| My family and friends used to make fun of me | | | | remember the first time that he taught me how |
| for obsessing over the tires on my vehicle, but | | | | to change a flat tire. He insisted that I learn how |
| there is nothing wrong with checking your tires to | | | | to change a flat tire before he would even let me |
| make sure that they are properly inflated, and | | | | practice driving in his car. So, there we were one |
| performing a quick routine check of my tires a | | | | summer before I had turned seventeen, in the |
| few times a week has saved me a lot of trouble | | | | driveway of my house on Long Island with my |
| at least a half dozen times. | | | | mother and younger brother watching me |
| I can remember being in college and getting ready | | | | anxiously as I made my first attempt to change |
| for an early morning class. I left my apartment, | | | | a tire in front of my father's watchful eyes. In |
| and it was freezing outside- just above freezing | | | | the end, I did a great job- something that would |
| actually. As I walked out to my car, I walked | | | | serve me well only a couple of short years later |
| around it really quickly to check the tires. When I | | | | where I then went onto a string of 'having to |
| was almost completely around my car, that's | | | | change my tire'. |
| when I realized that my car had a flat tire on one | | | | Regardless as to whether or not you are a |
| of the tires. I couldn't believe it. Immediately, | | | | woman or a man; a good driver or a bad driver, |
| there was one part of me that felt relieved at | | | | checking your tires is extremely important as it |
| my little routine check. I shuddered to think of | | | | can greatly affect not only your safety but the |
| how I would have had to pull over on a busy road | | | | safety of other drivers around you. Additionally, |
| in order to change my flat tire. Then, there was | | | | knowing a little bit about your tires can also |
| another part of me that was annoyed. It was | | | | contribute to your fuel economy. For instance, |
| early in the morning, I was already dressed for | | | | under inflated tires can cause you to use up more |
| class, and it was freezing outside. Additionally, the | | | | fuel than you would probably want to admit to. |
| parking lot was full of cars that were parked side | | | | However, under inflated tires are necessary if you |
| by side, not giving me much room within which to | | | | are going to go off-roading on the beach (just |
| work. | | | | remember to fill them back up when you are |
| I put all of my thoughts aside, threw my stuff for | | | | done) because it provides more traction and |
| classes in the back seat of my car and began to | | | | prevents you from getting stuck. On the same |
| gather the items that I would need in order to | | | | note, over-inflated tires can cause the tread to be |
| change my tire. Of all the things that I am | | | | ineffective, making it easier for you to hydroplane |
| grateful for my father for, one of them is | | | | when it is wet outside or slide when you try to |
| teaching me how to change a flat tire. I can still | | | | stop on dry roads. |