This morning was cold. Very cold. Like 10 degrees (-12C to you limey readers). Now, I know some of you Midwesterners will call me wiener and push my face in the snow, but what can I tell you?
I rolled out to my car to leave for work and discovered it was frozen solid. Seriously. My drivers side door lock would not budge. Hmm, ok… well, I’ll try the passenger door. Uh oh.
The key would turn, but there was no movement in the actual lock mechanism. In either door. Damn.
I tried a little WD40 in the lock, but the ice just laughed at that feeble attempt. Shit.
I thought to try to heat up my key with a cigarette lighter but since my key has plastic on it, I thought that would probably be a bad idea.
Finally, I had a thought. I ran in the house and grabbed Jess’ hair dryer and the extension cord. I turned that bad boy on the lock and waited… and waited… tried the lock again… and waited. Still no dice. So, I went around to the passenger side and tried that. Eventually, after another 7 or 8 minutes of trying, I was able to open that door.
I crawled across the to the driver’s side, flipped the lock and was able to finally open the door. Now, all I had to do was to actually fire up the car and let it warm up.
All in all, from the time I walked outside to find the damn thing iced over, to the time I actually left for work? 45 minutes.
Great way to start the day. 3 Coffees later, and I was almost warmed back up.
Um… Jason…? Don’t you have a hatchback? Usually, the hatch will open, dont ask me why, when the other 2 wont.
And just so you don’t think I am pulling this outta my ass, I heard it on Car Talk. If those guys say it, then it’s gold, as far as I am concerned.
George, I honestly don’t know what’s worse. Standing out there with a blow dryer, or climbing into my car via the hatchback and over the back seats.
Leave me with my dignity…
Dignity, Shmignity….It’s better than freezing your ass off for 20 minutes while you try to thaw a lock in my opinion.
And somehow, I don’t think those midwesterners whose cars were totally ENCASED in ice this morning would have much pity on your predicament….
Me, I LOVE my garage. 🙂
My garage is full of motorcycles, so this time of year is the worst out here in the sticks and a spray can of lock deicer is only a couple of bucks, attaches to my keychain and is invaluable. You might want to look into one for yourself!
I feel your pain jas. no garage here, just the classy old engines under a shredded tarp on the driveway next to a broke-ass money pit of a truck and a 42 year old car that barely runs… oops, my white trash is showing.
Kris, that seems to go with the old toilet on the side of my house. Seriously, it’s from last February when we got our bathroom redone. What the hell do you do with an old toilet? Flower pot? Water feature?
aaahhhhh…..poor poor you! Usually that only happens after we wash the car. 🙂 Could be worse, you could have 2 feet of snow covering it!
I’m equally annoyed with this cold weather. And it doesn’t help me at all to think about the million or so people who are in the midwest, freezing, and currently without power for 10 days. As far as I’m concerned, that is just as useful as reminding me that there are starving children so I need to finish everything on my dinner plate. It is freezing, I am miserable, and please remind me of this when I am complaining about the hot heat of the summer next year. Nothing is worse than this! 🙂 Happy Wednesday.