Speed, + Ice = Car In The Shop...

I didn't hear it. I didn't see it. I wasn't even in the car, mostly because the car's not mine, but my son's. And the mishap occurred while he was driving to work.

That's when, after the first snow and ice of the season hit, my son's car failed to negotiate a turn and the right front wheel slammed into a curb. I've been fortunate enough in my life never to have experienced an accident like that. But, after posting a picture of the damage, a mechanic friend of mine commented that he had five cars in his shop that morning with the same issue. I guess it happens a lot.

If you own a car, dealing with repairs is part of the deal, be it flat tires, oil changes, or replacing a front wheel assembly. My son, who earlier bought an older Toyota, found out that cars can be costly. He ended up selling that car and he bought this Volvo. It's newer, and has given him fewer problems. This time, it was ice and speed (and the lack of traction...) that caused the crash.

We have three cars and four drivers in our house. These are not new cars, but for many on this planet, the thought of having three cars is amazing. Many may never have the opportunity to have even one. Going from three to two until his is fixed is causing us to rethink our schedules. There will be more bus trips, and less trips then general. It's probably for the best, though. How many cars does a family really need, anyway?

In time, the insurance will cover the cost of the repairs and the mechanics will make things as good as new. Until then, we'll get by--just another one of those things that makes life interesting.

Changing A Flat Tire...The Torch Has Been Passed

Warning: Dad joke coming.

"Son--good news. The tire on your car is only half flat."

Yup. I had to say it. It's a calling, really. Some call it a curse, and I understand that.

My dad worked on cars. Of course, he was born in the mid-1920s. Cars were less complicated back then. I'm sure a modern lawnmower is more complicated than those vehicles. When my dad was young, cars had an engine, the fuel line, the cooling system, tires, seats, doors, windows, lights, and that was about it. Even thirty-five years ago when I got my license and my first car, you could find an old Chevy or Ford (or VW...) that lacked anything that you couldn't fix yourself.

Like most of my friends, I took auto shop in high school. I could do a lot of minor fixes to my little 1965 VW bug. I probably could have pulled an engine or re-built the transmission. I didn't, though.

Point is, I learned about cars because cars needed fixing. 

This morning I helped my son change the tire on his car. It's the first time he's changed a flat on his car. I didn't need to help him much--he was quite capable. He found the correct place to apply the jack, lifted the car, swapped the flat tire for a fully inflated spare (a full-sized tire, not a donut tire...) and put the car down. Easy-peasy. 

I admire those who repair cars. When I worked on my bug, scrapped knuckles and stifled cursing inevitably followed. Had I more patience and the correct tools, it would have made the experiences more pleasant, but I didn't. I'd like to be able to work on my car now. I try and fix the small things--I leave the important functions (brakes, engine, fuel line, suspension...) to the pros.

I enjoyed watching my son change the tire on his car. It brought back memories.