Yesterday morning, already running late due to a myriad of reasons, I hopped in my beaten down Subaru, hightailing it to work.

And then I felt that familiar sensation every car owner dreads. You know — that grindy, off-balance feel that can only mean one thing: a flat.

Yup. There it was — flat as a pancake.

Without thinking, I pulled over, opened the tailgate, and hauled out the spare (which is actually a full-sized tire with a Subaru) and all the spare replacement accoutrement.

And then I called Gator, who was still home, to come out and help me.

What I’ve learned:

• It’s always wise to apply your emergency parking break before jacking up your car.
• Don’t jack up your car on an incline, and if you do, use wooden blocks behind the wheels still touching the ground (or just call AAA, since it can be dangerous when your car rolls backwards and falls off the jack, which mine almost did. SCARY!).
• Make sure you read the instructions in your car manual, especially concerning where the jack should be situated (on a Subaru, there is a little grooved area that the jack slides into).
• Don’t panic!
• Call Gator.
• Change your pants after kneeling in the dirt before you go to work, or you look slightly homeless and extremely disheveled.
• It will cost around $30 to get your flat tire repaired at Just Tires, and they will change out the spare with the fixed tire for free! However, it will take about 2 hours (just the switching of the tires part – the tire was already fixed as I dropped it off on my way to work that morning), so bring dinner.

I hope these tips help you, fellow drivers and passengers of drivers.