Men who cannot change a tire

[fastfredracing]

My brother in law sat on the side of the road for over 2 hours waiting for AAA to come change his flat tire .
I could not even comment. Do you know any ?

[sammyg2]

I have a brother who has a really expensive beemer.

He knows how to get it detailed.

[Gretch]

tire quality has improved over the decades and there are a lot fewer flat tires experienced. This and the complexity of cars has reduced the number of people who can actually do much at all if even basic maintenance.

I know 2 guys who have the dealer change their oil on their 911s. I cannot imagine an easier maintenance item except perhaps changing out air and cabin filters.......

I don't expect my pixie wife (who wouldn't know what end of a screwdriver is the business end) to change a tire. So I buy her cars with run flat tires. previously the instructions were, "drive carefully on the flat tire to a gas station, do not worry about the noise."

People, guys even, are not any where near self sufficient as we had to be 30 years ago.

[rwest]

I can't even imagine being that helpless. Going through life having to depend and wait for somebody to do the simplest things for you- gotta suck.

I'm sure someone has figured it out, but I wonder how much being handy around your car and house would equate to in salary equivalent.

[recycled sixtie]

I see both sides. Easy to change my Miata rim/tires from summer to winter so a flat presents no problem as I carry a spare tire/rim. Having said that heavy suv wheels/tires are more challenging.

Also if you don't call AMA/CAA or whatever there is the risk of being hit by a moving vehicle as you change the tire on the side of the road. Obviously common sense would state to move off the road to the right as much as possible .

[Hugh R]

I can certainly change a tire, but to be fair, I "think" my newer Camry has a spare and a jack, can't say I've every looked. I don't think I've had a flat in 30 years.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I have a brother who has a really expensive beemer.

He knows how to get it detailed.

No need to know how to change a tire in his case. It probably has no spare.

[Gogar]

"Knowing how to do stuff"

is generally out of favor, although the tire example is a little extreme.

I was surprised and saddened as a 40-something bachelor when I discovered that many/most women find the "check writer" man more attractive than the "DIY" man.

"Knowing how to do stuff" also requires an understanding of what opportunity cost is. I'm guilty of learning that one the wrong way.

[id10t]

Well there was that time I was sun burnt all to hell (big blisters, etc) after a day on the river and my jack was frozen shut with rust... but AAA didn't have anyone in the area. Some kid stopped and helped me out, I gave him $20.

Only other time was when I got 2 flats. Sure, I could've put the spare on one, but why bother. Call AAA, get towed, get new shoes all the way around. At least the tow was free and the guy dropped me off at home (it was only "a few" miles out of the way on the back roads)

[manbridge 74]

Even worse is watching a grown man try and hammer something by "pushing" the hammer into object instead of swinging it...

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

I can certainly change a tire, but to be fair, I "think" my newer Camry has a spare and a jack, can't say I've every looked. I don't think I've had a flat in 30 years.

Cindy's 2016 Camry has a spare, jack, and lug wrench. I looked before we bought.
That said, not sure I'd want to change a flat along the suicide lanes of I-5. Recent news item, two road crew workers killed on I-5 despite everything being clearly marked with flashing yellow lights, directional arrows, etc. On a rural road with clear vision, sure...

[Aurel]

Men who cannot change a tire...are not real men!

[RKDinOKC]

I don't understand those that turn the key and push the pedal, but have no idea what makes the vehicle move besides pushing on the accelerator pedal.

[Nickshu]

There's a Geico commercial on now where the wife uses the phone app to call roadside assistance to put on their spare tire while the husband sits in the drivers seat. I laugh when I see it...a great testament to the emasculation of American men.

Here are some interesting references (ignore the source please, not a PARF thing): 32 Facts That Show How Men Are Being Systematically Emasculated In America Today

[Tobra]

Not to my knowledge.

My wife was not allowed to drive a car until she demonstrated to her father that she could change a tire, change the oil and jump start a car.

I passed on a number of new cars that had no spare tire, or even a place to put one. I can recall only a few times that I have had to change a tire on my car at the side of the road, none since I could afford to buy decent cars and decent tires. Done so for a fair number of other people though

[Jolly Amaranto]

I had to call road side assistance once after I found that I could not break the lug nuts loose. The idiot who had recently mounted new tires must have had the impact wrench set way too high. I managed to get two of them off but the others would not budge. After I got home later I had to use a cheater bar on a wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the other three wheels.

[R K T]

How about making change?

Purchasing some items at the store the other day and the cash register computer failed to "tell" the cashier how much change to give me.

It was $14.65 cents and I had given her a 20 dollar bill. She looked frantically hopeless because she was going to have to somehow figure out this on her own.

I told her to give me a 5 dollar bill, a quarter, and a dime.

She just stared at me with a blank look.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Aurel

Men who cannot change a tire...are not real men!

Men who cannot change a tire ....are tireless.

[gduke2010]

Last year I almost gave up, trying to change the rear right tire on my car. The rim was froze to the hub. I tapped and banged on the wheel with everything I had and just about gave up. Then walked around the parking lot and borrowed a 4 x 4 from a pick up truck.

[fanaudical]

I'm sure I know some who can't - and they are all smart enough not to announce that in my presence.