Can you change a wheel?

Yes I can, and yes I have stopped, but it's probably dependent on the situation.

Yes and probably yes depending on the clobber I was wearing.

Why did the woman not change it herself?

Honestly I probably wouldn’t change a spare wheel for someone because I absolutely hate the job and I wouldn’t want the responsibility being on me if the car or wheel was damaged in the process or fitted incorrectly. In that scenario I would have re inflated their tyre to get them to a tyre shop.

I think a lot of people don’t realise that if you just top up your tyre to 40 PSI at the side of the road even a relatively bad puncture will stay inflated for long enough to get you to a tyre shop. Having a mini air compressor in the car is essential for me. I haven’t had to change a spare wheel for years. Obviously won’t work for blowouts but they are so rare.

Personally I wouldn't have bothered unless it was young lady or old woman if she was middle aged that her problem should have learned how change the wheel . I'm big believer of Let no good deed go unpunished

If I had the time, whether I'd stop or not depends on where the car was. Never ever change a wheel on the side of the road, especially not a right side wheel. It's just too dangerous, so pull off the road.

Yes and yes. Have changed a few tyres over the years. Current car has no spare - only one of those pump things. Would prefer a spare.

Tbh the majority of women and plenty of older men simply wouldn't be strong enough to change a wheel on most modern cars.

Loads of makes and models are notorious for the wheel nuts getting wild tight and wheels welding themselves to the hubs.

Years ago I was fully suited and booted along with 3 other lads in an ix35 when we got a blowout. Had a horrid mission getting the wheel off the hub. Fortunately I still had a pair of decent leather runners thrown in the boot so I could kick the sh1te outta the wheel side to side to eventually loosen it.

A decent straight wheel brace is a must too. I suffered once with the standard BMW E46 one. They were a pr1ck of a thing.

In short even if plenty know the theory of how to change a wheel whether they're actually able to physically accomplish this is a different story.

As above a mini 12v compressor is perhaps the best €30-40 anyone who does a bitta driving could spend.

Yes and yes. Changed a wheel for an older woman on the side of the road a few weeks back. She had phoned a number of men in her family (the utopia of equality has a few years to go yet😀) but none free to come to her aid.

Tbh a lot of people these days shudder at the thought of having to put smelly fuel in their cars so it's no wonder many don't like changing a wheel

I've changed plenty of wheels. It's no problem unless the last person who went at it over-tightened the nuts. In that case there's no choice but to call for roadside rescue.

In my current vehicle (Kangoo) the spare is very difficult to get at. It's under the van on the outside and you have to lower it using a nut in the floor of the van. It's in a wire cage thing which won't stay in place without a wheel in it unless you use a cable tie or something to hold it in place, which requires quite a lot of fiddling about under the van. It's almost impossible to put the damaged wheel in the wire cage on the roadside. Pain in the arse.

I never had to

I presume I could

would I stop to assist ? ….. I’ve no idea. I think it’s a judgement call…. Location, time of the day / night, if night is it well lit ? are there other people around/passing ? am I solo or accompanied…..and if accompanied… by who ?

Split second decision but If I had any concerns I’d leave it…. I’d be cautious before careless. The old saying ‘discretion is the better part of valour’ would probably apply but every situation is different. Have to judge.

Ha yeah that was me too

Ended up changing two wheels when I was 16 working in a petrol station and didn't even have a leaner permit

Two people pulled in at various times with punctures and asked for help

Had to get the boss out to show me where the jack point was on the car but otherwise I figured it out myself

I presume the wheel stayed on long enough since neither person came back to yell at me 😂

Yes. Have done my own many times.

I once changed one for a group of girls (early twenties) in the car park of Kildare Village. They weren't very appreciative - there was a mix of expectation and almost resentment (towards me!) that they couldn't do it themselves. I haven't changed one for strangers since, nor would I.

yes and yes. Always remember when you see someone in distress/with a problem it could be a mother with a sick child , doing on an essential errand for an elderly person, an elderly person not having the strength to tackle the flat, someone with a condition that prevents them tackling the issue, etc, etc,etc,etc

SOME POINTS from experience :-“

(1) Use the flashers - especially at night time

(2) carry and use the reflective triangle

(3) pull well, well in off the road - especially if a right side flat.

(4) if flat is noticed on a very bendy/ sharp corner of the road , rather than stopping on the spot drive ahead to a point where it is safe to park - even if you destroy the tube/tyre in doing so.
(5) the longer the handle of the wheel nut wrench the easier it is to remove the nuts.

(6) if the wheel is still totally jambed to the hub after having removed the nuts than bang the left and right side of the stuck wheel with the spare tyre or with something equivalent.
(7) re 6 above be careful that the jack does not slip off its position. If something substantial is available put it under the car so that Ifa slip occurs you have at least some space to work with. If the spare tyre is used for that job then you could try belting the stubborn flat with the heel/sole of your foot - with your back facing the car

(8) Apart from carrying a jack, wheel wrench with a good extension, a piece of timber to put under jack in case ground is soft, a properly inflated spare and A SET OF JUMP LEADS

Safe and happy driving to all

Well, considering I switch summer for winter tyres and back again every year, that makes it an minimum of 8 changes in any twelve-month period. But the average would be slightly higher, coz my motorhome tyres take a bit of a battering, and occasional punctures and blowouts are part of my regular driving experience. As I have the gear needed to sort myself out on the top of a mountain or back end of a valley, I'd help out anyone with a lighter vehicle … but the need has never arisen.

That said, a couple of months ago SonNo.1 (can drive, but no license) was sharing the back of a truck with a large group of twenty-something-year-olds when the tyre went pop. He said he was the only one among them who knew how to change a tyre.

wise advice, you sound exactly like my late Dad, all safety bases covered!

back in the day, without the security bolts etc, and with lighter cars, it was very doable for a woman (on account of physical musculature) or less muscular man to change a wheel. Any time I could I would take the opportunity of showing people how to do stuff (if they were physically able of course) rather than doing it for them. As a poster above said re an ungrateful bunch of girls in Kildare Village, people can sometimes get resentful or play helpless if they can’t do something themselves; therefore I like to see people empowered to do things themselves,

Would a woman in her own want to be assisted by strange man nowadays?

Years ago I would stop no problem to change a tyre for someone unable to, however nowadays if I'm travelling alone I won't stop to help a lone female

Yes on both counts but I agree re comments on wheel nuts. They can be a hoor to shift with the standard crappy tool supplied with most cars.

If another driver is alone on the side of the road and obviously in a spot of bother it's no harm to stop.

Even if you can't physically help at least you are not leaving them prey to some of the very dodgy people who are out there.

A bit of encouragement and friendly advice can be a help.

I am woman and I can change a wheel I've also stopped to help another woman on the side of the road in torrential rain .

Yes I can change a wheel, but hope I don't have to do it on my car as I have no spare and use run flat tyres.

Was in a shopping center car park last week, AA attending a 241 car for a tyre change. It was a female driver but I did wonder if she looked for help or just went with AA as part of the new car purchase.

That won't help a flat tyre though...

Garages tightening wheel nuts with an impact gun drives me nuts. I now go to 1 tyre place only for my tyres, main reason being that they give a sh1t and use a torque wrench to cinch down the wheel nuts to the appropriate spec.