Pipe Smoking While Driving a Convertible?

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Run flat tires can drive 50+ miles even if they have popped. I did drive for full 50 miles before changing. All other time, the tire lost form, but was drivable.

You have to forego some practicality when you are driving a fun car. While the wheels/tires should have had an improved design, it is still the car with most fun in its class. NJ roads with potholes are also to blame.
It will also make a better driver - you focus on the potholes and very soon will get skills to avoid them, at least during the day.
I downgraded the tires in my wife’s car. That car is more reliable, but less fun.


That does not sound safe.
 
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SpookedPiper

Lifer
Sep 9, 2019
2,055
10,503
East coast
Run flat tires can drive 50+ miles even if they have popped. I did drive for full 50 miles before changing. All other time, the tire lost form, but was drivable.

You have to forego some practicality when you are driving a fun car. While the wheels/tires should have had an improved design, it is still the car with most fun in its class. NJ roads with potholes are also to blame.
It will also make a better driver - you focus on the potholes and very soon will get skills to avoid them, at least during the day.
I downgraded the tires in my wife’s car. That car is more reliable, but less fun.
Run flats make for a terrible ride. When leased a car with them I would swap them out asap and save them for when I have to returned it. The only down side if you get a flat you're waiting for a tow. most cars these days have the towing included so it's not really and expense.
 

mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,976
11,065
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
You could try a Dunhill Bendy. I believe they're designed so the ash doesn't blow in your eyes when you're smoking in an open top sports car.

View attachment 29008View attachment 29009
If you're driving a Brit right hand drive, you'd be sitting on the right front seat and the bowl would lean to the middle of the car while clenching. In a left hand drive, the bowl would lean towards the window! We need a left hand drive bendy here in the US!
 

mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,976
11,065
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
Run flat tires can drive 50+ miles even if they have popped. I did drive for full 50 miles before changing. All other time, the tire lost form, but was drivable.

You have to forego some practicality when you are driving a fun car. While the wheels/tires should have had an improved design, it is still the car with most fun in its class. NJ roads with potholes are also to blame.
It will also make a better driver - you focus on the potholes and very soon will get skills to avoid them, at least during the day.
I downgraded the tires in my wife’s car. That car is more reliable, but less fun.
This all sounds perfectly reasonable for a British or Italian made car. But for a German vehicle? Shameful! ??
 

Gecko

Can't Leave
Dec 6, 2019
363
717
Sweden
I smoke pipes all the time in my work van, no problems there. But in a convertible I would not dream of smoking a pipe while driving. Used to have a BMW Z4 back when I was young and handsome and even with the windows up and wind-deflector between the headrests in place I had to use a bandana to keep my hair from hitting my eyes in the turbulence.
 

Gecko

Can't Leave
Dec 6, 2019
363
717
Sweden
Oh yeah, I almost forgot... Run Flat tires are horrible, bad grip, noisy, uncomfortable and puncture/leak prone, never again.
 
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I really don’t have the expertise to comment on that authoritatively. I would say it depends on what you look for in a car. I now have had 3 cars with run flats. Not a single problem with any of them, expect for the popping problem with the 2-series I mentioned above. I always look for hard suspension (to aid handling) and steering feedback. All 3 cars with run-flats have had superb steering feedback. Low profile tires, run flat etc... improve handling, but I have never driven the same car on two different sets, so I cannot comment how handling changes.

Driving 50 miles on run flats have a side benefit - yes, you can wait for a tow, but if you are getting late for a meeting, you can do the meeting first before calling for the tow

Again I am not stating run flats are better than non-run flats. Just stating experiences.

Run flats make for a terrible ride. When leased a car with them I would swap them out asap and save them for when I have to returned it. The only down side if you get a flat you're waiting for a tow. most cars these days have the towing included so it's not really and expense.
 

SpookedPiper

Lifer
Sep 9, 2019
2,055
10,503
East coast
I really don’t have the expertise to comment on that authoritatively. I would say it depends on what you look for in a car. I now have had 3 cars with run flats. Not a single problem with any of them, expect for the popping problem with the 2-series I mentioned above. I always look for hard suspension (to aid handling) and steering feedback. All 3 cars with run-flats have had superb steering feedback. Low profile tires, run flat etc... improve handling, but I have never driven the same car on two different sets, so I cannot comment how handling changes.

Driving 50 miles on run flats have a side benefit - yes, you can wait for a tow, but if you are getting late for a meeting, you can do the meeting first before calling for the tow

Again I am not stating run flats are better than non-run flats. Just stating experiences.
Yeah the convenience is definitely there with runflats and BMW's are stiff to drive by design.. being a sports car. I agree that the low profile tires also don't aid in comfort, either. But on a lease if you don't have tire insurance and you puncture the runflat...will it's buthurt time.

As for meetings...well flats happen! ?
 
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mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,292
23,327
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
00b7666b392faf26cc4b90bc82077c07.jpg
 

Parsimonious Piper

Can't Leave
Oct 12, 2019
324
898
I have a 2014 Miata hardtop convertible. I do smoke with the top and windows down, deflector up. I only do so on backroads where my speed is under 60, so there’s little turbulence to deal with. Because I’m concerned about burning a briar, I only smoke cobs, which are incredibly light and comfortable to clench—which has got to be a necessity when driving. I also only load bowls about 3/4, and don’t fiddle with moving relights. Good luck finding something that works for you.
 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
36,060
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
I could not imagine smoking pipe in convertible, even to get a big rig back to a full speed with 13 to 18 gear Fuller Eaton gear box in it is quite nerve demanding process,shifting thorough the gears I have to clench hard or put the pipe away
 
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