POPPED up to London today for a presentation by Continental, the tyre people. It was at the Chiswell Street, London, in the former Whitbread brewery. As the event also included a beer tasting, how could I refuse?

Part of the presentation included the changes in tyre demand – I almost said tyre fashion, because in many ways it is just that. For example, demand in the 4×4 sector is growing for 18-inch wheels. Apparently 55% of all Mercedes ML purchases have the optional 18 inch alloy wheel upgrade to enhance the look. A far cry from the utilitarian purposes a 4×4 was once required to fill.

Afterwards I had a chat with Guy Frobisher, the marketing director. He was pleased, having recently received the Vehicle Safety award at the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards, not for Continental, but as part of the organisation called TyreSafe.

TyreSafe campaigns for better safety standards on tyres, raising awareness of the dangers associated with defective and worn tyres. TyreSafe, made up of representatives within the tyre industry, has been credited with reducing the number of defective tyres in the UK over the past 16 years from 20% to 12% today. Its tireless campaigning was rewarded with this prestigious award.

Over lunch I met Gwyn Fennell, the technical services manager. He’s in the front line, dealing with customer complaints, customer questions and a font of knowledge of all things black and round that go on cars and vans. No wonder he’s Continental’s man for answering customer questions.

He was, however, telling me about the dangers of just relying on tyre monitors. “They are an aid to safety rather than a replacement for maintenance,” Gwyn explained. “If, for example, all the tyres lose pressure at the same rate, it may well not trigger an alert. If you have 20% under inflation it gives you a 20% worse wear rate on your tyre and 5% worse fuel consumption.

“We do need to educate people about the importance of correct tyre pressures, air maintenance and the CO2 reduction benefits,” continued Gwyn. “The trouble is, we’re our own worst enemies.”

Hmmm, I thought, making a mental note to myself: must check my Audi’s tyres over the weekend rather than relying on the monitor to tell me…

So next time you can’t be bothered to check the pressures, remember Gwyn’s words!

4×4 fashions, air maintenance, and CO2 reduction