I made a thing...

[Syncop8r]

If I change a tyre for someone I try to teach them how to do it as well.

Once I had a flat tyre and friends on board helped. A few days or perhaps a week or so later (before I fixed the tyre and swapped it back in) I heard a noise coming from one of the wheels. The nuts were on backwards and had worked their way loose so that the wheel was starting to wobble. 

[gregozedobe]

If I change a tyre for someone I try to teach them how to do it as well.

Once I had a flat tyre and friends on board helped. A few days or perhaps a week or so later (before I fixed the tyre and swapped it back in) I heard a noise coming from one of the wheels. The nuts were on backwards and had worked their way loose so that the wheel was starting to wobble. 

Obviously whoever taught your friends how to change a wheel didn't do a very good job. 

I'm sure when you are teaching someone then putting the nuts on the right way round is part of the learning process.  If I am able to I usually try to explain why something needs to be done a particular way, in the hope they might remember it better when the time comes that they have to do it by themselves (without tuition).

[pfrsantos]

When the urge to help overcomes me I just do whatever it is that needs to be done, that way I know my tools are (relatively) safe.

One exception is changing a flat tyre.   I will loosen the tight wheel nuts for them, and explain in detail how to do it (and provide muscle for the actual wheel removal & replacement if really necessary), but if the driver doesn't want to make any effort whatsoever then I am willing to leave them to whatever plan they had to fix their problem.  Of course if they are truly physically unable I will help them out as much as needed.

It may sound harsh, but the situation is literally is not MY problem, and if you want to wait around for however many hours it will take for the people who you have paid to do this work (eg roadside assistance), then I am perfectly willing and able to follow your plan to the letter.

That's the only way they'll learn. Well, if they even get to learn. It's amazing how some people can forget how to do incredibly easy tasks when they only need to do it once or twice a year...

 

[pfrsantos]

If I change a tyre for someone I try to teach them how to do it as well.

Once I had a flat tyre and friends on board helped. A few days or perhaps a week or so later (before I fixed the tyre and swapped it back in) I heard a noise coming from one of the wheels. The nuts were on backwards and had worked their way loose so that the wheel was starting to wobble. 

Were those friends european?...

 

[Aloha]

Good for you Greg.  Its amazes me how when someone says they need help it really means do it for me.  While I'm always happy to lend a hand I'd hope they'd want to learn or at the very least join in since its there problem.

As you say, "the situation is literally not my problem"  .  Its not harsh at all.