If the answer to the above question is yes, these are five words that you just plain don't want to hear. As a young pup I made the "smart" decision to invest in a set of jumper cables. I've never used them. On my car, that is.
Funny thing about jumper cables - people don't seem to need them on a sunny day with a temperature in the 80's. Or 60's. Or 40's, 3o's or even 20's. Watch the mercury fall below 0 though - then the fun starts. That's when you'll hear the dreaded question. Regrettably, I never found it within me to lie and answer "no". I finally had to resort to completely removing this evil accessory from the trunk of my car.
If you ever feel the need to purchase jumper cables, take my advice. Use the money to join a motor club instead. Trust me, it'll be well worth the extra money - even if you never do use it.
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I wholeheartedly agree. I used to have this old, heavyweight, double cased cable set that would always get in the way. Typically, it would get tangled in the rest of the mess in my trunk. I suddenly realized that it was not worth the hassle, and was never used so decided to be free of this electronic spider.
Instead of using an overpriced motor club, I also realized that whenever I need a jump, I can always look to a fellow citizen who hasn't been enlightened yet, and trust me, there's enough. My only other advantage is that I tend to have newer vehicles that have strong reputations for reliability (and strong batteries apparently) so don't need to worry about a jump start. Incidentally, you may want to consider investing in a set of cables since you're memory is fading due to your fragile (OLD) condition, and may not remember the number to the trusty old motor club. This actually reminds me of a new product that is manufactured by Black and Decker called the Simple Start. (Notice the shameless plug in hopes of being snared by a search engine)? Apparently, you plug the self contained product into your cigarette lighter and after a few minutes, you are on your way. No more need to go out into the elements or track a stranger down for a jump, but you sit in the convience of your vehicle and just plug and go! Of course, it was designed for the safety conscious in mind who live in the big cities where stepping outside your front door can be an Indiana Jones adventure with the crime investation and animals lurking around.
Thank god, I'm a country boy!
Today, in frigid single-digit temperature weather, I had to stop at the Shell station (see prior post) and put air in my tires. This was thanks to modern technology giving me the Tire Pressure Monitoring System which tells me that I have a tire (or tires) low on air (some indication of which tire would be a nice addition to this system, by the way).
I've decided what we really need is some small gadget that will let me put air in my tires in the comfort of my own garage. Heck with the jumper cables.
What would be better would be a way to automatically sense a low tire AND the car's computer ability to automatically add air to the low tire. With technology today, you'd think we could add a pump and hose directly to the tire that could be regulated by some sensor.
Actually, we could take this idea even futher by having tires which do not require the need to add air. They have run flat tires, why not airless tires? Perhaps, they could even be made of rock or wood for a retro look?
What I would really like is a private expressway that has an on ramp at the end of my driveway and an exit at my place of employment. And maybe a gas station and food court somewhere along the way.
I always dreamed of a time where I can drive as fast as I can without fear of running into an obstacle. Imagine an enormous piece of flat asphalt with nothing around as far as the eye can see, and you push the accelerator down as far as it goes. Even better, imagine that you can do so with your eyes closed so you can just feel the g-forces pushing you back against your seat. You could spin around in circles or just fall asleep and feel comfort that you would not run into an errant tree or telephone pole.
Too bad, you'd eventually have to gas up. Perhaps, this is the dream of the "flat earth society."
I'm picturing one of GM's old Body by Fisher assembly plants right now. Find one of those and I think you'll achieve your dream of miles of obstruction free asphalt. Unless that's where they store all those Old's 98s that never sold.
It's amazing how we tend to fantasize about fast cars. I love the thought of being at the control over a machine that can go 0-60 in under 4 seconds. Kind of like that new Nissan that is currently being hyped to no end. Of course, I whimper like a baby just riding on the new Batman ride at Six Flaggs, and that thing only goes probably 50 miles an hour. Perhaps, it is the feeling of NOT being in control that makes that so scary. However, the gyrations and movements are reminiscent of your driving prowess, or lack thereof.
Another car that is getting as much hype is the new Smart Fortwo. No matter how much they claim the "crumple zones" and "safety cage," I know that it won't stand a chance in a battle with a Lincoln Navigator, or even an old Hyundai for that matter. I would be interested in seeing it go head to head with a mini cooper. Not sure who would win, but know that the result would fit nicely in the back of my Honda Pilot, right next to that pile of rusted metal, the G35.
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