Puncture On Motorway

[Mike25]

You have a puncture on motorway and pull onto the hard shoulder. Do you change the wheel yourself or call the RAC (or similar)?
Asking because in work we are advised to call the RAC that can take up to 2 hours to reach you.

[AlwaysConfused]

Do you have a company car, Mike?

[Hopkirk]

Personally I would change a nearside wheel, but call the RAC for an offside wheel.

[EDDIE51]

Changing a wheel on a motorway hard shoulder is very dangerous and it is recommended that you do not do it yourself. The breakdown services have vehicles with warning lights that they will position so as to protect the operator while the wheel is changed.

[Peter Pedant]

I did external cardiac massage in the slow lane once
can't recommend it.

(child died)

[Dusty Bin]

For a puncture I would go ahead and change the wheel myself, but only after using the SOS phone to explain why I was on the hard shoulder for an extended period of time.

[SlackAlice]

Change nearside wheel only, after using the 'SOS' phone to explain the situation. Otherwise would call my breakdown rescue service.

[Baldric]

That's what I pay the AA for,
especially if it's raining,
and no, I don't stay in the car,
just to save the preachers having a go!

[EDDIE51]

My new car does not even have a spare wheel not even an emergency spare.
It tells you to call for assistance no matter where you are. There is only a bottle of sealant and an air pump in the car.

[Mike25]

I don't have a company car. I would have changed the wheel myself but after reading the comments I would call the RAC or similar now. I think!! Depends if I have time to wait an hour or so.

[Mike25]

Eddie if you don't have a spare wheel how do they repair your tire? Do the RAC carry spares? Sorry if this is a stupid question!

[AlwaysConfused]

I'd be tempted to change it myself because I am impatient, and the response time is usually 'within 90 minutes'.

I just wondered why your workplace was giving advice on breakdowns? At work, our drivers are not even allowed to top up the oil or change a bulb on a van (not that we take any notice of that!). Instead, our vehicle management company that we use send someone out to do it, which is not great when a van is due out within the next ten minutes

[EDDIE51]

The warranty has a special number to call for 'tyre emergencies', they send out a tyre repair/ replacement vehicle, it will bring a tyre with it. Do not know what happens when it is out of warranty though.

[jake-the-peg]

Personally I'd change a near side one myself in daylight

Not sure that I'd change an off-side one - maybe if conditions were good and traffic was light

[gingejbee]

My new car is supplied with the "quick-fix" stuff - but you can pay an extra £50 on a factory built-to-order and get a full-size spare instead - which is what I did. There's no way I'm venturing out without one!

[mccfluff]

with our company cars we advise staff who break down to call the aa.

if it was your own car, tempted to say change n/s yourself but no offside

[Ellipsis]

The placement of the recovery van behind your vehicle substantially reduces the chances of your vehicle being hit, which is your greatest risk when changing a nearside wheel.

[friedgreentomato]

Dependant on the car, if it was my old Jeep I would have called the AA if it was a saloon I would do it myself.

[vulcan42]

What do you do and who do you call when you have a puncture and the hard shoulder is being used as an extra lane?

[FredPuli43]

Get the RAC unless the tyre is on the side away from the traffic, in which case I would risk it because I am not going to be in immediate danger.Anyone could hit the car, but, if they did, I'd have a fair chance of not being hit at the same time.

[joko]

unless the tyre was shredded i would try to pump it up, even just enough to get to a slip road or services etc.

if it wasn't totally flat i would probably keep driving on it until i reached a safe place - and depending on conditions i may just drive on the rim, if the nearest exit was close - i know that can damage the wheel but better that than getting splatted on the motorway.
i can always buy a new rim