I saw, though wasn't personally involved in, a less interesting refusal here in the States. The tire clerk at the Framingham, Mass., BJ's Wholesale Club refused to sell an older gent a replacement tire rated for lower speeds than his car (a big old MB) was capable of. The gent insisted he never drove too fast for the tire he wanted. The clerk said he didn't care, he wasn't going to sell a tire that wouldn't take the speeds the car could go if someone else drove it. The gent left.

Two thumbs up to the clerk, I say - and probably to BJ's for having that policy and training its employees in it. Cars get borrowed, cars get stolen, blowouts happen - and I use those same roads.