Hundreds of blackbirds were flying around in the backyard this morning. Kinda made me think of that Alfred Hitchcock movie...
When I awoke this morning I noticed the car was looking a little slumped to one side and further investigating revealed that the drivers side front tire was completely flat.
First: Thank goodness it was flat at home and didn't happen while I was driving.
Second: I realize I would have no idea how to change a flat tire if it happened to me on the road.
Since I now own a car, I am going to be driving a lot more often, and I need to be prepared for emergency/problem situations that may arise. I have common sense and I took a driving course (12 years ago...), but I still have some serious learning to do. Right now I feel like a grandparent who is first learning how to use the computer; I'm worried that everything I do or touch is going to break it somehow. I need to get over that.
On Friday we thought the tire was low but we didn't bother to check the gauge or fill it up (it was late, I was tired). I drove it on Saturday and I felt it was pulling to the left (a sign the tire was low), but I still didn't check it. Then this morning, the tire was flat. We used a motorized air pump and filled the tire. We waited a few hours to see if we had a fast leak on our hands, but it stayed inflated so we drove to the local gas station and used their heavy duty pump/gauge. Each of the tires was filled to roughly 32psi (our optimal pressure).
Tonight we drove into town and bought ourselves a digital tire gauge. I was really hyper about the tire the whole ride there and the whole ride home. It has continued to stay inflated. The digital gauge is awesome - this is a necessary technological advancement.
So hopefully our tire issue is just that we drove on a low tire and by neglecting to fill it up on the two days we noticed it, it rebelled by going flat. Or there is a slow leak and it will have to be fixed. We tested the gauge of all the tires tonight and we'll test them again tomorrow, so if the one tire does have a leak we should be able to tell. I have learned my lesson about air in the tires though, and I will happily be checking the gauge regularly. As for everything else there is to learn about car ownership/car maintenance/emergency car situations, I am reading my owners manual and taking it one day at a time.
UPDATE: Ten days later and the tire hasn't gone flat again or lost more pressure than any of the other tires. We've been driving around a lot since then, too. I went through a phase where I was afraid to use my car because I thought the tire was going to blow up, but it hasn't given me any reason to continue to think that. So far so good.
First: Thank goodness it was flat at home and didn't happen while I was driving.
Second: I realize I would have no idea how to change a flat tire if it happened to me on the road.
Since I now own a car, I am going to be driving a lot more often, and I need to be prepared for emergency/problem situations that may arise. I have common sense and I took a driving course (12 years ago...), but I still have some serious learning to do. Right now I feel like a grandparent who is first learning how to use the computer; I'm worried that everything I do or touch is going to break it somehow. I need to get over that.
On Friday we thought the tire was low but we didn't bother to check the gauge or fill it up (it was late, I was tired). I drove it on Saturday and I felt it was pulling to the left (a sign the tire was low), but I still didn't check it. Then this morning, the tire was flat. We used a motorized air pump and filled the tire. We waited a few hours to see if we had a fast leak on our hands, but it stayed inflated so we drove to the local gas station and used their heavy duty pump/gauge. Each of the tires was filled to roughly 32psi (our optimal pressure).
Tonight we drove into town and bought ourselves a digital tire gauge. I was really hyper about the tire the whole ride there and the whole ride home. It has continued to stay inflated. The digital gauge is awesome - this is a necessary technological advancement.
UPDATE: Ten days later and the tire hasn't gone flat again or lost more pressure than any of the other tires. We've been driving around a lot since then, too. I went through a phase where I was afraid to use my car because I thought the tire was going to blow up, but it hasn't given me any reason to continue to think that. So far so good.
I am a rather sentimental person and I have been waiting to go for a substantial drive in the new car until I had the proper mix. This is a major event in my life - it must be honoured with music. I have also never had a CD Player in a vehicle before, so a killer mix is also required to mark the occasion of my technological advancement.
Songs were selected based on theme (cars, traveling), certain words (driving, miles, road, etc.,) or if I have a specific memory with the song relating to driving (i.e. the song was featured in a movie where someone was driving). I think it is a stellar mix and am excited to go for a spin with this soundtrack!
First Car Mix
1. Drive My Car - The Beatles
2. Cars - Gary Numan
3. Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane
4. Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News
5. Kings Highway - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
6. Take it Easy - The Eagles
7. End of the Line - Traveling Wilburys
8. Helen Wheels - Paul McCartney and Wings
9. King of Wishful Thinking - Go West
10. Get Out of My Dreams, Get into My Car - Billy Ocean
11. Highway to Hell - AC/DC
12. Driving Rain - Paul McCartney
13. A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
14. Groovin' - The Young Rascals
15. Cruisin' - Huey Lewis and Gywneth Paltrow
16. Drive - The Cars
17. One Headlight - The Wallflowers
18. Too Fast Driving - Lisa Loeb
19. Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows
20. Casey Jones - The Grateful Dead
Songs were selected based on theme (cars, traveling), certain words (driving, miles, road, etc.,) or if I have a specific memory with the song relating to driving (i.e. the song was featured in a movie where someone was driving). I think it is a stellar mix and am excited to go for a spin with this soundtrack!
First Car Mix
1. Drive My Car - The Beatles
2. Cars - Gary Numan
3. Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane
4. Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News
5. Kings Highway - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
6. Take it Easy - The Eagles
7. End of the Line - Traveling Wilburys
8. Helen Wheels - Paul McCartney and Wings
9. King of Wishful Thinking - Go West
10. Get Out of My Dreams, Get into My Car - Billy Ocean
11. Highway to Hell - AC/DC
12. Driving Rain - Paul McCartney
13. A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
14. Groovin' - The Young Rascals
15. Cruisin' - Huey Lewis and Gywneth Paltrow
16. Drive - The Cars
17. One Headlight - The Wallflowers
18. Too Fast Driving - Lisa Loeb
19. Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows
20. Casey Jones - The Grateful Dead
We bought our first car this week! We have spent the past while borrowing cars and catching rides, and it is such a relief to have a car of my own!
We bought a 2003 Mazda from a super-nice private seller who was a friend of a friend of a friend (the middle friend was the car's mechanic, so the car had great references!).
Expect some car-centric posts this week - I am really excited about my new wheels! :)
We bought a 2003 Mazda from a super-nice private seller who was a friend of a friend of a friend (the middle friend was the car's mechanic, so the car had great references!).
Expect some car-centric posts this week - I am really excited about my new wheels! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
