Schunk: Ohio the birthplace of safety with Goodyear's latest technology

I've never understood the bumper sticker "Stuck in Ohio."

We don't have hurricanes, all that many earthquakes or consistent triple-digit temperatures—and we have great corn.

Ohio claims seven remarkably average presidents (eight if you include William Henry Harrison, who was born in Virginia but lived most of his life in Ohio), a host of aviation pioneers and Goodyear, which has always counted the Rubber Capital of the World as its home.

I considered the state's many virtues—and the cynical bumper sticker—as I stood at the Goodyear Test Track Aug. 13, ready to drive a Honda Pilot equipped with the tire maker's new Assurance WeatherReady 2 all-season tires as part of a "ride and drive" exhibition.

Attendees were urged to drive the vehicles without mercy, and the tires performed magnificently, holding tight to the road as we slammed the SUV through its paces.

The directional tread—based on the innovative AquaTread technology Goodyear developed years ago—flushed out heavy, flowing water and kept the vehicle confidently connected to the track during sharp turns.

"Drivers really want to feel and experience what their car can offer, so that they feel they can push the limits if they need to," said Michelle Baggetta, a spokeperson with Goodyear. "Not many drivers actually drive that way, but we want to make sure the tire can handle it if they do.

"We want to make sure the capability of the vehicle is not limited by the capability of the tire."

The tire excelled in its analytics, from dry grip to wet traction, rolling resistance to stopping distance.

"It's about how precise the vehicle is between the gates, so everything is set up the same way," Goodyear chief test driver Nick Gulatta said. "And it is real easy to tell the difference between two products or even two development tires for us."

Outside of performance traits, and perhaps most importantly, the tires offered a supreme confidence that a vehicle can be operated aggressively, in any condition.

And that confidence and security, born in Akron, will be felt across the world.

So as Cessnas climbed into the air just a couple miles away at Akron Fulton International Airport, the place where Goodyear Corsairs were built and I took my first introductory flight on my own aviation journey, I felt a sense of pride.

Ohio is home to William Henry Harrison (maybe), and Orville and Wilbur Wright—but it is an epicenter of safety for people around the world because of Goodyear.

Security and confidence are as much a commodity for the world's third-largest tire maker as the tires themselves.

And the company is a key part of the state's rich history.

Stuck in Ohio? How about "Thriving in Ohio?"

Schunk is a reporter for Rubber News. Reach him at [email protected].