On Lost Hubcaps; Or, Why Bent Rims Are deadly; Or Reflections of a Junk yard dog.

As any parent knows who has seen a young teen or college student return a car after a lot of use, it can be quite a shock. The lost hubcaps, the bent or broken side mirrors (insert you own list here).

A lost hubcap can be an expensive thing, if one buys them retail. Factory dealer specials. However, after losing several, I went to the junkyard..... my favorite being Prestige Salvage, cause I like the "prestige," I asked my junk yard dog, "How come I am losing so many hubcaps?"

"It is pretty simple," he said. "You keep losing the hubcaps, cause the rims are bent. You can bend a rim by hitting a curb, a big pot hole, running into a parking lot concrete barrier...lots of ways. When the rims get bent, the hubcap comes off, and more importantly, the tire can deflate cause the rim is bent. So.....it can be a DEADLY thing. Most of the cars here in the junkyard have bent rims. There were some deadly accidents. So, lost hubcaps are not just a small matter. They are a big warning flag.

When you drive through Evansville, look for all the cars that are missing hubcaps. Makes you worry. Makes you wonder.

( My editor, a woman, says she doesn't care about hubcaps. How bout you? You make the call.