Update on Car Preparedness

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In my last update, I talked about the problems Heather had on her trip to Atlanta. I thought I’d update with what we have done to combat the situation if it happens again.

We did do the tire changing seminar that following weekend. We went over how to put together the jack handle, how to lower the spare tire from the bottom of her car, where to place the jack under the car, how to use the jack and how to remove and replace the tire.

The bottle jack that came with car is a real pain for her to use, so we bought a floor jack that she can carry with her. It’s a bit heavier than the bottle jack, and it takes up more space, but it’s much easier to use, so she’s happy with it. We bought one that came in a carry case, so she doesn’t have a jack just hanging out in the back of her 4Runner. Just a black case.

We also bought an Emergency Road Kit to go in her car. We were making a list of things to put in the kit and were going to buy everything separate until I went to the car section of our local Wal-Mart. They had a 91 piece set for less than 30 bucks. It came with a small assortment of tools, the roadside triangle, flashlight, blanket, tow rope, zip-ties, and even a first aid kit. I don’t remember exactly what all is in there, but it had stuff we hadn’t even thought about adding. Great value for the money.

We are also now card carrying members of AAA. When she had no number to call that night, I knew that needed to changed. AAA was the best way out.. $64 for a single membership and another $30 for a second family member. 94 bucks a year for peace of mind when she or I are traveling back and forth is worth it..

And, last but not least, I have ordered her a container of pepper spray and a stun gun to carry on her person. I tried to talk her into carrying a gun, but she isn’t comfortable with carrying one, so we opted for the stun gun. I was going to go for the Taser, but they are very expensive and bulky. She wanted something she could carry in her purse or pocket. Although some are small, Tasers aren’t known for easy of concealed carrying. So, she has a 1,000,000 volt mini sized stun gun that will actually fit inside a cigarette pack. Although small, it packs a punch. I know I don’t want to get ht by it. As for me, I have my .40 cal Springfield Armory XD by my side. I’m covered.

So, I think we have covered all the bases to help Heather on her business travels. Hopefully we won’t have to worry about it again, but if we do, I believe she’ll be able to handle the situation with confidence next time.

Are you prepared?

OK.. Something happened the other night that I need to pass along before it catches anyone else off guard..

The scenario: Heather had a business meeting last night in Atlanta. Her and 2 other ladies from work all rode together to the event (or whatever it was) One of the guys that works with them actually followed up in his car since he didn't have to go all the way back down to Macon after the event. Getting there and the event all went without a hitch. The event ended around 10:00 pm and the ladies headed back here with the guy going his way, but still in close proximity of the women. All of a sudden, going down the highway, Heather ran over something and blew out her left rear tire. She was in the fast lane and with typical big-city mentality, no one would allow her to move over to the slow lane to get on the break down lane, so she had to park in the breakdown lane on the edge of the median. You can't get as far off the road on that one and people are haulin' ass one lane over, so it's not a fun place to be.

The Problems: 3 women in the car and no one knew how to change a tire. All three are married and have guys that change tires for them, so, in the past, there was no reason to learn. They knew they needed to get the jack out and they did that, but it was in three pieces and had problems getting it together. Most cars that Heather has owned has had the spare in the trunk or under the storage area in the back. Imagine her surprise when the floor of her cargo area in her '07 4Runner didn't lift up. For a few minutes, they had no idea where the spare was. They found it under the rear of the car and then had to figure out how to lower it. So, here they are, three women in skirts, on the side of I-75 in Atlanta trying to read tire changing instructions off the jack set in the back of the vehicle. And, of course, not one person stopped to offer any assistance. They called the guy that was close to them and he was able to come back. As they were waiting on him to come back, Heather finally called me. She wasn't frantic, but she wasn't in the greatest of moods either.. She asked me what she was supposed to do. She asked if we had AAA or something like that. Unfortunately, we did not have membership into anything like that. Our insurance covers Emergency Road Service, but it's a reimbursement thing. You call whoever, pay them and State Farm pays us back. So, since she was on the fast side of the highway and didn't know how to change the tire, I told her to call 911 and get a cop out there to help them. I would rather her get a cop there and have him around to keep cars from getting too close along with being there in case someone who we didn't want to stop and help decided to do just that. Since I was at home with the baby over 45 minutes away, I was no help. But, she was able to get a cop to show up, their male co-worker also showed up and he and the cop changed the tire for the ladies. While this was happening, the Policeman also spoke to ladies about not knowing how to change a tire, and not having any protection in the car with them. After it was all changed, they all made it home safe. It was a tense hour around here until I heard they were on the way again.

The fixes: First, we are becoming members of AAA. That will give her a number to call 24/7 no matter what happens to the car. Second, this weekend, we are having a tire changing class. Heather will know how to change a tire on her car come Saturday night. Also, since the bottle jack in the car was such a pain in the butt, we're also going to get her a small floor jack that she can carry with her instead. They were in desperate need of a screwdriver for something during the night. I'm not sure for what, but she will have a screwdriver in the car from this point on also. We're going to put in a "break-down" kit in the car. The safety triangle, flares, a blanket a bottle of water, some rope, etc. And, we will get her some protection to keep with her. I'm licenced to carry a gun and will when I feel its necessary, but Heather isn't very interested in carrying a loaded firearm in her vehicle anymore. She's more of a "shoot first, ask questions later" type person when it comes to her well-being and she thinks she'll shoot someone that doesn't really deserve it. So, we're going to look at mace as the first line of defence and a taser for the next step. I think tasers are cool, so having one could be fun. :)

The thing is, this whole episode caught us completely by surprise and we weren't equipped to handle it. Calling 911 and the lucky guy that happened to be up there with them was their only hope. I want her to be able to handle a flat tire on her own and call others if she wants to not because she has too. We're just really glad it wasn't just her and baby that night. And, the piece of mind of being a AAA member in case anything worse than a flat happens in the future is well worth the 64 dollars a year.

Please learn from our mistake. If you don't have a number to call, find one or become a member of some auto club. If you don't know what to do if you have a flat, please get someone to teach you. And, because of the world today, please carry something to protect yourself in your vehicle. You never know...