{"id":16486,"date":"2025-10-03T11:38:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T06:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tyremarket.com\/tyremantra\/?p=16486"},"modified":"2025-11-28T15:15:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T09:45:41","slug":"bengalurus-road-woes-spark-controversy-ex-cops-tyre-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tyremarket.com\/tyremantra\/bengalurus-road-woes-spark-controversy-ex-cops-tyre-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Bengaluru\u2019s Road Woes Spark Controversy After Ex-Cop\u2019s Tyre Advice"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Karnataka\u2019s Bengaluru, the city\u2019s longstanding pothole crisis has taken an unusual and ugly turn. Former police and transport authority<\/strong> official Bhaskar Rao recently started a debate among motorists, infrastructure analysts, and safety experts. He gave them a very controversial tip: slightly deflate tyres<\/strong> to better cope with the city\u2019s uneven road surface. The suggestion, widely shared on various social media platforms, has drawn sharp criticism on every corner. It underscores currently how aggravated public sentiment has become about Bengaluru\u2019s crumbling streets.<\/p>\n

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The Tip and the Backlash<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On September 23, Rao suggested an idea reducing tyre pressure<\/strong> from the typical 34\u201336 psi range to around 30\u201332 psi, asserting it would soften the ride and help absorb jolts from Bengaluru\u2019s potholes. Later on, he defended the advice as grounded in engineering practice previously used in bus suspensions, and claimed it would ease discomfort over uneven stretches.<\/p>\n

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However, the reaction was swift and mostly critical. Automobile engineers, motoring forums, and daily commuters warned that underinflated tyres<\/strong> can lead to sidewall damage, rim bending, overheating, compromised water evacuation on wet roads, and overall reduced handling stability. Many netizens also argued that such fixes place the onus on drivers rather than demanding accountability from municipal bodies responsible for roads.<\/p>\n

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A commuter in Whitefield, for example, lamented ongoing wheel alignment costs, declaring: \u201cInstead of advising us to tamper with vehicles, authorities should just fix the roads.\u201d Another resident questioned why citizens should adapt to potholes instead of expecting leaders to repair them.<\/p>\n

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Rao, undeterred, responded that the proposal is voluntary and supplementary\u2014he still acknowledges that road repair is the real solution.<\/p>\n

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Technical Perspective: Gains vs Risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

From a technical perspective, tyre pressure adjustment is a delicate act. Slightly reduced pressure indeed increases the tyre\u2019s contact patch<\/strong> and can mildly soften the blow from irregular bumps. But if it goes too low:<\/p>\n

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