Here we can all be heard for a little while. Part 2

Georgiegirl256

I'm with the RAC, and have used them so many times both home and away, so it has been well worth the membership fee.

Both the best and the worst (ok, not the quite the worst, that was a Ka) hire car I ever had was an automatic one. Can't remember the make, but it was both fun and scary at the same time! Fun when on the straight roads, I laughed all the way to and from work, it was so surreal not having to change gear and it doing it all for you!

Scary though when on hills, as I'm used to putting on a hand break and then doing a hill start. The women hadn't explained the car fully, and I didn't gave a clue how it worked when you came to a stop on a hill, and was cr*pping myself thinking it was going to roll backwards! :eek:

I love the car I have now! It has hidden compartments, keyless entry, a push button start and a funky handbrake! Simple things and all that

Pyxis

codemonkey wrote: »

Don't feel bad. I can't do packaging at all. I can never leave Mr CP as I'd never be able to open a jar again.

I used to have very strong wrists. I could open anything. Then I developed a disease in their joints which makes it painful to twist them.
I tried all sorts of jar and bottle-opening aids. The best things are as follows:-

Wine bottles. Two old-fashioned nutcrackers, you know, cheap metal ones that open and shut around the nut. You position one nutcracker above the bottlecap join, and the other below the join, and turn them in opposite directions!

Wide-necked bottles and jars. You need two pieces of that grippy rubbery mesh stuff for putting on car dashboards to stop things sliding off. Hold the jar with one grippy piece and the lid with the other piece. Works 999times out of a thousand! It's the only grippy thing that works for me. Rubber gloves don't.

On that one rare occasion when it doesn't work, pierce the lid with a bradawl or other pointy thing, a skewer even, to release the vacuum, then it should turn easily. You do have to decant the contents out of the jar, but that's better than not getting into it at all!


Ps, I found that the jar-opening tools didn't work, or only for a short time, or only on some jars.

codemonkey

I know that trick WaS. And the spoon underneath to break the seal, but sometimes those jars are tricky and just won't open. Plus, it helps Mr CP be all macho. I can't remember what I did when I lived alone.


Am hiding from all the tasty delicious food in the house. I have now lost more than the weight I gained on the meds, so it's all on me behaving now. I will make the cookies a little closer to evening time so I'm not tempted to munch them all day. Mr CP will get home from work to find me with crumbs on a plate and icing round my mouth. :rotfl:

Pyxis

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Scary though when on hills, as I'm used to putting on a hand break and then doing a hill start. The women hadn't explained the car fully, and I didn't gave a clue how it worked when you came to a stop on a hill, and was cr*pping myself thinking it was going to roll backwards! :eek:

Cripes Georgie! I never knew that about automatics! :eek: Sounds awful! How does it do a hill start, then?

Brrrrr! Have never driven one, and certainly don't want to now! I like the extra control and power you have with gears. Ok they are a pain if you're in slow-moving traffic for ages, but I still wouldn't change!

tea_lover

I am so impressed with everyone's weight loss - you really are all awesome!

I was doing so well until last Christmas lol. I only meant to have a few days off MFP but it's been 11 months and all the weight's come back. Bum!

Waves_and_Smiles

WaSp feels just the same about automatics, he much prefers manual. My american friend has never driven a manual car in her life and the thought terrifies her. It seems to depend on what you are used to.

Pyxis

Waves_and_Smiles wrote: »

WaSp feels just the same about automatics, he much prefers manual. My american friend has never driven a manual car in her life and the thought terrifies her. It seems to depend on what you are used to.

I suppose.
I've heard dire stories of people being driven off cliffs by automatic cars! :eek:

The thought of not being in control of a hill start! :eek:

Not being able to change down a gear to get that bit more oomph! :eek:

codemonkey

Confession time. I can drive pretty well. I can drive in traffic. I can drive in ice and snow. I've driven on race tracks and skid pans. I'm a master at hill starts. My clutch control is so good that I have started a car in 3rd gear without stalling. I can change tyres, lightbulbs and fan belts and perform a full service. I have no driving licence because I go to pieces in my test. I am ashamed of being mid 30s with no driving licence but am too scared to try again in case I fail another time because failing 3 times is embarrassing. My employers think I can drive because it was a requirement for the job. I lied because I was learning and didn't realise I would screw up my tests so badly. Thankfully, I've never actually had to drive somewhere in my job.

I'm so ashamed.

Georgiegirl256

Pyxis wrote: »

Cripes Georgie! I never knew that about automatics! :eek: Sounds awful! How does it do a hill start, then?

Brrrrr! Have never driven one, and certainly don't want to now! I like the extra control and power you have with gears. Ok they are a pain if you're in slow-moving traffic for ages, but I still wouldn't change!

I still don't know Pyxis! :rotfl: I don't think it would have rolled down, although I wasn't taking any chances, and kept my foot firmly on the brake pedal! :eek:

Maybe it just knows it's on a hill and just stays there? Or maybe you have to out it into park? It'd be interesting to know actually! Although it was kinda fun for a while! I think after driving a manual for years, I too like being in control with the gears.

Waves_and_Smiles

Don't be ashamed, code! I can't drive and I will never be able to, even if I wanted to try I'm not allowed which is something I agree with because my memory would make me a terror on the roads. I can change a tire, put petrol in and change the oil though!

I don't know if it's the same here but America has two separate driving tests, one for manual and one for automatic. My american friend has no intention of ever taking the manual test, the idea of gears makes her completely panic. She is completely confident with automatic cars though in any conditions.