Fantastic Friday: The Internet!

My car’s driver-side window had been finicky lately. With the turn signal also intermittently working, I worried about mounting car repair bills. I always hear the joke from people picking up their cars that “I should have been an auto mechanic!” You know—always in demand and customers paying whatever it takes to fix their rides.

So before taking the car to the shop, I decided to check out good old Google to see if the universe had found an easy solution to my problem.

And it did.

The problem: a faulty switch (known for years to fail at some point after warranty). The dealer cost: estimated at $150, plus labor (for installation). Plus, diagnostic fees, as I was told.

The solution: A $50 AC Delco part on Amazon.com, a YouTube video, a Torx screwdriver, and a standard screwdriver. As “the Internet” advised, it was an easy fix—anywhere from five to twenty minutes depending on skill level.

The problem: a faulty window switch.

It’s easy to get frustrated at the Internet for allowing people to post incendiary comments, cyber-bully each other, and waste free time and brain cells. But it’s nice to be reminded that the Internet was created as a tool to easily share information—a task that once upon a time required traveling great distances to do.

Largely unregulated (though probably spied upon), the Internet is a great example of the power of people coming together as individuals to solve problems greater than themselves. It’s nice to have such a convenient and relatively free market available at the tips of one’s fingers.

So this week, I’m declaring a victory for the Internet and its power to share information.

And maybe the Internet can next help me conquer the problem of the intermittent turn signal!