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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

392 replies

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:50

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?

OP posts:
chantico · 28/01/2023 16:05

I thin it's up to the individual - if they've got the means and the gumption to find and pay for driving lessons, and then can buy, register and insure a car, then they're well capable of finding out how to look after it.

But if your DParents didn't do things like checking tyre pressures, check fluids etc with you, or even mention them, do make sure you don't also make them similarly invisible to your DC

Ponderingwindow · 28/01/2023 16:05

I never imagined this as an excuse for math illiteracy.

people should sign up for a basic user level auto maintenance class when they take driving lessons. It does not need to be offered by the school.

Sirzy · 28/01/2023 16:06

www.gov.uk/government/publications/car-show-me-tell-me-vehicle-safety-questions/car-show-me-tell-me-vehicle-safety-questions Probably a good start to see if you can safely maintain a car!

BooksAndHooks · 28/01/2023 16:06

Basics are covered in your driving test. Even so I wouldn’t be able to undo the nuts to change a tyre. Our car doesn’t even have a spare.

TeenDivided · 28/01/2023 16:07

It is easier than ever before to learn stuff.
You could look up via youtube when you got your car on how to change a tiyre.
You could book yourself onto a car maintenance course.
You could ask a family member to show you the basics.

Not everything that needs to be learned needs to be done at school.

neverbeenskiing · 28/01/2023 16:07

No, but we do need to teach the importance of personal responsibility and basic problem solving skills.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 28/01/2023 16:08

I, teaching my daughter how to do this, because as a parent it's my responsibility to get her ready to be an independent person. Just like it's my job, not the schools, to teach her how to make food, clean up after herself, ensure she has clean dry clothes, that she knows how interest rates work, how to plan a budget, how to check for wires and pipes before drilling into a wall, and most importantly how to find out how to do these kind of things herself if she doesn't know.

Schools can't teach everything, there isn't enough time and it's not their job.

Simonjt · 28/01/2023 16:08

So every second school would need to buy or hire a car and find the time to teach every pupil the theory, and find the time for them to carry out the practical task. Or grown adults could ask another adult, or phone a garage and say “can you teach me how to change a tyre”

Onnabugeisha · 28/01/2023 16:08

No.
Not all cars even have spare tyres anymore. Mine doesn’t, it just has a tin of fix a flat spray and we have breakdown cover.

I do know how to change a tyre, but don’t have the physical strength to because the shop powers them on far tighter than hand tight.

I also know how to do maintenance of a car…self taught..but cars these days you can’t even check & top up or change the oil, radiator fluid, brake fluid, or change fan belts, or install a new starter or patch a radiator. I know how to balance and change tyres, I know how to realign my car, I know how to change brake pads and discs, I know how to change spark plugs, get a new battery etc etc. But the cars are not designed for regular people to maintain anymore. They are designed for only mechanics in a shop with the diagnostic computer and specialised tools to maintain. The only things left really is topping up washer fluid and changing wiper blades. Swapping out a battery I think can still be done…but last time I did the parts shop sent a bloke out with the battery I bought and installed it for me in the car park as I’d paid for them to dispose of the old one safely! That was a pleasant surprise as previously I’d done that myself. There’s nothing to teach really.

luckylavender · 28/01/2023 16:08

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:50

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?

No. Schools have enough to do and cars are going to change hugely in the coming years.

SoupDragon · 28/01/2023 16:09

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:58

Right fair enough, but who even teaches how to change a tyre?

Google is great but it's not a actual teacher in front of you teaching you. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a parent or loved one to teach us this skill.

You tube would probably do it.

Simonjt · 28/01/2023 16:09

For those who think they would struggle with the nuts, ask your garage to hand tighten them, that way you’re more likely to be able to get them off yourself.

meetmeatmidnights · 28/01/2023 16:10

I think it's useless to expect schools to teach it - schools are busy, not all kids drive and tbh I don't think they'd have room for it in the curriculum.

The fact you panicked and didn't know what to do makes it a more scary experience than it needed to be, but it's totally natural to do in that sort of situation.

Changing a tire is different on different cars / if they've got run flat tires / spare tire to use / puncture repair kits etc. It's your own personal responsibility to make sure you know how to do basic maintenance for your own vehicle, or pay for someone to do it for you. It's self education and responsibility that's needed.

MissWings · 28/01/2023 16:11

My sister took an automotive qualification at school. She’s 36 now so it wasn’t that long ago. State school this was.

amylou8 · 28/01/2023 16:11

No, I pay the AA to come and do things like this for me.

Babdoc · 28/01/2023 16:11

I have known exactly how to change a tyre for forty years, but am now not strong enough to undo the wheel nuts (usually mechanically tightened) with the very short tyre lever provided with the car. Even more so, now that I have a frozen shoulder.
I just call the RAC, who flourish a lever about a foot long, laugh at the pathetic one in the boot, and get on with it for me!
However I can still check my own oil and water and tyre pressure, and have a compressor to pump up the tyres as required.

IMELDAF · 28/01/2023 16:12

No, we need to be moving away from the everyone needs to drive and own a car culture, not trying to entrench it further.

shard5 · 28/01/2023 16:12

It doesn't have to be a parent teaching you a skill and definitely not a teacher. Can you imagine a teacher having a class of 30 standing around a car and trying to teach a class how to fill up the oil and change a tyre.
How is this even practical?
whose car would they teach on?
Where would this lesson take place?
When will people start taking responsibility for their own choices????
You want to drive a car? Take some responsibility in learning the basics about keeping it in working order! Have some numbers saved for mechanics/ garages!
If you think you're adult enough to drive a hunk of metal around, be adult enough not to blame your teachers when you break down and don't know what to do!

MissWings · 28/01/2023 16:13

@amylou8

Same. This is what I pay the RAC for. I’ve had two popped tyres over the course of my life and that’s what I’ve always done. I would never want to do it myself, it’s just not something I could do even if I was taught. Just not for me. I was on the way to work and I work for a teaching agency, I rang them and they said can you not just change it yourself?

erm no I fucking can’t.

Pssspsss · 28/01/2023 16:13

Use your initiative. When you take your car garage ask them to show you what to do if it happens again. I reckon they’ll be pleased to help you learn how to do this.

Pssspsss · 28/01/2023 16:14

Car to the garage. 🤦‍♀️

CecilyP · 28/01/2023 16:15

No. You can learn how to change your tyre laboriously with the Jack in your car. Or you can call the AA or similar who will come out with a super duper jack unlike anything you’re ever likely to own and change it in a jiffy!

RecordsTurning · 28/01/2023 16:15

madnessitellyou · 28/01/2023 15:53

No.

Secondary school aged children cannot drive. Some will never drive. At some point, people have to take responsibility for their own lives and knowledge and not rely on school to fill every single gap.

This. When I learnt to drive, I got someone to teach me some basic stuff about cars, including how to change a tyre. And I got breakdown cover. Schools can’t be responsible for everything.

PeekAtYou · 28/01/2023 16:15

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:58

Right fair enough, but who even teaches how to change a tyre?

Google is great but it's not a actual teacher in front of you teaching you. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a parent or loved one to teach us this skill.

I'd watch YouTube tbh

You could argue that it might be helpful in the theory test but it's not up to schools to teach stuff like this. Most kids would assume that they were going to call the AA as they are the professionals.

Treeeeeeee · 28/01/2023 16:15

Ofcourse maths is much more important than changing a tyre. Maths is required in later life, and quite frankly the general public have too low an ability to understand maths as it is. For the car I can just pay for the AA and for someone else to fix it.

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