I drive an older car ('89 Dodge Shadow with no AC and a slow oil leak.) It’s more important that we have the kids in private school, so this is no sacrifice to me.
On my way to work this morning, I had a bit of a scare when my car stalled while driving and I was unable to push the brakes down to stop the car. I had to slam the car into park, causing the car behind me to almost hit me. I started the car and it stalled again. I restarted the car, gunned the engine, and got to work safely.
This makes me very nervous, because it was rush hour and we can’t afford a new car.
I told Ivylad about it, we bemoaned our finances for a bit, then I went on tending to work stuff.
I get a call on my cell right before my lunch was over, and it was Ivylad. He is in the parking lot right now, digging at my engine, trying to ascertain the problem. He didn’t want me to drive home if the car was acting up.
Bit of advice…if it does that again, and the brakes go wonky on you again, gently and carefully apply the parking brake (with the release button pressed - no ratcheting!) to stop the car. Slamming a moving car into park can do Very Bad Things to the transmission - things that can be very expensive, too.
Know what? You’re a great wife. There are alot of women I know (who shall remain nameless) who would not even notice these kinds of actions. They would just expect that the husband would do what yours did, as a duty. I’m pretty sure you make a wonderful couple.
Your husband is sweet, but I still think my husband is the all-time best. He cooks and cleans (without my nudging!), he brings my car in when it needs an oil change, he picks things up at the store for me if I ask him too, and all kinds of other great stuff that I definitely do not take for granted.
Most of all, though, he puts up with my irrational behavior. For instance, I’m scared to death of spiders. I scream, and he comes running to kill the hairy fang-baring monsters that they are. He even buys those spider ball things that are supposed to repel spiders and puts them in all the places where I “hang out.”
Oh, and he let me get a puppy too, which I really wanted and he didn’t, even though I still won’t let him have a monkey.
Well, it’s contemporary with my current car ('91 Pontiac) and newer than my previous ones, so I assumed…but when faced with only the foot-activated parking brake, yeah, I’d have been hard-pressed (no pun intended) for a better solution. Still glad that worked out OK for you.
Now, that’s just sad. How can you not appreciate when your SO goes the extra mile?
I have been suitably chastised by Ivylad. I had NO oil. My oil light never came on, so this was of great suprise to me. He also picked up new spark plugs and a new distributor cap.
Plus, it’s starting to rain. I borrowed an umbrella from a co-worker for my husband to use.
I don’t suppose anyone wants to give me a new car? Anyone?
One more vote for Ivylass in being a good wife. I am blessed with a wife that actually notices things going wrong with a car myself. The ex wouldn’t know there was a problem til it was laying dead somewhere or on fire. Then I would get called to come fix it or put out the flames.
Last night, at 1 am, I brainstormed the best way to get a booger large enough to interfere with toddlerVor’s ability to breath comforatable while sleeping given the tools at hand, and had him back asleep by 1:30.
That’s gotta count for something.
(enough saline solution into that nostril to a) attempt to wash out the offending obstruction and b) get him to rub his nose until it came out in such a way as to make it go out, in case if anybody’s wondering. First attempt was with the suction bulb, which proved ineffective at solid substance removal. Wife’s second attempt was her own pinky, which proved too large to fit into the space in question.)
Oh, and unless you had to stop RIGHT NOW, you probably would have been better off shifting into neutral and coasting to a stop along the shoulder.
And Hal, I’d like to apologize for my previous post. I’m afraid it might have come across as a bit snarky. I started that earlier thread specifically to elicit responses such as your wife’s, and I didn’t mean to demean you or her in any way. You are indeed, a good sweetie, and so is she, for appreciating you.
I got home, but still had the same problem as I got off the turnpike. I was able to stop with the brakes, although they don’t seem as responsive as when the car is driving normally. Ivylad is sleeping, and I’m done driving for the night, so it will have to wait.
Everyone light candles/say prayers/invoke chants/send good thoughts that our house in SC sells soon, so we can pay off bills and get me a new car!!
You can use the foot-actuated parking brake to stop by holding the release dealie out while pressing on the brake. It’s awkward, but doable. Best to shift into neutral first, too.
