There is a big gap in our girl’s education, which has come to my attention recently. I just found out my daughter in law has no idea how to change a tire, or even where the fluids are under the hood. Yet she takes the car all the time on long distance trips with my grandchild with no thought of learning how to manage with a breakdown at the side of the road. In this day and time to me that is totally, unacceptable.
I know there are auto insurances out there, which will pay for a person’s vehicle to be towed, but I also know it may take an hour or longer for them to get there. What scares me is what could happen to my daughter and grandchild between the time the tow truck operator is called and they are able to arrive for her vehicle. Just the weather is something to worry about temperatures really cold, really hot can cause many problems within an hour or so. Freak rain storms, with thunder and lighting. I worry about all of these, but the most is mankind in its self. Some one falling asleep at the wheel, dunk, or just a person that has their mind taken off their driving for a moment could ram the car and kill them both. Then of course there are the children who go missing every year never to be seen again.
I cannot believe no one thought to teach her how to change a tire. Before I was even able to get my driver’s license my father taught me how to change a tire, and the oil on my car, he also taught me how to check all the fluids. I had to learn how to check my belts, boost or charge my battery, and make sure my ante-freeze was the right mixture. These things were taught so I didn’t have to depend on someone else, and to be as safe as I possibly could be while traveling by myself.
In the thirty years I’ve had my license I’ve seen a lot to proof my father was right, not just with my own vehicle but others as well, I stopped and helped three teenage boys change a flat one night, none of them had the foggiest idea how to use the jack. Where was their education about cars? I’ve seen a woman put the negative cable on a positive post, luckily we hooked up her car first, and I caught the mistake before it did any damage. I’ve pushed a Volkswagen over two miles with two other people for a girl who never thought to check her oil. When asked she said, her dad had checked it the day it was bought over a year ago.
So please teach your children, and learn the basics about your own vehicle, learn to check your gauges throughout your trips, pay attention to each and stop if you feel there could be a problem. You don’t want depend on someone who may not know any more then you do. Learn to check your tires for wear and tear, and your fluids before you take a trip. Find out what each fluid looks like, check for metal slivers in your oil and know how to fill them up or change them when needed. It doesn’t hurt to take your car into the shop and have them do a thorough check of you car and change the oil, I have them do mine more then I do it myself, but I also know I can handle most problems myself, if the need does arrive.
One more thing, never leave your home without a flashlight and tools to work with in case you do have a problem, emergency cones and an orange vest to wear is also great to carry in your trunk for your safety as well as other drivers.
Tags: battery, car repair, change a tire, how to change a tire, lighting, tires, wheel