The Best Part of Waking Up...

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

...is going outside and changing a tire. Well, no, not really, but at least I feel like I got some aerobic exercise in brisk weather, and I accomplished something important - before my morning shower, even!

[mtomm[$]]

On your car? Doesn't sound like fun.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Even better - on my HUSBAND'S car.

[Helen_B[$]]

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Here's why: At 6am, Hubby left for work and discovered the flat. He came back in to change from work clothes, change the tire in the dark, change clothes again, and take it to be fixed. I suggested he take a sick day (he never uses them all) but he said no, his kids were taking the Big Important NCLB-Related NYS Math Achievement Test today. That's high-stakes for both Hubby and his school. Not wanting the kids to be thrown off by their teacher being absent when they start the test, I told him my morning meeting was a safe-to-miss meeting so I gave him my car for the day. Plus, I could wait for the sun to rise, change the tire at my leisure, shower afterwards, get it fixed, and head to work. The only real hardship was my car has the LIRR parking permit and his doesn't, so I had to park really really far away from the train platform.

Ain't like I never changed a tire, took me all of 20 minutes - and it took THAT long because I forgot (like I always do) to loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car - got the car halfway up with the cheesy jack that comes with the car and realized I had to lower it again to loosen the nuts.

[mtomm[$]]

Never. Changed. A. Tire.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Really? I can't count how many times I've changed tires in mumblemumble years of driving. I learned before I had my learner's permit. I used to have AAA, but it would take an hour for AAA to show up and I could change the tire in less time than that, so it seemed silly not to just go ahead and do it.

[pippadaisy[$]]

What MJ said. Although my driver ed instructor LITERALLY told us girls we'd never have to change one... even before cell phones, he said we could just unbutton a couple of buttons and someone would change it for us.

I told him to give me the f-ing tire iron and get the F out of my way.

[magenta321]

Heh. I forget who taught me how to change a tire. Probably my old boss. I never thought I would need to know it, though. Then I went to Holland. I had friends with me. Three guys (including the driver) and one girl. We were bringing two of the guys to the train station when we got a flat. Those same guys said "later, good luck with the tire!" and rushed off so they wouldn't miss their train... (took a long time before I forgave them for that!)

So here we were in this strange land. The guy had NEVER changed a tire, or seen it done. The other girl had not either. So here's me... Miss Fix Nuttin' trying to direct him on how to change the tire. Eventually I got tired of watching him, so I took over and did it. The other girl helped.

I'm glad I learned how to do it!

[jgibson2[$]]

My driver's ed instructor was more realistic than Pippa's. No change tire, no pass course. We also had to back a stick shift down to just above the water line on a boat ramp and go uphill from there without getting the tires wet.

Yes. He had a brake pedal on his side of the car. No he didn't need it when I was driving.

[pippadaisy[$]]

:O

LMAO. No WAY would I have passed your class. Hills + standard are not my best friend.

[mtbat]

one advantage to not owning a car that runs-no flat tires

[jgibson2[$]]

pippadaisy said

:O

LMAO. No WAY would I have passed your class. Hills + standard are not my best friend.

He actually had a trick that makes it possible to get started on the steepest hill. You engage the emergency brake. Put the car in 1st and ease up on the clutch. When the car starts to move forward, you release the emergency brake.

Once you get really good at hills, you don't need the emergency brake any more -- and I've had a preference for stick shifts since I learned that little trick. I don't need it any more, but it got me over my fear of rolling backwards into the car behind me or stalling.

[poseidon]

is Folgers in your cup.

What did I win?

[pippadaisy[$]]

Wow. And I'm betting that would go much easier on the clutch than my tried and true method of flooring it as I let up on the brake.

[thinkerlady[$]]

My dad wouldn't let me take the car alone unless I could change a tire. I learned quickly. But now I don't know if I could do it alone.

[lynnzop[$]]

Foo. I can't recall the last time I changed a tahr, but you can bet yer sweet bippie I can remember the last time I batted my eyes and got some guy to do it for me.



Lynn
who sees no sense in getting dirty or breaking a nail when there are guys willing to do it

[magenta321]

Ok, I can change a tire, but I can't drive stick. I never understood why anyone would want to, to be honest. I don't plan on driving race cars or tractor trailers, so I see no point in learning.

There's a good chance you will have a flat tire in your lifetime. What are the chances you will HAVE to drive stick? Yes, I do realize some people prefer it. But if you've never been exposed to it, it makes you kind of that anyone would want more distractions while they are driving.

Margaret
who sees no sense in driving a stick when there are perfectly good automatics out there

[lynnzop[$]]

If you ever are stuck in a post-Apocalyptic world and you need to start a car that has a dead battery, you'll want to be able to drive a stick.

[emeleel]

I have no interest in driving a stick, but I'm glad I know how. And several years ago, I had to know. When we only had one car back in the early days of our marriage, it was a stick. I didn't drive a lot (DH worked evenings, so was almost always available to drive during the day) but when I did drive, I had to know how to drive the stick.

And they do get lower gas mileage.

[poseidon]

magenta321 said

Ok, I can change a tire, but I can't drive stick. I never understood why anyone would want to, to be honest. I don't plan on driving race cars or tractor trailers, so I see no point in learning.

There's a good chance you will have a flat tire in your lifetime. What are the chances you will HAVE to drive stick? Yes, I do realize some people prefer it. But if you've never been exposed to it, it makes you kind of that anyone would want more distractions while they are driving.

Margaret
who sees no sense in driving a stick when there are perfectly good automatics out there

Oh, there's some dandy reasons for driving a stick... if you're accomplished with a stick, you get better gas mileage than with an auto transmission. And, despite the fact that you have "gears" in an auto, in hilly terrain (or on slick roads) you have more control with a stick than with an auto.

Saying that, my left knee is too far gone anymore for me to drive a stick, especially on cold days. Plus, sitting in traffic going gas-clutch-gas-clutch-roll-roll-roll is just not appealing.

[jgibson2[$]]

If you drive a stick shift regularly, it isn't a distraction. It becomes second nature and you don't even have to think about shifting gears. The biggest advantage in good weather is the improved gas mileage. My Honda Accord gets 30-35 mpg depending on whether it's mixed city or straight interstate. It also accelerates MUCH better than a 4 cylinder engine with an automatic transmission. More like my 8 cylinder Camaro with twice the gas mileage and better control on curves.

Heavy traffic is no fun with a stick shift, but coming home today in the slush on unplowed roads, I was VERY happy to have my stick shift.

Oh, and I made both my older boys learn to drive a stick shift so they can drive my car (or anyone else's) in an emergency. They both complained bitterly, but one got a summer job at a car dealership and the other has had to drive stick shift cars in emergency situations, so they're both glad they learned.

[Helen_B[$]]

I had to learn to drive a stick shift after we traded in our