girls and cars: a dangerous mixture
Last Saturday, for the first time in year or two, I listened to Car Talk on NPR. One of the callers, a female, was having trouble with her Nissan Sentra. After every oil change, smoke would pour out of the HVAC vents for the next 20-30 minutes of driving.
At first, the speculation was that the mechanics were overfilling the oil, letting some flow over on to the adjacent exhaust manifold, where it would be burned/vaporized and produce the smoke seen by the caller. This had happened with several different garages, though, and it was unlikely that all those different mechanics were making the same mistake.
To make a long story short[er], it was finally discovered* that this woman had been driving around /without an oil fill cap/. Each oil change left her full of engine oil (duh), which would keep sloshing out of the fill tube during acceleration until the oil level was low enough that it couldn't escape. /That/ was the reason it was burning up on her exhaust manifold and sending billows of nasty smoke into the cabin.
I normally hate when people write in all caps, but ... WHY, IN GOD'S NAME, WOULD YOU THINK IT'S OKAY TO DRIVE AROUND WITHOUT AN OIL FILL CAP?! Girls, especially, seem to have a mental/logical disconnect when it comes to automobiles. Everything seemingly works by magic; they're totally clueless about the actual mechanics of operation.
I'm not suggesting that you should have to design a mathematical model of an in-cylinder combustion flame front in order to get a driver's license, but you should understand that basics of how your car works. You should understand how your car gets traction (during acceleration, deceleration, and turning), the purpose of each of the main fluids in your car (engine oil, coolant, transmission fluid, etc.), how varying temperatures affect your car (especially snow & ice), and other such commonsense things. Contrary to popular practice in this country, not every 16-year-old dipshit with a rustbucket, $15, and a lukewarm IQ should be allowed to drive!
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* Note that by 'discovered', I mean 'discovered on-air'. The lady was fully aware that she had been driving with no oil cap, but apparently didn't think it was important or relevant enough to mention.
6 comments:
um shouldnt all of the mechanics have noticed that? Maybe I am just a stupid, silly girl.
I think you're being a little harsh, and overlooking the gender norms that we, as a whole society, create and impart upon the people. This woman had no clue it was wrong to drive around without an oil cap because she was never taught about the workings of a car. If, for some reason, you decided to make a pair of pants for yourself one day, would instantly know what to do if put in front of a sewing machine? And if you were to figure it out, and sit down, and there was a problem, would you automatically understand the source of the problem? I'm assuming that you aren't a tailor by trade, so probably no, you wouldn't be able to diagnose and solve a problem involving a machine that you have no knowledge of.
And, there are quite a few men in the world who are as clueless about car mechanics as the "girls" you refer to in your post title.
First of all, I didn't mean to imply that women are the only ones who are clueless about cars to the point of absurdity. I wasn't very clear about that. Still, I stand by the stereotype that, typically, girls understand less about cars that guys. The difference is obviously going to be small when averaged over the whole population.
I believe the sewing analogy is a very poor one. First of all, I don't sew. This woman /does/ drive. Second, if I do decide to sew, and dive right in without having any clue what I'm doing, I might stick a needle through my finger, make a crappy pair of pants that falls apart while I'm out in public, or bust a couple hundred dollars in machinery. People who don't understand their automobiles can hurt /other people/ very seriously or (much more commonly) cause thousands of dollars in financial loss.
In conclusion...
1) Just like any freedom, driving comes with responsibility. Unlike speech, pursuit of happiness, et al, the freedom to drive should require qualifications beyond those mentioned at the end of my original post.
2) Don't take everything so seriously! :)
3) Discussion is great and opposing ideas are welcome! We learn by being exposed to new/alternate viewpoints, and learning is fun.
Right Right right, you totally blew a hole in my sewing analogy. But you must also agree that you were being a little over the top with your generalizations about girls.
We went to high school together, I have no idea who you are. I found your blog through myspace, which I found through Alice and through Sebastian, whom I went to college with. Who the heck are you? Small world.
I remember your name, but that's about it. I'll fill you in on the 'small world' chain.
1) E + Ben + Michelle Ziegler go to EHS
1a) B + MZ are friends
2) E + MZ + Alice + Sebastian go to Ripon
2a) A + S are friends
2b) A + MZ are roomies
2c) MZ + B still hang out when they both happen to be visiting Omaha.
3) Everybody graduates college and scatters
3a) A, by some coincidence, 'scatters' to Omaha
3b) MZ introduces A to B one time that MZ + B are hanging out in Omaha.
3c) A + B become friends.
Voila! Small world, explained.
But the more important question is...... was the girl hot?
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