Wednesday, September 18, 2019

PAY FOR AIR?

    For a long time compressed air has been used in a variety of ways, Compressed air drives some tools. It's used in tires and many more ways that I don't know.

    A special pump fills a tank with air. There are valves that let the air out to run things. The tanks and pumps can develop a very high pressure. It used to be that there were corner garages. For courtesy they always had a line outside that their customers could use. Now we don't have corner garages but just gas stations and they don't need compressors. So they charge for the air.

    Now I happen to need air pressure from time to time to fill up my bike tires. Bike tires work best with  pressure of around 40 psi. I bought a small pump to pump up my bike tires. However, the pump got old and I had to go somewhere  you could get your bike tires filled with air.

    Since I hadn't done this for some time I was very surprised to find that you had to put coins in a slot to make the pump work. I hadn't taken any money and had to ride back home. This situation irked me to some degree.

    Three days ago I had to fill trailer tires with air. I got to the place that sells air and found out that they don't accept coins anymore but only cards. You had to tap your card on a screen. Guess what? I didn't have a card. I was about to go back home when a guy driving a motorcycle showed up. He said, " Don't worry . I'll use my card." Now that is a supper gesture. The air costs $1.50 for three or four minutes. Between the two of us it cost $3.00. I offered him money but no way was he accepting money.

    Now my faith in humanity was strengthened when I was helped by a stranger.

   But what about selling air? That seems a little funny to me.