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This is the story of how a complete stranger crossed 24 lanes of one of Malaysia’s busiest highways to change a man’s flat tire out of basic human kindness.
In Malaysia, it seems straightforward to drive and maintain a car. After all, you just need to pump petrol, take it for servicing every few months, and ignore when the engine light pops on, right?
That’s what I thought, as a young and enthusiastic, over confident and under-prepared male driver. But when I experienced what it’s like to be stranded on a highway, I realised just how unprepared I was to deal with an emergency such as a flat tire.
Looking back, it was only the kindness and generosity of complete strangers that kept me alive and safe – and they expected nothing in return.
I was moving back to my hometown.
On one of my earliest cross-country road trips, I was moving back to my hometown. With a pretty nasty hangover from the night before, I had packed my grandfather’s old Proton Saga full of my belongings. Without even checking what condition the car was in, I set off for JB.
Just an hour out of Klang Valley, I heard a repeated “thudding” noise coming from behind. My first thought was, “It has to be the office chair. Must’ve slid down in the backseat, hitting against the window over and over again.”
But after 30 seconds, the thudding was getting louder and louder. Finally, I had the presence of mind to stop by the side of the road to check where it was coming from.
Turns out, I had gotten a flat tire.
Inspecting the damage, I realised that I’d been running my car to the ground with a flat tire for a full minute. It was so bad that the hubcaps had scraped and melted themselves onto the rim. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
So there I was, standing at the side of the PLUS highway, wondering where I’d gone wrong. How could I have not realised it was a flat tire? In hindsight, it had all been a series of bad decisions for years on end.
After I completed my roadside existential crisis, I analysed my situation. One, I had never changed a tire in my life. And two, the melted hubcaps would make it extremely difficult to fit a new tire on the damaged wheel hub.
While I had a general idea of how to change a tire, this felt like going from drill school to the front lines of a battlefield without a combat briefing. I was truly at a loss for what to do.
I was saved by a helpful driver.
In my darkest hour, the heavens opened up and an angel appeared before me in the shape of…another Proton Saga driver. No, this post is not sponsored by Proton haha.
We drove the same old car, but where my Proton was full of my old junk, his was full of family members – his wife and kids all strapped in. It struck me that his cargo was far more valuable than mine, yet here he was, looking out for me, a total stranger.
This man stopped on the other side of the PLUS highway and waved at me, asking if I needed help. He then proceeded to RUN ACROSS SIX LANES of the highway to check on me – 3 on his side, and 3 more on my side.
The cars didn’t stop for him, but he deftly weaved through the oncoming traffic without thinking about the risk he put himself through.
Assessing my situation, he moved my stuff out of the boot to get to the spare tire and tool kit. He doubled back across the PLUS highway to his car to grab some additional gear and ran back to my car – barrelling through another crazy 12 lanes of traffic.
He got to work on the tire, breaking the hubcap to get to the lug nuts. Within minutes, he was able to replace my busted tire with the spare. When he was done, he nodded at me and returned to his car –completing his 24th highway lane-crossing of the day, his family patiently waiting on the other side.
Meanwhile, throughout this entire ordeal, the best I could do was to stand about 30 metres away and wave to oncoming traffic to slow down for the mad lad crossing the highway. Watching this asphalt athlete put his life on the line for me, I felt a pang of shame mixed with my immense gratitude.
I learnt how to change a tire the very next day.
Since that incident, I’ve developed an enthusiasm for changing out flat tires, including one or two of my own.
A few months later, I noticed a vehicle pull out of the carpark with its tire completely flat. That day, I had places to go, I was looking fresh with a new haircut, and I was in no mood to change a tire. But there I was hopping into action.
I nodded at the driver, a young man in his 20s, and with a few words got to work on his tire. Within a few minutes, the tire had been changed, the man had thanked me profusely, and I left with a spring in my step.
It was the most satisfying feeling in the world.
That day on the highway, I learnt something profound about human kindness, bravery, and helping others. I resolved to be just as kind and selfless as this man to anyone else who needed help on the road.
If you’ve never learnt how to change a flat tire, here’s how in 12 simple & easy steps:
- Find a Safe Location:
Pull over to a safe, flat area away from traffic. Turn on your hazard lights, and engage the parking brake.
- Prepare Your Tools:
Retrieve the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench from your vehicle. If your car has a wheel lock, ensure you have the wheel lock key.
- Loosen Lug Nuts:
Before lifting the vehicle, use the lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire. Turn them counterclockwise, but don’t remove them completely yet.
- Position the Jack:
Every car has slightly different jacking points, but almost all of them will be indicated by a notch on a metal rail underneath the door closest to the tyre you’re changing. Position the jack there and align the rail with the slit on the top of the jack.
- Lift the Vehicle:
Use the jack handle to raise the vehicle until the flat tire is off the ground. Ensure the vehicle is stable on the jack.
- Remove Lug Nuts and Flat Tire:
Finish removing the loosened lug nuts and take off the flat tire. Place the lug nuts in a safe location, so they don’t roll away.
- Install the Spare Tire:
Mount the spare tire onto the lug bolts. Hand-tighten the lug nuts as much as possible.
- Lower the Vehicle:
Carefully lower the vehicle using the jack until it’s resting on the ground.
- Tighten Lug Nuts:
Use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern. This ensures even pressure. Tighten them as much as you can.
- Double-Check Lug Nuts:
After lowering the vehicle, double-check the tightness of the lug nuts. Ensure they are securely fastened.
- Stow Tools and Flat Tire:
Put the flat tire, jack, and lug wrench back in your vehicle. Don’t forget to stow the wheel lock key if you use one.
- Check Spare Tire Pressure:
Before driving, check the spare tire’s pressure. Make sure it’s inflated to the recommended level.
Now that you are cursed with this knowledge, you too are duty bound to help the next person in need of a tire change. Just don’t cross a highway to do it!
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