The Christmas season is always associated with horrendous traffic due to last minute shopping and parties. It is a nightmare to drive in the busy streets and get stuck in them. Here are some tips to make driving stress free.
Try your best to avoid the rush. Travel during off peak hours if you can. You will not only avoid traffic but reduce it too. Fewer motorists on the road can make a difference.
Plan your itinerary. Make a list of your destinations and think of the most efficient ways to get there. It helps to write them down.
Take an alternate route. Avoid roads that most drivers take. It may be a little farther but it will be worth it.
Check traffic updates before you leave or if you have a GPS, some actually detect traffic and give alternatives.
More tips to keep you sane when stuck in traffic include listening to Christmas songs, soothing music or anything that pleases you to while away time or extend your patience. You can also purchase a Bluetooth headset, so you can make calls safely while on the road.
Lastly, don’t drink and drive. Reduce traffic caused by accidents and keep yourself safe. Assign a designated driver or if you plan to have some booze, take a cab or other means of public transportation instead.
No one wants to be amidst holiday traffic. Following these simple tips can help you avoid or alleviate the pains of the holiday rush. Less time on the road means more time for rest or quality time celebrating with your family and friends.
Image from Imeallach
Teenagers and cars often don’t mix, despite how much most teens can’t wait to get behind the wheel. While your tendency as a parent is to want to protect your children, you also most likely have the issue of not having a huge amount of money to put into your child’s car. This is a problem that has no easy solution, but the following considerations should give you some clarity about whether you should buy your child a new or used vehicle.
Car Mileage
Read the rest of this entry »
One category nearly everyone’s budget should include is a car maintenance fund, but many people don’t or can’t keep that money earmarked for that purpose. Instead, they use it for things needed at this moment. If you’re one of those people, keep in mind that if a major car repair does become necessary, it could deliver a fatal blow to your resources.
One way to reduce the risk of an unexpected car repair is to maintain your vehicle properly so it is less likely to break down. Yes, it costs money to do routine car maintenance, but not near as much (or as unexpectedly) as the price of rebuilding a transmission or replacing a cracked head. Here are a few suggestions to help reduce the cost of owning your car and keeping it cruising down the road.
Read the rest of this entry »
Some teens and their parents get along beautifully, and the process of teaching them to drive is a reasonably enjoyable rite of passage that creates some great stories you’ll be laughing about together for the rest of your lives. Unfortunately, not all parent-teen relationships are that great, and not all parents should teach their kids to drive. It’s okay to use a professional driving school in these kinds of cases, because the sheer stress of it all can be insane. The following are five ways you know you shouldn’t be teaching your teen to drive.
You Have a Nervous Disorder
If your health would be under actual threat from sitting in the passenger’s seat while your teen drives, don’t teach them yourself. This is one of the things in life that is not worth having a nervous breakdown or a stroke over. It’s just driving. Read the rest of this entry »
There are many beautiful things about winter – the glistening snow, the hoarfrost kissed trees and bushes, and diamond like icicles dripping from the eves. Driving through the snow and ice, however, is not one of winter’s pleasures. Instead, it can be downright dangerous. When road conditions are treacherous, the best solution is to avoid driving altogether, but that’s not always possible. If you must go out, at least wait until the snow plows and salt trucks have had a chance to make a pass and then follow these tips.
Remove as Much Snow as Possible from the Car and from You
It’s important that you thoroughly clean the snow from your car. Make sure you have both the windshield and the rear window cleared of snow and ice before you start driving. Don’t forget to clear the hood and the roof as well. If a huge block of snow flies up against the windshield it will not only startle you, it can block your view and cause you to lose control of the car.
You need to get as much ice and snow as possible off your shoes and clothing before you enter the car. Melting puddles can cause condensation in the vehicle and fog up your windows.
Read the rest of this entry »
Let’s face it: sometimes bad things happen. I know, you’re congratulating me on my ability to point out the obvious, right? Well, if we know that bad things can happen, why is it that we are so often ill-prepared to handle these “surprises?” Take driving, for example. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t either had a tire blowout, a fender-bender, or any other of the myriad things that can go wrong when you’re driving. But I do know plenty of people who were completely caught off guard by their driving mishap, which made dealing with the problem a lot more difficult. I’m here to help you (and me) avoid the same mistake, and all with a simple list. Here are five things every driver should have at all times. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’ve ever traveled with children, then you know that it can sometimes be a very trying situation. This is especially true if you’re driving, as there’s almost nothing more distracting than a backseat heckler: “Are we there yet?! Why is this taking so long?! I’m bored!!” Save your sanity (and avoid an accident) with these tips for how to prepare for a long car ride with children.
Sleep schedule. If possible, plan your departure and arrival times with the kids’ sleep schedules in mind. If you know that you must be on the road for a majority of the day, then it is a good time to get up at the crack of dawn and pack those little ones in the car, along with pillows and blankets, so that that they can sleep through several hours of the ride. Read the rest of this entry »
The hazard lights of our car would normally be turned on only if your are driving in emergencies. But the thing is, how do you classify emergencies?
There are various types of emergencies, the most common of which is health-related. But lately, thanks to some weird weather, rains often pour at will and may reach a point where you no longer see what is in front and behind you. Turning on your headlights and park lights would be great but the thing is, it may not be enough to warn other cars and drivers on the road.
Hazard lights would be of great use in this area. Just its blinking is often a good sign for warning for you and people who have a hard time seeing the road and the cars at the back and in front of you. While many are fine with park lights, drivers today who find themselves in the middle of the road would do well to turn on their hazard light before they continue or even park when the weather is totally non-cooperative.
Accidents during storms can be higher in frequency. In fact, sometimes you cannot blame others for running into you. But the best you can do is forewarn them that there are other drivers and cars around and if accidents cannot be avoided, at least damages can be held to a minimum such as scratches or slight dents. As far as the driver is concerned, just pray that he has buckled up in cases of impact.
Most of us probably take gasoline for granted in the sense that apart from the concern we show over its price, we do not really think about its impact on the environment. Sure, we may have a certain degree of concern over the effect of our exhaust on the air quality; but have you really put any thought of the effect filling up has on the environment?
Yes, the mere act of buying gasoline and putting it in your car may have an effect on your surroundings. The effects may be minute but adding up all those tiny little things can eventually make a considerable change. So here are some things to look at.
Don’t use higher octane fuels unless your car really needs it.
You see, not all cars are meant to perform better just because you use high octane fuels. The truth is that most cars will function with the same efficiency whether you use regular fuel or its higher octane cousins. In these cases, the only difference between high octane fuels and regular fuels is the price; and you will end up on the losing end.
Don’t overfill the gas tank.
You know how you just love to try and get a tad bit more than you pay for at the gas pump? Well don’t. The gasoline will merely spill or evaporate. Either way, you will not gain anything PLUS you may contribute to the pollution of groundwater, as the spilt gas may leak below the ground, and smog formation.
Look for gas stations that have vapor catching nozzles.
Gasoline evaporates quickly and contributes to air pollution. There are gas stations however, which make use of these nifty nozzles which catch the vapor so it does not get released into the atmosphere.
In a recent post, I wrote about how defensive driving can really help you out. But what exactly is defensive driving? Here are some practical tips that you can bear in mind while on the road. These are REAL defensive driving techniques that can keep you in one piece as you travel from point A to point B.
Go with the flow
Say you are on a road with a speed limit of 65 mph. The people in the slow lane are driving at 63 mph, and the people in the fast lane are moving at 70 mph. What should you do? Let’s say that your preferred speed is 65 mph – the limit. Technically, you really should not go beyond the speed limit, so the best choice would be to slow down and go on the slow lane. Your other option would be to speed up and break the law. What you shouldn’t do, really, is stay in the fast lane and hold up traffic by going at 65 mph. This will just frustrate everyone else there and you might even cause an accident.
Anticipate
This is perhaps the most used item in the defensive driver’s arsenal. Anticipate the needs and moves of other drivers in your immediate vicinity. If the car in front of you suddenly brakes, then you can adjust accordingly. If you see a car behind coming up quickly wanting to pass, then you can act accordingly as well.
Know the road
If you are traveling to a new destination, make sure that you have an idea of the road conditions. You can easily do this these days by searching for information on the Internet. It is not that hard to do. Knowing what to expect will help you drive better and safer.
