Well …. that was complicated

…….. way more complicated than it needed to be.

As I wrote about here, the nanny state assholes in Victoria have decided that drivers in BC are too stupid to make intelligent decisions about winter travel.  By the time I wrote that post I had called the tire shop in Preeceville and ordered 4 tires mounted on 4 new rims.  No problem – he’d call me as soon as they were ready – likely about 10 days. 

Its almost exactly a month since that first call and I only got those tires mounted today because I have been hounding the tire guy since last Monday.  His attitude completely baffles me.  When I finally got inside his shop today he was as friendly and efficient as he always is – I was in and out the door in under 45 minutes.  The only thing that took any time at all was persuading the Lincoln to air up the bags enough to lift the car off his jack when I was ready to leave. 

For the period in between the phone call and this afternoon however it was as if he really didn’t give a damn whether he had my business or not.  He simply never phoned me back, no matter what commitments he made to do so.  Every time I phoned him he’d put me off for a week with some story and a promise to call me.  Then about 10 days later when I realized that he still hadn’t called the whole cycle would start over.   I last talked to him Thursday afternoon when he assured me that the rims were coming on the bus that evening and he’d have them ready on Friday.  He didn’t call Friday or Saturday so I called again this morning.  At that point he said it would be another couple of days because “he had to make a trip to get the tires”.  I didn’t completely lose it but I was pretty firm when I pointed out that on Thursday the story had been that the rims were arriving that night and he had claimed all along that he had the tires on the shelf.  That got me a commitment to get the tires mounted and balanced this morning but I was sceptical so I called again at 11:30 to confirm and in between I phoned every tire shop within 60 miles to see what other options I might have. 

Strange. Very strange.  Meanwhile the tires work like any other tire I have ever owned – they go around.  I don’t buy into the government bullshit which assumes that because I have winter tires I am somehow immune to winter driving conditions.  Our departure and travel times will still be governed 100% by prevailing weather conditions.  So far it looks good for a Saturday departure but 5 day weather forecasts are almost as full of bullshit as BC tire legislation.