No Big Surprise as to Why These Are Getting Harder and Harder to Find

A couple of weeks ago, the low-tire pressure light illuminated on my dashboard, so I figured I'd better stop by the gas station and put some air in. I literally went to five stations before I found one with a functioning air compressor. Three had no evidence of ever having one. One had a machine with no hose and the fourth one had an "Out of Order" sign duct taped to the front.

I finally ended up at the 3G's on 24th Street and found the best gas station air compressor I've ever seen. No gauge required. Simply set the PSI on the front display and pop the hose onto the tire's stem. It shuts off automatically. The best part: Totally free!

I didn't realize how hard it was to find these things these days. After asking around, I found out there are two main reasons why. The first one sadly isn't surprising: People steal the hoses. I had no idea there was a spot on the black market for hoses, but apparently there is.

The second reason (almost equally as sad) is that many people these days simply don't know how to use them. In fact, I spoke to a woman at work who told me that when she got the "low tire pressure" alert recently, she took her car to the dealership. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels a little saddened by that.

So, thank you 3G's! Not only is your machine a pleasure to use, but it is absolutely free. By that point, I would have easily paid a buck or two just so I could go about my day.