Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
cfg and james:
From my POV America really has dumbed down in recent times.
As merely one example I offer this:
In Popular Mechanics magazines from the turn of the last century to, oh, the 1970's, you'd find articles for building your own ____boat, radio, shed, go kart, mini-bike, special shop tool... whatever____ from practically scratch at home. And you'd see articles and letters about boys and men from about 13 years old on up successfully building these things, or modding them, or showing off their own inventions.
So I'm at the doctor's office a while back and there's a Popular Mechanics magazine in the waiting room. Hmmm... I haven't looked in one in years. What did I see?
A two or three page article on how to use the jack that comes with your car to put the spare tire on.
Yup.
  |
While I totally agree with the dumbing down of America, I happen to be a person that would love to read that 3 pages if it can make heads or tails out of the twisted piece of metal GM calls a jack in the back of my car. Silly me I figured it would be obvious, but instead I have a donut spare with a bunch of twisted metal with plenty of wing nuts on it holding the spare down. I actually had to get the manual out and I'll be dang if I have YET to understand this contraption! This is one complaint I have with GM/Chevy- While a kick ass Bose made stereo appears to be standard equipment, the spare tire and jack cost extra. And now I have a jack that I have yet to figure out how to use.
I'm actually thinking about just buying one of those heavy large hydraulic jacks because I understand them better and I feel they are more reliable and very well might work better. I like to be prepared the best I can for an accident, dead battery, flat tires etc.. I already have a small air pump and a can of Fix a Flat in my trunk, but if I ever have to change a flat with that dang hunk of metal GM calls a jack I'm going to be off the road a long time.