Freedom Automotive Newsletter

newsletter@freedomauto.com

May 2007

Summer Travel Tips

The first tip is that you don't really have to be going anywhere special to add a lot of miles on your car during the summer months. All of the little extra trips to the ball park, the zoo, the beach, visiting friends and running the kids around will account for a lot of miles. If you are planning a real trip then this advice is even more important.

1. CHECK YOUR TIRES. The number one cause of being stuck on the side of the road is a flat tire. Take a few minutes to look at the condition of the tire tread and the air pressure. This may not only save you from spending unwanted time admiring the sights on the side of the road but will help with fuel economy.

2. CHECK ALL THE OTHER FLUIDS in the car. Be sure that your oil change is current and check, or have someone else check, your transmission, power steering, brake, cooling system, and differential fluids. If any of them are low find out why. A small leak repaired before you leave home could prevent an expensive repair on the road.

3. PREPARE A TRAVEL EMERGENCY KIT. You want to be sure that you have the following items in a safe place in the car.

Flashlight and spare batteries
Something to sit on or lay on the ground in case you do have to change a tire
Hand Cleaner (waterless) and paper towels
Gloves and a cover up shirt or rain poncho
Bottled water and snack bars in case you are stranded
A "good" set of jumper cables. (cheap cables do not work)

4. GIVE THE REST OF THE CAR AN INSPECTION. Look at the wiper blades, the belts and hoses, Family Car Trip the battery. Check all the lights on the car. You don't want a "friendly" highway patrolman to point out a failed stop lamp three states from home.

5. PLAN HOW YOU PACK AND LOAD THE CAR. If you are going to be on the road a long time you don't want to unload the entire trunk to get the things you need for overnight in the motel. The items you will need at rest stops or during the trip should be easy to reach.

Try to distribute the weight evenly if possible, placing the heaviest items low and to the front of the trunk space.

Avoid carrying anything on the rear package deck. Objects left on that convenient shelf under the back window will be flying hazards should you need to stop fast or have an accident.
Use "Space Bags" to compress clothing into tight packages.
We all end up bring home more than we left with, so consider 2 ideas to handle the extra load. Leave space for souvenirs in your packing plan, or ship home by mail or FedEx any clothing that you will no longer need. It doesn't cost much to ship a box of dirty laundry home and that will leave a lot of space for other goodies.

6. ALLOW TIME TO ENJOY THE DRIVE. Too often we hurry to our destination forgetting all the things we could see along the way. The scenic route will make the trip more enjoyable and less tiresome.

7. DECIDE TO BE NICE! Make up your mind before you leave that the other guy is not going to ruin your drive. Be the most courteous driver on the road, smiling and allowing them to go first. Keep your attitude in your control, not theirs, and the trip will be much more pleasant for you and everyone else in the car.

AAA Logo We also suggest - if you will be traveling long distances by car - you might wish to consider joining an auto service club such as the AAA. Their ability to provide tows and other support services when you are in unfamiliar territory can be a real life-saver under unfortunate circumstances.

Have a great summer trip!

Update on Little Brother

Thank you to all who have taken the time to email, send cards, and pray for Allan.

Alan Miller Allan's attitude and outlook remain great as he faces this challenge. His sense of humor has not diminished a bit and he is still "Mr. One Liner" as dubbed by our friend Skeeter Lothringer.

I know that you miss him almost as much as I do on the show. Your emails have been humbling, both because we have seen how much respect he has earned, but also because I used to think I was the star of the show!

Allan has just finished 2 weeks of daily radiation treatment and chemotherapy. He has not been up to doing the show, even from a remote location. We hope that he soon will be able to be a part of the act again.

We got a little behind on emails during the treatment cycle, but have caught up now and will be responding soon to all of your good wishes.

Allan's email is allan@thecarcounselor.com or you can send your cards and notes to the shop.

You Can't Hide From
Future Tech!

Nissan announced that it is operating a prototype Intelligent Transport System that uses the GPS signal from cell phones to alert drivers of a nearby pedestrian.

Nissan's advanced ITS will employ the next 3G cellular communications system, launched this April, where the GPS function is used as the basis to provide location information of the cellular phone. In this system, location data transmitted from the pedestrian's cellular phone and vehicle is fed to the ITS to allow the system to determine the corresponding positions between the pedestrian and the vehicle. A pedestrian alert will appear onboard the vehicle to warn the driver, helping to reduce road accidents particularly in a blind-spot situation.

Nissan is studying what types of pedestrian data are most relevant to help prevent accidents. The research will investigate a variety of factors influencing the pedestrian-vehicle's relative positions, such as the directions in which pedestrians and the vehicle are moving, and the corresponding speeds and distances between them. Various driver alerts, such as visual warnings or audible alarms, are also under study.

For those of us who enjoy Orwellian Conspiracy Complexes this is a scary concept. For most motorist and pedestrians it may be lifesaving technology.

For more information click here.