Kidcane

iTrader: (7)

^^Yet you still managed to live? You must be one of the lucky few.

STOOF

iTrader: (2)

been driving around in this car for 2 yrs without them, and for 2 yrs in my last G. lol

Chekov

Yes I was lucky. If you look at the below data, the motor vehicle fatality rate in 1950 was 7.242. By 2003 (the last year entered on the chart) it was down to 1.48. And all this is before TPMS.

Vehicle Fatality Rates

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

Tire pressure monitors were invented because there are a lot of lazy people out there who fail to check their tire pressures on a regular basis. I don't know about you, but I managed to drive without them for years without a single incident. Like many people on this forum, I consider myself an enthusiast, so checking my tires pressures is something that I do at least twice per month. Not to mention that I do a visual check of my tires just about every time I get into my car. If one or more of my sensors fails, I wouldn't waste the time/money to replace it because it's really unneccesary for me. But hey, that's just me....

Chekov

Somehow you missed, or intended to ignore, my other post in this thread that addresses your point of view. Here it is again:

And I don’t want to tell the story again of how this exact thing happened to me a few years ago. And I, like you, checked my tire pressures around twice a month, but as it turned out that meant nothing. So, as one enthusiast to another, you may want to reconsider your position.

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

Well, perhaps you missed, or intended to ignore the part of my statement where I said that I've never had an issue like that happen in all my years of driving. Can it happen? Sure, anything is possible. I feel good about my odds though, considering the fact that it has never once happened to me.... Besides, I really don't need an idiot light to tell me that one of my tires is losing pressure. If it happens, I'll feel it without needing a sensor. I guess I'm just sensitive like that...

For others, feel confident in knowing that they now make cars with sensors to tell you that you need air in your tires. LOL.

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

It was terrible. There were blowouts everywhere! Nobody bothered to check their tire pressures and everyone was running around withe nearly flat tires! Thank God the car manufacturers invented TPMS to save us from ourselves! LOL

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

Fact or opinion?

If fact, do you have a source for this astonishing information?

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

Guys, if anyone has access to the schematics for the TPMS, we can very easily figure out how to keep the dash light off if you're not running sensors. I have a Toyota 4Runner and it is as easy as grounding a single wire. In fact, some guys even put a switch into that wire to turn off their dash light when they are running their winter wheels & tires without sensors. Then when the switch back to their normal wheels & tires (that have the OEM sensors), then flip the switch and activate the system again.

So does anyone have the schematic?

Chekov

Either you’re not reading previous posts or my computer is malfunctioning. But just in case it’s still there, read my post #33. And about feeling good about your odds, just for fun try my post #20.

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

Oh, I can assure you that I saw your link....but it's pointless for this debate because the data ends in 2003. As I'm sure you know, tire pressure monitor systems weren't really common on cars until just a few years ago. So I'm not sure how you can even make any kind of assumption that we "killed" ourselves at a higher rate with any relations to a lack of tire pressure monitor systems on our cars.

Unless of course you were just making a general statement that has absolutely nothing to do with tire pressure monitors. But that would be silly in this particular thread.

Hey, I bet tire technology has come a long way since then too. Most people I know have never used their spare tire. I bet that wasn't as common "back in the days" of bias ply tires, huh?

MSCA

iTrader: (3)

Hmmm.....one time in 30 years? That's good odds if you ask me. Again, you seem to be making some strange parallels here. So if I understand you correctly, you're comparing a blowout (or perhaps just a leaking tire) with the Titanic sinking after hitting an iceberg? Okay, terrific.

Now lets look at another set of odds:

In the event of a catastrophic blowout (worse case scenario), what are the odds that I'll be able to safely pull my car over to the side of the road without incident? Then again, TPMS do absolutely nothing to help in the event of a catastrophic blowout.

Maybe I would lose control and crash into an iceberg. Hey, anything is possible

Chekov

Yes, I was making a general statement that due to the addition of many safety devices implemented since 1950 the fatality rate has dramatically decreased. And that, of course, is not because of TPMS, but it is reasonable to conclude that it another positive factor for post-2003. Please don’t ask me to repeat the list of all those devices. But I should have included bias-ply tires that were replaced by radial tires because they wore out around 3,000 miles and were more prone to failure on the road for that reason. Not to get personal, but remember as a kid being in my uncle’s older 1939 Chevrolet when we had a blowout and skidded off the road. It was not very pleasant.

Chekov

I was addressing the often repeated, and may I add foolish, statements from some posters who say they haven’t had a problem driving without TPMS “so far.”

And yes, I am comparing a blowout with the sinking of the Titanic. Both can cause loss of life (whether it’s 1 or 1,500 shouldn’t make any difference especially if you’re the 1); both stem from the absence of using the tools available at the time to prevent disaster (the Titanic’s lookouts didn’t have binoculars that night); and both suffer from the misguided belief that playing the odds, albeit very high, are OK. Another comparison, although more suited for another thread, is that the Titanic was going too fast and G37 blowouts occurring at higher speeds can be deadly too.

Kidcane

iTrader: (7)

LOL...Saw this coming a mile away.