Säverman: That Car Broke Down Once an Hour

From Dagens Nyheter, we present a lighthearted reflection by our columnist Säverman on a seemingly mundane event that sparks a wave of nostalgia and amusement: a flat tire. In an era where cars are engineered for near-perfection, the occurrence of a puncture has become an almost archaic experience, a relic of a bygone automotive age.

Säverman's grandchildren recently encountered this rarity while on a trip, their rented car succumbing to a flat tire in Nässjö. This unexpected event, rather than leading to a roadside repair as might have been common decades ago, resulted in the car being towed and promptly replaced by the rental company. The author notes with a touch of irony that his grandchildren, in a way, received a more memorable experience than a simple tire change would have provided.

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The car broke down once an hour.

He contrasts this with his own memories of cars from the 1930s and 1970s, where flat tires were a frequent nuisance. He recalls the days of gravel roads littered with horseshoe nails, the ubiquitous tire repair shops, and the sheer effort involved in changing a spare tire on larger vehicles. Even a vintage Sunbeam Talbot he rented in Scotland twenty years ago, which he humorously notes "broke down about once an hour," still managed to get a flat tire, embodying the spirit of 20th-century motoring.

The essay playfully highlights how far automotive technology has advanced, making a simple flat tire a noteworthy event. The modern solution—a replacement vehicle—underscores the shift from on-the-spot repairs to a more seamless, albeit less character-building, experience. Säverman's piece, while amusing, subtly points to the changing nature of everyday experiences and our relationship with technology.

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The grandchildren who now experienced a flat tire were, for their part, taken by a tow truck, which made a very loud bang.