至尊英语阅读资料之汽车专题第372集.pdfVIP

Automotive articles 372 [9276]When Tires Go Flat: are you Ready to Roll? These days, when you get a flat tire, youll probably just flip out your cell phone and make a service call. Still, the time may come when that wont be possible. There may come a day when you actually have to do that dreaded deed: get out of your car and change the tire yourself. When that day comes, youll want to be ready; youll want to get the job done quickly, efficiently, and with as little stress and risk to yourself as possible. Read on, and prepare yourself. Know the ropes. When youre actually faced with changing a tire on a dark roadside, you wont want to be reading an instruction manual. One of the best ways to prepare yourself is to make a dry-run at changing a tire in a place and at a time that is convenient for you, such as in your driveway or a parking lot. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the process in optimum conditions. Once you can manage it in daylight, try it a few times at night. Keep necessary equipment in your vehicle. Necessary equipment includes a spare tire (preferably inflated), a car jack, a brick (to wedge against a front tire, if youre changing a rear one), a cross wrench, an air-pressure gauge, a flashlight, a clip-mounted light, and road flares. To be especially well-prepared, extra lug nuts in the appropriate size, a can of WD-40, and work gloves are also a good idea. For the sake of convenience, store these items in a single bag or carrying case in the trunk of your car. Move the car to a safe location. When youre driving and feel the tire blow out, make a conscious effort to get the car off the road and away from traffic. If youre on a bend when it happens, try to get the vehicle to where the road straightens out; that way, you wont be in a blind spot for oncoming cars. Stay visible. Leave your headlights and hazard blinkers on. Distribute the flares, making sure that theyre far enough away from your car to give approachin