaperoning for an event, one of the high schoolers at the event who chose to not really dress up offered to help me, and I let him.
Other times, I've called AAA and they came and changed it.
Now, in a more iBOT-centric world, not much has changed.
I mean, I go a lot of places.
And put a lot of miles on these tires.
Sometimes a tire goes flat.
Once I called Independence Technology and asked them to come out and fix it.
I never did that again after the first time.
Insane instructions caused confusion. Why didn't they say "they are tube tires, just like bicycles?
$60 for that call.
I've done them myself a few times, though less as my coordination started getting worse -- the whole multiple sclerosis thing.
More recently, and for at least the last 18 months, I've had the maintenance staff at Archstone Redmond Campus replace the tubes any time I get a flat.
They aren't allowed to accept tips ever, but I can load up a Starbucks gift card, give it to the maintenance staff, and ask that whoever did the work get to order first.
I wonder what happens when I move out? Can they still help out a former resident who lived there since 1999?
Maybe I can set up time for when one of them is on break!
Also, Claudia has two sons -- one 17 and one 14. Maybe I can enlist their help! :-)
Now one thing has changed from the old days.
Flat tires used to stop me, until the spare got put on.
But iBOT tires inevitably find themselves flat on a Friday before a long weekend.
Or a few times when I was out of town.
Every time, I'd rotate them so it wasn't the back wheel, so when I went up on two wheels it wouldn't be the one on the bottom!
And then I'd do whatever, and the only time anyone noticed the flat was when I had all four tires on the ground....
Thus far, I've avoided hurling anything heavy at people who mention
Did you know you have a flat tire?
They say this despite the grimace on my face.
As I sit there, tilted unnaturally, I think they are lucky I have nothing to hurl at that moment!
Although (ignoring those awkward moments) I function well, I am a little more tense when I have a flat tire.
Even when no one else realizes it.
I've never felt like a car was a part of me, but the iBOT? It kind of is, really!
So when it is ill, it affects me some, too!
You know?
No flat tires now, so I'm going to bed. This'll post in the morning....
Joshua on 5 Sep 2012 10:45 AM:
Oh man. That's no fun.
Joshua on 9 Sep 2012 8:26 AM:
Just ran across this. They said they're available for iBOT. en.wikipedia.org/.../Tweel
Michael S. Kaplan on 9 Sep 2012 11:47 AM:
Well, they have been designed. But 'available' is a bit of a stretch, unfortunately. :-(