My dad taught me to change my tires, change my oil, break into the car, and pop my ignition, and then bought my first membership in AAA.
It depends but for the most part I’ll use the roadside service package that comes with our auto insurance. Situations where I won’t change my own tire include when I’m in office attire and it’s summer or I’m on the side of a busy freeway (no way am I going to get killed over a flat tire).
I once helped my roommate change a flat tire. The only time I’ve had one myself, a classmate who’d done it a lot more than I had fixed it for me.
I don’t know how to change a flat. But then, I’m in the younger generation and I’ve always had a cell phone while driving. I don’t see it as a necessary skill, unless I were driving in rurality or late at night or without a phone for some reason (and I don’t do any of those things).
For the couple of occasions I needed a tire change, it wasn’t a problem to wait for AAA. I’ve driven two clunkers with crappy tires in my life, and knowing how to change a tire would have been helpful, but it wasn’t necessary. And with my current car, it’s never been an issue. I don’t even need to air up my tires these days, the oil change places take care of that.
I’m slightly too paranoid to allow a passing stranger to help me. The last time it happened I had somebody offer. I said thanks, I’m fine, the tow truck is on its way, and rolled my window back up. That’s what I pay AAA for (well, Progressive now).
I have no idea how to change a tire, and probably won’t learn any time soon as I do not drive anymore. The one time I had a flat, some kindly stranger pulled over and changed it for me. Go him! I actually made a goal of becoming more handy not too long ago, but gave up on it half way because hard work was hard.
It’s been about twelve years since I last changed a flat. On all other occasions, I called for roadside assistance. In part, it was because I had some rather sucky lug wrenches, and in part, it was because I’d much rather head indoors and get some work done while waiting for AAA.
A lady I work with asked me to change her tire in our parking lot recently. I know how in theory but haven’t done it in at least a decade. I was nervous that I would fuck it up and look like a loser, but I was able to do it. I was very proud of myself. ha
Depends on where I get the flat and whether I can find all the crap you need to switch over. E.g., if it’s dark and the traffic is fast or the shoulder is small, I might not be able to fish it all out safely. If it’s daylight on a side street and not snowing or whatever, sure, always have.
“Never have.”
My dad taught me to change a tire when I was 14 and that’s the only time I’ve done it.
I’ve only gotten one flat and I didn’t get farther than opening the trunk before a guy I barely remember from high school stopped and changed it. It was snowing and he was on his way to the hospital but still stopped to help.
So, I reckon I could do it but I doubt I’ll ever have to. You can’t pull off the side of the road in this country without someone stopping to assist you. Even if you just have to pee.
I always change my own but I’m the sort of guy that likes fixing things. If I’m someplace where it’s easy to change I even get that little rush of endorphins over the anticipation that I get to change my tire! I don’t know why I think it’s fun but I do. I always stop and help people if I see them with flat tires too. The best was when I was in college and a little old lady was driving by campus and got a flat. She seemed nervous that she was around people she didn’t know and was worried because it was going to be dark soon and she couldn’t drive after the sun went down. We (I was with a friend) changed her tire in less than 5 minutes and had her on her way (we refused the money she tried to give us). I think we restored her faith in mankind that day - she was so worried and everything turned out fine for her in the end.
I don’t see any point in involving anyone else if I don’t have to; its realtively quick and easy. Of course, the problem is half the time when I’ve had one, I didn’t have all the tools I needed to do it, so I still needed someone to come. I have everything I need currently though, so I’d certainly do it myself if it were to happen in the near future.