This week did not start well for me. Some unlucky things happen, but seem like God pity us and give us some good luck though. It started with Monday morning, when we wanted to leave the house heading to office and drop by the kids to kindy and child care along the way, my car could not get started. After a few tries, the car alarm system was triggered and could not stop! I called up the service center; he taught me a simple way to use the remote key to stop the alarm. But it failed. Then he said if in this case, should be the car battery problem. Luckily hb was with us. He went to the nearby workshop to get a new car battery using his car, and then fixed it to my car. After that I sent my car to the service center to get the calibration done. It is for resetting the gear box after changing new battery. I left my car at the service center for servicing too. And I went to collect it on Tuesday morning when going to work.
Tuesday morning, I went to collect my car. Drove it to my parents' house and parked there. As after work, we will pick up the kids from my parents' house before heading home. Due to limited parking space near office, I and hb usually just drive one car to work. So I parked my car near my parents' house, and went to work with hb on his car.
After work, as planned we went to my parents' house. The road of my parents is a dead end. It is a slope too and my parents house is somewhere in the middle. We drove down the road, make a 3-point turn and wanted to head back up the slope so that later when we go home, we could drive out straightaway. Just right after hb had reversed the car and wanted to drive up the slope, something wrong with the gear! The screen at the front panel was showing the gear at the N position, and no matter how hb tried to change the gear, it did not engage at all! The car was stuck there blocking the way. We tried to push the car to the side of the road but as soon as we released the break, the car was actually moving backwards due to the slope. One Indian man saw that we were having problem with the car, came out from his house and helped us to push the car to the side. At the same time, I called my father for rescue.
As soon as the car was pushed to the side of the road, I saw my father walking down the road coming to us. He asked us to open the front bonnet, put his hand inside and pressed/pushed something (I could not see clearly whether he was pressing or pushing the thing), and asked hb to check what gear was it. Eh seems like can change gear from there! My father made the gear set at D, so that hb could drive the car to the front of my parents' house. Apparently, something has broken inside the thing where we switch the gear. That's why the gear was not engaged.
For 2 days, our 2 cars gave us problem one after another. LUCKILY
1. My car was just battery issue. And hb was around to change it for me. Could not imagine if just me alone with the kids! I would probably need to get help from neighbour to jump start the car so that I could drive to workshop or service center to change the car battery.
2. Hb's car gear problem happened outside my parents' house, and not in the highway or when he was driving! It could be dangerous especially if the car was moving up the slope.
3. My father is a mechanic. He could not fix it on the spot without some tools. But he could drive it to his workshop the next day and get it fixed.
4. Since I parked my car near my parents' house that morning, we did not need to borrow car from my parents to go home.
5. I'm glad that I get my car fixed on Monday itself despite we could just drive to work using hb's car. Mainly due to the noisy alarm. We did not want the neighbor to complain about it.
I consider myself very lucky when come to car issue. Since my father is a mechanic, whenever my car gives problem I just need to tell my father. I also don't have to worry getting cheated or slaughtered by any bad mechanic. I never feel shy or shame whenever people ask me what's my father's occupation, just because he is not a manager or someone works in big company or someone who works inside an office. My father is a handyman and he fixes lots of things that not working in the house. I respect him a lot. And at one point, way before I was dating hb, I even wish to get a handyman husband like my father! LOL!
12 comments:
A very optimistic view of things, from different angle and aspect!! You probably would sail through any problem in the future with your positive set of mind, I personally think that's impressive!
LOL! Same here, I think your father is really cool!^-^
have a great weekend!
Gearbox problem ah. Hubi car also kena the same thing. The mechanic said the gear lever. Stuck at reverse gear
yo..how i envy!! i mean your father being mechanic! how i wish i have a mechanic somewhere in my family.. yes, i m used to being "slaughtered" when comes to car repairs.. reading your post, scares me la.. mine also auto.. what if.. what if .. i m scared to get stuck in the middle of the road and u know what, i dont even know where my car alarm switch is.. ! :)
What a great way to look at every situation from a positive point of view ...clap clap clap..I should learn to do that some time...hahaha
Hi Chee Yee, regret read of your problems. Glad your car okay.
I guess this happens to most of us, one problem after another, sane day, same hour.
Glad to hear your dad is a mechanic. Outstanding!
There is a saying, the 2 jobs in the world where person will not, never get laid off, and there'll always be a job or work for him or her....
Right, you guessed it, A doctor....and, Tadaaaaaa! A mechanic.
There is nothing to be shy or feel uncomfortable about our father's occupation.
Hey, I had a friend, his father makes coffins. Ask him 'what you father do'? He replies, "ohh, wood industry', ha ha.
Be proud of your dad....I would. Not anyone can repair a car. My mechnic here is from HK, been here 20 years, has a gorgeous movie actress looking wife, a Mercedes, and an SUV....has 6 mechanics working for him, 4 large service bays.
And he is highly respected with White, Black, Asian customers of his.
You have a nice day, my bet regards to your dad. Ask him he repaired Alfa Romeos before, ha ha....maybe he repaired mine. Lee.
Gosh! Scary what happened to hubby's car. First time I heard of such a thing. You're such an optimistic person, Chee Yee. Good that you view both issues in a positive light!
Oh, you are very lucky to have a mecanic as your dad! I agree with you, when you have a mechanic as your dad, you don't have to worry about being slaughtered by unscrupulous mechanics, plus you can get you or your hubby's car fixed for free (hehehe...maybe at most pay for the new spare part at cost price only!).
It's good to think everything in positive way...
Luckily you got your car fixed...without car we really can't get around easily especially with kids.
Alice Law - Sail through any problem in the future? LOL! Not everything. Anyway, have a great day there!
smallkucing - LOL! At least ur hb car still can reverse to move around. My hb car stuck at N gear, cant move at all! LOL!
Claire - Er come to worst is to call the car towing service. If my hb was stuck at the highway or not anywhere near my parents' house, we will call the car towing service too. Won't trouble my dad to come over. That's why I said we are lucky!
Daddy - Haha, indeed we are really lucky that the cars were not stuck in the middle of the road. Imagine car broke down with 2 young children!
Uncle Lee - Back in school days, most of my friends, their father is either boss, or manager level working in big company, some mothers even a boss too, open bridal shop. Even when a teacher (not my class teacher but could not remember what was that for) asked me what was my father's occupation, she stopped and looked at me for a while. That made me feel shy for a short while. That was in primary school. But after going secondary school, not shy anymore as I learn to be more independent. :) Anyway, my dad does not have any Mercedes. He only have one small workshop with one worker with him. :)
Olive - About hb's car, first time happen to us too. But really lucky and grateful that it happened outside my parents' house and got someone come to rescue! LOL!
Alice Phua - Hehe, I never ask whether he charge us only cost price or usual customer price. We never ask for free also and we will not. We will pay whatever stated on the bil. Even for normal car service. :)
prince n princess mum - It was really very lucky for us. Saved us lots of hassle. :)
mNhL - Yeah, without car is difficult to move around. Especially there is no direct public transport from our house to the office. Not to mention taking 2 kids!
Post a Comment