Scary lack of knowledge and responsibility !

Scary lack of knowledge and responsibility !

Author
Discussion

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
We're on PH, so we like cars to a greater degree than 99% of the population. As such we care about these things more than most.

To most people, despite its ability to kill us, a car is just an appliance, except it's one that can be shown off to the neighbours.

Those of you who religiously perform the regular maintenance checks and so on, how many of you would share chrisb92's sentiment if it was edited as below:

chrisb92 said:
What exactly should people know about their washing machine? I know the phone number for my break down company and that is good enough for me? In fact, I bought a new washing machine yesterday and Bosch have stuck something on the door with a number for me to call should I break down in the next 2 years that my washing machine is in warranty. My girlfriends Miele has a similar number to call and they come and fix your washing machine.
Yes it should be a bit different because your safety and that of others depends on certain levels of basic maintenance (checking your tyres for example), but it's a simple fact of life that people don't get in their car every day and expect to die in an accident, and at no point during their frantic social calendar and instagram updates do they think "I'd better go check the oil on my 6 month old Audi, in case it breaks down and I'm stranded during a family emergency"

Europa1

10,923 posts

187 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
CharlesdeGaulle said:
motco said:
... still thinks, despite my pointing out the error of his ways, that the oil warning light coming on means top-up needed.
Isn't that exactly what it means?
My understanding is it means more than that - that it actually means "get off the road asap because your engine is dangerously low on oil and if you drive it much further you'll damage it (possibly irreparably). Not "you'll do it at the weekend if you remember instead of watching the X-Factor repeat on Sunday."" - which would need an unfeasibly large warning light.

Edited by Europa1 on Wednesday 20th July 14:06

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,284 posts

199 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
CharlesdeGaulle said:
motco said:
... still thinks, despite my pointing out the error of his ways, that the oil warning light coming on means top-up needed.
Isn't that exactly what it means?
its the "Gravy Boat" light, I read a tale that a chap came home to a screwed engine, knocking its tits off and he asked his partner if there had been any lights and she said "no, nothing, well actually, just the gravy boat one" biggrin

So, the imminent danger of a five grand bill is what it should be called but it looks like a gravy boat, what did she think a gravy light would signify, in what context do cars need or care about meat juice based sauces ?


J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,284 posts

199 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
Europa1 said:
CharlesdeGaulle said:
motco said:
... still thinks, despite my pointing out the error of his ways, that the oil warning light coming on means top-up needed.
Isn't that exactly what it means?
My understanding is it means more than that - that it actually means "get off the road asap because your engine is dangerously low on oil and if you drive it much further you'll damage it (possibly irreparably). Not "you'll do it at the weekend if you remember instead of watching the X-Factor repeat on Sunday."" - which would need an unfeasibly large warning light.

Edited by Europa1 on Wednesday 20th July 14:06
Nope, it means, you have failed at cars, stop immediately, top it up and hope for the best, preferably part ex it asap, so J4CKO can buy it biggrin

AH33

2,066 posts

134 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
eldar said:
Not restricted to women drivers. Some men are equally deficient.
This is true, but i'm talking about the "average" woman driver vs the "average" male driver.

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
I am all for equality, but it is a two way street.
rofl

That's hilarious, do you have any upcoming gigs where I could pay to see more of this humour?

I know it should be a two way street, and it just perpetuates the problem to joke otherwise, but come now, men are the chimpish oafs at the butt of marketing jokes, that is our place. To be the simple minded moron who tries so hard but always gets it wrong, because we're just men, like Homer Simpson.

Now back to your lager and football, you childish oaf, and don't forget to carry all the shopping in at once and treat that as a huge victory because you're a blithering simpleton, whilst your good lady diversifies her investment portfolio on her iPad and rolls her eyes at you hehe

jamieduff1981

8,022 posts

139 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
CharlesdeGaulle said:
motco said:
... still thinks, despite my pointing out the error of his ways, that the oil warning light coming on means top-up needed.
Isn't that exactly what it means?
No, it means (as explained in the book they gave you to read when you bought the machine) that the oil pressure has dropped below the minimum necessary to lubricate the engine and that (probably terminal) oil starvation induced damage to the engine is in progress currently.

How do you expect electronics to monitor the depth in an oil sump of a running engine? To achieve that without a sight glass in the oil industry one requires radioactive sources to bounce gamma waves off the surface and a receiver to calculate the level. The only way to practically monitor liquid level in this sort of scale is a float type sender, and that's hard when there's a spinning crankshaft in the way.

Modern cars which can read their oil levels can only do so when the car is sat level with the engine off so the oil level is nice and still.

Sheepshanks

32,528 posts

118 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
I am all for equality, but it is a two way street.
Like this, from yesterday? (I particularly liked the bit about tyre pressure monitor):

johnphiladelphia said:
TooMany2cvs said:
<blink> I sincerely hope there's a parrot due to me here, but you haven't even had a passing glance at the tyres in the last seven months of 400-mile weeks? 18k miles or so?
Yeh I'm ashamed to say I haven't looked at the tyres at all. I've only been doing this level of commuting since February - usually I run to work. Hadn't even occurred to me (I can only plead naivety - I'm 30 though I understand that's old enough to know better.

I had also presumed if they had worn down that much they would be losing pressure - and they've been fine (car has a tyre pressure monitor).

They've now offered my some Goldway tyre brand for £65 each that I've agreed to. Not a smart move?

heebeegeetee

28,591 posts

247 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
We have a break-down in at the moment. The owner seems almost proud that in four years he's never opened the bonnet.

We have an in-house joke about 'rusty dipsticks'. They're not rusty, they just don't have any oil on them, at all.

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
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.
Does the "92" in your name relate to your birth year? If so, I think it's possibly a generation thing for my generation that people don't have an interest. (I was born in 1991). My GF complained of a missfire, I went out, diagnosed it and fixed it (albeit temporarily. I have a rocker cover gasket on order - oil is getting into the spark plug wells on number 2 cylinder)

ETA: Post was a bit harsh!

Edited by Triumph Man on Wednesday 20th July 15:01

Shakermaker

11,317 posts

99 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
My wife doesn't know much about maintaining her car - she can put fuel in it, but if there's any concern, she's only a phone call away from me and I can look at it for her, or, more likely, she's at home.

I take care of that side of things for her, because I know about it and can take the worry off her for doing so since she has no interest in how the car runs, she and I both want it for her to be able to get to work and do what she needs it to do every day with no undue concern. Why should she bother knowing all of this?

We are fortunate to live in a time where we have modern cars that don't break down every day or overheat at the first glimpse of traffic thanks to electric fans, air conditioning, monitoring systems for major components etc.


WestyCarl

3,217 posts

124 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
Shakermaker said:
My wife doesn't know much about maintaining her car - she can put fuel in it, but if there's any concern, she's only a phone call away from me and I can look at it for her, or, more likely, she's at home.

I take care of that side of things for her, because I know about it and can take the worry off her for doing so since she has no interest in how the car runs, she and I both want it for her to be able to get to work and do what she needs it to do every day with no undue concern. Why should she bother knowing all of this?
Exactly. My wife loves her cars and driving, but all she knows is that if a light comes on she calls me (if it's red she stops before calling), I take care of it for her. She does the same for me with items that I have no interest in.

OP, by the way, women knowing how to change oil is not equality banghead

silverfoxcc

7,683 posts

144 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
CharlesdeGaulle said:
motco said:
... still thinks, despite my pointing out the error of his ways, that the oil warning light coming on means top-up needed.
Isn't that exactly what it means?
Oh FFS they walk and more worrying, drive among us.

I hope you were joking when you posted that s you left off the winky smiley face!

If not. get a bus pass, you sir are a danger on the road

Artey

757 posts

105 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
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,
You misogynistic swine. I'm gonna report you to the authorities for hate against women.

Rovinghawk

13,300 posts

157 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
SturdyHSV said:
Washing machine comparison
Most of us know where the powder & laundry go in & whether we should add fabric conditioner. Most of us can deal with a burst hose. Most of us can check whether it's plugged in. Most of us can figure where a fault is & have a decent go at rectifying the straightforward problems.

duckers26

992 posts

172 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
I don't think that much physical checking is really needed now as there is a warning light for all the important things including low tyre and oil that come on way before an actual problem has occurred. But if it does tell me screen wash or oil is required I will obviously top it up.

Rovinghawk

13,300 posts

157 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
duckers26 said:
I don't think that much physical checking is really needed now as there is a warning light for all the important things including low tyre and oil that come on way before an actual problem has occurred.
Sensors have been known to fail. I like to occasionally check for myself.

Jim AK

4,029 posts

123 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
It's not just the ladies.

A few years ago the most Powerful of the Powerfully Built at work was waiting at EuroTunnel to cross to France very early in the morning.

After Check in man had done the drug wand thing he asked to look under the bonnet, probably just wanted to see what propelled the Bentley Arnage he had at the time.

The Most Powerful replied 'I'm afraid I don't know how to open it, if anything needs attention under there my driver (that's me btw) does that!!

coppice

8,561 posts

143 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
Basic stuff needed only - kick tyres now and again , top up washer and don't ignore warning lights.I ma more diligent only because I love cars and one of mine does require rather more diligence.But I am sure some women post similar thoughts about men being unable to cook . I must be a new man as I am a pretty good cook but my mechanical skills are comparable to Kimi Raikkonen's public speaking abilities....

Alex_225

6,234 posts

200 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
I wouldn't even go so far as to say it's always young girls who display this lack of knowledge.

I can recall my cousin buying a brand new Suzuki Swift when he was about 23/24. I remember asking him about it after he'd had it a couple of years and he told me how he'd filled the tyre with tyre foam to 'repair' a puncture. I informed him that it was only temporary and he'd probably need a new tyre, let alone the fact that it wasn't safe.

This crossed over with the fact that he'd never had the car serviced either. When I told him it should be serviced he said, "I'm not paying for both, which one would you get done". I told him both but from a safety perspective the tyre and for the sake of the car a service. I have no idea if he ever did either to be honest.

Not only was he ignorant to various elements of the car, he was tight as ar$eholes with it. Not a good mix but I suspect a surprisingly common attitude.