If you haven’t heard yet, transportation authorities based in the Philippines have implemented a speed limit in key roads of the metropolis to put a stop on the spate of accidents that have been occurring lately. This is perhaps to cover up the boo-boo made by one Metro Manila Development Authority Chief who months back said that “There is no Speed Limit”, paving the way for more reckless drivers and accidents at that. So while that is covered, now we hear the bus companies complaining that they may cause traffic. So what?
Given a choice, would you choose traffic or accidents? It is no secret that the same bus operators are also responsible for the accidents and it is they too who have been ignoring speed limits. You would think they were driving smaller vehicles that could ride above 100 KPH! If they slow down, the matter that they re concerned about is the number of trips that they can finish in a day which will surely be diminished. But if they were as careful and law abiding in the first place, would this speed limit be lowered at 40 KPH?
The last request was to make it at 60 KPH. But seeing the bulk of these buses, that is fast for a large vehicle. And to think that Manila is packed with lots of pedestrians and private cars, they can still do a lot of harm.
So as far as the speed limit goes, it is a good move. Safety comes first and the bottom-line is that regardless of the speed you are driving, you will get to your point of destination anyway right?
For most people, the logic of driving normally calls for you to stay in your lane at all times. Standard roads normally call for you to drive on the right lane, although some countries like Hongkong and London use the left line for right of lane privileges.
But when you find yourself in the long stretches such as freeways and the highway, the temptation to change lanes will always be there. But before you do change lanes, make sure you do it the right way by looking for vehicles at the back using your rear view mirror and again a glimpse when you are about to change lanes. Use the signal lights or hand signals so that vehicles behind you will know that you will be changing your lane.
The frequency of changing lanes should be properly done though. There are some drivers who always feel that they should be always first. To do so, overtaking cars means a big thing even if they would normally reach their point of destination at any rate.
A word of caution to people who drive frantically though. If you recklessly drive like a lunatic, chances are you may be apprehended for reckless driving or even encounter accidents. High speed accidents are no joke and if you are not careful, you may find yourself in a life threatening predicament.
A driver can drive as fast as they want. Just make sure you follow the right driving ethics and keep your concentration and eyes on the road. The manner of driving is entirely up to you.
One thing about studying driving, it is not only about getting behind the wheel and stepping on the gas pedals and shifting gears. There are basics such as the information you are well-versed on that is important. Though some people may not necessarily look at them as important, driving sensibly and logically still remains these days.
The Q & A of driving exams is quite simple. How can you drive if you don’t know what to do is certain driving situations. Questions such as knowing when to overtake and the distance to which you should be between cars are important. If you are not well-educated in these parts, chances are you will find yourself piling up driving tickets if not eventually land a revoked license problem eventually.
So how does one prepare for these driving exams. For one, you can read on books or ask the veteran drivers. Of the two, it seems the latter is the better option. Learning from the experience that driving road warriors is the best way to understand and digest what it really takes to drive out in the wild world of roads out there.
Rest assured there is no thing as a perfect driver. You may even use plain logic to answer these Q&A exams. But while you are at it, leave some room for errors. If there were perfect drivers these days then perhaps the rate of accidents these days would not be as alarming.
Several reports from consumers have been found to have accidents linked to
old tires being sold at many tire centers across the world. Even newly installed tires that have been manufactured years before they were installed onto vehicles have the potential to fail miserably soon after installation. These tires have long since been in inventories that though they are new have been sitting for as long as 10 years, maybe more in shelves and stocks. Tires like all manufactured goods have a specific timeframe fro them to retain their reliability and for something that is supposed to carry your car as you drive around that becomes a serious matter. Many have died as a result of old tires that have been stripped of treads sending vehicles crashing into everything in its path. Tires that blow out takes away control form the driver for the much needed traction which is the main form of control for all motorized vehicles. Tires that have been sitting on shelves for more than 10 years lose integrity with plies separating and shearing off resulting in accidents.
Tires do have a code to indicate when they were manufactured but they come in
cryptic codes that only the manufacturer knows how to read. Families of people who have died as a result of tire blowouts, wants congress to issue strict laws that would require tire manufacturers to include manufacturing dates on the information stamped on tires and that a ten year limit to be imposed as shelf life for them.
The deaths have to stop and it would only be prudent for these manufacturers who sell millions of these tires worldwide to take measures that allow
consumers to determine the lifespan of their products. Hopefully, these measures would make the Sunday drive safer and people would be assured of safer cars with brand their new tires.
Now, to the maintenance part for as you have seen there are actually many parts that form the whole brake system which is imperative that you keep in tip top shape as possible for safety’s sake. Any fluid leak should be inspected or at least have it looked at by a mechanic to ensure they are not a danger. Worn out hoses and brake lines can suddenly burst (the pressures are immense if you were only able to see the small brake pads in how they stop your vehicle) leading to sudden loss of pressure preventing them from functioning. There is however a safety feature on brake systems which is now standard which is a dual line system which divides the wheels into two brake circuits. The driver’s side wheel is linked to the one at the rear of the passenger’s side and the other way around. This allows braking even if one of the brake systems fails and as last resort, there is still the mechanical parking brake (check out the post on how to stop without power assisted brakes for if not done properly you could lock the wheels and totally loose control).
The brake disks and drums also have to be inspected for they eventually develop deep grooves that have to be re-milled in a process called re-facing wherein the rotor/disk and drums are machined to make the surfaces flat removing the deep grooves that occur naturally. The break pads are replaced even if they are new so as to avoid making new grooves on the newly re-faced parts. Wheel cylinders get stuck or springs leak (which usually happens if they get submerged in water, say in a flood) causing them to bind which leads to smoking wheels for the brakes don’t release and the wheels have a hard time turning. Some problems can be repaired and some may have to be replaced but with proper maintenance and care you should be able to have brake trouble free use of your vehicle providing for your transportation needs for times to come.
The brake system of your car is one of the most vital safety features that without which driving would be impossible. There are many things that can go wrong with your brakes and as preventive maintenance and regular inspection, it would be best to check on a few parts so you don’t get caught without brakes on the road.
Under the hood of any vehicle there is a container or reservoir as it is called that contains brake fluid and to most drivers, is the most known part of the brake system. Don’t keep this only topped off but make sure you use the right type of brake fluid (DOT 3 is the most common brake fluid grade used). The metal thing this reservoir sits on is called the Master cylinder which contains the pistons that forces the fluid from the reservoir into the brake lines (more on the other parts as we go on) to the wheel cylinders. Directly behind that is a metal drum like thing that is the brake booster which has a rubber gasket inside which multiplies the amount of force exerted by your foot on the pedal into immense pressures to stop your car. The brake fluid then goes through the brake lines to each wheel which are actually metal pipes with some rubber hoses in tight corners and moving areas to the wheel cylinders. The wheels all have individual cylinders or pistons that push the brake pads or drums to close and stop the vehicle. The parts the pads come in contact with are the rotors for disk brakes and drums for drum brakes.
More on the next post regarding maintenance and troubleshooting of the brake system.
