Roadside Assistance Or Laziness
In today's world of required certifications and training to perform just about any task, is it really too much to ask of licensed drivers to be capable of changing their own tires when they get a flat? I'm sure there will always be some bleeding heart out there that would claim that such a mandatory physical requirement and mechanical knowledge would render the drivers licensing program a complete and blatant discrimination, because it would bar the elderly, physically handicapped and learning disabled from obtaining a drivers license. Well ... if they're that mentally and physically deficient ... maybe they should be operating a motor vehicle at highway speeds (or any speed for that matter) to begin with! What about the safety of the rest of us on the road who unknowingly drive amongst these sub-par drivers everyday? How humiliating to have to call a tow truck to come and change your tire ... even if I live to be ninety years old, it would be a cold day in !@#$ I have someone else come change my tire.
posted by JK at 9:21 PM
6 Comments:
It's nice that your healthy and able. I was able too when I was 20 and 30 but now I'm 62 and not so able anymore. I work over 50 hours a week (so I'm not lazy), and I take care of my car but can't foresee emergencies, so I have to have a roadside assistance program. And while I was at it, I found a new friend who sends me free tips about thinks I SHOULD know about my car and how to take care of it -- her name's Starr, and you can reach her at All America Roadside Assistance (1-800-351-1562). She's the new STAR in my can't-change-a-tire-but-I'm-not-lazy world!
The basic of basics ... a flat tire. I would beg to differ about the statement "and I take care of my car but can't foresee emergencies." If 4-8 lug nuts and a scissor jack pose that much of a physical challenge and would prompt the firing off of a mayday, I would question the amount of car care you can provide. True, in most cases drivers will never be able to foresee a flat ... but the auto makers did, hence the spare and jack (and instructions too). I'll bet Starr could even walk anyone through the process.
We're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one, I personally can't bring myself to hanging the white flag and surrendering my personal pride because of a few lug nuts.
Thanks for reading.
What a MEATHEAD! I was on the road for 35 years for my job and would not think of calling anyone to change my tire. It was easier and quicker to do myself than waiting for someone like AAA to come and do it. Things changed after I injured my back. I could still lift the small spare myself, but I'd pay for it with days of pain. I'm not sure about lifting the full sized tire, or jacking up the car.(I was told I risk permanent paralysis if I lift anything) Now I'm forced to wait for roadside service or a kindhearted passerby's assistance.
I am lucky not to be disabled to the point where it affects my ability to drive. I wouldn't wish my condition on anyone, ever an obnoxious jerk. It would be nice however if JK had to live with my, or some other disabled persons condition for a week to see how quickly their outlook changes.
I'm sure that your condition isn't easy and is more than likely quite painful. But when you say "I am lucky not to be disabled to the point where it affects my ability to drive", are you sure that such a debilitating condition affords you the proper hand-eye coordination, muscular requirements and reaction time to safely operate a motor vehicle? Honestly? If so much as lifting the door handle will cause pain, I might reconsider whether I should be driving at all and putting other motorists (and public for that matter) around me at risk.
Before you pass judgment on my physical abilities, perhaps you should ask ... maybe I'm just not the type of person that whines about my shortcomings and adversities, I deal with them.
I do sincerely thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts on the issue, and apologize for not posting the more promptly ... I've been quite busy.
Look, I'm all for maintaining my manhood and people helping themselves; but (and not to be sexist) my girlfriend got a flat on the road and decided she would pull out the jack and try and change the tire herself. to make a long story short, instead of lining the jack up under the frame of the car she just put it in the first place she could think of. Anyway as she continued to raise the car she put the jack under the rocker panel in which she crushed the door frame and bowed out the door. Thus... had she had a service like All America Roadside Assistance she would have had to wait half an hour and a professional would have changed the tire. Instead she caused about $500 bucks worth of damage that would have been avoided for $49.95 for the entire year. In the end able bodied or not that doesnt mean any person physically capable should attempt it. (I'm physically capabale of building a house but I certainly wouldnt do it just because... Unless I could convince my inlaws to live in it...)
Changing a tire, in my opinion, is a basic skill needed to be a responsible driver. I'm not looking for anyone to be able to change a timing chain in the field with a bobby pin, a stick of gum and tweezers here. It's a flat tire ... the most common vehicular malfunction. The mechanical skills needed to perform a repair a minimal (they even include the tools and directions in every car), no matter how inept the operator may be ... providing that someone took the time to show the driver during their training. The DMV mandates that you are familiar with all the rules and regs of the roadway ... is it alot to ask that the a new driver (or even older ones) actually take some initiative and learn how to fix a flat rather sit there helplessly on the side of the road waiting who knows how long for AAA?
Thanks for reading, and thanks for your comments.
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