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AIBU?

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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:
Reugny · 29/01/2023 00:00

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 28/01/2023 19:31

We got a puncture 2 hours from home (and DH). My 12 year old changed the wheel and we were on our way in about 30 mins.

I couldn’t imagine being so utterly beholden to others for something I can do myself. (I also reworded my first house age 20.)

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You need an electrician involved now.

fitzwilliamdarcy · 29/01/2023 00:02

NorthStarRising · 28/01/2023 23:28

Every time I think my ‘Schools should teach…’ bingo card is full, I have to add another sheet.
We’re too busy teaching the stuff Ofsted demands, and curriculum subjects and all the other stuff that parents used to be held responsible for.
And no longer expect to be held accountable for.
Yes, in the past many parents didn’t bother to teach their children personal hygiene, cookery skills, table manners, how to speak in grammatical sentences, how to tie their shoelaces or change a plug or put up a shelf and a hundred other things. Including car maintenance.
But they were regarded as not doing their job by many parents who did.
What skills do parents in the 21st Century feel they should be teaching their children? If any?

Bingo. Every word of this.

Reugny · 29/01/2023 00:04

XenoBitch · 28/01/2023 23:16

We used to have the cycling proficiency thing back in primary school. No idea if it is a thing nowadays. It would make more sense than car stuff, as kids can access bikes from a young age.

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It is.

Depends on where you live and go to school though.

jujitsugrant · 29/01/2023 00:20

ErrolTheDragon · 28/01/2023 22:04

But I'd be pretty miffed if my child came home and precious school time had been spent teaching them how to change a tyre, clean a bathroom, change a duvet etc when these are things we will be teaching our children at home.

No one ever taught me to change a duvet cover (grew up in the era of sheets and blankets) - easy enough to figure out a way that works. Not sure I was ever 'taught' to clean a bathroom either - don't most people just learn by watching and helping?

Changing a tyre is different because the consequences of getting it wrong could be so catastrophic. In that case, relying on something taught at school probably years before owning your own car might be unwise.

I know! This is why I couldn't understand why she kept going on about not being taught to change a duvet cover. But anyway that's beside the point. I was just trying to illustrate a very small selection of the ridiculous things that people have got irate about not being taught in schools while talking to me about education.

As for "teaching" my children life skills i probably should have said that these are things my children will learn at home. A better turn of phrase. Obvoiusly we aren't standing there with a chalk board. 🤣 My children currently watch and help when myself and my husband carry out the household tasks. When they are older they will be able to complete these things independently. To me that is "teaching". Much like in class I model, we do some examples together, the students hopefully carry on independently when they are ready...

jujitsugrant · 29/01/2023 00:21

*obviously

ScreamingInfidelities · 29/01/2023 11:17

Nat6999 · 28/01/2023 23:05

I wish schools would teach pupils things like
what to do when a fuse blows, How to wire a light fitting
How to select the right light bulb How to complete common forms like a tax return
How the tax & NI system works
About Council Tax
How the benefits system works.

in my dept (secondary maths) we’ve offered a financial education class which is assessed online. It covers a lot of stuff you mention. Things like different types of tax, mortgages etc etc. None of it is relevant to them at the time they are learning it so they mostly don’t give a shit!

MrsMurphyIWish · 29/01/2023 11:24

I’m a teacher - shall I teach you how to wipe your own arse too?

I can’t change a tyre (and wouldn’t be able to due to physical condition) but I have breakdown cover.

ArtixLynx · 29/01/2023 11:27

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.

teach yourself. When you get your car home, and you have a spare 30 mins, teach yourself where your jack is, how to jack the car, how to take the tyre off, and put it back on.

Get someone to SHOW you.. you don't have to wait until your tyre bursts to take it off.. you can take off a perfectly good one, and put the same tyre BACK ON as a learning experience.

ArtixLynx · 29/01/2023 11:31

if you drive there are some things you should all know

How to check your oil level, and add more if needed
How to top up the washer fluid
How to change bulbs/wiper blades
How to change a tyre.
How to charge the battery if it goes flat.

The rest is best left to professionals

EffortlessDesmond · 29/01/2023 11:47

Get your garage to copper slip your wheel nuts and hand tighten them. Then you have a chance of undoing them roadside. Or call the AA.

Most modern cars are far too complex for roadside repair and garages have immense diagnostics systems to find faults. No chance of schools teaching this.

User17498765 · 29/01/2023 11:54

Shade17 · 28/01/2023 22:27

Not all modern cars have oil level sensors and can use oil between services. Some manufacturers consumption tolerances are as high as 1 litre/1000 miles so can easily need top ups.

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The car is only used for about 1000 miles a year so it won't need many top ups

PrincessConstance · 29/01/2023 11:55

ArtixLynx · 29/01/2023 11:31

if you drive there are some things you should all know

How to check your oil level, and add more if needed
How to top up the washer fluid
How to change bulbs/wiper blades
How to change a tyre.
How to charge the battery if it goes flat.

The rest is best left to professionals

Most modern maintenance due to the complexity of design needs a professional. Be that construction, vehicles even IT.
Let's face some don't even know how to boil a runny egg.

Sandinmyknickers · 29/01/2023 12:02

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.

Not all of us are lucky enough to have cars and drive everywhere
This is completely ridiculous...you have chosen to buy a car and live somewhere presumably where you need one, so you learn before you purchase.
It's like me choosing to live somewhere with a pool and then complaining I don't know how to maintain a pool. It is optional.

bridgetreilly · 29/01/2023 12:04

FFS. Not everything is a school’s responsibility. Learn car maintenance when you learn to drive.

bridgetreilly · 29/01/2023 12:05

How to check your oil level, and add more if needed
How to top up the washer fluid
How to change bulbs/wiper blades
How to change a tyre.
How to charge the battery if it goes flat.

How to call the AA.

GCWorkNightmare · 29/01/2023 12:12

bridgetreilly · 29/01/2023 12:05

How to check your oil level, and add more if needed
How to top up the washer fluid
How to change bulbs/wiper blades
How to change a tyre.
How to charge the battery if it goes flat.

How to call the AA.

Because you’d thay get wait for hours thav prevent/fix it yourself?

Stop the world, I want to get off.

Needmorelego · 29/01/2023 12:12

@Sandinmyknickers a lot of what you learn (or use) at school people don't have.
Most people don't have a science lab at home - but you have to study science. Most people don't have the equipment used in DT at home but again it's a subject taught at school.
I never did learn to drive. Neither did my husband.
But had I done a 6 weeks course at school on vehicle maintenance I probably would have enjoyed it more (and been an enthusiastic student) than French or Science that I required to do.
I spent many a science lesson doodling in my note book or staring out the window.
School needs to be more than just passing exams. Why shouldn't schools have some non exam courses. 6 week projects that are just interesting, fun and for the experience - not a grade?

GCWorkNightmare · 29/01/2023 12:12

*youd rather

Mulefathethird · 29/01/2023 12:13

Ilhavent rtft basic car maintenance is part of driving lessons and there is always YouTube if you have internet access. However what you can do on modern cars is limited and about to change with switch to electric. Main problem for many is lack of muscle strength to undo bolts etc. More emphasis on muscle strength in schools and that it can save money via DIY and make money via more career choices might be useful

Alexandra2001 · 29/01/2023 12:14

Should be part of the driving test, not school, i believe they expect you to know how to check oil and screen wash water.

However, we recently had a flat at home, went to loosen wheel nuts before jacking up car but no way would the crappy little wheel brace undo them, 2 men tried, borrowed an air wrench from a garage friend of ours - not the sort of thing most people carry.

Have bought an extended telescopic after market wheel brace for the future.

Shade17 · 29/01/2023 12:27

Get your garage to copper slip your wheel nuts and hand tighten them.

Absolutely DO NOT do this. It’s likely to result in overtightened fasteners. They should be installed dry and torqued to manufacturer’s spec. If done correctly you shouldn’t have any issues removing them. Anyone who just bollocks them up FT with an air gun has no business calling themselves a mechanic.

Alexandra2001 · 29/01/2023 12:35

Shade17 · 29/01/2023 12:27

Get your garage to copper slip your wheel nuts and hand tighten them.

Absolutely DO NOT do this. It’s likely to result in overtightened fasteners. They should be installed dry and torqued to manufacturer’s spec. If done correctly you shouldn’t have any issues removing them. Anyone who just bollocks them up FT with an air gun has no business calling themselves a mechanic.

In our case it was corrosion.. as car not used much, yes very true, greasing threads just leads to over tightening.

Having been a company car driver doing 30 to 40k per year...& having seen dozens of tyres changed.. i can assure you most tyre fitters like Kwikfit etc do not use a Torque wrench & even when they do use one, its a generic setting only or just a long bar :(

Daniella36 · 29/01/2023 12:37

You are allowed to learn things yourself outside of school/during your adult life, you know. In fact, I recommend it.

Needmorelego · 29/01/2023 12:58

@Daniella36 unfortunately once you are an adult it often costs money and time to learn things. Money and time a lot of adults don't have.
Children are at school for 12 years (14 if you include Yrs 12 and 13). It would be lovely if some of those 12 years actually included some things that are learning (or doing) just 'because'.
Not to get a GCSE out of it.

Daniella36 · 29/01/2023 12:59

Needmorelego · 29/01/2023 12:58

@Daniella36 unfortunately once you are an adult it often costs money and time to learn things. Money and time a lot of adults don't have.
Children are at school for 12 years (14 if you include Yrs 12 and 13). It would be lovely if some of those 12 years actually included some things that are learning (or doing) just 'because'.
Not to get a GCSE out of it.

Being good at life takes effort. Who knew?