Unwanted acceleration. You are driving along and notice the gas pedal (or throttle cable) is sticking. My generation — Generation X — dealt with this almost routinely. I had a '74 VW with a cable that ran through a rusty tube, which sometimes made the cable jam and the car surge forward. No big deal. A quick shift into neutral (to disconnect the revving engine from the driven wheels) then kill the ignition (to avoid over-revving the engine), on the brakes (to slow the car) and gimp it to the side of the road, then get out and fix whatever needed fixing.
Anyone over 40 today knows this drill. But many younger people have no clue because they never had to deal with such a situation themselves and more crucially, were never told what to do if such a situation did develop.
I didn't realize how little young people know about cars these days. I'm no mechanic...but I have actually changed my own oil...and at least participated in a tune-up in bygone days.
And I still drive a standard transmission (thank god they're still available). I like having at least that much control over the engine.
But, hey, this is actually serious. Pass it along to your kids...or their kids, or any other under-40 cell phone addicts who have no idea what to do in an auto emergency, except call 9-11 from an out-of-control car.
Most often we're faced with skills the younger generation has that we lack. We tend to forget the knowledge we have that they need.
(And, of course, I'm not just talking about cars.)
The Gunslinger
Very impressive just another reason to love ya!My kinda woman smart and can turn a wrench not afraid to get down and dirty if need be! See G.S. you should run for a public office!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of some cars tho that you can't shift into neutral while driving. ??? WTF is that all about? Both of my kids knew how to change the oil and do tuneups before they even got their cars. My oldest has even replaced his own brake pads. He's got a beater, which means, fix it yourself.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else remember early 90's "sudden acceleration" thing,when,after one case was publicized (I forget the model), ALL OF A SUDDEN,more "cases" happened? I'm somewhat skeptical,and could see the possibility of an attempt to sabotage a rival of GM by,well,the Guvmint-owned GM.I'm ALWAYS suspicious of orgasmatic "Danger,Danger,Will Robinson" spasms in the "media" That said...Who the Eff knows whats going on with the computerized new models (as opposed to cable-oriented older models).Heard a spot on the radio regarding this,which an "expert" mentioned that "while 28 deaths over the last 5 years is tragic,let's put perspective on the situation".I have more close calls of accidents from assholes yakking on their cell phones. Just sayin'...
ReplyDeleteI recall reading a story about a woman who was riding down an interstate with a stuck throttle. Turns out something had broken and jammed the linkage. I wondered why she didn't just shut the key off and coast to a stop.
ReplyDeleteI made sure my daughters at least knew how to change a tire before letting them out on the streets. They can call me (or their brother) for anything more in-depth, but they can at least do that much.
For some reason I thought the Gunslinger was a ute. I stand corrected.