musemaj11 Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Anyone who drives needs to know how to change a tire for his or her own safety.
westrock Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 So you are of those as well? Yes I can change a tire and work with tools. But you missed the point I was making.
AverageJoe Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Yes I can change a tire and work with tools. But you missed the point I was making. Everyone draws each line for themselves. Those that cross it make history.
homebrew Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 I was just thinking about this thread. My friends from New Jersey are down, and the two of them (a couple, male and female) had never learned how to pump gas before. Guess you can't pump your own gas in NJ and that's the only place they've ever driven. Now, I thought that was a bit extreme. But I guess it just depends on what is useful to you. It is true! I learned this the hard way... I was on a business trip in NJ. Stopped to get some gas... was in the process of starting to pump my gas. This guy starts running towards me (I thought the guy was going to tackle me). Yelling at me telling me I was trying to take his union job away... Blah! Blah! Blah! Freaked me out for a minute... Good news... it was cold outside so I got to stay warm in my car. Bad news... the gas prices up there are CRAZY! Personally, I prefer a choice. Where I live... I can save money and pump my own or pay extra and have someone do it for me (which I doubt I would ever do).
dreamingoftigers Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 It is true! I learned this the hard way... I was on a business trip in NJ. Stopped to get some gas... was in the process of starting to pump my gas. This guy starts running towards me (I thought the guy was going to tackle me). Yelling at me telling me I was trying to take his union job away... Blah! Blah! Blah! Freaked me out for a minute... Good news... it was cold outside so I got to stay warm in my car. Bad news... the gas prices up there are CRAZY! Personally, I prefer a choice. Where I live... I can save money and pump my own or pay extra and have someone do it for me (which I doubt I would ever do). When did this happen? I remember being in Orangeville NJ and the gas was some of the cheapest in the country at the time.
sweetjasmine Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 I was just thinking about this thread. My friends from New Jersey are down, and the two of them (a couple, male and female) had never learned how to pump gas before. Guess you can't pump your own gas in NJ and that's the only place they've ever driven. Now, I thought that was a bit extreme. But I guess it just depends on what is useful to you. Yes, it's illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey (and Oregon, IIRC). That's a bit different, though. There's no choice involved. I'm not aware of any place where it's illegal to change your own tires. The first time I came down to Jersey with my SO, we stopped for gas. He reached for the door handle, and I told him that he can't pump his own gas. He thought I was joking and opened the door as the station attendant was coming towards us, and I said, "No, I'm serious, it's against the law to pump your own gas." He couldn't believe it. And I'm not so sure about prices being higher because of the ban on self-serve. It was 2.89 a week ago, and the national average as of 12/27/2010 is 3.052.
threebyfate Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 My husband is a power tool guy, even if it takes him ten times as long to use one instead of using a hand tool. He's nuts but at least he can fix almost anything. I'm a hand tool person and rarely use power tools. He thinks I'm nuts but relies on me to tinker around in his engine bay. And yes, I meant that both ways! In this day and age, both genders should learn basic life skills.
dreamingoftigers Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Oh yeah, we both can use a drill and hang pictures and things LOL
Jane2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 My last boyfriend didn't know how to change a tire, and it was a turn off to me. It's not even that I expect a guy to know how to do it fully, but I'd like someone who can sort of get it started and mess around with it like he might be able to do it. My ex was literally like a girl about it, like "we need to find a man to help. I don't have any clue what to do." And that night that we had the flat, we literally did hunt down a male friend of ours who changed the tire, and my boyfriend stood on the side with me, just observing. It was definitely a moment of dissatisfaction on my part.
amerikajin Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 By the standards of most people here, I guess I am a certified p*ssy. I can't fix cars, I've never changed a tire, I've put together particle-board furniture and laps, run cable wires, and so forth, but I am generally crap with tools in my hands. I'm not that good with grills but I've done it a time or two, and I didn't burn myself, so I'm feelin' lucky. I can cook, but I usually wear a pink apron -- with flower designs. Meh, I'd still put my manhood up against anybody's though.
sumdude Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 (edited) My dad would try to fix things around the house.. little stuff. Sometimes he would succeed, other times not so great. In his case I honestly believe it was genetic. He was a Columbia PHD grad with honors in Economics. A brilliant man in his field but fairly lousy with a screwdriver. Mom did a lot of painting and wallpapering around the house. Sometimes she would kinda roll her eyes at dad's handyman attempts but appreciated that he would try. I must have picked up the genes from mom's side of the family. On older cars I've replaced cylinder heads, clutches etc.. mostly out of necessity. Some body work, basic welding and brazing. Newer cars have so much plastic and other bits. Now I just pay someone to fix them and buy cars that don't break down, don't have time for more than basic stuff. I do your basic home plumbing, painting etc..electrical (away from the panel), soldered more than a few thousand connections. I build and fix PC's, big servers done some coding and lots of operating system work etc as part of my job. I also write music and lyrics and play a pretty mean guitar.... as well as being an audio engineer. Not a bad cook at all when I put my mind to it. Sewing .. eh your basic buttons and such. I read a lot or watch a lot of science and history programs. Fascinated with psychology and enjoy history. Guess I'm old school.. loud guitars, fast cars, hot women and rock n roll .. LOL Yea.. guess I'm braggin a bit.. so what? I like having a lot of skills. Some women like it.. some couldn't care less. I have an old friend of mine. I tried to teach him at least how to check the oil in his car. One day he tells me the engine went.. I asked him did you check the oil? He said yea I checked it.. it was black.. it was oil.. Edited January 3, 2011 by sumdude
zengirl Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Yes, it's illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey (and Oregon, IIRC). That's a bit different, though. There's no choice involved. I'm not aware of any place where it's illegal to change your own tires. The first time I came down to Jersey with my SO, we stopped for gas. He reached for the door handle, and I told him that he can't pump his own gas. He thought I was joking and opened the door as the station attendant was coming towards us, and I said, "No, I'm serious, it's against the law to pump your own gas." He couldn't believe it. And I'm not so sure about prices being higher because of the ban on self-serve. It was 2.89 a week ago, and the national average as of 12/27/2010 is 3.052. Oh, yes, I know it's illegal. But I just mean, it's totally normal for them not to know how --- because they don't need to/can't --- but it seems foreign and strange to me.
JohnnyBlaze Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 I won't say I'm the handiest guy out there, but I can certainly hold my own. I've changed tires, jumped cars and swapped cylinders & pistons on my bike, among other parts (I love overbore kits ). Most tools are pretty intuitive, I've found; it's not a question of knowing how to use them, it's the willingness to try. A lot of people nowadays are either afraid to get their hands dirty, or afraid they're gonna mess it up. Well, if you don't try, you'll never know, will ya? Take changing a tire, for example. Probably the two most complicated parts of the whole process (and I use the word "complicated" loosely) are finding the jack point on the frame and knowing to tighten in a cross/star pattern, rather than doing them sequentially. Other than that, it's just a case of brute force and a willingness to get your hands a little dirty. After all, assuming that you don't have a torque wrench in your car, you won't have to worry about the torque specs. If it's good enough to get you back to the shop, it's good enough - period. Yes, it's illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey (and Oregon, IIRC). That's a bit different, though. There's no choice involved. I'm not aware of any place where it's illegal to change your own tires. It's really illegal?! I just couldn't imagine that. I can't even remember the last time I was somewhere where a pump jockey did it for me. Heck, around here, most of the stations are only self-serve! Are there secret, rebellious organizations over there where people get together under the cloak of night and defy society by pumping their own gas? I can just imagine the conversations in the yard at Trenton! "Yeah, I got busted for three murders and assaulting a cop!" "So what? I pumped gas!" "Whoa...really?"
U1987 Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 I just don't have the time or the need to learn how to work with cars; my Cobalt handles fine (30,000 miles already and still no problems) I study at college and my job requires me to dress up, so I'm usually dressed up and wouldn't be allowed in if I came in dirty from working on a car. I've never felt like my masculinity was threatened by my ignorance in this field, but I know how to work with electric guitars and basses though; I can string them, change pick ups, take out burnt wires and resauder new ones; does that count?
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