Simple repairs

I tried to start my van and the battery appeared to be too weak to turn the motor over. I traced the problem to dirty battery terminals. After cleaning them up, the van started right up. It was a small thing, but it make the difference between a vehicle that runs and one that doesn't.

Anyone who drives a car should have some knowledge of basic repair. Yes, even girl y girls should know how to change their own flat tire. Big strong mechanically minded men are not aways around.

I'm not against roadside assistance. I'm happy to have AAA and Boat US roadside assistance. (AAA won't do a thing for you if you are towing a boat.)

In a bug out situation, being able to trouble shoot minor problems can make all the difference. Imagine having to flee before a raging wildfire. Being able to keep you vehicle running could save your life.

Don't wait until an emergency. There are plenty of ways to learn this stuff. Buy some manuals, take a course, help out your mechanically inclined buddies with their repair jobs. Keep some basic tools in the vehicle.

You don't have to know how to rebuild an engine or replace a transmission. Knowing the basics, however, can save you. It can save you time and inconvenience today, but could save your life tomorrow.

-Sixbears

Roadside Assistance

I'm curious how common it is for people to stop and help people who's cars have broken down. It seems pretty common out here in rural NH. I've been offered assistance more than a few times. Saturday, I gave a couple a lift into town. They broke down on a lightly traveled country road in an area with no cell service. Glad I was able to help. No big deal.

It's said that the rich won't stop to help. One time I thought I'd discovered an exception as a guy in a big luxury car stopped to help me out. Turns out he was a retired Navy guy who spent all his money on his car and lived in a one room apartment.

One of friends ran into trouble when he stopped to offer assistance to a woman who'd broken down on the highway. She was afraid and told him to just go. He did. However, she took down his license plate and told the State Police she was scared. At the time, the police were looking for a serial killer, and my friend's van matched the description of the suspect's vehicle.

Next thing you know, the FBI is investigating my friend. They impound his van and forensics teams went over it. He'd been camping and had forgotten to unload his rope and machete. Worse yet, he was having an affair and having sex with his girlfriend in the van. Even worse, because he was about to leave his wife, his emotional state was such a mess that he had inconclusive results on a polygraph test.

In the end, he was cleared as a suspect, but it certainly caused him a world of grief.

Even knowing what happened to my friend, I still stop to help people. However, if it's a single woman, I might just offer to contact the police for her.

-Sixbears