It’s a well-known philosophical dictum that you can’t get an ‘ought’ from an ‘is’. That is, if you have a bunch of statements about what is the case, you can’t conclude anything about what you should do from them. So just because underinflated tyres lead to poorer handling, you can’t technically conclude that you shouldn’t have underinflated tyres. And even if you know that underinflated tyres lead to longer stopping distances and a greater risk of losing control of your vehicle, you can’t properly infer that you shouldn’t have underinflated tyres. And even if you start with the fact that a tyre pressure monitoring system will help you keep your tyres properly inflated, you can’t arrive at the fact that you should get a TPMS.
But once you accept that you should stay safe, it follows that you should get a tyre pressure monitor.
See, all it takes is one ‘should’ statement to get a whole lot of other ‘should’ statements. If you think you should stay safe on the road, then you know that you shouldn’t lose control of your vehicle. And if you know that keeping your tyres properly inflated will help you avoid losing control and keep you safer from crashes, then you can figure out that you should keep your tyres properly inflated. Finally, once you understand that a TPMS will help you keep your tyres properly inflated, then you arrive at the conclusion that you should get a tyre pressure monitor.
So here are the facts: Tyre pressure monitoring systems make it easier to keep your tyres properly inflated. Underinflated and overinflated tyres have poorer handling. They have reduced traction, longer stopping distances, and they’re more likely to skid. They also wear out faster, and worn-down tyres have all those traits too. On top of all this, they have reduced fuel efficiency, meaning they cost you more petrol for shorter distances.
And here are some pretty commonly accepted things that you should and shouldn’t do: You should do things that help you acheive other things you should do. You shouldn’t have bad handling. Your car shouldn’t skid, it shouldn’t have bad traction, or a long stopping distance. Your tyres shouldn’t wear out. You shouldn’t waste money on fuel.
Combine these facts with those things you should and shouldn’t do, and you get a pretty clear conclusion: you should get a tyre pressure monitor.