Re-enforcing stereotypes since 1981 May 5, 2008
Posted by brandy in and now you might know everything, confession of the day, i'm the sum of my failures and my achivements, it happened this week, it's always easier to say it than do it, oh dear, this makes me sound dumber than i am, what the hell, when i say it anyway.trackback
I hate going to the gas station.
I would rather go to the dentist and get a tooth removed with a rusty screwdriver than go to the gas station. I would rather go to the gynecologist and get a pap smear with a cactus than go to the gas station. I would rather be forced watch “The View” for 12 hours straight than go to the gas station.
I hate the gas station.
Why?
Because it’s one place that I have no idea what I’m doing. This is embarrassing to admit, but I didn’t know how to pump my own gas until I was 21 years old. I still don’t know how to check my oil. Change a tire. Monitor my transmission fluid.
I’m not a lump of inarticulate and uneducated waste. When it’s a topic I want to learn about- I learn. If I’m clueless about something that I feel matters- I will read up on it until I feel confident. Anything involving cars or car maintenance has never made my list of ‘Things I feel so strongly about learning, I’m willing to put down my copy of Instyle and cruise on over to the gas station for an impromptu tutorial on car servicing”.
Tonight I was driving home and noticed my ‘check oil’ light had come on. I responsibly detoured to the nearest gas station and pulled the lever to pop my hood. My young gas attendant came over and fiddled. And fiddled. And fiddled. And he could not figure out how to lift the hood. He asked me to show him where the ‘latch’ was.
I panicked.
Do I say “I don’t know how to open it”, do I pretend that I do and hope all my stored up karma points get cashed in and I miraculously find it, or do I suddenly pretend my phone is ringing and faux talk on the phone while making apologetic glances? Thankfully I didn’t have to make a choice, another attendant came over to help them. Then they asked me, “What kind of oil do you use?”, which my brain translated into “hdfakhbvweroiuvxd asdjkfhsriuy vbxakljfhasdlh?”. It made that much sense. I hedged my bets and said ‘regular’. They could have filled my car with apple juice, I wouldn’t have known the difference.
I drove away feeling itchy. (That’s been a new stress reaction- hives. Which? Are charming. With my luck the next thing on the list will be full-on body rashes, with a touch of pink eye just for giggles). It’s not so much that I hate not knowing what’s going on at the gas station (and yes, I realize that knowing what type of oil my car gets is NOT like having to master quantum physics- this knowledge is within my grasp), it’s that I hate the idea that I’m re-enforcing the stereotype of the dumb blonde who knows nothing about cars. I might as well have twirled my hair around my finger and giggled like Betty Boop at the gas station.
Perhaps I need to get that tutorial after all. And I may swing by and pick up my gas station attendant to come with, because I think he could use it too.
I’m 23 and half the time I pump my own gas, the thing clicks and I never know if it’s full or if I just didn’t put it in properly.
Don’t feel bad.
I hate the gas station because I feel like my checking account is getting raped every time I visit.
My advice is to learn at least the basics about cars. Women who know nothing about cars are often targeted for repairs they don’t need, especially items like replacing fluids that, if you look in your car’s manual, may not need to be replaced all that often. And ask questions, lots of questions. Have them point out stuff in the engine compartment. Trust me. Any guy loves showing off his car knowledge.
As for me, I tended to learn stuff after repairs. Especially big, expensive ones…
This is me at the car wash. You know, the drive through kind? Gah! Hate them.
I hate the gas station too. Not because I don’t know what to do, but because no matter what you do it costs SO much!
Anything car-problem-related gives me anxiety. Especially when the warning lights go on in the car, and I don’t know what the heck it’s indicating.
A few weeks ago I was home visiting my father and mentioned that I wanted him to show me how to check my oil… he did (and I vaguely remember how) and… turns out I needed almost 3 whole quarts. Woopsie! I wish cars made as much sense to me as sling backs.
You make me laugh!!
I remember the first time I pumped gas, it was kind of a disaster. You know how the gas pump will stop pumping once it’s full as an indicator? Well it did this after like 2 bucks because apparently I was pressing the latch too hard. So I left the gas station paying 2 bucks, meanwhile my tank was at empty. I was too embarrassd to ask someone why it would stop pumping.
Before I could take my car to college my dad had me learn how to change a tire, check/change the oil, blah, blah, blah. It was good to know the basics. However, when I got to college I promptly found a reputable service station to do all that stuff for me. Hey, if I need to have my appendix removed, am I going to read up on it and do it myself? No. Well, maybe. With health care costs being what they are…
Check engine light often has to do with emissions problems. A clogged air filter, a failing O2 sensor. A quick trip to an AutoZone store and they will hook up a computer that will read what the code says - then you know EXACTLY what is wrong (even if it makes no sense to you) when you take it in for service.
Check engine light has nothing to do with oil!
The guys at the service station are as clueless as you if that is any comfort! LOL
Good luck!
I drive everyday n I’ve still never filled up the car.. Helps that the car is my dad’s.. Doesnt help that I’m mostly the only one who drives it.. I’ve been to the station only once, when I was really late to college and my tyre was acting funny, I couldn’t drive back home.
I hate the gas station too, but it’s definitely good to know how to open the hood and check the oil. You never know when you will be stranded somewhere with no one to help you.
I suck at cars. I don’t know how to do anything except pump gas and I make the husband do the rest!
I grew up with a mechanic as a father, and so i gained enough knowledge about cars that I only take my car to a service garage for major, time-consuming repairs. I realize that I am in the minority here. As far as a station attendant that doesn’t know how to open the hood of your car? You need to not stop at that station ever again. I’m just saying.
I try to know enough so that I don’t get taken advantage of when I just go in to have my oil change and they suggest $800 worth of other repairs. And the first gas attendant sounds like he needs a little bit of a lesson too. Maybe you could have his job.
This one makes me giggle…I hear you on this one, Brandy. Car stuff annoys me. Although…I’d still rather go to a gas station than get a pap smear (with or without the cactus). But I totally agree that learning about the car stuff doesn’t really top the list of things I want to spend my time on. Unfortunately, it really will save you more grief in the end. Stupid car stuff.
Anyway, it really worries me when people at service stations know as much (or worse - less) than I do. So it’s probably a good idea to have that gas station attendant come with you.
I hear ya! Even worse is when you take your car to the dealership, knowing work has to be done, but not knowing the extent of it and wondering whether they’re giving you a bunch of lip and screwing you over!
i made my dad show me all of that stuff because like you it made me nervous. at least if i know the basics i feel a little bit better! and the hive thing? happens to me ALL THE TIME. talk about embarrassing.
All these years & I too don’t know how to pump my gas! It’s even more complicated now because I have a neato fancy lock on my gas tank (thanks to my husband so you know so people don’t STEAL my gas, ummmm who does that???!!) - it’s impossible.
I hope your car wasn’t running on synthetic oil prior to the regular stuff getting put in there..
but seriously? I feel your pain. I drove a horribly old car for a really long time and was forced to learn all of that stuff. Part of me is really grateful, the rest of me just wants someone else to deal with it.
Always.
Meh.
Eh, don’t go wasting your time. Because they’ll still put apple juice in your car. Spend your time learning a new language or perfecting your favorite recipe. At least that you’ll enjoy!
The simple cure is move to Oregon. Attendants do all the work, it’s the law. And no fears of spilling gas (or oil) on your pretty shoes!
Every woman need to know a few basics. How to open the hood and check the oil and where coolant and washer fluid goes, and how to change a tire. Everything else is a bigger problem and can be done at the mechanic.
“They could have filled my car with apple juice”
HAHAHAHAHAHA
my friends mock me as one of my “dream jobs” is to be a gas station attendant - but ONLY if I get to wear cute coveralls
also, I don’t even have a driver’s license yet can pump gas, check AND change oil, coolant, wiper fluid, etc
I know, weird
(the other dream job: zamboni driver at the old Forum)
Um, when I had just turned 16 and took my car to the gas station for, like, the second time ever, I totally tried to put diesel in it because I didn’t realize that they had separate pumps. The pump didn’t fit in the tank because diesel pumps are bigger than regular pumps (intentionally, to prevent people from doing exactly what I was trying to do), so I totally freaked out that my car was broken somehow. And managed to get 22 cents worth of diesel into my tank before I went inside for help and got laughed at by the guy working there.
You are awesome because I always make my husband do these things. I fear getting my oil changed and have never ever brought my car in for anything. Not even to fill the tires with air. I suck and am teaching my daughters bad things about being a woman but I am just can’t bring myself to change.
Do you love how I just bombarded you with comments from all the posts I hadn’t yet read? I have no idea why I feel the need to prove to you that I read every post you write but for some reason I felt the need to do that.
*snicker* Although I do think the Betty Boop giggle would be pretty funny.
I completely get it. I hate going there too because I feel immediately like some slack-jaw idiot. So I send my boyfriend, or even my dad! I even get my boyfriend to fill the water bottle up for my windscreen cleaner thingy. I’ve no clue!
And hey, just remember next time you’re feeling like a goof at the gas station: you may not know what type of oil you use, but you can drive a tractor. In heels!
me and you are in the same boat. i learned how to pump gas at 20 mainly because of our move (we moved from NJ, where attendants pump gas for you, to NC where you are on your own). I’ve hated doing it ever since. thankfully, i have a father who is slightly OCD with checking all that stuff on my car, so he takes care of whatever it may need.
what the heck is transmission fluid?!
“Regular” - hahaha! I couldn’t have said it better myself
Hahaha! I haven’t learned how to change a tire, but I’ve seen it done. Car hoods are tricky sometimes. Even though I’ve opened mine a few times, I always forget how.
Maybe it’s because I watched Michelle Pfeiffer play a gas station attendant in Grease 2 as a child…but I’ve never struggled with going to them. And I’ve made myself a regular at the local JiffyLube. Every 5,000 miles I talk those guys out of doing stupid extra stuff to my car. Just change the dang oil! Learning about this kinda stuff is sort of empowering though - last year I went to the dealership all alone and bought a car by myself (and got a good deal!) and it was one of my proudest days.
Happy National Teacher Day, by the way!
I almost feel lucky. My abject ignorance has no stereotype.
Then again, guys are supposed to know these car things. I’m in no better position.
I hate gas and, therefore, the gas station.
(Oh of course the other kind of gas, too. Though at least that doesn’t rob me blind!)
I don’t know how to pump gas either (it’s illegal to pump your own in the state of NJ). I do know how to check and replace oil when necessary…but somehow I have a tendency to forget. If I need a tire change…it’s called AAA.
buck up baby!!! you must learn this stuff! why? because i said so : )
Don’t worry… I still have to call my mom when something weird happens to my car. Or I got to the local gas station and just tell the attendant to fix it. Whatever it is! They just laugh at me, but I don’t mind.
I’m like that with tech talk… blah blah blah blah blah… I know I should care, I know I should be interested, but really, like you with cars, I just want to know that when I need it, it will start up and do what it’s meant to without me having to know how or why!
Very funny post.
hello dear! im pretty right ther with you on this whole situation. i do pump my own gas, but im none the wiser about oil and the like.
and hmm, what’s up with these … mandala looking avatars (is that the right word?… profile “picture?”
that people have next to their names up in here?
im confused.
holy hell it did it for me! where the eff is my martini glass?!! damnit.
ps- i missed the hills last night. i know i know, where the hell are my priorities?
oh, and you are NOT a dumb blond.
sorry, i needed to get my fill of comments in here because ive MISSED you while ive been gone!
That gave me my first good laugh in awhile - thank you for that :o)
Tutorial:
The oil is in a thing with a dippy stick and you pull the stick out, wipe off the oil and put it back in, then pull it out to check the level. Kind of like mascara.
The washer fluid is blue. So is the coolant. If you have a chilly windshield and a very clean engine, something may be off.
Of course, this is only useful if you can find the hood latch ;o)
I know just enough about cars to get myself in trouble. There are some stereotypes I am entirely against and will kick and scream about, including who does the dishes…haha. But for some reason, I don’t mind letting my dad take care of any car maintenance that goes beyond gassing ‘er up.
You need to make a deal with a guy (or maybe a girl) friend….you’ll buy him lunch (or something) every six weeks if he’ll check your oil, your tire pressure, and do those sorts of things. I know you could easily learn that stuff, but if you don’t like it this might be easier.
Car stuff, grilling, and making mashed potatoes is in my “reasons to get married” column….
I hate going to the gas station too. I’m horrible with cars and everything. Makes me very nervous. But I would rather do that than go to the dentist or the gyno, that’s a no brainer
What kind of car do you have again? Wait, it’s a truck right? Has anyone showed you how to find the oil dipstick yet? Just have to ask.
The gas station makes me hot. The smell of gas, seedy men, girls in bikinis*, cigarette butts, and really clean bathrooms. What’s not to like about a gas station?
*checking to see if you’re reading.
Ah yes… I too, am guilty of re-inforcing this stereotype. How about we continue on that path and get martinis and manis?
The Betty Boop technique always works well. I use it at the grocery store when I need someone to help me pick out good tomatoes.
I hear you sister! (Only we call it a petrol station, so bare with me here).
I never once filled up the car by myself until a few weeks ago (20) and I HATE it. I hate not knowing where to wait with my car until the next available spot, I don’t know the protocol of filling up on the right side, or how to get my car through those tiny lanes.
Just thinking about it makes my teeth grind. And I always smell like petrol at the end of it all.
Don’t worry I know nothing about my car either. I do know how to fill her up but that is about it. I do know where to pour the oil but have no idea what I’m looking at or for when I pull out that oil stick.
I despise going to the gas station as well…but for entirely financial reasons.