Scary lack of knowledge and responsibility !
Discussion
My mates daughter posted this on Facebook, she is a lovely girl but it does worry me a little !
"Actually proud of me and (her mate, name removed) for managing to put windscreen wash in my car!! Don't think I'll remember how to open the bonnet though..."
I suggested perhaps a little bit of instruction on how to do the basics and she posted,
"That's what dad's are for!"
Jesus, I see Feminism is selective and doesn't cover mundane jobs to keep your car roadworthy, she did have a bad accident the other week where she ended up with the car on its roof,
Regarding the accident, she said
"The road was extremely wet when it happened and the police said that it was solely down to the weather conditions"
Er, do the Police tell people that ? cars do not throw themselves off the road, how come every other car didn't leave the road ? perhaps they werent going too fast in an old banger on bald/under inflated ditchfinders ? ok anyone can have an accident but sometimes you need to hold your hand up.
I wrote a load of notes for my eldest when he started driving, I showed him stuff, made him do an oil change, showed him a brake change, lads are generally a little more interested but it scares me that the "dad will do it" attitude prevails.
I will try and post my notes up if anyone is interested, I did it in case I forgot to tell him anything, the stuff you dont get told about driving.
I think driving feels all nice and easy after the initial learning curve but there is so much additional stuff people should know, for when it doesn't go as planned.
"Actually proud of me and (her mate, name removed) for managing to put windscreen wash in my car!! Don't think I'll remember how to open the bonnet though..."
I suggested perhaps a little bit of instruction on how to do the basics and she posted,
"That's what dad's are for!"
Jesus, I see Feminism is selective and doesn't cover mundane jobs to keep your car roadworthy, she did have a bad accident the other week where she ended up with the car on its roof,
Regarding the accident, she said
"The road was extremely wet when it happened and the police said that it was solely down to the weather conditions"
Er, do the Police tell people that ? cars do not throw themselves off the road, how come every other car didn't leave the road ? perhaps they werent going too fast in an old banger on bald/under inflated ditchfinders ? ok anyone can have an accident but sometimes you need to hold your hand up.
I wrote a load of notes for my eldest when he started driving, I showed him stuff, made him do an oil change, showed him a brake change, lads are generally a little more interested but it scares me that the "dad will do it" attitude prevails.
I will try and post my notes up if anyone is interested, I did it in case I forgot to tell him anything, the stuff you dont get told about driving.
I think driving feels all nice and easy after the initial learning curve but there is so much additional stuff people should know, for when it doesn't go as planned.
I had to re-fill the washer fluid for one of my ex-girlfriends, when I opened the bonnet and had a check at a few other things it appeared lots needed topping up and to top it off there was a small container of engine oil wedged behind one of the front lights. Apparently guys are supposed to check over cars and no one had had a look at her car since her previous boyfriend haha.
From another view I'd say a lot of instructors aren't up to par, mine was very knowledgeable and was even a marshal at certain race events in his free time, but my mates current instructor had to get the manual out for the 'show me, tell me' section of the test as they didn't know where things were under the bonnet.
From another view I'd say a lot of instructors aren't up to par, mine was very knowledgeable and was even a marshal at certain race events in his free time, but my mates current instructor had to get the manual out for the 'show me, tell me' section of the test as they didn't know where things were under the bonnet.
What exactly should people know about their cars? I know the phone number for my break down company and that is good enough for me? In fact, I bought a new car yesterday and Audi have stuck something on the windscreen with a number for me to call should I break down in the next 2 years that my car is in warranty. My girlfriends Mercedes has a similar number to call and they come and fix your car.
J4CKO said:
My youngest is having lessons, I will do these bits with him and let them concentrate on teaching the actual driving, I think living in the same house as me they probably have picked a bit more up than I would expect but I guess in a lot of households the bonnet never comes up.
Yeah that seems like a decent method. Whilst my parents are massively into cars my older brother had a temperamental 205 so I picked up a few things from that.Iva Barchetta said:
"It gets MOTed once a year,what more do you want ?"
You've met my sister! She drives her old bangers until their engine seize then buys another, her husband's no better. They're both intelligent (allegedly), both have degrees and both are teachers - which possibly explains everything...A family friend asked my advice about a problem with her 61 plate Polo.
I didn't agree it should be scrapped and replaced with a Mini so she ignored it, told her dad that I had said it should be scrapped and he had it scrapped and bought her a Mini. She's 24 years old.
Sometimes some blame can lie with the parents that encourage such a poor attitude.
I didn't agree it should be scrapped and replaced with a Mini so she ignored it, told her dad that I had said it should be scrapped and he had it scrapped and bought her a Mini. She's 24 years old.
Sometimes some blame can lie with the parents that encourage such a poor attitude.
My daughter was about to put anti-freeze in her screen washers on the basis that she didn't want it to freeze! Her partner still thinks, despite my pointing out the error of his ways, that the oil warning light coming on means top-up needed. Between them they have zero interest in or knowledge of anything mechanical.
I've been car mad since I was tiny, but only since driving have I really become interested in the mechanical side of cars/engines/boats/bikes/planes etc.
Before my thought was "chuck it at a garage" and leave it at that. But now I tend to do interim Oil changes myself at every 5k miles. On my old car I used to service it myself, but on the new one It's better to give it to a garage to keep the warranty in check (less hassle should I need to claim).
This has rubbed off on the OH who will now sit and watch what I do, and asks plenty of questions, which I don't mind, as she'll then look after her cars which will then look after her.
I, personally currently draw the line at brakes, I don't want to touch the brakes when they're the only thing stopping me, I'd leave that to someone who knows what they're doing (although I may supply the parts)
Before my thought was "chuck it at a garage" and leave it at that. But now I tend to do interim Oil changes myself at every 5k miles. On my old car I used to service it myself, but on the new one It's better to give it to a garage to keep the warranty in check (less hassle should I need to claim).
This has rubbed off on the OH who will now sit and watch what I do, and asks plenty of questions, which I don't mind, as she'll then look after her cars which will then look after her.
I, personally currently draw the line at brakes, I don't want to touch the brakes when they're the only thing stopping me, I'd leave that to someone who knows what they're doing (although I may supply the parts)
The actual act of driving is about 5th or 6th in the list of priorities of the average woman driver. They don't care about it, why should they pay attention?
As for the maintenance, that's probably down to our "lease it and then throw it away" culture
As for the maintenance, that's probably down to our "lease it and then throw it away" culture
Edited by AH33 on Wednesday 20th July 13:44
chrisb92 said:
What exactly should people know about their cars? I know the phone number for my break down company and that is good enough for me? In fact, I bought a new car yesterday and Audi have stuck something on the windscreen with a number for me to call should I break down in the next 2 years that my car is in warranty. My girlfriends Mercedes has a similar number to call and they come and fix your car.
That, sir, is an outstanding post.eldar said:
AH33 said:
The actual act of driving is about 5th or 6th in the list of priorities of the average woman driver. They don't care about it, why should they pay attention?
Not restricted to women drivers. Some men are equally deficient.They are letting the side down by being clueless on this kind of thing, you cant campaign tirelessly for equality and then say "that's a mans" job, go and say household chores like ironing, hoovering and cooking are "women work" and see how far you get !
I am all for equality, but it is a two way street.
chrisb92 said:
What exactly should people know about their cars? I know the phone number for my break down company and that is good enough for me? In fact, I bought a new car yesterday and Audi have stuck something on the windscreen with a number for me to call should I break down in the next 2 years that my car is in warranty. My girlfriends Mercedes has a similar number to call and they come and fix your car.
So, you need to break down and call a man before you deal with anything ?So, you are on the motorway, and you are out of screenwash, its been cold and the gritters have been out, do you not know how to stop and top it up ?
Audis are known to use oil, do you just call for a new engine because you didn't check it every few weeks ?
Do you drive round with a bald, defective or damaged tyre for the sake of a cursory inspection occasionally ?
Perhaps do some basic checks, this isn't difficult and avoid having to wait at the side of the road for a tow truck ?
Please, never, ever become a pilot !
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