If I had too yes, but I’m like the others I will call AAA.

I know how to do it in theory, main problem for actually doing it nowadays is these places that put the lug nuts on with a machine and they are so tight it is hard to remove. Even those “big guys” who try to take them off have trouble. Have used fix-a-flat in the past when I worked late in a bad part of town, it was a blessing, better to replace tire later than worry about standing around to long in certain areas.

I can change a tire in nothing flat (so to speak).

I’m on the AAA roster! I don’t have the strength to lift the full-size spare out of the bowels of the trunk.

hell yes! don’t own a car if you can’t do simple repairs like that!

Realize by this thread that one reason want to know how to do things, is that my mother, as competent in other areas, never wanted to know anything about a car except that it was immaculate, full of gas, and that you put in the key and then choose ‘P’, ‘D’, or ‘R’. She had the five of us kids in the car on the freeway to drop us off at the jr. college pool that was opened to the public in summer because we loved the high dive, etc. The man in the next car kept honking, waving, and weaving towards our car. Mom didn’t look because men were always whistling etc, she said, “Just ignore him.” I did look and he seemed quite frantic. He was pointing to the back of our station wagon. I turned around….there were flames shooting out. “Mom the car’s on fire.” The kids all wheeled around. She dive-bombed across traffic and onto the off-ramp and straight through to a gas station. “Get out and run.” The workers waved her off. When she looked confused, a man opened the door, pulled her out, and drove the car straight into an adjacent field and the gas station men in the white shirts and caps they wore then…ran with fire extinguishers and put it out just as the fire trucks arrived. Exciting. My little brother watched everything silently then looked up at Mom, “How are we getting to the plunge?”

I love the feeling that comes from knowing how to use power tools, putting up my own shelves, and being able to do my own repairs. Years ago, when I first was getting to know the man who is still the only man in my life, he came over to my apartment and saw my tool box. In previous conversations I had mentioned my ex, so he said “Oh, did R. leave his tool box here?” I think I overreacted, when I gritted my teeth and said, “No, those are mine.” After knowing and accepting me for nearly 14 years, Dan understands it is a point of pride for me to be able to take care of myself. My ex never did and tried to convince me I would be totally lost without him. I always felt that if my ex could use power tools, it could not be that difficult.

Mr. Short, the driver’s ed teacher who taught me AND my children how to drive, would not pass us until we’d changed a tire in front of him. Thank goodness, too. I’ve needed and used that skill. Bless you, Mr. Short. I roof houses, too. It’s just like quilting, only you use nails instead of thread. What’s the big deal? Everybody should know the basic life skills.

Mugsy, my tire guy offered to come to my house and change my tire himself if I promised to NEVER use that fix-a-flat-in-a-can stuff again! I used to change my own tires, now I have AAA and need never change another tire again!