After watching a 40+ year old mother
and her college age daughter spend 10 minutes trying to figure out how to put air in their tires the other day, I thought I’d write car tips for women this week.
It can be anything from car maintenance to what tissue boxes work best. 🙂
- When you stop at a rest area, clear off the passenger’s seat so it looks like someone is sitting in it.
- Push your seat back so it appears a tall guy is driving and not a short female.
- Keep an eye on your tire pressure especially before a long trip (even though your car has idiot warning lights). Keep a gauge in the glove box and “fix a flat” in the trunk.
- Dad said (especially in the winter) to never go under 1/2 tank of gas. You NEVER know where/how far you might have to go in a hurry…especially in Montana (where Seester lives).
- Have cash on hand in case your credit card doesn’t work.
- Does anyone still need to keep jumper cables in the car? Can still be a good idea.
- Know how to change your own tire — Roadside service isn’t always available.
- Along with this: keep walking shoes in your car, ladies! What if you’re dressed for work and wear high-heels and then have to walk a couple of miles?
- Keep your car owner’s manual in the car so that if a light comes on you can diagnosis the problem.
- Lock your car when you are pumping gas (Put the key in your pocket!). Your purse is sitting RIGHT THERE and anyone can sneak around and grab it. Alternatively, take your purse with you.
- Never put your window down if someone knocks on it. As women, we need to be more suspicious and less trusting when approached by unknown people—men and women. Keep the window up and talk to them through it.
Oh, and about the tire pressure? It’s in your owner’s manual (look there before holding up the line at the air station); and often on the inside of the driver’s door. Remove the valve stem cap and follow the directions on the air station.
Stay safe!
Do you have any to contribute?
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Read: Driving through life
A few weeks ago I was Christmas shopping and missed lunch. I bought some popcorn at Target which is as close to movie theatre popcorn that I’ve found. I ate it in while on the move instead of stopping and getting lunch. Bad idea. I am still finding kernels in the car.
Still? Good heavens!
On Monday I took a mini-road trip to a consignment shop in the country. Since I missed lunch, I allowed myeslf a snack of popcorn and broke the car rules by eating it while in the car. It’s Friday and I’m still finding popcorn kernels.
That’s hysterical! And popcorn? It never, ever leaves the car!
Great post. I like the idea of keeping the passenger seat clear at a rest stop! One quick story, shortly after I was separated, I was driving home on a dark stormy night (of course) and I needed windshield washer fluid. I pulled into a gas station, bought what I needed and popped the hood. I knew there was a latch under the hood to release it, but I couldn’t find it in the dark! I was soooo frustrated, I drove home (crying). The next morning I went out, found the latch, opened the hood and added the windshield washer… Read more »
I hear you, Grace. I was proud when I figured out how to change the air filter! Bravo to you!
This is a blast from the past reminder. In the days before front wheel and all wheel drive my Dad made me drive around in the winter with a cinder block or two in the trunk for more weight; and a bag of kitty litter to use under the tires for traction when I was inevitably stuck in the snow.
I had a little Chevy S10 in Montana (Jeremiah is still driving this vintage 1986 model) and always had tubes of sand in the back for winter traction. It didn’t help much, but it made me feel better.
Good additions, Ladies!
Also do not put a pillow on your window to rest your head while driving….yes, I have seen this done. Really.
Really? Resting your head while driving?! Really?
One of the best I saw was the woman crooking the phone in her left ear/shoulder, holding coffee and a cigarette in her hands going 80 on the Parkway heading into Pburgh from the east–all at one of the craziest merging/exiting spots.
Some good reminders, Rose. One more: don’t text while you’re driving. You might misspell something and look really stupid. 🙂