I did not see the WRX this morning - maybe he listened. Who knows..... *NM*

This AM in the parking garage at work a WRX pulled in with a horrible pulsating grinding sound. As he hit the brakes, the grinding sound became constant and more severe. It seemed apparent to me the brakes were metal on metal - and that they had been for some time.

Although I most always want to MYOB in a public parking garage, since i was walking to the elevator with the guy. I said(I think politely), "Hey, did you hear that grinding sound your car was making?" He said, "I need to get it checked out." I said, "It sounds very much like your brakes are metal on metal. They are likely to fail and i would be extremely nervous driving that car." The guy stopped walking, pulled out his phone, and in an acid tone said. Thank you. If his eyes were lasers, I would be dead now.

On the one hand, I guess the last thing he wanted to hear on a Monday morning was that he needed to spend money on his car. On the other, the friggin' thing is literally an accident waiting to happen and he is clearly ignoring the risk.

Query: What would you have done?

I would have said exactly what you said.

"On the one hand, I guess the last thing he wanted to hear on a Monday morning was that he needed to spend money on his car. On the other, the friggin' thing is literally an accident waiting to happen and he is clearly ignoring the risk."

Sounds about right. He was most likely aware of it and didn't want to hear confirmation from someone he didn't know.

Usually, if I see something wrong with a car--low tire, fuel door open,etc..--I'll try to get the driver's attention and make them aware of the issue. If it's something more obvious--like the noise coming from this guys car--I'll proceed on the basis if I can hear it, so can he.

Who knows, your comment may have been the stimulus to finally get it fixed!

I'd have done the same thing. Some people are oblivious to things like that. He can do what he wants with the information.

you don't know what he was thinking or what else is going on in his life, I would just shrug my shoulders and not worry about it for 1 second

Same thing. When safety is in the balance better to speak up.

Years ago I was in my Dodge pickup truck. Ended up behind a young woman driving some British sports car with New York plates. Noticed a rear tire low. Got out and walked up to her window and told her then turned around after she acknowledged the observation. On way back to truck heard her ask someone in the vehicle next to her's about the tire. The reply was it "looks ok to me".

The light changed and I followed her car onto the freeway and wouldn't you know all the way down to the next exit. I was stopped behind her car. We then both turned left and I could see her now looking in her rear view mirror and locking her car doors and rolling up the windows. It just so happened I was on my way home and that was my way home. But fortunately I came to my cross street and turned off and went on home.

More recently, but still a few years ago, pulled into a 7-11 and parked. I was in my Turbo. As I walked past another car I couldn't help but notice the left front tire. It appeared to be a unidirectional tire that was installed in the wrong direction. I stared a bit then looked at the other tires.

Behind me I heard a guy say: "I think that guy just hit your car." 'course, by "that guy" he was referring to me. The driver of the car I was looking at, another young woman, comes out ready for war but I just explained to her why I was looking at the tire. Turns out it was installed the wrong way. She settled down and thanked me and that was that.