Spare Tire Use

There is nothing more frustrating than getting a flat tire, then realizing your spare is flat as well.  Good thing it happened in my driveway and not out on the road late at night.

My neighbor stopped by as I was getting ready to jack up the vehicle and get the process started, but he decided it was a good opportunity for his almost 16 yr old boy to learn how to change a tire.  So on his fathers request, I put everything away, and went next door with him and asked his son to change the tire for me.  I said “I have a flat tire, and the spare is flat, what are you going to do?”

This was theoretically going to be a learning opportunity and logistics opportunity for him, but I soon realized he couldn’t even find the jack or locate the spare and it got me thinking, do all drivers know how change a flat?   Sure every car is a bit different, but there are just so many places where a jack and a spare tire can be in a vehicle.  What seems very obvious to me, isn’t exactly obvious to everyone.  After watching him search without luck, I finally showed him where all the gear was and he got started.

What I found surprising is that he told me that he never learned in his driving school how to change a flat, let alone know where to look for it.  It might just be me, but it seems as though every driving safety school for kids, or refresher defensive driving course, even if taken for ticket dismissal, should at least touch on the subject at least briefly   If  you’re unfortunate enough to get a flat, for your own safety, you should know how to change it.

However, the main lesson learned this weekend was to check your spare every so often to see if it has the proper amount of air pressure.  Set yourself a schedule of some kind.  Maybe when you get your oil changed, check the spare.  Or when your car reaches a 1000 mile mark on the odometer.  Whatever you set for yourself, remember to follow it and you might not get into the spot I found myself in.