AIBU to think they NEED to teach car maintenance at school?

[MeMyCatsAndMyBooks]

Today my car tyre popped on a piece of metal left in the middle of the road, and I had no idea what to do.
I've been driving since I was 17 and I'm in my 30s and never had an accident touch wood or anything wrong with my tyres.
I instantly panicked as it happened in the middle of a giant hill and knew I couldn't do it there, thankfully a really kind man ran out and helped it be pushed to the side & changed my tyre for me.

I had no idea how to do it, or what a space saver tyre really was! Luckily I got it home driving very slowly & onto my drive and have my breakdown cover coming out next week to change the tyre.
But I just had no idea about any of it. Im aware I sound like a helpless woman, but im usually quite independent but this knocked me for six!

AIBU to think they need to teach car maintenance in school rather than pushing maths (which lets face it isn't anywhere as important) onto students till they turn 18?

As an adult I have plenty of effort. Unfortunately many times I didn't have the time or finances.

This is slightly depressing.
For heaven’s sake women, learn to do this things yourself

School timetables can be funny things, especially with growing teacher shortages. Towards the end of my career, I ended up taking over KS2 Latin for two terms, on the strength of a (suitably ancient) Latin O-level, a friend tried his best with RE on the strength of being an organist (Christianity by osmosis I can sort of get, but with today's multicultural approach, you really need a handle on other world faiths); a bit bonkers, but we improvised without physically endangering our pupils.
However, I would imagine that teaching car mechanics would have health and safety implications, plus teaching space and equipment, and anyone in a position to impart these skills would be much in demand elsewhere.
Do we assume that all teachers have these skills themselves? I was five years into my career before I passed my driving test.
Schools cannot be "all things to all men" and as PP's have said, those remaining in post have more than enough on their plate already.

This is slightly depressing.

Why on Earth would you think that? Isn’t that what parents are for?

My parents wouldn't let me take driving lessons until my dad had me practice changing a tyre, topping up the washer fluid, and the oil, and a topping up the air in the tyres. Probably prudent.

Seems hardly worth having for 20 miles a week. Cars don’t like not being driven. Tyres perish with age. Oil still needs replacing every couple of years. Expensive way of not going very far.

I make sure the tyres are changed every 5 years like I do the caravan tyres, I find it convenient to keep the car, I can't be bothered with using taxis, it's a second car. Oil is changed each year on the service, I wouldn't leave it two years, many second cars are only driven this much. I shall probably replace it with an electric one next as they are less maintenance

So essentially the current physics and maths curriculum

It will need checking and replacing more often on such low use, as will your brake fluid.

@Simonjt as I said upthread I was mostly uninterested in my science lessons but there are about half a dozen science-y things I do fondly remember.
I liked doing circuits with those battery packs and making the lights switch on and off. When we grew yogurt with bacteria. An experiment with different cleaning chemicals to get stains out of fabric. We all pretended to be washing machines - spinning around going "whoo I'm a washing machine" ( yes we were 15 at the time 😂) and the time we made pin hole cameras.
And that's about it. Not quite half a dozen.
Most of science lessons went over my head but I suppose I have proved that something interesting that could be used in real life was what grabbed my attention.
Oh I've remembered a fifth one. When we put balloons over cola bottles to collect the gas.
Oh and one about how to make the best flying paper plane.
So it is half a dozen after all 😂

Brake fluid is changed every 2 years as advised by Ford, oil each year at service. Tyres within 5 years, car is 2016 reg. There is no need to change fluids any more often than this, it also had a new battery recently.

Doing very few miles can increase how often both oil and brake fluid need changing, I wouldn’t leave oil or brake fluid for so long in my own care of it only did 1,000 miles a year.

If you put the wheel brace at 2 o'clock and push down on the off side you'll do the nut up!

Are schools supposed to teach you EVERYTHING? Ffs😂 taxes, mortgages, now changing the tyres. What next? Removing the appendix?

Ridiculous idea.
You’re seriously telling me that you at 30 would remember - and have the confidence to use - the knowledge from a one term car maintenance course you did at 14? Don’t believe you.
And personal responsibility! Don’t bloody drive a car if you don’t know how to deal with this - either by changing it, knowing how to driving on it, or calling for help.

If anything, make it compulsory to pass “level 1 car breakdown basics” through an accredited provider before you can get your licence. Then you’re targeting only drivers at an age where they’ll pay attention.

Bet you don’t fancy paying for that?

You are allowed to learn new things after you've left school you know...

How often would you recommend then, do you work in this sort of field. I will be changing to EV soon as they need less maintenance.

@WeeWillyWinkie9 that last bit is disgusting.
I have never actually done that in my life.

Yabu.
if you drive it’s up to you to know the basics. Changing a tyre, top up the oil, filling with screen wash, changing a windscreen wiper blade are all things any half competent driver should know.

It’s not for schools to teach this.
My dad taught me these things.

Generally every 6-12 months is advised on low mileage, its road dependent as well, it would be closer to 6 if you are on dirtier roads, driving on lots of grit etc. no, not in the field, just a motorist who makes sure they know how to look after their vehicles.

@WeeWillyWinkie9 🫣😭🍆

@WeeWillyWinkie9 by the way I have reported that post.

Oh shit I'm in big trouble now, back to learnt helplessness it is then for you.