Having car problems and being stranded is on my worst-case-scenario list. I will drive on the top half of the gas tank to make sure I don’t run out of gas, I report every squeak and out-of-ordinary noise, and I almost never go anywhere without having my cell phone fully charged. Getting lost while driving comes a very close second.
My Dream Car
Photo credit: cellar_door_films via WANA Commons Flickr
My van left me stranded a few days ago. Dead battery. How on earth do you fix that? I have no idea. I’m almost militant about my personal independence. I don’t need a man to rescue me — except when my van won’t start. Thankfully I had a warm place to wait for help, and a couple of willing young men eager to rescue me.
I detest feeling helpless. There’s a story there, but that’s another post. I can check the oil, change the wiper blades and even replace taillights — but after that I’m baffled. I don’t speak car, and don’t care to learn. I understand the principles behind changing a tire, but would rather pay for a CAA membership than actually learn how to do it myself.
This is a personal weakness – totally fessing up on that. I just don’t want to learn this stuff. However, my personal aversion to it doesn’t mean I’m an idiot. There should be a few rules concerning women and car repairs — at least for women like me.
1. If I tell you that something doesn’t sound right, that I heard a funny noise please accept that I’m NOT making it up. Don’t make fun of me just because it’s not happened to you. Because I’m so paranoid about it, I may think a small clunk is a bigger problem than it actually is, but don’t belittle me. What I really want is for a man to appear to thoughtfully consider my rendition of events, and either fix it or reassure me that it’s something insignificant and won’t leave me stranded.
2. If you don’t have time to do said repair, and refuse to make time, that means I’m free to take the vehicle to mechanic who will fix it — and I don’t care what they charge me. I won’t care if they overcharge me because I’m a woman. I only care that it gets fixed. If I pay a mechanic to fix it and I’m still stranded, then look out. Hell hath no fury like a woman stranded let me tell you.
3. If I have no money to pay someone to fix it, and I don’t have a man to fix it for me — that means it’s completely OK to ask my Dad (or my brother, or my uncle, or next door neighbor) and the man who refused to fix it then forfeits all rights to complain about how I got the job done.
What’s on your worst-case scenario list? What will you go a mile out of your way to make sure doesn’t happen to you?
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Pamela Hodges says:
Great list. Especially #3. That also applies to how I cut onions or make chicken soup.
I also keep the gas tank full, have triple A to come and get my keys out of a locked car, and won’t change a tire because I don’t want a creeper coming along and mugging me.
Don’t mess with Lisa. You go girl.
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Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
lol – Thanks, Pamela. I don’t expect the average guy to understand how to write a website to rank well with search engines, or how to write a novel or run an ad campaign on Facebook. Shouldn’t be fair to expect me to know as much as they do about cars.
Chris Morris says:
Lisa,
I have a few thoughts in response to your story.
Firstly, I am a man but still don’t know much about care maintenance. However, I do find that my wife and I get treated very differently when we go to a mechanic. The mechanic takes me far more serious when I make a comment. Truthfully, just standing next to her while she speaks makes a difference. LAME!
One of worst-case scenarios is actually being stranded while traveling cross-country for my job. I do all I can to book nonstop flights to avoid this, even if it costs my company more money. I know I can just get a hotel and catch a flight the next day if an overnight stay is needed. It just makes me so nervous though.
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Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
Ugh – being stranded AT ALL is on my worst-case scenario list. Totally with you on that.
Julie Glover says:
Good points.
Perhaps the analogous issue for me is roaches. (1) We will pay however much it costs to have regular bug sprays to avoid having roaches ever enter the house. (2) If a roach does enter, you are in charge of getting rid of it. (3) You should not make fun of me for my repulsion of roaches, as I would be just fine getting rid of spiders, wasps, and snakes…just not roaches. In summary, man up and kill the bug for this squeamish girl!
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Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
LOL – that’s awesome. Snakes for me.
renee@joyful mom says:
I get the “little lady” a lot . . . but then I pull out my tape measure which is bigger, longer and more accurate . . . or I whip out my leatherman to instantly cut, pry, or tighten any problem.
That usually levels the playing field but sometimes I need to give the stink eye . . .
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Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
I’ll have to try the stink eye technique.
Debra Kristi says:
I have to agree with Julie. For me it’s the bug thing. Hat them. And we get them in serious quantity with our yard situation. We don’t need to decorate for Halloween, just not clean the cobwebs.
As for the car biz. I’ve been around mechanics and shops my whole life. I’ve seen exactly what you’re talking about, and it can seem like a boy’s club. In general women and men will get treated differently. But there are guys that clearly don’t know there stuff and they will get treated with just as much ignorance as a woman. And there are a few women like me that can listen to the sound of the engine and tell you if a piston is misfiring or if the timing is off. Generally, I’ve been treated fairly in all my years of dealing with the shops. But my education with my classic gave my some knowledge that even some of the mechanics in your regular shops don’t have. So it just depends. I’d be curious what Jennette’s experience has been.
Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
Interesting. Too bad we didn’t live closer
Steph says:
I’m not sure it qualifies for WCS, but I’ve had a cold for just over a week. While I didn’t get full fledged laryngitis, my voice was pretty squeaky for a few days. Anyone who knows me – and knows how much I talk – would realize actually losing my voice would be a huge challenge for me.
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Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
haha – you’d just have to use your hands MORE.
Love ya, Steph.
Jenny Hansen says:
I completely fear being homeless. The thought of living with no shelter or four walls and a locked door to sleep behind is my absolute worst case. I know that it’s survivable, but the thought makes my stomach hurt. I don’t blame you for being wiggy about your car, my friend.
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Lisa Hall-Wilson says:
Aww – Well, being homeless would definitely not be something I want to experience either. For me that seems like a less likely prospect than being stranded. lol It’s funny what we focus on sometimes.