Are we getting lazy.

Topmast

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Yesterday I was following a car that got a flat tyre when I stopped and offered help I was told no thanks we just call the breakdown people. Had I changed his wheel he would have been back on the road within 10 minutes not waiting for a tow truck.I grew up when the most important thing in a car was a tool kit and have been known to even change a head gasket on the side of the road. Now I realize you can do very little to modern cars but if you are able bodied why get breakdown just to change a wheel. Is this why insurance premiums are getting so expensive?.
 
The laird said:
Some cars don’t even have a jack nowadays trev
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Our car hasn’t got a spare wheel or jack or anywhere to put one, just one of those stupid puncture repair things,which will be less use than a chocolate teapot if it has a blowout.
Even one of those horrible space saver wheels would be better than nothing
 
My daily driver BMW 1 Series came fitted with run flat tyres which give the most appaling bone shaking and noisy ride, but at least if you have a puncture then you can continue driving on them at a significantly reduced speed. However when I changed them I decided to fit normal tyres which improved the ride significantly as was the reduction in road noise.
Much as I hate them, I now have a can of emergency foam spray in the boot, just in case I have a puncture...... But in all honesty I can't recall when I last had one, certainly it was over 10 years and a minimum of 200,000 miles ago!
 
used to fix my on punctures , split rims, and even made a tread cutter from a welder
i gave up offering help years ago when i knocked on a woman's window ,she was stopped on a dangerous bend , and se wouldn't aanswer or look at me , clearly terrified . had to leave her to darwin
 
trevskoda said:
Many young folk would not dirty there hand and dont have a clue,my own brother does nout and just pays trades men to do everything around the house that real men/girls would and should do.
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But this keeps other people employed and keeps the money moving round. Some jobs I enjoy and will do myself but I am very happy to pay someone else to do the jobs I am not good at, such as decorating. Does that make me lazy or am I just being realistic that some people have different skills?
p.s. I can and would change a wheel.
 
I seen a woman driving down the wet road with the back wheels locked/handbrake on and not a care in the world,maybe had points on her tesco card to buy new ones.
 
Okta said:
But this keeps other people employed and keeps the money moving round. Some jobs I enjoy and will do myself but I am very happy to pay someone else to do the jobs I am not good at, such as decorating. Does that make me lazy or am I just being realistic that some people have different skills?
p.s. I can and would change a wheel.
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You sound like my brother who has never donned a brush or hung a sheet of wall paper,these are lifes basic skills which all girls will want you to do through out married life as they change the decor at a whim.:eek:
My brother has had to do double shifts for years to pay others to do it and now in ill heath doing so.
 
trevskoda said:
You sound like my brother who has never donned a brush or hung a sheet of wall paper,these are lifes basic skills which all girls will want you to do through out married life as they change the decor at a whim.:eek:
My brother has had to do double shifts for years to pay others to do it and now in ill heath doing so.
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I live my life my way and not all women judge a man on his decorating skills.
 
trevskoda said:
Many young folk would not dirty there hand and dont have a clue,my own brother does nout and just pays trades men to do everything around the house that real men/girls would and should do.
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I wonder why they no longer know. Is it schools or parents not passing these skills on. Certainly a shame.
 
I got a flatty in the works Sprinter van last year,it took me longer to find the jack than it took to change the wheel,I almost dismantled the van on the side of the road looking for it.
 
Whilst I do all my car maintenance and domestic diy, there's no way I'd try changing a wheel on my van.
Perching one ton on a 'scissor' jack doesn't seem safe to me. I'm not even convinced it would have the travel to deal with the Alko axle.
Then there's freeing the bolts with the standard wheel brace after years of rusting in.
No way. Just call the breakdown and make a cup of tea - isn't that what the hob's for?
 
debroos said:
I wonder why they no longer know. Is it schools or parents not passing these skills on. Certainly a shame.
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it's the parents.daughter's boyfriend can't change a plug , nor can his father

i would struggle to get the spare wheel out of its carrier , under the sprinter. jacking up and changing the wheel would be easy compared !
 
its in your genes i must admit to a bit of overkill i have a trolley jack and a spare wheel bottle jack and wooden clugs but im driving a lt46 ambulance conversion phg no weight restrictions

rab
 
I removed my spare wheel and carrier, 70+Kg carting around, must have been costing a small fortune in fuel.. I just have a couple of cans of puncture repair now. ?
 
I gave my trolley jack to a neighbour as I will always call the assistance. I know how to chsnge a wheel, but won't.
 
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