Emergency Repairs
Emergency repairs on the road are my main concern as they are the most dangerous and life threatening. I believe the best place to start a series on car repairs is with emergency on the road car repairs. Every car should be equipped with tools to deal with emergencies on the road. Basic tools include pliers, scissors, screw drivers and jumper cables. Every car should also have anti freeze that is mixed and ready to go, tape that can repair a leaking hose, and emergency warning lights or reflectors that can be deployed outside of the car so other motorists can see you and the broken down car. One should be well versed in how to use these tools.
A Real World Emergency
I remember a frightening car failure on the road that threatened many people’s lives. I was driving with a friend in the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. I was driving up a steep hill when the car suddenly stalled. I tried to drive it off the road but I could not make it. The car wound up sideways on the road and blocking both lanes on a two lane highway. I tried to start the car but the car would not crank over and start. My friend and I became frantic as we could easily have been killed or seriously injured by a car or truck coming up or down the hill. So we got out of the car and went to the side of the street. Suddenly, a truck came barreling down the road and we were terrified that the truck would barrel into the car and there would be a serious accident. Fortunately, the truck driver was alert and he saw the car and was able to stop in the nick of time. The truck driver got out of his truck and we all pushed the car to the side of the road. Eventually, we were able to start the car with jumper cables and drive home.
Breaking Down on the Weekend
On another occasion, I broke down in a parking lot over the weekend. Although this was not a life threatening situation as the first incident was, it was still a major problem. I remember the rush of adrenaline and anxiety I felt when I discovered the problem. All kinds of issues began to fill my mind. It was the weekend and there was no one available to fix the car. How could I afford to fix the car? How would I drive home and get to work and shop for all the things I need to support my household? I felt that terrible surge of fear, anxiety, and worry many of us feel when we break down on the road. I discovered a large pool of anti freeze under my car and I started to worry if the radiator or the block of the engine was busted. My friend and I examined the car and found a small hose at the bottom of the radiator was leaking badly. We were able to remove it with a screw driver and pliers. Then we walked up to a car parts store that was conveniently located up the road. We told the clerk what happened and showed her the busted hose. She had that size hose in stock and we were able to cut a piece off with a very sharp scissors. I wanted to pay for the hose but the clerk would not take any money. So we simply carried the new hose to the car and put it on with a screw driver and pliers. Then we added some anti freeze.
Lessons Learned
Breaking down on the road and performing emergency repairs under stressful and dangerous circumstances is part of the price we pay for the convenience of driving a car. Always stay cool, calm, and collected while remaining in command of the situation. Make sure you carry the required tools in your car to make emergency repairs on the road.