Step 31: Get a Flat Tire

Ok, mine wasn't that bad, but no matter what situation you're in, a flat tire is never fun. It's always a hassle trying to figure out how you're going to drag your car to the mechanics, and if for some reason you have to leave your car there overnight you've got to find a ride to work the next morning.

Some tips to help you avoid a tiresome situation:

• The obvious first: if you know you have a flat tire, DON'T drive on it. In my case, I didn't realize I had a flat tire until halfway home from work when a helicopter noise started coming from the front right of my car. Probably should have pulled over, but work's not that far from my house, so I just kept on going, hoping it was a loose lug nut and not a flat.
• If you did drive on your flat and you made the mistake of not driving directly to a shop, your tire's probably pretty much wasted. In that case, you're cheapest bet is just to use Fix-a-Flat to get you to the nearest repair shop. I know! Fix-a-Flat is horrible and mechanic's hate it. But you're tire's going to be too chewed up to save anyways, so you might as well save $50+ and buy the $6 can of we'll-just-barely-get-you-there tire repair.
• If you DIDN'T drive on your flat like a good person's supposed to do, then you may be able to save the tire. In this case, I recommend NOT using the Fix-a-Flat and putting forth a little extra money on the tow. 
• And finally - you're probably all wondering why I just didn't put on the spare tire. Mechanics always put lug nuts on way too tight now-a-days. My dad and I working together were only able to get four of them off. The last one was completely stuck. So my last piece of advice, whenever you get your tires changed or rotated, ask your repair guy if he could only tighten the lug nuts to the legal limit. Otherwise, it could be one back-breaking afternoon.

The last thing I will mention before signing off - it's ok to ask for help. Especially if you're a girl. Guys (especially dads) have a thing for fixing broken things. But it's also important that you know how to handle the situation if you're by yourself. I was lucky that I got a flat in my hometown where my parents were right there to help me. If I had been driving on the highway back from school, I probably wouldn't have had any idea how to change a flat, and in today's world there's no guarantee that a nice guy will stop for you (emphasis on the "nice").

So my question to you: What's your worst break-down story? Mine was when my breaks gave out in Bloomington late at night. I had driven there from my school to celebrate a friend's Birthday, only to find out once I got there that the party was actually back in our hometown. As I started to make my way back home, stuck in traffic because of course there would be a football game just ending, my break pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor. I had to pull into a Deny's and wait for an hour for my mom to come down and pick me up!
And my challenge to you: If you've never had to change your tire before, do a practice round in your driveway, that way you'll know exactly what to do.