So, there I was, travelling back from Becky's, trundling along the A1. And a lorry was by the side of the road, having shed a tyre. (this was just passed the Biggleswade turn, for those geographically informed). Lots of brake lights and slowing traffic warned me that something was up. So I slowed down and moved out to the fast lane to avoid the debris. Or so I thought....
BANG!
Hmmm, I remember thinking, that's not good. But nothing untoward appeared to happen to the car. And then it suddenly, rapidly, started to lean to the right. Bugger. Then the noise, like the wheel was falling off. And the steering wobbling around madly. Not good
Hazards on and I pulled gingerly over onto the hard shoulder. Getting out I discovered the front drivers wheel, tyre completely flat and rather bashed up. It was then at this point I wondered whether I actually had a serviceable spare. After all, I knew there was one in the back of the car. But I'd never had need to use it. Fortunately I was only a few metres from the turn off for Baldock services, so managed to crawl off the motorway and into the safety of the awaiting service carpark.
Unpacking the contents of the boot (Where did all that crap come from?), I found the spare, and fitted it. Now, to give you an idea of the age of the spare, it's a cross-ply tyre, which, I think I'm right in saying, is something you don't get much of these days. A bit of air and it was all back on track. Home and in bed by 11:00, a little later than planned, with time to reflect on yet another extraordinary day.
Otherwise, the day itself was great. Caught up with Becky and everything she's been up to over the last few weeks, including some strange things with bananas and chopsticks in Thailand 
- don't ask!
That'll be a flat tyre then
Big gash in the side wall on the inner part of the tyre. And it feels like the steering's been battered a bit too
