October 30th, 2012What girls should know about their cars
There are women out there who will read this article and roll their eyes. They may find it demeaning, insulting and a whole host of other -ings that aren’t very nice at all. And I get that. Today’s woman is smart, savvy, sexy and independent in every facet of her life. She doesn’t need anyone to do her dirty work because she’s made sure to master it all on her own. I am one of these very women, but my independence wasn’t born out of a need to bash my y-chromosome toting counterparts.
I just got good at the stuff I needed to do to do my life. The empowerment I feel with the knowledge I have isn’t meant to compete with anyone else, regardless of gender. But to sit and pretend that everyone knows how to do everything they need to do is just plain silly. This isn’t me being sexist – this is me being practical. I am speaking to women, because they are my audience. If men read this article and learn something from it, then cheers to them, too!
From my personal experience, I know for a fact that if an article like this existed way back when I was a teenager, it would have saved me some one-sided, condescending conversations with my family’s mechanic. To the women who need to know, I’m giving you the tools to take care of yourselves and your cars, as well. Sure, if I start throwing around automotive terms like “torque sensor” or “DOHC,” I will lose some women AND men in the fray of the conversation – this isn’t my intent. I’m just going to get down to the oily basics. So without further non-feminist ado, here are a few things gals like me and you should know about their cars:
- Learn how you car behaves in adverse weather and road conditions. While your initial go-to reaction may be one of panic, this isn’t in your or anyone else’s best interest. In the same vein, keeping calm takes practice so…practice! Find a lonely, but safe, stretch of road to practice sliding and slide responses. Be in tune with your car, feel how it is moving, learn what it does and teach yourself how to steer calmly but quickly out of the spin. If possible, test yourself on this in early winter. Don’t go all Need For Speed with it, though…that’s just not safe.
- Familiarize yourself with some of the more common automotive terminology. You don’t have to push yourself to become a certified mechanic in a month (unless you want to, in which case – kudos!) but you need to know things like accelerating, hesitation and braking. Also, listen to your car and grow to comprehend the difference between the different sounds it makes so you can describe them aptly to your mechanic. A buzz is not a squeak is not a rattle…
These are just a couple general tips you can use today to make sure you’re a little more car-savvy than you were yesterday. Push the envelope, ladies. Find out more. Ask questions and do your research online so you’re ready when your car needs you to be!
What girls do in their cars:
PIC TITLE: WHAT GALS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THEIR CARS PHOTO
PIC SOURCE: tumblr.com
