TRAVEL TIP #11 DON”T USE FINANCES AS AN EXCUSE TO “STAYCATION”
Oh --- oh --- I am running out of blog travel ideas. If anyone out there has points about travel that would be interesting for this site, let me know. It would seem that the key travel points I contemplate before hitting the road have been covered by the first ten posts. Send me questions, comments and tips. I may diverge from traveling advice to trip reviews. Where did I LOVE to go? Which trips were not as enjoyable as I had hoped? We shall see. Maybe I shall park the blog for the summer and come back in the fall.
Today, let’s take a look at cheap trips with great rewards. Where can we go on a $100 budget? $50? $1.40?
I am smiling as I recall a $1.40 day trip my husband and I took when our daughter was a baby. Yes, $1.40! We were inventive and courageous when we were younger. And we had a blast. We still do.
Where to go?
1. FREE Public beaches. Our daughter was a few months old and we were a typical broke family. Not a broken family. A BROKE family. Our gas tank was full and we were down to white bread and bologna in the fridge. Feeling the urge to explore, we looked at options for a day of fun in the sun. At the time, we were living about four hours from Virginia Beach. We packed sandwiches and a Thermos of iced tea, packed our little one's baby food and took off in our beat-up clunker. We made ONE mistake. We failed to take road/bridge tolls into consideration. Fortunately, we had enough loose change to make it through all the gates to and from the beach.
2. FREE/CHEAP State parks in many areas are free. There are picnic tables, hiking trails, stocked ponds and lakes (for ye ol’ fisherMEN and WOMEN out there), bike trails, horseshoe courts, tennis courts, and golf courses. You can buy a two-person tent for less than $20 and pitch it overnight. Some parks have free camp sites; others charge less than $20. Pack the food you have in your pantry, throw in a Frisbee from the Dollar Tree and a deck of cards, and have fun!
3. FREE Local bike trails. We are blessed with miles and miles of paved biking
trails in several communities near us. A couple of water bottles and a sandwich
bag of nuts and raisins will tide you over for a snack along the way. We bike almost every weekend during the summer.
4. FREE Summer programs in the park. One local park has movie night in the park.
Families can sit on the bleachers for the show or sit in their own coziest lawn chairs. The park specializes in family movies like the OLD Disneys and it is great fun. Find out what show is coming to a park near you. Ask your local park and recreation organization to set up an outdoor theater.
5. FREE Concerts in the park. Summers are filled with free music EVERYWHERE. There is nothing like music to lift the spirits.
6. FREE Arts and craft festivals. Although many summer festivals charge
admission, there are still opportunities to attend small festivals where you can
stroll along the walks, admiring paintings, pottery, wood carvings, photography,
baskets, and other works of art.
7. FREE Church socials and music programs. Most community churches offer a
wide range of social activities including music programs, ice cream socials, plays, book clubs, etc. It is a good idea to support the church with a monetary donation, but FREE is FREE. In university communities, many musicians are highly trained professionals who will knock you socks off with outstanding concerts.
8. FREE University lectures, concerts, faculty recitals. etc. We are within easy driving range of three major universities and have a wide choice of activities that
we can attend at no charge. Over the years I have attended lectures by wonderful
noted individuals including Homer Hickam, Maya Angelou, Carl Bernstein, John Grisham, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Renquist, Phyllis Schafley, Erin Brockovich’s attorney (whose name I have momentarily forgotten!!!!!!!!!!), Hurricane Carter, Jake Gillenhaul (sp?), and many, many academics and celebrities.
9. FREE Book festivals and book signings. By far, one of my greatest experiences with wonderful author exposure is the Virginia Festival of the Book. Most activities
at the multiple-day festival are free and open to the public. Top New York Times
best selling authors and a host of authors in a wide variety of venues make the annual book celebration one of the most outstanding forums of its kind. If you are
within a few hours of Charlottesville, it is well worth the drive. Check out their calendar of events and have fun.
10. FREE – SMITHSONIAN!
This is my favorite all time #1 FREE experience.
a) The National Zoo is yours for the walk-in. Go see the pandas --- and the elephants, and the monkeys.
b) The Air and Space Museum. This is a crowded one, so plan your visit carefully. You can explore everything from the first flight of the Wright Brothers to the current scientific work of the International Space Station. There are paper airplane seminars and contests and many, many free programs. McDonalds serves lunch, so that is cheap! The IMAX movies require admission, but you may be able to justify the cost by saving money in other ways.
c) The American History Museum requires a whole day to take in the
treasures of our country. See Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat, Dorothy’s
ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz, and the magnificently restored Star Spangle Banner (the HUGE American flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem).
d) The Museum of Natural History with it breathtaking dinosaur
skeletons, and such great exhibits as the Hope Diamond make up a
visit you will never forget. There are free interactive exhibits and
child activities with live species and chemical experiments that your kid
or grandkid will never forget.
e) The American Indian Museum offers a lovely perspective on the history of
the first Americans. Ask the staff to point out the rainbow on a sunny day. Watch the free programs throughout the winding levels of beautifully displayed artifacts.
f) The National Portrait Gallery is far enough away from the congestion of
the main Smithsonian museums that you can spend an entire day just taking in GREAT works of art, including the official portraits of U.S. Presidents. There is a lovely cafeteria where you can grab a bite without standing in a long line during peak lunch times.
g) The Smithsonian has many other facilities including smaller art museums scattered along the mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol.
11) FREE The National Gallery of Art is in close proximity to the Smithsonian. I usually spend an entire day quietly enjoying Monet, Rembrandt, Rousseau, and my favorite, Rubens. The galleries are extensive and absolutely beautiful. The Gallery has a wonderful Garden Café with fine cuisine. The food is a little pricey, but the exhibits are free. Some people mistakenly believe that the National Gallery is part of the Smithsonian. Unlike the Smithsonian, which was founded by a bequest of Englishman, James Smithson, the National Gallery of Art was established by an act of the United States Congress. Nevertheless, the benefits for the public are the same: FREE admission. If you CAN make a contribution to either institution, please do so. I am committed to seeing these exhibits accessible to ALL people. Our National Parks now require admission which can be a burden for families who are strapped for funds. Personally, I think it is a HUGE mistake to exclude Americans from the experience of exploring our great parks. If we are not vigilant, the Smithsonian and the National Gallery may follow suit.
12) Call your elected Senator or Congressman and tell her/him you would like
to tour the Capitol with your family. You may see Congress in action as a young intern strolls through the exquisite halls of the U.S. center of power.
13) Check with your Senator about Whitehouse tours. Policies change from
time to time. If you have a Boy Scout troop or a science team, you can schedule
a tour of the Whitehouse. I was able to take my daughter through the Whitehouse when she was about five years old, but she was too young to remember it.
14) The National Book Festival in Washington D.C. is free. Hopefully, this
wonderful festival will be continued. Initiated by Laura Bush and the Library of Congress, it is an incredible gathering of many of the top writers in the world. Last fall I stood in line for two and a half hours to get the autograph of James Patterson for my grandson. I stepped out of line about five minutes before reaching the autograph table, and my grandson stepped into my place. My favorite photo from 2009 is the one where the kid met THE author! If you have questions about how to ENJOY the festival without getting lost in the crowd, send me a comment below.
15) There is also an International Folk Festival in Washington. I have not
actively participated as a guest at the festival, although I have been there
during the gathering. Also, the American Indian Museum has pow-wows and a variety of programs that may appeal to you.
16) I shall close this post with my all time FAVORITE free EVENT: THE
ANNUAL JULY 4TH CELEBRATION IN WASHINGTON! Fireworks, free concert of the world’s top musical artists, and a huge party of 600,000+ celebrants! There is an art to managing oneself well on the Independence Day Washington gathering. I think that will be my post for next week. I hate to give away my “secrets” but since there are only a few people reading this silly blog, it probably will not make much difference.
Entertainers we have heard on the 4th? Barry Manilow, the Beach Boys, John Williams conducting Star Wars theme, Huey Louis (Lewis?) and the News, Aretha Franklin, Jimmy Smits as emcee, Dolly Parton, Clay Aiken, Jerry Lee Lewis, Maurice Gibb, the Sesame Street muppets, Jason Alexander as emcee, Barry Bostwick as emcee, and many, many more. All free! Greatest concert in the world. Do not miss it! FREE.
OK. Next week I will tell you my “secrets” of making the Fourth of July on the steps of Capitol Hill the greatest vacation of a lifetime.
Have a good week. Get some sunshine --- in moderation. Enjoy each day and travel without excuses that there is no affordable place to go. I have barely scratched the surface. There are LOTS of places to go! Just do it!
Be safe.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
TRAVELING TIP #10 Spend money wisely!
Folks, I’m not doing a great job meeting my self imposed Friday blog deadlines. Yesterday was so beautiful, my husband and I HAD to hit the rail trail on bicycles. Gorgeous day. Love the natural warmth of sun. Indoor furnaces do not do the trick. Outdoor sun-heat in moderation is the best source of warmth. Biking in the sunshine is a good day’s goal.
Nevertheless, I’m beginning to scramble for travel tip ideas for this crazy blog. Can I go a YEAR with suggestions? We shall see.
Today let’s take a long look at a matter of great import to everyone: managing finances. In some ways I’m cheap. In other ways I’m incredibly extravagant. The point is, I save my money for special moments and special treats while traveling.
Here are a few thoughts on money and travel.
1)Never buy a new car. As soon as you drive that shiny new car off the dealer’s lot, it depreciates by hundreds/thousands of dollars! Why don’t you just get $1,000 cash and flush it down the commode? Well, let me back up a bit.
The benefit of a new car is that it generally can be counted on to run well with few mechanical problems. As the miles add up on used vehicles, the likelihood of
breakdowns happening in strange locales increases substantially. That is certainly problematic when we are aiming for a fun vacation. My husband and I try to take good care of our vehicles, but after 100,000 miles, we make extra efforts to check hoses, brakes, fluids, tires, etc. I have to give my husband so much credit for readying my van for travel. We have a AAA membership with towing service available, and as I have said before, I carry a tool box equipped with a number of items that may come in handy. I’ve never used the Fix-A-Flat, but it’s there if I need it. Duct tape MAY come in handy.
Despite many good reasons to invest in a new car, I am still sold on the idea of owning a well maintained used vehicle. Many new car finance terms are so draining,
people spend much more than the original cost of the car by the time it is paid “off.” Once the loan obligation is met in full, it’s time to go into debt again.
In 2003, I bought a 1995 Ford Windstar for $1,995. It is still on the road as our backup vehicle. The average yearly car ownership cost is $133! OK, if I finance a new car for $20,000 at 6.86% with 6% sales tax and $2,000 down, the monthly payment would be $363.78. Multiply that by 12 months and the yearly cost would be $4,365.36With my Windstar, I am saving $4,232.36 annually which I can spend on gasoline, hotel rooms, meals, souvenirs, national park admission, etc. Monthly payments of $363.78 over 63 months (the average term of car loans, according to AAA) also means that the new car expense is $22,918.14. But the vehicle market value after two years alone is $12,000. It’s all downhill from there. Bankers love our money, and they are in business to take it! I know. I am a former bank loan officer.
Buy a good used car with cash.
2) Camp in your van WITH CAUTION. I am not sure that I am sold on the safety of camping alone in a van. We remove my back seats and I stretch out a sleeping bag with piles of warm comforters and my favorite pillow. I also rig three rows of curtains on light weight rods so that I have some privacy. They can be “installed" in less than 30 seconds and come down just as fast.
I have slept beside RVs in Walmart lots, but many Walmarts are moving toward disallowing overnight parking. Personally, I think it is a mistake. The few times I have “camped” with RVers, I ALWAYS buy something from the host department store. It is a win-win situation.
Nevertheless, be careful. Generally I opt for a deadbolted hotel room.
We do have one state park where I camp in the fall. It is patrolled regularly. Yet I do not sleep very well. At another park I woke up abruptly one night. I sensed that something was awry. With my eyes wide open I lay perfectly still and listened to the sound of footsteps at the rear of my van. I clutched my bear spray in one hand and my car alarm fob in the other. I would have triggered the blaring car horn alarm first and resorted to searing bear spray as a last resort. Fortunately the snooper moved away. The next morning I realized that I had not placed the reservation card in the proper slot of my camping space. A patrolling ranger may have been writing down my license plate number to check his “guest” list. I never knew who was outside the van, but I hoped it was a park employee doing his job.
Camping fees begin around $15-$20, so it’s a huge savings over hotel cost. If you are traveling alone, think twice about camping alone. Your safety is worth the cost of a locked room. Remember, your safety is your responsibility. There are dangers lurking everywhere. I wish I could protect the world from assailants, but of course, I can do no such thing.
3)Eat economically. I shop at Walmart for little containers of applesauce, nuts, crackers, water bottles, and ice. In the mornings I drive through McDonald’s where many times I can pick up skim milk. Not all McDonalds carry skim milk but some do!
I carry my own cereal and disposable bowls, so that I can control what I eat, when I eat, and where I eat. I also carry plastic drinking cups. A small portion of rich dark chocolate can be melted in the cups using a hairdryer. Stir in 1/3 cup of high fiber cereal and --- Voila! You can crunch a chocolate covered healthful treat with a touch of heart-healthy dark chocolate.
Often I stop at Cracker Barrel for lunch where I order from the Kid’s Meal Menu. Two servings of vegetables cost less than $5.00 and is a healthy midday meal. I also buy whole grain bread and order grilled chicken sandwiches with no bread.
Top off the day with a grilled chicken salad from any number of family restaurants, and you can lose weight on the road. I did. Save money and lose weight! A winning combination.
4)If you smoke, stop TODAY. Even moderate smokers can save $10.00 a day ---
Often more. $2,000, $3,000.00, or $4,000 at the end of the year will give you an opportunity for a great vacation. And you will probably live longer to enjoy more vacations down the road. Be smart. One couple I know gave up smoking and saves enough to go to the Great National Parks of the West for six weeks every year. Where could you go with a little extra money in your pocket?
5)Do you need to pay those high monthly cell phone, I-Phone fees? How much
could you save if you had a pay-as-you-go phone? Our cell phones are intended for emergencies and immediate family contacts. That’s all.
6)Cut back on movies in theaters and you will save a bundle. We have noticed that
with our High-Def TV we enjoy Blue-Ray movies more in our home than we
do in a theater. We peruse $5.00 standard DVDs and buy a movie for “movie night” at a price less than the cost of one theater ticket.
7)Read all about hyper-miling. Get your heavy foot off the gas pedal, slow down,
and cruise as you approach red traffic lights. Start out from traffic lights
s-l-o-w-l-y. Gunning the motor to race toward the next light is a waste of resources and a huge hit on your pocketbook. Avoid traffic jams during rush hours; plan your itinerary accordingly. I have been told that UPS plans deliveries with only right turns as much as possible. Stop, look all ways, and turn right on red. Coast downhill and do not ever idle your vehicle for the purpose of running the air conditioning or the heater.
Easy on the air conditioning! If the air outside is cool, do not use extra gas running the A/C. Roll down your window. You will also lose a lot of time and money waiting in line at drive-through restaurants. If there are more than two cars ahead of you, park and walk inside. There are systematic ways to get gas costs DOWN. Once you learn the “art” of hypermiling you will cut your vehicle operating costs by hundreds of dollars each year.
Walk when you do not need to drive. Make a conscious effort to THINK about how you are wasting gasoline.
8)Lots of folks throw loose change into a plastic bucket or coffee can and cash it in periodically. Personally, I have never found the process to be rewarding. However, it DOES work for some people. But, listen friends. Listen up. If you
do save loose change, be sure that you do NOT dump your coins into one of the electronic counters that are positioned at various public sites. You are LOSING money, because the machine keeps a fee for the owner’s profit. There is nothing wrong with making money. There is something wrong with throwing it away --- in my humble opinion! Your bank will count the coins for you and probably not charge you an extra fee. Your bank will also give you coin wrappers. If you roll coins while watching CSI or Lost or American Idol, you will be ready to “cash in” and
pay YOURSELF instead of paying someone else.
9)Cook at home and only eat out on special occasions. You will save lots of
money and will really enjoy the treat of a restaurant meal so much more if you
only partake of fine cuisine intermittently.
10)Clip hotel/motel coupons and walk in with your coupon in late afternoon. You
will save $50 or more per night with hotel coupons.
11)Personally, I like AAA, not only for the towing service but for the hotel
discounts. The money I save with AAA in one year more than pays my annual membership.
12)Do a lot of comparative shopping. There has been a trend in recent years to go to
online hotel discount sites, and often they do offer the best deals. BUT --- in recent months I have found that calling the hotel directly will save you more money than online booking services. The patterns change. You will have to keep
checking options to see who is REALLY making the best offer!
13)Personally, I love Marriott Rewards. The Marriott membership is free. The
Rewards points never expire (many hotel points offer relatively short term benefits), and all Marriott hotels are smoke-free. My costs are higher than many
discount hotel rates, but that is a trade-off that works well for me.
14)If you have friends or family along the way, they “may” put you up for the night.
Free is good. Be careful. Not everyone wants to run an inn for wayward travelers. Personally, I shy away from imposing on others. Although I was raised by a family who ran our home as though it were a boarding house for transients, I am not comfortable staying with friends/family. I rest better in hotels and I never feel guilty about overstaying my welcome!
A few years ago friends of ours in a magnificent, luxurious home insisted that we stay with them. Even though we insisted on staying at a hotel within a couple of miles of their home, the message we received was basically, “We will be expecting you!” So we stayed and later sent a thank-you gift basket for the lovely accommodations. We still saved LOTS of money, but would never take a chance on imposing.
Benjamin Franklin said that fish and house guests have one thing in common: after three days they stink! I choose not to stink, when possible!
15)Share trip expenses with a friend, if you REALLY know you are compatible.
Beware! Travel for two can be stressful. Some people cannot pull off the delicate
balance of sharing time with friends, regardless of how much money it saves them. Have you ever heard of guys getting into a row on a hunting trip? Not only
guys have trouble sharing living space with pals. I admit, I can count on one hand
the people I am willing to travel with, and generally, I prefer my own company.
16)Have a yard sale. Get rid of old books at a flea market. Sell cosmetics. Master the possibilities of EBAY. Do what you can do to generate a little extra income. Be creative when it comes to money. Be legal. Be ethical. Most of all, stop throwing away money you can keep for yourself. And, stop buying “stuff” you do not need.
17)Pull all your clothing items out of drawers and closets, lay them on the bed, and mix and match them for a variety of sharp travel outfits. If you have clothes you will NEVER wear again, pay a visit to Goodwill or the Salvation Army Thrift Shop. There are times when we simply need to share with others. But if you are strapped for travel money, you may be able to sell clothes at a flea market. Maybe.
18) Go to a travel agent and tell him/her what your budget is for a trip. He or she will save you hours of planning, and charge you nothing for the service. A good
agent may be able to save you hundreds of dollars. If I am going into an
unfamiliar area or out of the country, I often rely on the expertise of the pros.
I have talked to African safari travelers who never saw an animal on their
“safaris.” Let the pros watch out for your best interests while they save you
money.
19)Save your money in a bank, in a coffee can, in a sock. Just save it.
29)Avoid high risks such as gambling, lottery playing, and penny stocks.
Everybody in the money business is happy to take your money. Pay yourself
with a memorable, safe vacation!
SAFE TRAVELS, FRIENDS!
Folks, I’m not doing a great job meeting my self imposed Friday blog deadlines. Yesterday was so beautiful, my husband and I HAD to hit the rail trail on bicycles. Gorgeous day. Love the natural warmth of sun. Indoor furnaces do not do the trick. Outdoor sun-heat in moderation is the best source of warmth. Biking in the sunshine is a good day’s goal.
Nevertheless, I’m beginning to scramble for travel tip ideas for this crazy blog. Can I go a YEAR with suggestions? We shall see.
Today let’s take a long look at a matter of great import to everyone: managing finances. In some ways I’m cheap. In other ways I’m incredibly extravagant. The point is, I save my money for special moments and special treats while traveling.
Here are a few thoughts on money and travel.
1)Never buy a new car. As soon as you drive that shiny new car off the dealer’s lot, it depreciates by hundreds/thousands of dollars! Why don’t you just get $1,000 cash and flush it down the commode? Well, let me back up a bit.
The benefit of a new car is that it generally can be counted on to run well with few mechanical problems. As the miles add up on used vehicles, the likelihood of
breakdowns happening in strange locales increases substantially. That is certainly problematic when we are aiming for a fun vacation. My husband and I try to take good care of our vehicles, but after 100,000 miles, we make extra efforts to check hoses, brakes, fluids, tires, etc. I have to give my husband so much credit for readying my van for travel. We have a AAA membership with towing service available, and as I have said before, I carry a tool box equipped with a number of items that may come in handy. I’ve never used the Fix-A-Flat, but it’s there if I need it. Duct tape MAY come in handy.
Despite many good reasons to invest in a new car, I am still sold on the idea of owning a well maintained used vehicle. Many new car finance terms are so draining,
people spend much more than the original cost of the car by the time it is paid “off.” Once the loan obligation is met in full, it’s time to go into debt again.
In 2003, I bought a 1995 Ford Windstar for $1,995. It is still on the road as our backup vehicle. The average yearly car ownership cost is $133! OK, if I finance a new car for $20,000 at 6.86% with 6% sales tax and $2,000 down, the monthly payment would be $363.78. Multiply that by 12 months and the yearly cost would be $4,365.36With my Windstar, I am saving $4,232.36 annually which I can spend on gasoline, hotel rooms, meals, souvenirs, national park admission, etc. Monthly payments of $363.78 over 63 months (the average term of car loans, according to AAA) also means that the new car expense is $22,918.14. But the vehicle market value after two years alone is $12,000. It’s all downhill from there. Bankers love our money, and they are in business to take it! I know. I am a former bank loan officer.
Buy a good used car with cash.
2) Camp in your van WITH CAUTION. I am not sure that I am sold on the safety of camping alone in a van. We remove my back seats and I stretch out a sleeping bag with piles of warm comforters and my favorite pillow. I also rig three rows of curtains on light weight rods so that I have some privacy. They can be “installed" in less than 30 seconds and come down just as fast.
I have slept beside RVs in Walmart lots, but many Walmarts are moving toward disallowing overnight parking. Personally, I think it is a mistake. The few times I have “camped” with RVers, I ALWAYS buy something from the host department store. It is a win-win situation.
Nevertheless, be careful. Generally I opt for a deadbolted hotel room.
We do have one state park where I camp in the fall. It is patrolled regularly. Yet I do not sleep very well. At another park I woke up abruptly one night. I sensed that something was awry. With my eyes wide open I lay perfectly still and listened to the sound of footsteps at the rear of my van. I clutched my bear spray in one hand and my car alarm fob in the other. I would have triggered the blaring car horn alarm first and resorted to searing bear spray as a last resort. Fortunately the snooper moved away. The next morning I realized that I had not placed the reservation card in the proper slot of my camping space. A patrolling ranger may have been writing down my license plate number to check his “guest” list. I never knew who was outside the van, but I hoped it was a park employee doing his job.
Camping fees begin around $15-$20, so it’s a huge savings over hotel cost. If you are traveling alone, think twice about camping alone. Your safety is worth the cost of a locked room. Remember, your safety is your responsibility. There are dangers lurking everywhere. I wish I could protect the world from assailants, but of course, I can do no such thing.
3)Eat economically. I shop at Walmart for little containers of applesauce, nuts, crackers, water bottles, and ice. In the mornings I drive through McDonald’s where many times I can pick up skim milk. Not all McDonalds carry skim milk but some do!
I carry my own cereal and disposable bowls, so that I can control what I eat, when I eat, and where I eat. I also carry plastic drinking cups. A small portion of rich dark chocolate can be melted in the cups using a hairdryer. Stir in 1/3 cup of high fiber cereal and --- Voila! You can crunch a chocolate covered healthful treat with a touch of heart-healthy dark chocolate.
Often I stop at Cracker Barrel for lunch where I order from the Kid’s Meal Menu. Two servings of vegetables cost less than $5.00 and is a healthy midday meal. I also buy whole grain bread and order grilled chicken sandwiches with no bread.
Top off the day with a grilled chicken salad from any number of family restaurants, and you can lose weight on the road. I did. Save money and lose weight! A winning combination.
4)If you smoke, stop TODAY. Even moderate smokers can save $10.00 a day ---
Often more. $2,000, $3,000.00, or $4,000 at the end of the year will give you an opportunity for a great vacation. And you will probably live longer to enjoy more vacations down the road. Be smart. One couple I know gave up smoking and saves enough to go to the Great National Parks of the West for six weeks every year. Where could you go with a little extra money in your pocket?
5)Do you need to pay those high monthly cell phone, I-Phone fees? How much
could you save if you had a pay-as-you-go phone? Our cell phones are intended for emergencies and immediate family contacts. That’s all.
6)Cut back on movies in theaters and you will save a bundle. We have noticed that
with our High-Def TV we enjoy Blue-Ray movies more in our home than we
do in a theater. We peruse $5.00 standard DVDs and buy a movie for “movie night” at a price less than the cost of one theater ticket.
7)Read all about hyper-miling. Get your heavy foot off the gas pedal, slow down,
and cruise as you approach red traffic lights. Start out from traffic lights
s-l-o-w-l-y. Gunning the motor to race toward the next light is a waste of resources and a huge hit on your pocketbook. Avoid traffic jams during rush hours; plan your itinerary accordingly. I have been told that UPS plans deliveries with only right turns as much as possible. Stop, look all ways, and turn right on red. Coast downhill and do not ever idle your vehicle for the purpose of running the air conditioning or the heater.
Easy on the air conditioning! If the air outside is cool, do not use extra gas running the A/C. Roll down your window. You will also lose a lot of time and money waiting in line at drive-through restaurants. If there are more than two cars ahead of you, park and walk inside. There are systematic ways to get gas costs DOWN. Once you learn the “art” of hypermiling you will cut your vehicle operating costs by hundreds of dollars each year.
Walk when you do not need to drive. Make a conscious effort to THINK about how you are wasting gasoline.
8)Lots of folks throw loose change into a plastic bucket or coffee can and cash it in periodically. Personally, I have never found the process to be rewarding. However, it DOES work for some people. But, listen friends. Listen up. If you
do save loose change, be sure that you do NOT dump your coins into one of the electronic counters that are positioned at various public sites. You are LOSING money, because the machine keeps a fee for the owner’s profit. There is nothing wrong with making money. There is something wrong with throwing it away --- in my humble opinion! Your bank will count the coins for you and probably not charge you an extra fee. Your bank will also give you coin wrappers. If you roll coins while watching CSI or Lost or American Idol, you will be ready to “cash in” and
pay YOURSELF instead of paying someone else.
9)Cook at home and only eat out on special occasions. You will save lots of
money and will really enjoy the treat of a restaurant meal so much more if you
only partake of fine cuisine intermittently.
10)Clip hotel/motel coupons and walk in with your coupon in late afternoon. You
will save $50 or more per night with hotel coupons.
11)Personally, I like AAA, not only for the towing service but for the hotel
discounts. The money I save with AAA in one year more than pays my annual membership.
12)Do a lot of comparative shopping. There has been a trend in recent years to go to
online hotel discount sites, and often they do offer the best deals. BUT --- in recent months I have found that calling the hotel directly will save you more money than online booking services. The patterns change. You will have to keep
checking options to see who is REALLY making the best offer!
13)Personally, I love Marriott Rewards. The Marriott membership is free. The
Rewards points never expire (many hotel points offer relatively short term benefits), and all Marriott hotels are smoke-free. My costs are higher than many
discount hotel rates, but that is a trade-off that works well for me.
14)If you have friends or family along the way, they “may” put you up for the night.
Free is good. Be careful. Not everyone wants to run an inn for wayward travelers. Personally, I shy away from imposing on others. Although I was raised by a family who ran our home as though it were a boarding house for transients, I am not comfortable staying with friends/family. I rest better in hotels and I never feel guilty about overstaying my welcome!
A few years ago friends of ours in a magnificent, luxurious home insisted that we stay with them. Even though we insisted on staying at a hotel within a couple of miles of their home, the message we received was basically, “We will be expecting you!” So we stayed and later sent a thank-you gift basket for the lovely accommodations. We still saved LOTS of money, but would never take a chance on imposing.
Benjamin Franklin said that fish and house guests have one thing in common: after three days they stink! I choose not to stink, when possible!
15)Share trip expenses with a friend, if you REALLY know you are compatible.
Beware! Travel for two can be stressful. Some people cannot pull off the delicate
balance of sharing time with friends, regardless of how much money it saves them. Have you ever heard of guys getting into a row on a hunting trip? Not only
guys have trouble sharing living space with pals. I admit, I can count on one hand
the people I am willing to travel with, and generally, I prefer my own company.
16)Have a yard sale. Get rid of old books at a flea market. Sell cosmetics. Master the possibilities of EBAY. Do what you can do to generate a little extra income. Be creative when it comes to money. Be legal. Be ethical. Most of all, stop throwing away money you can keep for yourself. And, stop buying “stuff” you do not need.
17)Pull all your clothing items out of drawers and closets, lay them on the bed, and mix and match them for a variety of sharp travel outfits. If you have clothes you will NEVER wear again, pay a visit to Goodwill or the Salvation Army Thrift Shop. There are times when we simply need to share with others. But if you are strapped for travel money, you may be able to sell clothes at a flea market. Maybe.
18) Go to a travel agent and tell him/her what your budget is for a trip. He or she will save you hours of planning, and charge you nothing for the service. A good
agent may be able to save you hundreds of dollars. If I am going into an
unfamiliar area or out of the country, I often rely on the expertise of the pros.
I have talked to African safari travelers who never saw an animal on their
“safaris.” Let the pros watch out for your best interests while they save you
money.
19)Save your money in a bank, in a coffee can, in a sock. Just save it.
29)Avoid high risks such as gambling, lottery playing, and penny stocks.
Everybody in the money business is happy to take your money. Pay yourself
with a memorable, safe vacation!
SAFE TRAVELS, FRIENDS!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Travel Tip #9 PLAN. PLAN. PLAN.
Carefully plan trips with companions. That is the key to a successful trip, especially when you have interests that lead you in one direction and your companion has interests leading him or her in an entirely different direction. Nothing spoils a great vacation more than a squabble over where to go, how to get there, and how to “enjoy” the destination. I’ve traveled with friends, family, my spouse, and --- in the old days --- with schoolmates. The absolute freedom of hitting the road alone leaves every stop, every break, every side trip, and every destination absolutely a matter of one’s own preferences. Traveling with another party changes everything.
So, here are a few ideas for making the trip as wonderful as it can possibly be.
1) Take your companion’s interests into consideration. My husband loves antique stores, flea markets, junk stores, bicycle shops, theatre, concerts, parades, anything with a fish in it, and weird destinations. We MUST make it to the world’s largest ball of yarn --- or something like that! I love museums, historic sites, theatre, concerts, light hearted entertainment parks like Disney, great food, art, and scenic byways. Several years ago I went to our travel agent and explained my husband’s interests. Then I enumerated my loves. Finally, I gave him a budget and told him to plan the perfect trip. We ended up driving to Toronto where my husband and I parted early in the day. He went to some riverfront market destination. I went to a marvelous museum. Late in the afternoon, we met back at the hotel and went to dinner before traveling on to see Phantom of the Opera. Our hotel room was a first class suite at the top of the hotel where we overlooked the city skyline. Perfect. Win-win situation.
2) Strive for a win-win situation so that people enjoy the trip. When our daughter was little and going through a picky eating phase, she would eat only at McDonalds. On our trip to Disney World, we made a point of getting her meals first, and then we would go to another restaurant for seafood or steaks --- whatever.
On my recent trip to Florida, I planned my itinerary for the first half of the trip so that I did everything I wanted to do. My husband flew to Orlando where we
celebrated his birthday at Epcot and visited friends in central Florida. Then I told him to tell me which direction he wanted to go. I was ready to set the GPS and make hotel reservations according to his whims. I was pleasantly surprised when he announced at dinner one evening that he wanted to see the largest aquarium in the world --- in Atlanta. Cool.
Once we got to Atlanta, I wanted to see the Martin Luther King Historic Site and the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Initially we planned for me to do separate sight seeing in the afternoon while he perused every exhibit at the aquarium. But once he saw his beluga whales, his hammerhead shark, and a host of other sea creatures swimming all around us in the underwater tunnel he was ready to leave, so we went to the historic sites together.
Then there was Stone Mountain. And Mount Airy, North Carolina (Mayberry). We paced ourselves carefully, but I gave him a lot of latitude for deciding where we would go, how much time we would spend there, and how many hours of driving we would do each day. The second half of the trip was his. The first half of the trip was mine.
3) Pack comfortable clothes and check the weather carefully. At one point it was
so chilly at Epcot’s Jose Feliciano Concert, my husband was nearly frozen to the
bleacher seat. I shooed him toward the closest gift shop to warm up. By the time I joined him, I insisted that he invest in a hooded sweatshirt. No need to be miserable.
4)Be considerate in the hotel room. Share the remote. Pack your favorite mystery
in the suitcase so you will be entertained while he watches his favorite show on TV.
5)Check frequently to see how your companion is doing. Is s/he tired, hungry,
anxious to take a side trip, disappointed by the agenda? Keep checking to
see what will make the trip comfortable and rewarding. Do not wait until nerves are frazzled and tempers flare. Whoa! Way too late for correcting the problem.
6)Speak up about your interests. A happy relationship is not a lose-win conciliation. In other words, never sacrifice your happiness for someone else’s pleasure. Find hotels, restaurants, sights, activities, and rest stops according to both people’s loves. It can be done. It is your trip too. If you hate to cook on a camping trip, volunteer to drive to Colonel Sanders’ and bring back a heaping pile of chicken in a bucket. (Make sure your companion likes chicken.)
7)Try to find a happy way to manage differences in sleeping patterns. On trips to Washington, DC, I often sleep “in.” My husband is an early riser. He heads out on the streets to visit with homeless people and offer them a meal. He always offers the homeless friendship and food. It is an endearing quality that never fails to impress me. He sees humanity where the masses see nothing.
I get to sleep late. He gets up and makes a beeline for another destination so my sleep is not disturbed. On other occasions, he gets up early, has breakfast in the hotel dining area and then he brings me juice, fruit, cereal, milk, and hot tea to our room. Aaah --- breakfast in bed. Win-win.
8)I love cross country trips. He likes to fly to one destination. So this year I drove ahead to Florida and he cruised into Orlando on Southwest --- yammering to some
inquisitive triplets about the joy they expected to experience at --- where else --- Disney World!
9)Don’t overdo it. Fatigue is a subtle spoiler of trips. Plan lots of breaks and plan on being flexible. Add a day or two to your itinerary so you can spend less time on the road if the old fatigue problem threatens to spoil the fun. An extra day or two also gives you the option of taking a side trip to a light house or a museum or an aquarium. Plan on having fun.
10)Plan a budget that will allow you to enjoy the trip. Clip hotel coupons from the
booklets provided at rest areas. When we got home, my husband made a point of
thanking me for managing the hotel stops with discounts, convenience, smoke free accommodations, and restaurant convenience. Take on an equal amount of responsibility so that one person is not being the “Super Woman” or “Super Traveler” while everybody else uses the hours for fun. Be clear about who is driving, how far each day’s drive will be, and who will manage route planning, hotels, meals, etc.
11)Keep a supply of food and water on hand in case growling tummies cannot wait
for the next stop twenty miles down the road. I carry a Ziploc bag filled with plastic spoons. A scoop of peanut butter (the jar fits marvelously in the drink container holder) will quash hunger on the spot. On the last trip I carried a loaf of whole grain bread. If I stopped for a burger, I transferred the meat from the white bread bun to the healthier bread. Carrying fruit is fine as long as you plan to eat it!!!! Nothing makes a car smell nastier than an over-ripe banana. THINK about what foods will stave off hunger, but not ruin the car interior “atmosphere.”
12)Allow time for rest room breaks, whether you need to stop or not. But make the
stops quick and get back on the road. I have to stop every two hours to stretch out and walk. But I only walk four or five minutes before hopping back in the van. Otherwise my back aches and my legs tighten from the strain of bouncing along the road. It is also a good idea to consider the risks of riding for a long time in a sitting position. Be sure to stretch legs, wiggle feet, and walk with a fair amount of frequency to ensure good circulation.
13)Audio books and music help with long trips. Just be careful not to be too
distracted by the narrated story. And if your companion does not enjoy your taste
in audio books, use the headphones! Don’t forget the headphones. USE HEADPHONES ONLY IF YOU ARE A PASSENGER --- NEVER IF YOU ARE A DRIVER. Behind the steering wheel, keep ALL your senses sharp and distraction free. No texting! No cell phones! No I-Phone ear buds. NO HEADPHONES. You want to get back home alive, right? Think. You cannot multi-task as well as you think.
14)Be patient with your companion. Be patient with yourself. My husband’s gum
chewing drives me nuts! But that is not HIS problem. It is MY problem. Why it
bugs me is a mystery. I just look out the window or take a nap when he drives down the road, chomping away. I have no business asking him not to chew gum.
15)Finally, thank each other for everyday courtesies. Remind him or her how much you love sharing the trip. Thank him for driving. Joke around and make laughter the heart of the experience. Always laugh – not AT the other person – but with him or her!!!!! Keep the days light and memorable. In other words, have a positive attitude by CHOICE! It’s contagious.
Carefully plan trips with companions. That is the key to a successful trip, especially when you have interests that lead you in one direction and your companion has interests leading him or her in an entirely different direction. Nothing spoils a great vacation more than a squabble over where to go, how to get there, and how to “enjoy” the destination. I’ve traveled with friends, family, my spouse, and --- in the old days --- with schoolmates. The absolute freedom of hitting the road alone leaves every stop, every break, every side trip, and every destination absolutely a matter of one’s own preferences. Traveling with another party changes everything.
So, here are a few ideas for making the trip as wonderful as it can possibly be.
1) Take your companion’s interests into consideration. My husband loves antique stores, flea markets, junk stores, bicycle shops, theatre, concerts, parades, anything with a fish in it, and weird destinations. We MUST make it to the world’s largest ball of yarn --- or something like that! I love museums, historic sites, theatre, concerts, light hearted entertainment parks like Disney, great food, art, and scenic byways. Several years ago I went to our travel agent and explained my husband’s interests. Then I enumerated my loves. Finally, I gave him a budget and told him to plan the perfect trip. We ended up driving to Toronto where my husband and I parted early in the day. He went to some riverfront market destination. I went to a marvelous museum. Late in the afternoon, we met back at the hotel and went to dinner before traveling on to see Phantom of the Opera. Our hotel room was a first class suite at the top of the hotel where we overlooked the city skyline. Perfect. Win-win situation.
2) Strive for a win-win situation so that people enjoy the trip. When our daughter was little and going through a picky eating phase, she would eat only at McDonalds. On our trip to Disney World, we made a point of getting her meals first, and then we would go to another restaurant for seafood or steaks --- whatever.
On my recent trip to Florida, I planned my itinerary for the first half of the trip so that I did everything I wanted to do. My husband flew to Orlando where we
celebrated his birthday at Epcot and visited friends in central Florida. Then I told him to tell me which direction he wanted to go. I was ready to set the GPS and make hotel reservations according to his whims. I was pleasantly surprised when he announced at dinner one evening that he wanted to see the largest aquarium in the world --- in Atlanta. Cool.
Once we got to Atlanta, I wanted to see the Martin Luther King Historic Site and the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Initially we planned for me to do separate sight seeing in the afternoon while he perused every exhibit at the aquarium. But once he saw his beluga whales, his hammerhead shark, and a host of other sea creatures swimming all around us in the underwater tunnel he was ready to leave, so we went to the historic sites together.
Then there was Stone Mountain. And Mount Airy, North Carolina (Mayberry). We paced ourselves carefully, but I gave him a lot of latitude for deciding where we would go, how much time we would spend there, and how many hours of driving we would do each day. The second half of the trip was his. The first half of the trip was mine.
3) Pack comfortable clothes and check the weather carefully. At one point it was
so chilly at Epcot’s Jose Feliciano Concert, my husband was nearly frozen to the
bleacher seat. I shooed him toward the closest gift shop to warm up. By the time I joined him, I insisted that he invest in a hooded sweatshirt. No need to be miserable.
4)Be considerate in the hotel room. Share the remote. Pack your favorite mystery
in the suitcase so you will be entertained while he watches his favorite show on TV.
5)Check frequently to see how your companion is doing. Is s/he tired, hungry,
anxious to take a side trip, disappointed by the agenda? Keep checking to
see what will make the trip comfortable and rewarding. Do not wait until nerves are frazzled and tempers flare. Whoa! Way too late for correcting the problem.
6)Speak up about your interests. A happy relationship is not a lose-win conciliation. In other words, never sacrifice your happiness for someone else’s pleasure. Find hotels, restaurants, sights, activities, and rest stops according to both people’s loves. It can be done. It is your trip too. If you hate to cook on a camping trip, volunteer to drive to Colonel Sanders’ and bring back a heaping pile of chicken in a bucket. (Make sure your companion likes chicken.)
7)Try to find a happy way to manage differences in sleeping patterns. On trips to Washington, DC, I often sleep “in.” My husband is an early riser. He heads out on the streets to visit with homeless people and offer them a meal. He always offers the homeless friendship and food. It is an endearing quality that never fails to impress me. He sees humanity where the masses see nothing.
I get to sleep late. He gets up and makes a beeline for another destination so my sleep is not disturbed. On other occasions, he gets up early, has breakfast in the hotel dining area and then he brings me juice, fruit, cereal, milk, and hot tea to our room. Aaah --- breakfast in bed. Win-win.
8)I love cross country trips. He likes to fly to one destination. So this year I drove ahead to Florida and he cruised into Orlando on Southwest --- yammering to some
inquisitive triplets about the joy they expected to experience at --- where else --- Disney World!
9)Don’t overdo it. Fatigue is a subtle spoiler of trips. Plan lots of breaks and plan on being flexible. Add a day or two to your itinerary so you can spend less time on the road if the old fatigue problem threatens to spoil the fun. An extra day or two also gives you the option of taking a side trip to a light house or a museum or an aquarium. Plan on having fun.
10)Plan a budget that will allow you to enjoy the trip. Clip hotel coupons from the
booklets provided at rest areas. When we got home, my husband made a point of
thanking me for managing the hotel stops with discounts, convenience, smoke free accommodations, and restaurant convenience. Take on an equal amount of responsibility so that one person is not being the “Super Woman” or “Super Traveler” while everybody else uses the hours for fun. Be clear about who is driving, how far each day’s drive will be, and who will manage route planning, hotels, meals, etc.
11)Keep a supply of food and water on hand in case growling tummies cannot wait
for the next stop twenty miles down the road. I carry a Ziploc bag filled with plastic spoons. A scoop of peanut butter (the jar fits marvelously in the drink container holder) will quash hunger on the spot. On the last trip I carried a loaf of whole grain bread. If I stopped for a burger, I transferred the meat from the white bread bun to the healthier bread. Carrying fruit is fine as long as you plan to eat it!!!! Nothing makes a car smell nastier than an over-ripe banana. THINK about what foods will stave off hunger, but not ruin the car interior “atmosphere.”
12)Allow time for rest room breaks, whether you need to stop or not. But make the
stops quick and get back on the road. I have to stop every two hours to stretch out and walk. But I only walk four or five minutes before hopping back in the van. Otherwise my back aches and my legs tighten from the strain of bouncing along the road. It is also a good idea to consider the risks of riding for a long time in a sitting position. Be sure to stretch legs, wiggle feet, and walk with a fair amount of frequency to ensure good circulation.
13)Audio books and music help with long trips. Just be careful not to be too
distracted by the narrated story. And if your companion does not enjoy your taste
in audio books, use the headphones! Don’t forget the headphones. USE HEADPHONES ONLY IF YOU ARE A PASSENGER --- NEVER IF YOU ARE A DRIVER. Behind the steering wheel, keep ALL your senses sharp and distraction free. No texting! No cell phones! No I-Phone ear buds. NO HEADPHONES. You want to get back home alive, right? Think. You cannot multi-task as well as you think.
14)Be patient with your companion. Be patient with yourself. My husband’s gum
chewing drives me nuts! But that is not HIS problem. It is MY problem. Why it
bugs me is a mystery. I just look out the window or take a nap when he drives down the road, chomping away. I have no business asking him not to chew gum.
15)Finally, thank each other for everyday courtesies. Remind him or her how much you love sharing the trip. Thank him for driving. Joke around and make laughter the heart of the experience. Always laugh – not AT the other person – but with him or her!!!!! Keep the days light and memorable. In other words, have a positive attitude by CHOICE! It’s contagious.
Friday, March 19, 2010
TRAVEL TIP #8 - Hotel Safety – Watch your back
You may have guessed by now that my blog is a wee bit behind schedule BECAUSE I have been ---- traveling! Accordingly, my next safety suggestion is NEVER to disclose online when you are traveling. There are thieves who are watching your home in anticipation of helping themselves to your big screen TV, just about the time you fly off to the sunny skies of the Bahamas, Caymans or Virgin Islands.
No, I did not go to the islands, and I did not discover the real Jurassic Park. The picture on today’s blog post was shot at my always favorite retreat: Disney World. Hotels are clean. Staff is amazingly gracious. The parks are perfect. I arrived at Epcot just in time for the opening of the International Flower Show. My husband flew to Florida and we spent a lovely evening dining in “Morroco” and watching Jose Feliciano sing in concert. Yes. Feliciano’s voice is as melodic and flawless as ever. His musicianship is phenomenal. And his sense of humor is endearing. The lineup of music artists for the Festival is tremendous. I wish I could have heard EVERY scheduled concert! Performers in the near future include David Cassidy, Starship, Tony Orlando, Herman’s Hermits, the Nelsons tribute to Ricky Nelson, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Fran Cosmo (former singer of Boston), Davy Jones, and Chubby Checker and the Wildcats. If you’re close to Disney, go to dinner and a concert on the lake. Can’t beat it with a stick. Wow! What a vacation. My husband beamed from ear to ear. It helped that there are no snowblowers in Florida!
So, you see, I just returned from the sunny southeastern USA where I relaxed at Disney, rested at Club Med, Port St. Lucie at the annual Carter Center Retreat, and sauntered back through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia. It was so wonderful to escape the snow drifts and 5 degrees that prevailed the day I left. Happily I’m settled back at home, and enjoying increased sunshine and gradually warming temperatures.
Whether I travel alone or with my husband, hotel safety is always a concern. There are many sources of hotel safety tips online, and I encourage you to review as much information as possible. The following list is just a personal outline of my priorities when settling down for the evening. It is not all inclusive. Again, I cannot assume responsibility for your personal safety. It is essential to use your head, use some common sense, do your homework, and trust your instincts if you feel you are at risk.
1)Choose a hotel in a safe location. And, if you think a hotel along the Interstate is the safest place to stay, think again. There are some definite advantages: no dark garage parking, no pan handlers, no bars on the windows of restaurants. But behind the “safe” appearance of shiny hotels and restaurants just off the intermittent freeway ramps is the potential for thieves to snatch and run. Easy access to a major highway system means that a thief or assailant can quickly blend in with all the other vehicles buzzing along the highway.
Once I drove a short quarter mile off the Interstate to a name brand hotel, but the parking lot appearance “felt” threatening. I turned my vehicle around, found a brightly lit inn, and called the seedy hotel to cancel my reservations before the 6:00 deadline.
2)Don’t assume that bright lights and clean appearances guarantee safety. Keep your eyes open. One recent news story in our area reported a kidnapping in broad daylight at a high end restaurant where most of us would believe we were safe.
3)Park your car at the front of the hotel, never in shadowy back lots. That means
you have to travel early in the day, and check in early in the evening.
4)If you feel uncomfortable, ask the hotel staff for assistance. When my car broke
down in Washington, DC several years ago, I asked the hotel manager for an
escort to my room from the underground garage. It was late at night and I had been attending a conference several blocks away from the hotel. Not only did the garage attendant provide a safe escort, he checked the room thoroughly (closets, bathroom, etc.) before assuring me that I would be safe.
5)One hotel experienced friend reminded me recently to deadbolt the door and
Secure the safety chain/bar immediately after entering the room. She had known of hotel clerks inadvertently assigning the same room key/number to successive
guests who walked in on people who were not expecting them!
6)When you check in, be sure that the hotel clerk does not say your room number.
S/he should write the number on your card envelope. If your number is spoken aloud, ask for another room assignment and explain why it is important.
7)Invest in portable motion detector and doorstop alarms for your room door and
windows. Pack extra batteries.
8)Choose a “safe” room, although I cannot honestly tell you what that is! I do
know that walking along dark outside corridors and walkways toward isolated
rooms at far reaches of huge hotel complexes is probably not a good choice.
The nice thing with Disney is that you can be very specific in your room request
if you make your reservations well in advance. They will try to accommodate you to the extent possible.
9)I do prefer lower level rooms in large hotels, primarily because it saves time
waiting on elevators to high floors. You can probably save an hour a day in some
cases by NOT waiting on slow elevators to stop at seventeen floors before reaching you. On the other hand, thieves/assailants on lower floors have quick
exits from their crimes, so you may be more vulnerable on a lower floor. I also have this recording in my head --- something about fire truck ladders reaching only the first ten floors of a building. I “think” Jerry Seinfeld has a story about
being in a hotel fire and sitting on the balcony waiting for someone to rescue him.
At some point, it occurred to him that no one was coming and he had to become proactive in reaching safety. I can’t say with absolute certainty that it was
Seinfeld who went through that experience, but some “old” memory tells me it was he.
I DO know that Charles Kuralt was saved from a hotel fire by a hooker who pounded on his door in the middle of the night. No one else came. Just a hooker.
10)With that in mind, check all your exits. On a lower floor, I check to see if the
windows will slide open, allowing me the MOST DIRECT escape from an emergency situation. I sleep with a small flashlight on my night stand. Emergency lights should work. So should fire sprinklers and alarms. But do you
want to trust your life to someone who gives out a room key to the guest who enters the building behind you?
At one favorite Amish country bed and breakfast I was curious. I removed
the battery cover from the First Alert smoke detector and found that there WERE no batteries. Fat chance of getting out of that second story farm house. Henceforth, I carry my own smoke detector. I’ve never carried my own carbon monoxide detector, but it is something to think about.
11)Park in safe parking spaces, away from bushes, vans, dumpsters or other objects
where assailants can hide. The kidnapped woman whom I spoke about earlier was grabbed by a man hiding in hotel shrubbery.
12)Four stars do not mean we are safe. Look at the atrocious crimes that have been
carried out at America’s finest hotels. Keep you eyes alert. Just when you think you are safe, you are not.
13)Never show your hotel room key in public places and never discuss the hotel
where you are staying.
14)Enroll in that self defense class I discussed previously.
15)If you go to a bar, you are sending the wrong message. Stay with family
restaurants on the road. Take carry-out to your room. I often stash a
grilled chicken salad in my hotel fridge and worry nothing about venturing out
at night in search of dinner.
15)If you leave your room, leave the television running, a light on, and the DO NOT
DISTURB sign hanging on your door. Create the illusion that you are in the room.
16)Carefully check closets, showers, etc. as soon as you enter the room. If there is
room underneath the bed for a person, check it! I was told several years ago that
an acquaintance was on her honeymoon, totally distracted by the romance of the
moment. In the morning when she and her husband awoke, his “good buddies”
crawled out from underneath the bed and told them to have a nice day. True story? I don’t know. Do you want to take the chance?
17)Get a room with a safe when possible and secure your valuables. Otherwise, get
a lock box at the front desk to secure irreplaceable jewelry, cash, credit cards, cameras, etc. in your absence.
18)If you don’t feel safe getting on an elevator with someone, feign distraction and walk toward other people in the immediate area. Take the next elevator.
19)Never invite people into your room. Are you really bent on self destruction?
20)Never believe the “manager” is knocking on your door. Call the front desk.
21)Use the peephole before opening the door to anyone. Look for a hotel uniform, but don’t trust it. Several years ago I was at a colorful tropical hotel where the
staff wore flowered shirts. When I ordered room service and saw a floral shirt
attired young man at the door, I cautiously peered across the safety bar, looking for a name tag and sniffing for hot food! Then I opened the door.
22)Talk about where you and your husband are going on this trip. Feign
companionship.
23)Always quickly review the safety card that is provided in your hotel rooms. Even
if you can predict the contents, reviewing the advice each time will heighten your
awareness of safety procedures. Don’t become complacent.
24)Never let anyone convince you that your are being silly taking safety precautions.
My husband admits that he feels safer when he is with me because I am so vigilant. Now THAT’s a switch! I make HIM feel safe? Good.
25)We are never safe. We are only managing space and time to minimize risks.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
WATCH YOUR BACK
You may have guessed by now that my blog is a wee bit behind schedule BECAUSE I have been ---- traveling! Accordingly, my next safety suggestion is NEVER to disclose online when you are traveling. There are thieves who are watching your home in anticipation of helping themselves to your big screen TV, just about the time you fly off to the sunny skies of the Bahamas, Caymans or Virgin Islands.
No, I did not go to the islands, and I did not discover the real Jurassic Park. The picture on today’s blog post was shot at my always favorite retreat: Disney World. Hotels are clean. Staff is amazingly gracious. The parks are perfect. I arrived at Epcot just in time for the opening of the International Flower Show. My husband flew to Florida and we spent a lovely evening dining in “Morroco” and watching Jose Feliciano sing in concert. Yes. Feliciano’s voice is as melodic and flawless as ever. His musicianship is phenomenal. And his sense of humor is endearing. The lineup of music artists for the Festival is tremendous. I wish I could have heard EVERY scheduled concert! Performers in the near future include David Cassidy, Starship, Tony Orlando, Herman’s Hermits, the Nelsons tribute to Ricky Nelson, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Fran Cosmo (former singer of Boston), Davy Jones, and Chubby Checker and the Wildcats. If you’re close to Disney, go to dinner and a concert on the lake. Can’t beat it with a stick. Wow! What a vacation. My husband beamed from ear to ear. It helped that there are no snowblowers in Florida!
So, you see, I just returned from the sunny southeastern USA where I relaxed at Disney, rested at Club Med, Port St. Lucie at the annual Carter Center Retreat, and sauntered back through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia. It was so wonderful to escape the snow drifts and 5 degrees that prevailed the day I left. Happily I’m settled back at home, and enjoying increased sunshine and gradually warming temperatures.
Whether I travel alone or with my husband, hotel safety is always a concern. There are many sources of hotel safety tips online, and I encourage you to review as much information as possible. The following list is just a personal outline of my priorities when settling down for the evening. It is not all inclusive. Again, I cannot assume responsibility for your personal safety. It is essential to use your head, use some common sense, do your homework, and trust your instincts if you feel you are at risk.
1)Choose a hotel in a safe location. And, if you think a hotel along the Interstate is the safest place to stay, think again. There are some definite advantages: no dark garage parking, no pan handlers, no bars on the windows of restaurants. But behind the “safe” appearance of shiny hotels and restaurants just off the intermittent freeway ramps is the potential for thieves to snatch and run. Easy access to a major highway system means that a thief or assailant can quickly blend in with all the other vehicles buzzing along the highway.
Once I drove a short quarter mile off the Interstate to a name brand hotel, but the parking lot appearance “felt” threatening. I turned my vehicle around, found a brightly lit inn, and called the seedy hotel to cancel my reservations before the 6:00 deadline.
2)Don’t assume that bright lights and clean appearances guarantee safety. Keep your eyes open. One recent news story in our area reported a kidnapping in broad daylight at a high end restaurant where most of us would believe we were safe.
3)Park your car at the front of the hotel, never in shadowy back lots. That means
you have to travel early in the day, and check in early in the evening.
4)If you feel uncomfortable, ask the hotel staff for assistance. When my car broke
down in Washington, DC several years ago, I asked the hotel manager for an
escort to my room from the underground garage. It was late at night and I had been attending a conference several blocks away from the hotel. Not only did the garage attendant provide a safe escort, he checked the room thoroughly (closets, bathroom, etc.) before assuring me that I would be safe.
5)One hotel experienced friend reminded me recently to deadbolt the door and
Secure the safety chain/bar immediately after entering the room. She had known of hotel clerks inadvertently assigning the same room key/number to successive
guests who walked in on people who were not expecting them!
6)When you check in, be sure that the hotel clerk does not say your room number.
S/he should write the number on your card envelope. If your number is spoken aloud, ask for another room assignment and explain why it is important.
7)Invest in portable motion detector and doorstop alarms for your room door and
windows. Pack extra batteries.
8)Choose a “safe” room, although I cannot honestly tell you what that is! I do
know that walking along dark outside corridors and walkways toward isolated
rooms at far reaches of huge hotel complexes is probably not a good choice.
The nice thing with Disney is that you can be very specific in your room request
if you make your reservations well in advance. They will try to accommodate you to the extent possible.
9)I do prefer lower level rooms in large hotels, primarily because it saves time
waiting on elevators to high floors. You can probably save an hour a day in some
cases by NOT waiting on slow elevators to stop at seventeen floors before reaching you. On the other hand, thieves/assailants on lower floors have quick
exits from their crimes, so you may be more vulnerable on a lower floor. I also have this recording in my head --- something about fire truck ladders reaching only the first ten floors of a building. I “think” Jerry Seinfeld has a story about
being in a hotel fire and sitting on the balcony waiting for someone to rescue him.
At some point, it occurred to him that no one was coming and he had to become proactive in reaching safety. I can’t say with absolute certainty that it was
Seinfeld who went through that experience, but some “old” memory tells me it was he.
I DO know that Charles Kuralt was saved from a hotel fire by a hooker who pounded on his door in the middle of the night. No one else came. Just a hooker.
10)With that in mind, check all your exits. On a lower floor, I check to see if the
windows will slide open, allowing me the MOST DIRECT escape from an emergency situation. I sleep with a small flashlight on my night stand. Emergency lights should work. So should fire sprinklers and alarms. But do you
want to trust your life to someone who gives out a room key to the guest who enters the building behind you?
At one favorite Amish country bed and breakfast I was curious. I removed
the battery cover from the First Alert smoke detector and found that there WERE no batteries. Fat chance of getting out of that second story farm house. Henceforth, I carry my own smoke detector. I’ve never carried my own carbon monoxide detector, but it is something to think about.
11)Park in safe parking spaces, away from bushes, vans, dumpsters or other objects
where assailants can hide. The kidnapped woman whom I spoke about earlier was grabbed by a man hiding in hotel shrubbery.
12)Four stars do not mean we are safe. Look at the atrocious crimes that have been
carried out at America’s finest hotels. Keep you eyes alert. Just when you think you are safe, you are not.
13)Never show your hotel room key in public places and never discuss the hotel
where you are staying.
14)Enroll in that self defense class I discussed previously.
15)If you go to a bar, you are sending the wrong message. Stay with family
restaurants on the road. Take carry-out to your room. I often stash a
grilled chicken salad in my hotel fridge and worry nothing about venturing out
at night in search of dinner.
15)If you leave your room, leave the television running, a light on, and the DO NOT
DISTURB sign hanging on your door. Create the illusion that you are in the room.
16)Carefully check closets, showers, etc. as soon as you enter the room. If there is
room underneath the bed for a person, check it! I was told several years ago that
an acquaintance was on her honeymoon, totally distracted by the romance of the
moment. In the morning when she and her husband awoke, his “good buddies”
crawled out from underneath the bed and told them to have a nice day. True story? I don’t know. Do you want to take the chance?
17)Get a room with a safe when possible and secure your valuables. Otherwise, get
a lock box at the front desk to secure irreplaceable jewelry, cash, credit cards, cameras, etc. in your absence.
18)If you don’t feel safe getting on an elevator with someone, feign distraction and walk toward other people in the immediate area. Take the next elevator.
19)Never invite people into your room. Are you really bent on self destruction?
20)Never believe the “manager” is knocking on your door. Call the front desk.
21)Use the peephole before opening the door to anyone. Look for a hotel uniform, but don’t trust it. Several years ago I was at a colorful tropical hotel where the
staff wore flowered shirts. When I ordered room service and saw a floral shirt
attired young man at the door, I cautiously peered across the safety bar, looking for a name tag and sniffing for hot food! Then I opened the door.
22)Talk about where you and your husband are going on this trip. Feign
companionship.
23)Always quickly review the safety card that is provided in your hotel rooms. Even
if you can predict the contents, reviewing the advice each time will heighten your
awareness of safety procedures. Don’t become complacent.
24)Never let anyone convince you that your are being silly taking safety precautions.
My husband admits that he feels safer when he is with me because I am so vigilant. Now THAT’s a switch! I make HIM feel safe? Good.
25)We are never safe. We are only managing space and time to minimize risks.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
WATCH YOUR BACK
Sunday, February 28, 2010
TRAVEL TIP #7 BE SAFE!
TRAVEL TIP #7 Be safe!
©2010
Wow, another crazy week. I'm just now catching up with my BLOG and have some important things to say about personal safety. Take care of yourself, so that your travels are as enjoyable as they can possibly be.
Traveling safely is absolutely the highest priority for a successful trip. Nothing can destroy the joy of travel faster than a thief or mugger taking advantage of a situation in which you become vulnerable. Use your head. If your “instincts” say that a situation is threatening put yourself first. It’s your trip. It’s your property. It’s your life.
1. Be alert. Pay attention to all people who are in close proximity to you. Avoid putting yourself into positions where you are isolated. There are no guarantees that there is safety in a crowd. Certainly there is a strange phenomenon in which people disregard persons in peril. So don’t count on a security guard to come to the rescue. Recent news reports show how willingly some people will stand by and watch a beating as though it were mere entertainment.
2. Take a personal safety class. Many police officers offer self defense training as a
community service. It is not necessary to pay for self defense training. Call your local law enforcement office and ask for instruction in self defense.
3. Drive during daylight hours.
4. If you go out at night, do so with a friend. Be particularly careful when in
unfamiliar territory. When traveling abroad, be particularly cognizant of potential
dangers. Always check out the State Department advisories as they pertain to your destination.
5. Don’t assume that you are safe in a small town or in YOUR town. Thievery,
assault, kidnappings occur everywhere.
6. When traveling alone, create the illusion that you are with your husband. Talk to
The hotel clerks about places that you and your husband can have dinner, see the sights, etc. Ask for two room keys.
7. Place a bogus passenger or the illusion of a passenger beside you in your vehicle.
I have been looking for a realistic mannequin for a long time, but they seem to be
very expensive and in short supply. For the time being, I position a wide brim straw hat on top of the passenger seat, creating the illusion of two people in the
vehicle. No one is more vulnerable than s/he who is alone.
8. Where legal, carry items that can be used for self defense. You will have to check
out local laws to ensure that you are in compliance. I carry pepper spray, an air horn, walkie talkies, a whistle, a taser, a cell phone, a battery powered emergency flasher, and alarms to put under my hotel room doors. If an intruder tries to pass
through a hotel door or window, one of the alarms will screech an ear piercing siren and in many cases will frighten the intruder enough to discourage further invasion.
9. Use common items for self defense. Several years ago a student who was a
former MP (military police officer) gave a self defense speech in one of my classes. He asked us to look in our purses and backpacks for items we could use
to protect ourselves. I remember him holding up a ball point pen and instructing us to go for the eyes. We squirmed, but understood if it’s our life or an assailant’s
eye, we choose life. Also, Jake told those of us with nylon bristle hairbrushes to imagine the efficacy of being assaulted with multiple, pencil point bristles in the eye. The one tip I most often recall was not one which relied on personal items
for self defense. He asked another student to stand in the front of the room beside him. Then he raised his foot knee-high and quickly thrust the foot through the air adjacent to the side of the other student’s knee. Of course he stopped short of
actually hitting the person’s leg, but assured us that it takes very little force to dislocate a knee. Slam your foot into the side of the knee, and your attacker will
be disabled.
10. Always carry enough cash to appease a thief. One New York law enforcement
officer advised me to carry at last $100 cash at all times. Give it away without hesitation if you are threatened. Accordingly, it is important to turn over your purse and its contents, which may be sufficient to save yourself from a personal attack.
11. Strap a fanny pack with a steel reinforced strap around your waist, and never,
never be separated from the pack. Wearing a fanny pack looks a bit dorky, but
it frees both hands for eating, handling doorknobs, tugging suitcases, etc.
12. Never lay a purse on a seat beside you in a restaurant and never lay a purse on
the table. By the time a robber grabs the bag, he or she will be on the run while you are still trying to get out of your seat.
13. Never place a purse on the passenger seat of an automobile. Your side window
can be smashed in an instant when you stop for a traffic light. Before you have a chance to call for help, the thief will be gone. Place your purse on the floor by your feet. If you are going to secure your cell phone, fasten the fanny pack strap to your seatbelt strap or secure it to the frame underneath the driver’s seat.
14. Carry only one credit card and a lot of cash in your bag. BUT, don’t show large
wads of cash to anyone in public.
15. Hide a photocopy of your driver’s license, extra cash, and an extra credit card in
your vehicle. If your purse is stolen, you will have backup resources to aide you
in your travel.
16. Keep your gas tank filled. And, fill up at the end of each travel day, so you will
be ready to go the following morning.
17. Remember, if there is a power outage, gas pumps will not work. Neither will
ATMs be accessible.
18. Always leave an itinerary with a trusted friend or family member, and check
in with them at the end of each day. If loved ones are concerned, promise them
an email each night and tell them your travel route and destination for the following day.
19. Listen for hazardous weather reports and use your head! If you drive INTO a
storm, your name had better be Jim Cantore or Reed Timmer. Otherwise, you are
asking for trouble.
20. Study crime statistics of new areas through which you will be traveling. KNOW
where the dangerous areas are and know how to respond.
21. Keep your cell phone charged but understand that there may be occasions when
you cannot get a signal. A walkie talkie with a two-mile range could be your
lifeline.
22. Do not travel with expensive jewelry and remember to “trash” your car, so that
you create the appearance of a casual, “broke” wanderer with nothing worth stealing.
23. Women should wear a ballcap and a plaid shirt so as to make a “distant
impression” of a male driver. Men’s mirrored sunglasses will complete the
façade.
24. Don’t allow yourself to become isolated. Stay in open, well lit areas, and walk in
the company of families with children.
25. Many rest areas are perfect locations for robbery. Only nap in a rest area during
daylight hours. Park your car beside a space reserved for the state police or in a
space between cars where families are coming and going.
26. Never hang your purse on the rest room stall hooks. I hang the strap of my fanny
pack around my neck or strap it high on my rib cage. One of my friends lays her
purse on top of the eye- level shelf provided specifically for purses.
27. Don’t trust shopping mall parking lots for personal safety. Many robberies,
muggings, and kidnappings take place in broad daylight in shopping mall lots.
Have you seen surveillance videos of women who were last seen coming out of
a mall store when a man approached them? Keep these images in mind at all times.
You are not safe shopping. It just seems that way.
28. Before getting inside your vehicle, check the back seat to be sure no one is hiding
there. Once inside the vehicle, slam the door lock down as quickly as possible. A neighbor of ours was shopping with her daughter at a large shopping mall when a man began walking earnestly toward their car. The mother told the daughter to lock her door quickly. The daughter protested, saying that her mom was overreacting again. No sooner had she pressed down the lock, the man reached for the door handle, and tried to open the door. It was broad daylight and there were two of them.
29. Never park in a space beside a van with sliding doors. You can be easily
abducted and driven off site.
30. Never allow yourself to be placed inside a vehicle. Once you lose control inside a vehicle, you lose. If a car is following you as you walk along a sidewalk, turn around 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction. It will take the driver a few minutes to reverse his/her driving direction and give you a little time to get to a safe area.
31. If you are thrown inside a trunk, pull out the wiring for the tail lights of the
vehicle. This will “signal” a police traffic stop and you have a chance of
being rescued by a patrolling trooper.
32. If you are abducted and in the passenger seat, wait until your abductor stops at an
intersection. Then QUICKLY slam your foot on top of the driver’s accelerator pedal foot. Ram the car into the vehicle in front of you. Once there is a traffic accident, you will have other people on hunt of a hit-and-run driver.
33. Stay calm and alert. Use your head. You can cry later. Do not get into a
threatening situation in the first place. Travel to cities with relatively low
crime rates. Let city managers know that you are choosing safe cities over
their cities. Every word of concern about crime may encourage absolute
serious efforts to address the problem.
34. Park in the well lit front parking lots of hotels. Never park in dark areas at the
rear of a hotel. This means you need to arrive early at your hotel, check in, and
THEN go sight seeing.
35. Read everything available about travel safety! Rely on law enforcement and
the state department to be your guides for a happy trip! Be safe. Take responsibility for your safety. Do your homework! Protect yourself on the road.
36. Stay sober. A drunk lacks reasoning ability and opens him/herself to trouble on many fronts. Alcohol is not your friend when your safety is on the line. Look at the statistics of alcohol related crimes on college campuses and you will be convinced, unless you are drunk while you are reading or just stupid.
Down the road I’ll talk about hotel safety. The steps for safe travel have only begun with this post.
HAVE SAFE TRAVELS!!! Always safe.
I cannot guarantee you personal safety. You are responsible for your well being. Be smart! Be safe! Always safe.
©2010
Wow, another crazy week. I'm just now catching up with my BLOG and have some important things to say about personal safety. Take care of yourself, so that your travels are as enjoyable as they can possibly be.
Traveling safely is absolutely the highest priority for a successful trip. Nothing can destroy the joy of travel faster than a thief or mugger taking advantage of a situation in which you become vulnerable. Use your head. If your “instincts” say that a situation is threatening put yourself first. It’s your trip. It’s your property. It’s your life.
1. Be alert. Pay attention to all people who are in close proximity to you. Avoid putting yourself into positions where you are isolated. There are no guarantees that there is safety in a crowd. Certainly there is a strange phenomenon in which people disregard persons in peril. So don’t count on a security guard to come to the rescue. Recent news reports show how willingly some people will stand by and watch a beating as though it were mere entertainment.
2. Take a personal safety class. Many police officers offer self defense training as a
community service. It is not necessary to pay for self defense training. Call your local law enforcement office and ask for instruction in self defense.
3. Drive during daylight hours.
4. If you go out at night, do so with a friend. Be particularly careful when in
unfamiliar territory. When traveling abroad, be particularly cognizant of potential
dangers. Always check out the State Department advisories as they pertain to your destination.
5. Don’t assume that you are safe in a small town or in YOUR town. Thievery,
assault, kidnappings occur everywhere.
6. When traveling alone, create the illusion that you are with your husband. Talk to
The hotel clerks about places that you and your husband can have dinner, see the sights, etc. Ask for two room keys.
7. Place a bogus passenger or the illusion of a passenger beside you in your vehicle.
I have been looking for a realistic mannequin for a long time, but they seem to be
very expensive and in short supply. For the time being, I position a wide brim straw hat on top of the passenger seat, creating the illusion of two people in the
vehicle. No one is more vulnerable than s/he who is alone.
8. Where legal, carry items that can be used for self defense. You will have to check
out local laws to ensure that you are in compliance. I carry pepper spray, an air horn, walkie talkies, a whistle, a taser, a cell phone, a battery powered emergency flasher, and alarms to put under my hotel room doors. If an intruder tries to pass
through a hotel door or window, one of the alarms will screech an ear piercing siren and in many cases will frighten the intruder enough to discourage further invasion.
9. Use common items for self defense. Several years ago a student who was a
former MP (military police officer) gave a self defense speech in one of my classes. He asked us to look in our purses and backpacks for items we could use
to protect ourselves. I remember him holding up a ball point pen and instructing us to go for the eyes. We squirmed, but understood if it’s our life or an assailant’s
eye, we choose life. Also, Jake told those of us with nylon bristle hairbrushes to imagine the efficacy of being assaulted with multiple, pencil point bristles in the eye. The one tip I most often recall was not one which relied on personal items
for self defense. He asked another student to stand in the front of the room beside him. Then he raised his foot knee-high and quickly thrust the foot through the air adjacent to the side of the other student’s knee. Of course he stopped short of
actually hitting the person’s leg, but assured us that it takes very little force to dislocate a knee. Slam your foot into the side of the knee, and your attacker will
be disabled.
10. Always carry enough cash to appease a thief. One New York law enforcement
officer advised me to carry at last $100 cash at all times. Give it away without hesitation if you are threatened. Accordingly, it is important to turn over your purse and its contents, which may be sufficient to save yourself from a personal attack.
11. Strap a fanny pack with a steel reinforced strap around your waist, and never,
never be separated from the pack. Wearing a fanny pack looks a bit dorky, but
it frees both hands for eating, handling doorknobs, tugging suitcases, etc.
12. Never lay a purse on a seat beside you in a restaurant and never lay a purse on
the table. By the time a robber grabs the bag, he or she will be on the run while you are still trying to get out of your seat.
13. Never place a purse on the passenger seat of an automobile. Your side window
can be smashed in an instant when you stop for a traffic light. Before you have a chance to call for help, the thief will be gone. Place your purse on the floor by your feet. If you are going to secure your cell phone, fasten the fanny pack strap to your seatbelt strap or secure it to the frame underneath the driver’s seat.
14. Carry only one credit card and a lot of cash in your bag. BUT, don’t show large
wads of cash to anyone in public.
15. Hide a photocopy of your driver’s license, extra cash, and an extra credit card in
your vehicle. If your purse is stolen, you will have backup resources to aide you
in your travel.
16. Keep your gas tank filled. And, fill up at the end of each travel day, so you will
be ready to go the following morning.
17. Remember, if there is a power outage, gas pumps will not work. Neither will
ATMs be accessible.
18. Always leave an itinerary with a trusted friend or family member, and check
in with them at the end of each day. If loved ones are concerned, promise them
an email each night and tell them your travel route and destination for the following day.
19. Listen for hazardous weather reports and use your head! If you drive INTO a
storm, your name had better be Jim Cantore or Reed Timmer. Otherwise, you are
asking for trouble.
20. Study crime statistics of new areas through which you will be traveling. KNOW
where the dangerous areas are and know how to respond.
21. Keep your cell phone charged but understand that there may be occasions when
you cannot get a signal. A walkie talkie with a two-mile range could be your
lifeline.
22. Do not travel with expensive jewelry and remember to “trash” your car, so that
you create the appearance of a casual, “broke” wanderer with nothing worth stealing.
23. Women should wear a ballcap and a plaid shirt so as to make a “distant
impression” of a male driver. Men’s mirrored sunglasses will complete the
façade.
24. Don’t allow yourself to become isolated. Stay in open, well lit areas, and walk in
the company of families with children.
25. Many rest areas are perfect locations for robbery. Only nap in a rest area during
daylight hours. Park your car beside a space reserved for the state police or in a
space between cars where families are coming and going.
26. Never hang your purse on the rest room stall hooks. I hang the strap of my fanny
pack around my neck or strap it high on my rib cage. One of my friends lays her
purse on top of the eye- level shelf provided specifically for purses.
27. Don’t trust shopping mall parking lots for personal safety. Many robberies,
muggings, and kidnappings take place in broad daylight in shopping mall lots.
Have you seen surveillance videos of women who were last seen coming out of
a mall store when a man approached them? Keep these images in mind at all times.
You are not safe shopping. It just seems that way.
28. Before getting inside your vehicle, check the back seat to be sure no one is hiding
there. Once inside the vehicle, slam the door lock down as quickly as possible. A neighbor of ours was shopping with her daughter at a large shopping mall when a man began walking earnestly toward their car. The mother told the daughter to lock her door quickly. The daughter protested, saying that her mom was overreacting again. No sooner had she pressed down the lock, the man reached for the door handle, and tried to open the door. It was broad daylight and there were two of them.
29. Never park in a space beside a van with sliding doors. You can be easily
abducted and driven off site.
30. Never allow yourself to be placed inside a vehicle. Once you lose control inside a vehicle, you lose. If a car is following you as you walk along a sidewalk, turn around 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction. It will take the driver a few minutes to reverse his/her driving direction and give you a little time to get to a safe area.
31. If you are thrown inside a trunk, pull out the wiring for the tail lights of the
vehicle. This will “signal” a police traffic stop and you have a chance of
being rescued by a patrolling trooper.
32. If you are abducted and in the passenger seat, wait until your abductor stops at an
intersection. Then QUICKLY slam your foot on top of the driver’s accelerator pedal foot. Ram the car into the vehicle in front of you. Once there is a traffic accident, you will have other people on hunt of a hit-and-run driver.
33. Stay calm and alert. Use your head. You can cry later. Do not get into a
threatening situation in the first place. Travel to cities with relatively low
crime rates. Let city managers know that you are choosing safe cities over
their cities. Every word of concern about crime may encourage absolute
serious efforts to address the problem.
34. Park in the well lit front parking lots of hotels. Never park in dark areas at the
rear of a hotel. This means you need to arrive early at your hotel, check in, and
THEN go sight seeing.
35. Read everything available about travel safety! Rely on law enforcement and
the state department to be your guides for a happy trip! Be safe. Take responsibility for your safety. Do your homework! Protect yourself on the road.
36. Stay sober. A drunk lacks reasoning ability and opens him/herself to trouble on many fronts. Alcohol is not your friend when your safety is on the line. Look at the statistics of alcohol related crimes on college campuses and you will be convinced, unless you are drunk while you are reading or just stupid.
Down the road I’ll talk about hotel safety. The steps for safe travel have only begun with this post.
HAVE SAFE TRAVELS!!! Always safe.
I cannot guarantee you personal safety. You are responsible for your well being. Be smart! Be safe! Always safe.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Travel Tip #6 KNOW THE SNOW! EXPECT ICE! Copyright 2010
TIP #6 Know the snow! Expect ice!
A little more about snow driving safety --- with the expectation---uh---HOPE--- that spring is nigh! In addition to keeping your car in good repairs, knowing how to navigate in adverse conditions is essential.
Rule Number 1: If you do not NEED to drive on bad roads, don’t! Stay home. Give road crews and power line crews a little extra space by keeping your vehicle off the road.
Read a book. Write a book. Help a neighbor. Take a bubble bath. Clean house. Do whatever you choose, but do it off the road. If you are not a savvy slick-road vehicle operator, think twice before venturing out unnecessarily. The life you save could be your own.
Good tires. Good tread. Spend the bucks. I would make an educated guess that
half of the vehicles that end up in the ditch are ones with bald tires. You are maneuvering a 2,000-pound vehicle atop ice skating rink conditions. If you cannot ice skate, what makes you think you can control SO much momentum from a lethal weapon that is moving fifty miles an hour on an oversized public rink with hundreds of other lethal weapons lining up their crosshairs on YOU?
Oh, and if you are out there with four-wheel drive --- FORGET it on ice!!! Know HOW to use it to your advantage. Driving is a skill, not a reflex.
Watch out for semi drivers who are trying to get bread and milk to Walmart. Stay BEHIND all large vehicles. Recently I drove down into the mountains after a storm to get a snowy photo as a Christmas gift. When a large log truck pulled to the side of the road to allow drivers to go in front of him down the mountain, I watched every single car pull ahead in front of him. I pulled to the side of the road and waited for him to resume his ten mph trip down the mountain. A trip that normally would take four hours required twelve hours that day. I was not in a hurry to be creamed. Oh, and be extra careful about the potential for semis to jack knife on the interestates. I often take the side roads if truck traffic is threatening. I have a better chance of surviving a crash at forty miles an hour than at sixty/seventy miles an hour. I love getting bread from Walmart, but I love being able to eat it. Stay in your right lane on the interstates, and avoid getting sandwiched between large trucks. You are jelly waiting to happen. Oh, and know the terrain you will be covering, even if it is an interstate highway. There are some isolated mountainous interstates that I circumnavigate, just to avoid increased risks. Do you know which road(s) in your state are the deadliest? Check your highway traffic safety facts, and then ask yourself why more people die on those roads than any others in the state.
Back to the weather maps. Become a good friend with Jim Cantore and the gang on the Weather Channel. Learn to spot hazardous conditions that are approaching your area of travel. I am the first to admit that I made a HUGE mistake in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming in May! But I’ve had lots of experience navigating on icy mountain roads, and that probably made the difference. Carry a battery powered NOAA weather radio, cell phone, cell phone manual charger, CB, and or/ walkie talkies on all your travels, regardless of season.
Throw in emergency “sound systems” like a plastic whistle (you can get one at the Dollar Tree in the toy aisle), and an air horn (Walmart and sports shops). The advantage of a whistle is that it requires relatively little effort to make a sound that will carry a long distance. Do you know how to blow SOS? Answer: Three dots, three dashes, three dots. That is to say, three quick loud bursts, three longer loud bursts, followed by three short bursts. Thanks Dad for teaching me that. Thanks also to Sky King who rescued somebody on TV many, MANY moons ago. Rescued … because of reflection from a flashing mirror in a canyon two miles beneath his plane. Now what was the name of Sky King’s plane? Hmmmmmm. Another story for another time. Who is the famous actor who played Sky King? I DO remember that one! Hint: he is the real life brother of a famous television law man.
Back to winter safety. The lesson is clear: carry a mirror or yank your rear view mirror from its mount. Can you signal SOS with a mirror? By the way, you had better hope you can flag down a good Navy veteran with a background in Morse Code who can READ dots and dashes. I am so sorry that Morse Code is no longer an official mode of communication in the military. Civilians and soldiers/sailors/marines need to immediately recognize a distress call in the form of blinking lights or precisely administered sharp whistles. Don’t forget to use your air horn for blasting SOS too. But if you are in bear territory, you may need to reserve the air horn to ward off an aggressive sow that is hell bent on defending her cubs. Use your resources wisely! The bottom line is to think about every possible way to get help in an emergency. If you were pinned inside a vehicle in a ravine, how could you signal someone to render aide. Don’t count on a cell phone signal. P.S. don’t leave you cell phone loose on the front seat. I carry my phone in a fanny pack that can be clicked to my fastened seatbelt. Secure the phone. If your car tumbles or slides off the road, again that weird thing of momentum will hurl it out of your grasp. Good luck trying to get to your phone that’s out of arm’s reach.
And … throw a couple of bags of four-way chips or kitty litter in the back of your vehicle for weight. If you DO slide off the road, the chips/litter can provide some traction under your spinning tires to get you back on the road.
On one trip I purposefully drove INTO a winter storm to get a snowy picture at a state park. The weather conditions were harsher than I had imagined they would be, so I took refuge in a local hotel for five days. But I set my alarm clock to ring every two hours so that I could clear a path to and around my car. The hotel manager thanked me for clearing the walk in front of the hotel, but I was really just watching out for my best interests.
And PLEASE be cognizant of the stress that snow shoveling causes in cold weather! I have no idea how many heart attacks occurred with this last winter blast, but we do have a neighbor who suffered a MAJOR heart attack and somehow managed to survive after undergoing a sextuple heart bypass operation. Doc told him he was lucky. As he recovers from major surgery, I am not so sure that he feels “lucky.” Even young people have suffered heart attacks while shoveling snow. PUSH the snow with your heel on the back of the shovel. Do not lift. If you have a heart condition, if you are overweight, if you have a family history of heart disease, or if you are in the “heart attack years” wait for the spring thaw. There are many happy trails awaiting you. Don’t miss a moment of sheer joy on the great highway of life. If you must clear a path --- and I had to do so because I could never have dug out my car --- push snow/shovel ten minutes and take a warm twenty minute break. Take no chances with your life. You are not getting another one!
Carry a shovel and a broom in the winter. You may need to shovel snow away from a spinning tire, and you can spread the litter pebbles in front of same tire as you try to drive back onto the road. Don’t forget: you may be able to assist someone else who is stuck, but use your head for safety. Use your cell phone to call for assistance if the situation appears to be threatening.
Always keep a large candle and farmers matches in your vehicle. Propane lighters can “freeze up” in low temperatures. If you slide into a snow bank, it could be hours before you are rescued, i.e., towed.
Practice driving in a large open ice-covered parking lot --- check with the local police to see where you can practice ice driving. Be cognizant of trespassing laws and be respectful of private property. At a S L O W speed, hit your brakes to see how your vehicle handles. If your rear end starts to fishtail, take your foot off the brake and steer in a corresponding counter maneuver to offset the skid. Drivers ed books say to turn in the direction of the skid, but those instructions have always baffled me. Basically it works this way. If your rear end is sliding to the right and your nose is sliding to the left, turn your steering wheel quickly to the right. OK. I guess that IS in the direction of the skid, from the rear end perspective. I guess I drive with my nose in mind. Anyway, you car should be simultaneously slowing down and correcting itself so that you can regain control. Once the steering wheel turn corrects the skid, quickly resume a neutral position as though you are driving straight ahead. It’s just like playing the piano. The best musicians are the ones that practice the most … usually …. Some people can never play the piano well OR drive a car well. Make sure you know whether practice will indeed make you perfect. If you are an incompetent driver, prone to high levels of anxiety, get off the road. Otherwise practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
If you need to brake on ice or snow, always “pump” your brakes. Lightly touch the brake pedal in staccato-like easy taps, rather than slamming your foot on the pedal. Some people panic and press the pedal even harder when a skid begins, which is the worst possible response.
Keep your speed well under the speed limit as road conditions merit. If a driver behind you believes that s/he can maintain high speeds under adverse conditions, pull over when you get to a safe place to do so and let the sucker pass. Be prepared to administer first aid a few miles down the road.
Don’t forget the sleeping bag and warm gear. Again, carry a case of water and a
two-pound jar of peanut butter. Think of the guy who was recently pulled from the Haiti earthquake rubble. He survived twenty-eight days in the debris of a collapsed grocery store. Food. Water. Life.
Take a first aid course. It is DEFINITELY time for me to renew first aid procedures. American Red Cross guidelines for CPR are always changing. I am overdue for a refresher on every level. In many cases you can treat your own injuries. And you never know when you may need to assist others. Always carry a first aid kit.
Anti-freeze treated windshield washer is essential. Carry an extra jug in the back. Good wiper blades? Change them before a trip.
Don’t forget jumper cables. Cold weather wreaks havoc on batteries.
If you do not need to travel on bad roads, don’t.
If you do NEED to travel in bad weather conditions, stay calm and in control. Know your limitations and cuddle up with a good book in a hotel until conditions improve.
Stay calm. Have the tools you need for icy conditions. Learn the skills needed to navigate expertly. Watch out for aggressive drivers who have way too much horsepower for their Broncos.
Take your camera. You will see lovely snowscapes along the way. And you may need to photograph a wreck---hopefully not your own.
Safe travels! Have FUN!
A little more about snow driving safety --- with the expectation---uh---HOPE--- that spring is nigh! In addition to keeping your car in good repairs, knowing how to navigate in adverse conditions is essential.
Rule Number 1: If you do not NEED to drive on bad roads, don’t! Stay home. Give road crews and power line crews a little extra space by keeping your vehicle off the road.
Read a book. Write a book. Help a neighbor. Take a bubble bath. Clean house. Do whatever you choose, but do it off the road. If you are not a savvy slick-road vehicle operator, think twice before venturing out unnecessarily. The life you save could be your own.
Good tires. Good tread. Spend the bucks. I would make an educated guess that
half of the vehicles that end up in the ditch are ones with bald tires. You are maneuvering a 2,000-pound vehicle atop ice skating rink conditions. If you cannot ice skate, what makes you think you can control SO much momentum from a lethal weapon that is moving fifty miles an hour on an oversized public rink with hundreds of other lethal weapons lining up their crosshairs on YOU?
Oh, and if you are out there with four-wheel drive --- FORGET it on ice!!! Know HOW to use it to your advantage. Driving is a skill, not a reflex.
Watch out for semi drivers who are trying to get bread and milk to Walmart. Stay BEHIND all large vehicles. Recently I drove down into the mountains after a storm to get a snowy photo as a Christmas gift. When a large log truck pulled to the side of the road to allow drivers to go in front of him down the mountain, I watched every single car pull ahead in front of him. I pulled to the side of the road and waited for him to resume his ten mph trip down the mountain. A trip that normally would take four hours required twelve hours that day. I was not in a hurry to be creamed. Oh, and be extra careful about the potential for semis to jack knife on the interestates. I often take the side roads if truck traffic is threatening. I have a better chance of surviving a crash at forty miles an hour than at sixty/seventy miles an hour. I love getting bread from Walmart, but I love being able to eat it. Stay in your right lane on the interstates, and avoid getting sandwiched between large trucks. You are jelly waiting to happen. Oh, and know the terrain you will be covering, even if it is an interstate highway. There are some isolated mountainous interstates that I circumnavigate, just to avoid increased risks. Do you know which road(s) in your state are the deadliest? Check your highway traffic safety facts, and then ask yourself why more people die on those roads than any others in the state.
Back to the weather maps. Become a good friend with Jim Cantore and the gang on the Weather Channel. Learn to spot hazardous conditions that are approaching your area of travel. I am the first to admit that I made a HUGE mistake in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming in May! But I’ve had lots of experience navigating on icy mountain roads, and that probably made the difference. Carry a battery powered NOAA weather radio, cell phone, cell phone manual charger, CB, and or/ walkie talkies on all your travels, regardless of season.
Throw in emergency “sound systems” like a plastic whistle (you can get one at the Dollar Tree in the toy aisle), and an air horn (Walmart and sports shops). The advantage of a whistle is that it requires relatively little effort to make a sound that will carry a long distance. Do you know how to blow SOS? Answer: Three dots, three dashes, three dots. That is to say, three quick loud bursts, three longer loud bursts, followed by three short bursts. Thanks Dad for teaching me that. Thanks also to Sky King who rescued somebody on TV many, MANY moons ago. Rescued … because of reflection from a flashing mirror in a canyon two miles beneath his plane. Now what was the name of Sky King’s plane? Hmmmmmm. Another story for another time. Who is the famous actor who played Sky King? I DO remember that one! Hint: he is the real life brother of a famous television law man.
Back to winter safety. The lesson is clear: carry a mirror or yank your rear view mirror from its mount. Can you signal SOS with a mirror? By the way, you had better hope you can flag down a good Navy veteran with a background in Morse Code who can READ dots and dashes. I am so sorry that Morse Code is no longer an official mode of communication in the military. Civilians and soldiers/sailors/marines need to immediately recognize a distress call in the form of blinking lights or precisely administered sharp whistles. Don’t forget to use your air horn for blasting SOS too. But if you are in bear territory, you may need to reserve the air horn to ward off an aggressive sow that is hell bent on defending her cubs. Use your resources wisely! The bottom line is to think about every possible way to get help in an emergency. If you were pinned inside a vehicle in a ravine, how could you signal someone to render aide. Don’t count on a cell phone signal. P.S. don’t leave you cell phone loose on the front seat. I carry my phone in a fanny pack that can be clicked to my fastened seatbelt. Secure the phone. If your car tumbles or slides off the road, again that weird thing of momentum will hurl it out of your grasp. Good luck trying to get to your phone that’s out of arm’s reach.
And … throw a couple of bags of four-way chips or kitty litter in the back of your vehicle for weight. If you DO slide off the road, the chips/litter can provide some traction under your spinning tires to get you back on the road.
On one trip I purposefully drove INTO a winter storm to get a snowy picture at a state park. The weather conditions were harsher than I had imagined they would be, so I took refuge in a local hotel for five days. But I set my alarm clock to ring every two hours so that I could clear a path to and around my car. The hotel manager thanked me for clearing the walk in front of the hotel, but I was really just watching out for my best interests.
And PLEASE be cognizant of the stress that snow shoveling causes in cold weather! I have no idea how many heart attacks occurred with this last winter blast, but we do have a neighbor who suffered a MAJOR heart attack and somehow managed to survive after undergoing a sextuple heart bypass operation. Doc told him he was lucky. As he recovers from major surgery, I am not so sure that he feels “lucky.” Even young people have suffered heart attacks while shoveling snow. PUSH the snow with your heel on the back of the shovel. Do not lift. If you have a heart condition, if you are overweight, if you have a family history of heart disease, or if you are in the “heart attack years” wait for the spring thaw. There are many happy trails awaiting you. Don’t miss a moment of sheer joy on the great highway of life. If you must clear a path --- and I had to do so because I could never have dug out my car --- push snow/shovel ten minutes and take a warm twenty minute break. Take no chances with your life. You are not getting another one!
Carry a shovel and a broom in the winter. You may need to shovel snow away from a spinning tire, and you can spread the litter pebbles in front of same tire as you try to drive back onto the road. Don’t forget: you may be able to assist someone else who is stuck, but use your head for safety. Use your cell phone to call for assistance if the situation appears to be threatening.
Always keep a large candle and farmers matches in your vehicle. Propane lighters can “freeze up” in low temperatures. If you slide into a snow bank, it could be hours before you are rescued, i.e., towed.
Practice driving in a large open ice-covered parking lot --- check with the local police to see where you can practice ice driving. Be cognizant of trespassing laws and be respectful of private property. At a S L O W speed, hit your brakes to see how your vehicle handles. If your rear end starts to fishtail, take your foot off the brake and steer in a corresponding counter maneuver to offset the skid. Drivers ed books say to turn in the direction of the skid, but those instructions have always baffled me. Basically it works this way. If your rear end is sliding to the right and your nose is sliding to the left, turn your steering wheel quickly to the right. OK. I guess that IS in the direction of the skid, from the rear end perspective. I guess I drive with my nose in mind. Anyway, you car should be simultaneously slowing down and correcting itself so that you can regain control. Once the steering wheel turn corrects the skid, quickly resume a neutral position as though you are driving straight ahead. It’s just like playing the piano. The best musicians are the ones that practice the most … usually …. Some people can never play the piano well OR drive a car well. Make sure you know whether practice will indeed make you perfect. If you are an incompetent driver, prone to high levels of anxiety, get off the road. Otherwise practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
If you need to brake on ice or snow, always “pump” your brakes. Lightly touch the brake pedal in staccato-like easy taps, rather than slamming your foot on the pedal. Some people panic and press the pedal even harder when a skid begins, which is the worst possible response.
Keep your speed well under the speed limit as road conditions merit. If a driver behind you believes that s/he can maintain high speeds under adverse conditions, pull over when you get to a safe place to do so and let the sucker pass. Be prepared to administer first aid a few miles down the road.
Don’t forget the sleeping bag and warm gear. Again, carry a case of water and a
two-pound jar of peanut butter. Think of the guy who was recently pulled from the Haiti earthquake rubble. He survived twenty-eight days in the debris of a collapsed grocery store. Food. Water. Life.
Take a first aid course. It is DEFINITELY time for me to renew first aid procedures. American Red Cross guidelines for CPR are always changing. I am overdue for a refresher on every level. In many cases you can treat your own injuries. And you never know when you may need to assist others. Always carry a first aid kit.
Anti-freeze treated windshield washer is essential. Carry an extra jug in the back. Good wiper blades? Change them before a trip.
Don’t forget jumper cables. Cold weather wreaks havoc on batteries.
If you do not need to travel on bad roads, don’t.
If you do NEED to travel in bad weather conditions, stay calm and in control. Know your limitations and cuddle up with a good book in a hotel until conditions improve.
Stay calm. Have the tools you need for icy conditions. Learn the skills needed to navigate expertly. Watch out for aggressive drivers who have way too much horsepower for their Broncos.
Take your camera. You will see lovely snowscapes along the way. And you may need to photograph a wreck---hopefully not your own.
Safe travels! Have FUN!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Copyright 2010, Lea, the Traveling Novelist
Tip #5 Expect the unexpected and prepare accordingly.
Whew! After 4 nights in subfreezing temperatures, it’s great to have power! I’m hoping everyone has managed well in the snow storm. We buried frozen food in the snow, isolated refrigerated items in our garage at 40 degrees, and huddled around a gas log fireplace with candles and oil lamps strewn throughout the house. Strange how “attached” we become to electronics. Down the road, we may get a generator. Usually our power outages last less than twenty four hours, and that’s not enough to cause much discomfort. Fortunately we had hot water and could take warm, steamy showers which felt great as cold ice-ghosts wafted inward through the exterior walls of our home. But four days without a shampoo (could not blow my hair dry) was a little distraction.
The next few posts on the blog will deal with personal safety. Although it is after the fact, I’ll start with comfort and survival in the midst of storms. Always refer to the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Department of Homeland Security as your first reference. I will hit some highlights of my experience, but I always defer to the pros for the final say.
Please remember, this blog does not ensure your personal safety in any situation. The responsibility to use common sense and careful planning rests on your shoulders. In other words, stop blaming others for your bad judgment. Take responsibility.
Just a few thoughts on storm emergencies:
A. Water. Store a case of bottled water in a pantry or closet and recycle it periodically. When traveling, keep the water in the front of your car. I buckle my water bottle filled cooler under the passenger side seatbelt. Keep two weeks of bottled water available at all times, in the house AND on isolated road trips.
B. Heat. Candles and oil lamps will emit sufficient heat to keep you safe. You should have a large emergency candle and farmer’s matches in your vehicle at all times. In an emergency, vent your car properly so that oxygen moves through the vehicle windows. A few years ago one of my college students did a speech on winter safety and brought his car emergency kit to the classroom. As a final point of emphasis, he showed us a tuna can in which a black wick and small frozen puddle of candle wax lay. His sister had used her emergency candle in a blizzard. She had been stranded in a mountain pass overnight and was rescued the following morning. Visual aids like that stay with you!!! I have had super, intelligent students through the years. I am not sure they realize that I have learned as much from them as I hope they learned from me. If you use the car heater for warmth, remember CO POISONING is a REAL possibility. Run the car for ten minutes. Then turn it off for twenty minutes, airing out the vehicle with air through cracked windows. Store an abundance of candles and lamp oil in your home.
Use gas flame fireplaces and stove burners WITH CAUTION! We did make an interesting discovery with the gas stove. As I cooked chicken in a large spaghetti pot, the steam poured into the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The themometer continued to indicate a significant rise in temperature. So, we put three large pots and a tea kettle on the stove, allowing steam to fill the front rooms of the house. It kept us VERY VERY cozy. But we only boiled water pots when we were wide awake. Even trying to be as safe as possible, I inadvertently let one of my good cooking pans boil dry. On my next trip to town, I'll be shopping for a heavy duty two-quart cooker!
Back to the bedroom fireplace. I regularly open the window to allow fresh oxygen into the room. (The same applies for kitchen concerns about open gas burners.) We keep TWO carbon monoxide detectors in our bedroom and test them regularly. We have two detectors so that one will serve as backup in case the other one malfunctions. REMEMBER: Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. You will never know you are in trouble when this diabolical killer comes for you.
We keep the door open, even when the pilot light is all that is burning. Normally we only use the pilot light when we sleep, but during the storm we had to keep the valve wide open for maximum heat. Some professional dealers absolutely refuse to install gas fireplaces in bedrooms. The liability is too risky. A word to the wise …. Study everything you can find about CO poisoning. Every winter people in cars and homes die because they simply go to sleep under the luring comfort of warm heat and gas asphyxiation.
Be particularly careful with space heaters. Before spring breaks, the news reporters will apprise us of some lovely family members who were asphyxiated from a faulty furnace (another compelling reason to have a CO detector) or space heater. Kerosene heaters and the like require extensive ventilation. Read ALL of the precautions that come with equipment that generate heat.
Never leave an open flame burning while you sleep. I have lost count of the number of local home fires that were started by candles in my lifetime. Never leave a room in which there is an unattended open flame burning. During the storm I woke up chilling and went to the dining room table where I lit 15 or so candles and oil lamps. I sat at the table and watched the thermometer of my weather radio go from 60degrees to 68 degrees. It was tempting to lie down on the couch--------but TOO dangerous! Once the chill dissipated, I blew out the lights and wrapped myself in the warmest, thickest blanket we own.
Never put open-flame devices anywhere that children, pets, or careless adults can knock them over. Keep all combustibles and flammable items far away from open flames. A puddle of lamp oil on the floor with an open flame spells disaster.
Wrap yourself in layers of clothes, and do not forget the toboggan. Keep thick, warm socks on your feet. Wool hunting socks or synthetic warm ski socks are the best to have on hand. Wool gloves will help cool fingertips (in the car or in the home) and if you get a chill in your fingers, do what my eighth grade science teacher taught us to do: stick your bare hands in your armpits. Thanks Doc! If you are isolated in a vehicle, protect core body temperature with layers of clothes, and particularly protect fingers and toes where frostbite begins to eat away at flesh. Cuddle with loved ones in your car. Even if you don’t love the other person in the car, recognize the intrinsic value of body heat and share! Always carry a subfreezing designed sleeping bag in your car for travel---year round. If you never need the bag for yourself, you may need to throw it over an injured traffic victim who may go into shock without adequate first aid.
If any of your clothes are damp, even from sweat, remove them immediately and replace the damp clothes with clean dry ones (another reason to always carry a change of clothes in the car. One time I came onto a two-car wreck during a rainstorm. One person was standing, shivering in the open air. I had extra “throw-away” warm clothes in the car I could offer her for comfort and safety.
C. Light. Store emergency, battery powered lanterns, flashlights, and lamps so that you will have adequate light if you lose power. I am going to invest in the
now-affordable self generating flashlights. You shake the handheld lamp thirty
seconds and an LED light will provide sufficient light for fifteen minutes or longer. NO batteries needed. Remember: you can also use light from cell phones and I-Phones (keep this in mind if you are ever in a crowded theater or elevator if emergency lighting fails during an outage). Battery powered laptop computers will cast a glow too. But don’t play on the computer while the lights are out. Save the power for necessary lighting when the sun goes down.
D. Food. Store lots of nonperishable food in your pantry and recycle it on a regular basis too. If you buy canned food, don’t forget to get pop-tops OR have a manual can opener in your kitchen drawer. Same for the car. In this Great 2010 Storm, we had a good supply of food and used our stoop and garage as the refrigerator. We placed butter, salad dressings, milk, meat, fresh vegetables and fruit in plastic tubs with lids. Pretty handy.
We buried food from the freezer in the snow in a large lid-covered plastic box. (NOTE: We put the food in two clean plastic kitchen garbage bags, so when I retrieved them this morning, it was just a matter of pulling two bags out of a plastic bin and transferring the goodies to the freezer.
Be imaginative. Normally, i.e., when we have POWER, we bake chicken or slow-cook it. But with only gas top burners the last few days, I threw a chicken breast in a pot of boiling water and later chopped the well done fowl into yummy chicken salad for sandwiches on whole wheat bread. We had a spinach salad with cheese, finely chopped carrots, pecans, chicken salad, and a touch a sweet poppy seed dressing. Scrumptious, nutritious eating was not compromised by a lack of electricity. We dined by candlelight (!) and it was lovely.
E. Keep a battery powered radio on hand at all times. Store alkaline batteries galore in a plastic shoebox. Not only did we need to replace batteries over the four-day blackout, we had extras we could share with our neighbor.
F. Confer with the web sites of the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Department of Homeland Security for additional guidelines on storm safety.
I shall post more ideas down the road. Think about what you will need if there is no electricity, no water, and no communication with the outside world. What do you need to make it through the storm?
Whew! After 4 nights in subfreezing temperatures, it’s great to have power! I’m hoping everyone has managed well in the snow storm. We buried frozen food in the snow, isolated refrigerated items in our garage at 40 degrees, and huddled around a gas log fireplace with candles and oil lamps strewn throughout the house. Strange how “attached” we become to electronics. Down the road, we may get a generator. Usually our power outages last less than twenty four hours, and that’s not enough to cause much discomfort. Fortunately we had hot water and could take warm, steamy showers which felt great as cold ice-ghosts wafted inward through the exterior walls of our home. But four days without a shampoo (could not blow my hair dry) was a little distraction.
The next few posts on the blog will deal with personal safety. Although it is after the fact, I’ll start with comfort and survival in the midst of storms. Always refer to the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Department of Homeland Security as your first reference. I will hit some highlights of my experience, but I always defer to the pros for the final say.
Please remember, this blog does not ensure your personal safety in any situation. The responsibility to use common sense and careful planning rests on your shoulders. In other words, stop blaming others for your bad judgment. Take responsibility.
Just a few thoughts on storm emergencies:
A. Water. Store a case of bottled water in a pantry or closet and recycle it periodically. When traveling, keep the water in the front of your car. I buckle my water bottle filled cooler under the passenger side seatbelt. Keep two weeks of bottled water available at all times, in the house AND on isolated road trips.
B. Heat. Candles and oil lamps will emit sufficient heat to keep you safe. You should have a large emergency candle and farmer’s matches in your vehicle at all times. In an emergency, vent your car properly so that oxygen moves through the vehicle windows. A few years ago one of my college students did a speech on winter safety and brought his car emergency kit to the classroom. As a final point of emphasis, he showed us a tuna can in which a black wick and small frozen puddle of candle wax lay. His sister had used her emergency candle in a blizzard. She had been stranded in a mountain pass overnight and was rescued the following morning. Visual aids like that stay with you!!! I have had super, intelligent students through the years. I am not sure they realize that I have learned as much from them as I hope they learned from me. If you use the car heater for warmth, remember CO POISONING is a REAL possibility. Run the car for ten minutes. Then turn it off for twenty minutes, airing out the vehicle with air through cracked windows. Store an abundance of candles and lamp oil in your home.
Use gas flame fireplaces and stove burners WITH CAUTION! We did make an interesting discovery with the gas stove. As I cooked chicken in a large spaghetti pot, the steam poured into the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The themometer continued to indicate a significant rise in temperature. So, we put three large pots and a tea kettle on the stove, allowing steam to fill the front rooms of the house. It kept us VERY VERY cozy. But we only boiled water pots when we were wide awake. Even trying to be as safe as possible, I inadvertently let one of my good cooking pans boil dry. On my next trip to town, I'll be shopping for a heavy duty two-quart cooker!
Back to the bedroom fireplace. I regularly open the window to allow fresh oxygen into the room. (The same applies for kitchen concerns about open gas burners.) We keep TWO carbon monoxide detectors in our bedroom and test them regularly. We have two detectors so that one will serve as backup in case the other one malfunctions. REMEMBER: Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. You will never know you are in trouble when this diabolical killer comes for you.
We keep the door open, even when the pilot light is all that is burning. Normally we only use the pilot light when we sleep, but during the storm we had to keep the valve wide open for maximum heat. Some professional dealers absolutely refuse to install gas fireplaces in bedrooms. The liability is too risky. A word to the wise …. Study everything you can find about CO poisoning. Every winter people in cars and homes die because they simply go to sleep under the luring comfort of warm heat and gas asphyxiation.
Be particularly careful with space heaters. Before spring breaks, the news reporters will apprise us of some lovely family members who were asphyxiated from a faulty furnace (another compelling reason to have a CO detector) or space heater. Kerosene heaters and the like require extensive ventilation. Read ALL of the precautions that come with equipment that generate heat.
Never leave an open flame burning while you sleep. I have lost count of the number of local home fires that were started by candles in my lifetime. Never leave a room in which there is an unattended open flame burning. During the storm I woke up chilling and went to the dining room table where I lit 15 or so candles and oil lamps. I sat at the table and watched the thermometer of my weather radio go from 60degrees to 68 degrees. It was tempting to lie down on the couch--------but TOO dangerous! Once the chill dissipated, I blew out the lights and wrapped myself in the warmest, thickest blanket we own.
Never put open-flame devices anywhere that children, pets, or careless adults can knock them over. Keep all combustibles and flammable items far away from open flames. A puddle of lamp oil on the floor with an open flame spells disaster.
Wrap yourself in layers of clothes, and do not forget the toboggan. Keep thick, warm socks on your feet. Wool hunting socks or synthetic warm ski socks are the best to have on hand. Wool gloves will help cool fingertips (in the car or in the home) and if you get a chill in your fingers, do what my eighth grade science teacher taught us to do: stick your bare hands in your armpits. Thanks Doc! If you are isolated in a vehicle, protect core body temperature with layers of clothes, and particularly protect fingers and toes where frostbite begins to eat away at flesh. Cuddle with loved ones in your car. Even if you don’t love the other person in the car, recognize the intrinsic value of body heat and share! Always carry a subfreezing designed sleeping bag in your car for travel---year round. If you never need the bag for yourself, you may need to throw it over an injured traffic victim who may go into shock without adequate first aid.
If any of your clothes are damp, even from sweat, remove them immediately and replace the damp clothes with clean dry ones (another reason to always carry a change of clothes in the car. One time I came onto a two-car wreck during a rainstorm. One person was standing, shivering in the open air. I had extra “throw-away” warm clothes in the car I could offer her for comfort and safety.
C. Light. Store emergency, battery powered lanterns, flashlights, and lamps so that you will have adequate light if you lose power. I am going to invest in the
now-affordable self generating flashlights. You shake the handheld lamp thirty
seconds and an LED light will provide sufficient light for fifteen minutes or longer. NO batteries needed. Remember: you can also use light from cell phones and I-Phones (keep this in mind if you are ever in a crowded theater or elevator if emergency lighting fails during an outage). Battery powered laptop computers will cast a glow too. But don’t play on the computer while the lights are out. Save the power for necessary lighting when the sun goes down.
D. Food. Store lots of nonperishable food in your pantry and recycle it on a regular basis too. If you buy canned food, don’t forget to get pop-tops OR have a manual can opener in your kitchen drawer. Same for the car. In this Great 2010 Storm, we had a good supply of food and used our stoop and garage as the refrigerator. We placed butter, salad dressings, milk, meat, fresh vegetables and fruit in plastic tubs with lids. Pretty handy.
We buried food from the freezer in the snow in a large lid-covered plastic box. (NOTE: We put the food in two clean plastic kitchen garbage bags, so when I retrieved them this morning, it was just a matter of pulling two bags out of a plastic bin and transferring the goodies to the freezer.
Be imaginative. Normally, i.e., when we have POWER, we bake chicken or slow-cook it. But with only gas top burners the last few days, I threw a chicken breast in a pot of boiling water and later chopped the well done fowl into yummy chicken salad for sandwiches on whole wheat bread. We had a spinach salad with cheese, finely chopped carrots, pecans, chicken salad, and a touch a sweet poppy seed dressing. Scrumptious, nutritious eating was not compromised by a lack of electricity. We dined by candlelight (!) and it was lovely.
E. Keep a battery powered radio on hand at all times. Store alkaline batteries galore in a plastic shoebox. Not only did we need to replace batteries over the four-day blackout, we had extras we could share with our neighbor.
F. Confer with the web sites of the American Red Cross, FEMA, and the Department of Homeland Security for additional guidelines on storm safety.
I shall post more ideas down the road. Think about what you will need if there is no electricity, no water, and no communication with the outside world. What do you need to make it through the storm?
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tip #4 Drive a Well Maintained Vehicle
Copyright 2010 Lea, The Traveling Novelist
Travel Tip # 4 DRIVE A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE
Before the trip have a trusted mechanic thoroughly check your car. Replace belts, tires, brakes, and any other parts of the vehicle that could pose serious problems on the road. Do not take any chances with worn brakes, an aging water pump, or bald tires. Be certain that you have good tread on the tires. You may end up driving through a mountain pass in the middle of a blizzard in May. I made the mistake of trusting a “local” in Wyoming who assured me that I could safely navigate through a mountain pass as a short cut to the Grand Tetons. Supposedly, lots of semi drivers had come over “THE mountain” that morning. By the time I came onto the twinkling, ice-crystal covered Rocky Mountain skyline, it was too late. Blinding snow hit my windshield like a super-sized sheet of frozen fog.
The tread on my snow tires was new. My brakes were good. The windshield wipers wiped well. The windshield washer reservoir was full. The defroster worked on both front and back windshields. And the heater adequately warmed my nose and toes. The engine purred like a napping kitten in a sunny windowsill. I had no worries about the mechanical safety of the Ol’ Windstar. The vehicle was in tiptop condition. All I had to do was navigate with adeptness through an hour and a half of snow packed roads. On a side note, the risk of “listening to the locals” (see Tip #2) could have cost me my life. In retrospect, I should have listened to my gut and taken what may have been a safer route around the shortcut. Arriving late but alive at Jackson Lake Lodge in the Grand Tetons National Park was far more important than taking the risk of plummeting two thousand feet into a lifeless canyon. OK. There might have been some bears and elk down there, but by the time I would have crashed on top of them, I would have been beyond prayers for survival. On the other hand, the fellow bears standing nearby would have benefited from fresh carrion on which to feast. Do elk eat carrion? They may be vegetarians. I’ll check on that.
Having the vehicle well maintained involves more than the windshield wipers, heater, engine, etc. If you don’t know how to change a flat tire, learn. And before driving away from your hometown, have your mechanic pull out the donut spare tire and check to be sure that you have the proper equipment needed to keep you rolling. Check the air pressure in your four tires that are holding you up (save gas with fully inflated tires) and check PPI (pounds per [square] inch of air pressure) in the donut. Chances are you will not have to change a tire. But it is money in the bank and peace of mind to know how to fix a flat if necessary.
Confession time. I have blonde hair. I’ve never had to change a tire. But through the years, I have had more than one occasion when I needed a tire change. Once, when I drove along a rustic road above Canaan Valley in the mountains of West Virginia, I ran across a railroad spike that perfectly punctured my right rear rubber roller. I made it to a convenience store/gas station in the valley before realizing I was in trouble. Keep in mind that I am a fierce, independent traveler who is willing, able, and determined to change my own tires, thank you very much. No sooner had I spread out my blue, crackling, plastic tarp (always carry one for who-knows-what-may-happen that warrants the possession of a tarp) the circumstances changed. Just like all the other times when a flat interrupted my journey, a kind, helpful gentleman came to my “rescue.” Although I did not need to be rescued at that particular moment, I am always gracious and appreciative of anyone who wants to help me. It is genuinely insulting to turn away a guy who wants to perform his chivalrous duty. It is sexist and asinine to throw my hair over my shoulder and whimper, “I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout fixin’ no flaaaats.” It is equally disrespectful to discount the generosity of a dude who wants to do his good deed for the day. I have always pulled out a $10 bill once the donut is in place on my vehicle. The money has never been accepted. Payback does not register with Samaritans. Truly, I would feel better if guys would take the bill, but somehow it undermines the validity of their helpfulness---from their point of view. Some friends have theorized that it is the blonde locks that wield a magical power over knights on white horses (or in white Chevy Blazers). They may have a point. I do not know. I just appreciate the help and assure the rescuers that I will pay it forward.
So, I try to remember small acts of kindness. I have to admit, I have never stopped to help someone change a tire. And I have never had a woman stop to help me change a tire. Is it really necessary to burn bras again to change this deeply ingrained role perspective? Guilty. So the next time I see someone along the side of the road with a flat, what shall I do? Honestly. I shall assume the person has a cell phone and can call for help. I too shall make a phone call to report the stranded motorist. Safety is a valid consideration. Malicious individuals will feign distress as a means of luring travelers to a holdup situation.
May I be clear? This is NOT the appropriate response when there is an accident. Stop. Render aid. But stay alert. My husband and I pulled into a dark ravine late one night because we saw car debris (strips of metal, broken glass, a side-view mirror, etc.) strewn across the highway. There was no accident. As soon as we realized that we were about to be robbed, we peeled rubber and made it back to the highway. I digress. More about personal safety in future posts.
Speaking of fixing a flat. It’s a good idea to carry Fix-A-Flat (an aerosol can of pressurized something that will sustain adequate air pressure in a slow leaker. Carry a tire gauge so that you will know when you do have a slow leak. If you know you are losing pressure, stop at the first auto mechanic shop you can find. Car dudes can check the tire and make necessary repairs. And I am NOT sexist. I know women engineers, but I have yet to see a woman changing oil at Walmart. Someone fill me in on a gal that loves to work on cars and is rotating tires at Walmart. Where are you women car fixers?
Also it is a good idea to carry oil and check oil level intermittently. Your mechanic can advise you when to check oil. Beware! If the oil light suddenly glows a blinding red or orange alert from your instrument dashboard, STOP! You can destroy an engine in no time flat if you drive with an insufficient well of lubricant for the engine.
Speaking of flats, never drive on a flat tire unless you are in a high risk situation (in the middle of the road on a bend, in a high crime area, etc.) You will bend the wheel rim and may cause much more damage than you can imagine. Get as far off the road as possible. Park on a level surface. Do NOT exit or stand on the driver side of the vehicle. Slide your cute buns across the seat and exit the vehicle on the passenger side. Call a tow truck. Better to pay a tow dude than to put yourself in danger as you change a driver side tire while traffic whisks by you. Too dangerous.
Besides, Fix-A-Flat and oil, you need to carry jumper cables. You may not need a jump along the way, but someone else might. I can honestly say that I have jumped more than one stranded driver. Oh, and know exactly HOW to hook the cables to the battery terminals. For some weird reason I can never remember which line is which. My Dad was an automobile mechanic and he would be disappointed that I am easily confused as I try to figure out red on what? I do know that it is not safe to mix up battery poles between car engines. Fortunately, I have always been able to count on the expertise of---yes---the men who use the cables. Ladies, we need to do better.
My husband is a terrific aide when it comes to vehicle trip planning. In addition to managing the mechanical inspections and repairs, he stocks the van with supplies I need to ensure good maintenance on the road. Hubby is famous for buying “junk” at flea markets, but sometimes the junk comes in handy. There is a tacky, brown, used brief case in the back of my van which contains socket wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, wire cutters, tie-wraps, and an assortment of other supplies and tools. A few months ago I was visitng an office where the manager was having difficulty with the air conditioning. On a whim, he asked me if I might have any tools in the van. I pulled out the brief case, he found what he needed to make some adjustments to the A/C, and I felt like a good Samaritan. In truth, my hubby was the good guy!
In fact, there is one huge concern that I am contemplating even as I write this travel tip. I need one more important addition to my van: a cargo net. My newly arrived AAA newsletter has a great article about flying objects inside vehicles. If we are in a situation where it is necessary to slam on the brakes or, Heaven forbid, we hit something head-on, all the objects that are stored loosely inside the van will fly forward. The power with which my “tool box” alone will hit the back of my head could knock me out or worse.
Having been in a low-speed head-on collision many years ago, I understand the physics of objects impacting other objects---like my skull. At that time, my seatbelt saved me, but I was hardly left unscathed. Some of my docs marveled at my survival. Head-on collisions are high risk accidents. My chicken neck took all the impact it could take as it whiplashed violently back and forth. An EMT pulled me out on a backboard. I screamed in pain. I had months of physical therapy and pain management. I cannot forget the words of my talented Super Therapist---Steve. “Get a car with an airbag. You won’t survive the next head-on collision without an airbag.” So we got airbags.
Be certain that the safety equipment on your vehicle is working properly. If you own a used car, be sure that the body shop did not cut corners by stuffing newspaper inside the steering wheel well where the airbag should be. (Have a mechanic make the determination that the airbag will work if you need it.) Remember, if you put a cow-catching equivalent grill protector on the front of your vehicle (to protect it from flying evil deer that wait in dark shadows of the night to leap in front of you), the grill protector will interfere with your airbag deployment. Tricky. Make a choice. Honestly, I do not know what is safer here. This is new information for me. I just heard about it over Christmas break. Hmmm … don’t know….
Never put small kids or petite adults in front of an airbag. The safety bags explode at a speed of 200 miles per hour. Skinny necks cannot survive the blow. And learn to drive effectively with your seat positioned as far away from the steering column and airbag compartment as possible. Be sure that you are wearing seatbelts, and do not weaken the fibers of a seatbelt weave by washing it regularly with chemicals that could cause deterioration of the restraint system. It is my understanding (someone out there correct me if I have been misinformed) that seatbelts are not intended to be cleaned. Seatbelts are installed for a reason. They absolutely save lives. I know.
Be sure that brake lights, flashing lights, and turn signals are working well. And, for Pete’s sake, do not forget the horn! I will forever love, platonically speaking, the college student who did a driving safety speech in my class. He advised us to use dimmed lights, brakes, and a LOUD horn to shoo away deer that live beside road burms. Depressed deer are intent on committing suicide by smashing through windshields.
As soon as I heard the class presentation, my driving style changed. I feel a little guilty laying on the horn when I think families are settling down for the night inside there homes. But outside their houses, deer gather in clumps, like innocent looking legged grapes. The truth is they are waiting for those of us on the road whose vehicles---they believe---deserve to be crumpled. On a serious note, many people have died or been severely injured by deer smashing through windshields. Learn to use the horn. By the way, it too is not a guarantee of safety. 99% of the time, I have been successful “persuading” deer to run away from my van by blaring, and I do mean blaring, my factory installed deer-shooing-sound maker. But occasionally the blasting, low pitched alarm startles them, and they jump in front of the vehicle. Be prepared to STOP. Better yet, do not drive after dark. I’ll come back to this notion later when I discuss personal safety. Basically, this gives you a good overview of how to travel safely and comfortably with your car well prepared for the trip.
These recommendations are not all inclusive. A well maintained vehicle will not save you from accidents. It will curtail the risk of accidents and serious injuries related to the car or van itself. Will it cost money to make all these car management checks and repairs? Of course. The question to ask is simple. How much is your life worth?
Travel Tip # 4 DRIVE A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE
Before the trip have a trusted mechanic thoroughly check your car. Replace belts, tires, brakes, and any other parts of the vehicle that could pose serious problems on the road. Do not take any chances with worn brakes, an aging water pump, or bald tires. Be certain that you have good tread on the tires. You may end up driving through a mountain pass in the middle of a blizzard in May. I made the mistake of trusting a “local” in Wyoming who assured me that I could safely navigate through a mountain pass as a short cut to the Grand Tetons. Supposedly, lots of semi drivers had come over “THE mountain” that morning. By the time I came onto the twinkling, ice-crystal covered Rocky Mountain skyline, it was too late. Blinding snow hit my windshield like a super-sized sheet of frozen fog.
The tread on my snow tires was new. My brakes were good. The windshield wipers wiped well. The windshield washer reservoir was full. The defroster worked on both front and back windshields. And the heater adequately warmed my nose and toes. The engine purred like a napping kitten in a sunny windowsill. I had no worries about the mechanical safety of the Ol’ Windstar. The vehicle was in tiptop condition. All I had to do was navigate with adeptness through an hour and a half of snow packed roads. On a side note, the risk of “listening to the locals” (see Tip #2) could have cost me my life. In retrospect, I should have listened to my gut and taken what may have been a safer route around the shortcut. Arriving late but alive at Jackson Lake Lodge in the Grand Tetons National Park was far more important than taking the risk of plummeting two thousand feet into a lifeless canyon. OK. There might have been some bears and elk down there, but by the time I would have crashed on top of them, I would have been beyond prayers for survival. On the other hand, the fellow bears standing nearby would have benefited from fresh carrion on which to feast. Do elk eat carrion? They may be vegetarians. I’ll check on that.
Having the vehicle well maintained involves more than the windshield wipers, heater, engine, etc. If you don’t know how to change a flat tire, learn. And before driving away from your hometown, have your mechanic pull out the donut spare tire and check to be sure that you have the proper equipment needed to keep you rolling. Check the air pressure in your four tires that are holding you up (save gas with fully inflated tires) and check PPI (pounds per [square] inch of air pressure) in the donut. Chances are you will not have to change a tire. But it is money in the bank and peace of mind to know how to fix a flat if necessary.
Confession time. I have blonde hair. I’ve never had to change a tire. But through the years, I have had more than one occasion when I needed a tire change. Once, when I drove along a rustic road above Canaan Valley in the mountains of West Virginia, I ran across a railroad spike that perfectly punctured my right rear rubber roller. I made it to a convenience store/gas station in the valley before realizing I was in trouble. Keep in mind that I am a fierce, independent traveler who is willing, able, and determined to change my own tires, thank you very much. No sooner had I spread out my blue, crackling, plastic tarp (always carry one for who-knows-what-may-happen that warrants the possession of a tarp) the circumstances changed. Just like all the other times when a flat interrupted my journey, a kind, helpful gentleman came to my “rescue.” Although I did not need to be rescued at that particular moment, I am always gracious and appreciative of anyone who wants to help me. It is genuinely insulting to turn away a guy who wants to perform his chivalrous duty. It is sexist and asinine to throw my hair over my shoulder and whimper, “I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout fixin’ no flaaaats.” It is equally disrespectful to discount the generosity of a dude who wants to do his good deed for the day. I have always pulled out a $10 bill once the donut is in place on my vehicle. The money has never been accepted. Payback does not register with Samaritans. Truly, I would feel better if guys would take the bill, but somehow it undermines the validity of their helpfulness---from their point of view. Some friends have theorized that it is the blonde locks that wield a magical power over knights on white horses (or in white Chevy Blazers). They may have a point. I do not know. I just appreciate the help and assure the rescuers that I will pay it forward.
So, I try to remember small acts of kindness. I have to admit, I have never stopped to help someone change a tire. And I have never had a woman stop to help me change a tire. Is it really necessary to burn bras again to change this deeply ingrained role perspective? Guilty. So the next time I see someone along the side of the road with a flat, what shall I do? Honestly. I shall assume the person has a cell phone and can call for help. I too shall make a phone call to report the stranded motorist. Safety is a valid consideration. Malicious individuals will feign distress as a means of luring travelers to a holdup situation.
May I be clear? This is NOT the appropriate response when there is an accident. Stop. Render aid. But stay alert. My husband and I pulled into a dark ravine late one night because we saw car debris (strips of metal, broken glass, a side-view mirror, etc.) strewn across the highway. There was no accident. As soon as we realized that we were about to be robbed, we peeled rubber and made it back to the highway. I digress. More about personal safety in future posts.
Speaking of fixing a flat. It’s a good idea to carry Fix-A-Flat (an aerosol can of pressurized something that will sustain adequate air pressure in a slow leaker. Carry a tire gauge so that you will know when you do have a slow leak. If you know you are losing pressure, stop at the first auto mechanic shop you can find. Car dudes can check the tire and make necessary repairs. And I am NOT sexist. I know women engineers, but I have yet to see a woman changing oil at Walmart. Someone fill me in on a gal that loves to work on cars and is rotating tires at Walmart. Where are you women car fixers?
Also it is a good idea to carry oil and check oil level intermittently. Your mechanic can advise you when to check oil. Beware! If the oil light suddenly glows a blinding red or orange alert from your instrument dashboard, STOP! You can destroy an engine in no time flat if you drive with an insufficient well of lubricant for the engine.
Speaking of flats, never drive on a flat tire unless you are in a high risk situation (in the middle of the road on a bend, in a high crime area, etc.) You will bend the wheel rim and may cause much more damage than you can imagine. Get as far off the road as possible. Park on a level surface. Do NOT exit or stand on the driver side of the vehicle. Slide your cute buns across the seat and exit the vehicle on the passenger side. Call a tow truck. Better to pay a tow dude than to put yourself in danger as you change a driver side tire while traffic whisks by you. Too dangerous.
Besides, Fix-A-Flat and oil, you need to carry jumper cables. You may not need a jump along the way, but someone else might. I can honestly say that I have jumped more than one stranded driver. Oh, and know exactly HOW to hook the cables to the battery terminals. For some weird reason I can never remember which line is which. My Dad was an automobile mechanic and he would be disappointed that I am easily confused as I try to figure out red on what? I do know that it is not safe to mix up battery poles between car engines. Fortunately, I have always been able to count on the expertise of---yes---the men who use the cables. Ladies, we need to do better.
My husband is a terrific aide when it comes to vehicle trip planning. In addition to managing the mechanical inspections and repairs, he stocks the van with supplies I need to ensure good maintenance on the road. Hubby is famous for buying “junk” at flea markets, but sometimes the junk comes in handy. There is a tacky, brown, used brief case in the back of my van which contains socket wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, wire cutters, tie-wraps, and an assortment of other supplies and tools. A few months ago I was visitng an office where the manager was having difficulty with the air conditioning. On a whim, he asked me if I might have any tools in the van. I pulled out the brief case, he found what he needed to make some adjustments to the A/C, and I felt like a good Samaritan. In truth, my hubby was the good guy!
In fact, there is one huge concern that I am contemplating even as I write this travel tip. I need one more important addition to my van: a cargo net. My newly arrived AAA newsletter has a great article about flying objects inside vehicles. If we are in a situation where it is necessary to slam on the brakes or, Heaven forbid, we hit something head-on, all the objects that are stored loosely inside the van will fly forward. The power with which my “tool box” alone will hit the back of my head could knock me out or worse.
Having been in a low-speed head-on collision many years ago, I understand the physics of objects impacting other objects---like my skull. At that time, my seatbelt saved me, but I was hardly left unscathed. Some of my docs marveled at my survival. Head-on collisions are high risk accidents. My chicken neck took all the impact it could take as it whiplashed violently back and forth. An EMT pulled me out on a backboard. I screamed in pain. I had months of physical therapy and pain management. I cannot forget the words of my talented Super Therapist---Steve. “Get a car with an airbag. You won’t survive the next head-on collision without an airbag.” So we got airbags.
Be certain that the safety equipment on your vehicle is working properly. If you own a used car, be sure that the body shop did not cut corners by stuffing newspaper inside the steering wheel well where the airbag should be. (Have a mechanic make the determination that the airbag will work if you need it.) Remember, if you put a cow-catching equivalent grill protector on the front of your vehicle (to protect it from flying evil deer that wait in dark shadows of the night to leap in front of you), the grill protector will interfere with your airbag deployment. Tricky. Make a choice. Honestly, I do not know what is safer here. This is new information for me. I just heard about it over Christmas break. Hmmm … don’t know….
Never put small kids or petite adults in front of an airbag. The safety bags explode at a speed of 200 miles per hour. Skinny necks cannot survive the blow. And learn to drive effectively with your seat positioned as far away from the steering column and airbag compartment as possible. Be sure that you are wearing seatbelts, and do not weaken the fibers of a seatbelt weave by washing it regularly with chemicals that could cause deterioration of the restraint system. It is my understanding (someone out there correct me if I have been misinformed) that seatbelts are not intended to be cleaned. Seatbelts are installed for a reason. They absolutely save lives. I know.
Be sure that brake lights, flashing lights, and turn signals are working well. And, for Pete’s sake, do not forget the horn! I will forever love, platonically speaking, the college student who did a driving safety speech in my class. He advised us to use dimmed lights, brakes, and a LOUD horn to shoo away deer that live beside road burms. Depressed deer are intent on committing suicide by smashing through windshields.
As soon as I heard the class presentation, my driving style changed. I feel a little guilty laying on the horn when I think families are settling down for the night inside there homes. But outside their houses, deer gather in clumps, like innocent looking legged grapes. The truth is they are waiting for those of us on the road whose vehicles---they believe---deserve to be crumpled. On a serious note, many people have died or been severely injured by deer smashing through windshields. Learn to use the horn. By the way, it too is not a guarantee of safety. 99% of the time, I have been successful “persuading” deer to run away from my van by blaring, and I do mean blaring, my factory installed deer-shooing-sound maker. But occasionally the blasting, low pitched alarm startles them, and they jump in front of the vehicle. Be prepared to STOP. Better yet, do not drive after dark. I’ll come back to this notion later when I discuss personal safety. Basically, this gives you a good overview of how to travel safely and comfortably with your car well prepared for the trip.
These recommendations are not all inclusive. A well maintained vehicle will not save you from accidents. It will curtail the risk of accidents and serious injuries related to the car or van itself. Will it cost money to make all these car management checks and repairs? Of course. The question to ask is simple. How much is your life worth?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Travel Tip #3 Buy a GPS but Carry a Map
Copyright 2010 Traveling Novelist
Traveling solo for thousands of miles or for hundreds of miles requires a solid sense of direction. Gasoline is too expensive to throw away on the road less traveled. Heading off in the wrong direction can cost you lost hours and a much thinner pocketbook than you had planned. One time I traveled to Amish Country with my friend, Mary. Returning on the interstate after dark and chattering away about how much fun the trip had been, we were oblivious to our whereabouts. When we came to a division in the four lane system, we were so busy yammering, I drove past the exit at an Interstate crossroads. Two hours and a hundred seventy miles later, I began to question some of the landmarks. We called our husbands, told them we were running behind schedule a little, and pedaled back up the road as fast as our Flintstone feet could take us. A GPS would have caught the error immediately,
and would have squelched, “Recalculating,” within two seconds of our missed exit ramp. Alas, the purchase of the satellite highway direction system was in my future.
Don’t skimp when buying a GPS. Consult Consumer Reports, experienced friends, and knowledgeable electronics sales reps before laying your money down. Some jurisdictions do not allow hand held GPS units to be used by vehicle operators, so be sure to acquire a unit that attaches to your dash or window. Perhaps most importantly, select a model that not only announces when your turns are forthcoming, but specifically identifies the street name for your turn. A neighbor of ours has a unit that only announces basic directions such as “Turn left in 500 feet.” Of course, if there are merging streets, avenues, alleys, and private drives in close proximity, it is easy to miss the road indicated by the wise lady in the box. But instructions such as “Turn left on Elm Street in 500 feet,” are clear. Usually you can spot the street sign far enough ahead of the intersection to make the correct maneuver efficiently.
Another feature of our GPS that is incredibly helpful is its capacity to tell the vehicle operator not only to turn left, but to advise the driver to “Turn left on Elm Street. Then keep right.” That usually means that there is a four lane street and I need to be in the right lane in preparation for another turn---to the right---shortly after heading along Elm Street. I rarely have to signal to other drivers the need to change lanes in anticipation of a quick turn in another direction.
Finally, be certain to practice driving on familiar roads with the GPS long before heading on a trip. Get used to the sound of the instructions, and do not allow the lady in the box to steer you into a lake. Stop for stop signs. Stop for red traffic lights. Stop or slow down for highway construction. Yield at yield intersections. When I first started using the GPS I thought I was exceedingly distracted by the directions, to the extent that I would NEARLY run stop signs, simply because the lady instructed me to turn right in 200 feet. It was weird to feel overwhelmed by a computer generated voice that ordered me to drive into oncoming traffic. Initially, I thought this was my problem. But, as soon as my husband began using the unit, I noticed that he had a tendency to keep moving into intersections, regardless of traffic signs and signals. A few times I would yelp, “Stop! Stop!” This tendency to tune out other variables in the driving environment is equivalent to the dangerous distraction experienced by cell phone users who barrel through department store parking lots, ignoring speed, rights of way, and pedestrian safety. Be CAREFUL with the GPS. Stay alert. Focus.
As I prepare for a long distance trip in the near future I have been weighing the importance of upgrading my GPS. New road construction is prevalent in the area of my destination, so my decision to upgrade has been made for me. Occasionally a city will rename a street which will throw you off, unless you have a sense of where you are apart from the perspective of the wonderful metallic, signaling globes swirling around the heavens above us. Keep a small compass attached to your key ring. You can pick up one for a couple of bucks at a discount department store. If it “feels” like you are going in the wrong direction on the wrong street, maybe you are.
Be prepared for personal safety awareness when using a GPS. Unfortunately, the satellites will signal you to drive the most direct route to your destination even if it is a dangerous route. Stay alert. If you see a lot of trash on the streets, heavy bars on storefronts, loiterers staring at your out-of-state license plates from a distance, you have taken the wrong road. Get back to a safer highway as fast as possible. Ignore the computerized message of “Recalculating,” and realize that the GPS will “catch up with you” as you consciously choose a safer route. Safety first. Then follow the GPS.
Do the driving directors ever take you in the wrong direction? Yes. But rarely. On my Wild West vacation I established a routine where I stopped daily at Walmart. I bought water bottles, snacks, ate a bite of lunch, and got $100 cash as I checked out. There is something homey about finding a Walmart as a base of operations along America’s highways. I type “Walmart” into my shopping database of the GPS and set the unit to take me to my store, restaurant, and bank stop. Twice in six thousand miles I was directed to a vacated Walmart building. Somewhere in the vicinity, a Super Walmart had replaced the address of the one on my GPS. That was not a big deal. I either asked directions at a gas station or hopped on the interstate for the next town.
So, why did I title this section Buy a GPS but carry a map? Because sometimes a map is better than a GPS. It is that simple. Before leaving on a long trip, I carefully map out my chosen route with plans to stop at museums, art galleries, historic sites, etc. Acquiring official state road maps before setting out is invaluable. Every state in the USA wants tourists to spend money within their borders. I am happy to do that with all but one state, which I am currently boycotting. (You guess which one it is. Forget it. You’ll never figure this one out.) Nevertheless, go online. Look up the state tourism homepage. (For example, Google “Arkansas tourism official homepage.”) Ask them to send you an official map. It should arrive by snail mail within two or three weeks. Laying a map out in front of you gives you the total perspective of your travel through a specific geographic region. The GPS will get you through Arkansas expeditiously. Perusing the state map of Arkansas and reviewing their state tourism guides will give you many choices for fun, educational, intriguing diversions off the beaten path.
There is also the possibility that roads will be under construction, detours will lead you into areas that raise questions about location, and shopping mall parking lots will be displayed on the GPS screen as a road. You may simply want to plot another course to avoid heavy traffic, dangerous areas, densely populated urban areas, etc. If it is rush hour, I often plot a route around the main business districts of cities, including around D.C.’s beltway, knowing that I will have a more pleasurable experience staying away from tired, potentially aggressive drivers who want me out of their way. No problem. By the way, try to hit key metropolitan areas “outside” of rush hour.
When traveling to Wyoming, I carefully monitored weather forecasts and was aware of a highly volatile storm system with tornado watches and warnings along my plotted route. I studied the satellite images of NOAA weather maps, and charted an alternate route through northern Wyoming. I used my Wyoming state road map to do so. Devils Tower National Park was just thirty miles from my new route, so I calculated driving times, risk, and prepared a stop at the beautiful volcanic rock formation. I steered clear of the storm system that was destroying homes and lives to my southwest, allowing plenty of time to reach my night’s stay to the south. But as I drove toward Casper, the skies became more and more ominous. The first clue to danger was the significant decrease in traffic. I went into a heightened state of observation. When I realized that suddenly there were no tractor trailer trucks on the road, I knew I was in trouble.
Unfortunately my weather radio reported no impending threats. But, as I have learned, the local radio station was on top of the crisis. Professionally trained spotters had detected a tornado on the ground in Casper. I was driving straight into it. As soon as I heard the report, I exited the interstate and looked for the strongest, safest hotel in the vicinity. I checked in, informed the staff that a tornado was on the ground in Casper and was headed north. Then I called the Casper hotel, joked a little bit about the weather “down there” and asked them cordially to release me from a room reservation penalty as I had procured shelter in Gillette. They were very cordial and understanding. I settled into my room for the night. It was 2:30 in the afternoon. Safety first. Everything else comes later.
Have a map for every state through which you travel. It is far more comprehensive and far more comprehensible than any GPS screen. Never drive down the road juggling a road map in your right hand while steering your vehicle with your left hand. Study alternative routes and be flexible with your time. Do not try a long trip into unfamiliar territory without a GPS. Know how to use it. It is not a luxury. It is a necessity for serious travelers. And take a map. Be smart. Be safe.
Copyright 2010 Traveling Novelist
Traveling solo for thousands of miles or for hundreds of miles requires a solid sense of direction. Gasoline is too expensive to throw away on the road less traveled. Heading off in the wrong direction can cost you lost hours and a much thinner pocketbook than you had planned. One time I traveled to Amish Country with my friend, Mary. Returning on the interstate after dark and chattering away about how much fun the trip had been, we were oblivious to our whereabouts. When we came to a division in the four lane system, we were so busy yammering, I drove past the exit at an Interstate crossroads. Two hours and a hundred seventy miles later, I began to question some of the landmarks. We called our husbands, told them we were running behind schedule a little, and pedaled back up the road as fast as our Flintstone feet could take us. A GPS would have caught the error immediately,
and would have squelched, “Recalculating,” within two seconds of our missed exit ramp. Alas, the purchase of the satellite highway direction system was in my future.
Don’t skimp when buying a GPS. Consult Consumer Reports, experienced friends, and knowledgeable electronics sales reps before laying your money down. Some jurisdictions do not allow hand held GPS units to be used by vehicle operators, so be sure to acquire a unit that attaches to your dash or window. Perhaps most importantly, select a model that not only announces when your turns are forthcoming, but specifically identifies the street name for your turn. A neighbor of ours has a unit that only announces basic directions such as “Turn left in 500 feet.” Of course, if there are merging streets, avenues, alleys, and private drives in close proximity, it is easy to miss the road indicated by the wise lady in the box. But instructions such as “Turn left on Elm Street in 500 feet,” are clear. Usually you can spot the street sign far enough ahead of the intersection to make the correct maneuver efficiently.
Another feature of our GPS that is incredibly helpful is its capacity to tell the vehicle operator not only to turn left, but to advise the driver to “Turn left on Elm Street. Then keep right.” That usually means that there is a four lane street and I need to be in the right lane in preparation for another turn---to the right---shortly after heading along Elm Street. I rarely have to signal to other drivers the need to change lanes in anticipation of a quick turn in another direction.
Finally, be certain to practice driving on familiar roads with the GPS long before heading on a trip. Get used to the sound of the instructions, and do not allow the lady in the box to steer you into a lake. Stop for stop signs. Stop for red traffic lights. Stop or slow down for highway construction. Yield at yield intersections. When I first started using the GPS I thought I was exceedingly distracted by the directions, to the extent that I would NEARLY run stop signs, simply because the lady instructed me to turn right in 200 feet. It was weird to feel overwhelmed by a computer generated voice that ordered me to drive into oncoming traffic. Initially, I thought this was my problem. But, as soon as my husband began using the unit, I noticed that he had a tendency to keep moving into intersections, regardless of traffic signs and signals. A few times I would yelp, “Stop! Stop!” This tendency to tune out other variables in the driving environment is equivalent to the dangerous distraction experienced by cell phone users who barrel through department store parking lots, ignoring speed, rights of way, and pedestrian safety. Be CAREFUL with the GPS. Stay alert. Focus.
As I prepare for a long distance trip in the near future I have been weighing the importance of upgrading my GPS. New road construction is prevalent in the area of my destination, so my decision to upgrade has been made for me. Occasionally a city will rename a street which will throw you off, unless you have a sense of where you are apart from the perspective of the wonderful metallic, signaling globes swirling around the heavens above us. Keep a small compass attached to your key ring. You can pick up one for a couple of bucks at a discount department store. If it “feels” like you are going in the wrong direction on the wrong street, maybe you are.
Be prepared for personal safety awareness when using a GPS. Unfortunately, the satellites will signal you to drive the most direct route to your destination even if it is a dangerous route. Stay alert. If you see a lot of trash on the streets, heavy bars on storefronts, loiterers staring at your out-of-state license plates from a distance, you have taken the wrong road. Get back to a safer highway as fast as possible. Ignore the computerized message of “Recalculating,” and realize that the GPS will “catch up with you” as you consciously choose a safer route. Safety first. Then follow the GPS.
Do the driving directors ever take you in the wrong direction? Yes. But rarely. On my Wild West vacation I established a routine where I stopped daily at Walmart. I bought water bottles, snacks, ate a bite of lunch, and got $100 cash as I checked out. There is something homey about finding a Walmart as a base of operations along America’s highways. I type “Walmart” into my shopping database of the GPS and set the unit to take me to my store, restaurant, and bank stop. Twice in six thousand miles I was directed to a vacated Walmart building. Somewhere in the vicinity, a Super Walmart had replaced the address of the one on my GPS. That was not a big deal. I either asked directions at a gas station or hopped on the interstate for the next town.
So, why did I title this section Buy a GPS but carry a map? Because sometimes a map is better than a GPS. It is that simple. Before leaving on a long trip, I carefully map out my chosen route with plans to stop at museums, art galleries, historic sites, etc. Acquiring official state road maps before setting out is invaluable. Every state in the USA wants tourists to spend money within their borders. I am happy to do that with all but one state, which I am currently boycotting. (You guess which one it is. Forget it. You’ll never figure this one out.) Nevertheless, go online. Look up the state tourism homepage. (For example, Google “Arkansas tourism official homepage.”) Ask them to send you an official map. It should arrive by snail mail within two or three weeks. Laying a map out in front of you gives you the total perspective of your travel through a specific geographic region. The GPS will get you through Arkansas expeditiously. Perusing the state map of Arkansas and reviewing their state tourism guides will give you many choices for fun, educational, intriguing diversions off the beaten path.
There is also the possibility that roads will be under construction, detours will lead you into areas that raise questions about location, and shopping mall parking lots will be displayed on the GPS screen as a road. You may simply want to plot another course to avoid heavy traffic, dangerous areas, densely populated urban areas, etc. If it is rush hour, I often plot a route around the main business districts of cities, including around D.C.’s beltway, knowing that I will have a more pleasurable experience staying away from tired, potentially aggressive drivers who want me out of their way. No problem. By the way, try to hit key metropolitan areas “outside” of rush hour.
When traveling to Wyoming, I carefully monitored weather forecasts and was aware of a highly volatile storm system with tornado watches and warnings along my plotted route. I studied the satellite images of NOAA weather maps, and charted an alternate route through northern Wyoming. I used my Wyoming state road map to do so. Devils Tower National Park was just thirty miles from my new route, so I calculated driving times, risk, and prepared a stop at the beautiful volcanic rock formation. I steered clear of the storm system that was destroying homes and lives to my southwest, allowing plenty of time to reach my night’s stay to the south. But as I drove toward Casper, the skies became more and more ominous. The first clue to danger was the significant decrease in traffic. I went into a heightened state of observation. When I realized that suddenly there were no tractor trailer trucks on the road, I knew I was in trouble.
Unfortunately my weather radio reported no impending threats. But, as I have learned, the local radio station was on top of the crisis. Professionally trained spotters had detected a tornado on the ground in Casper. I was driving straight into it. As soon as I heard the report, I exited the interstate and looked for the strongest, safest hotel in the vicinity. I checked in, informed the staff that a tornado was on the ground in Casper and was headed north. Then I called the Casper hotel, joked a little bit about the weather “down there” and asked them cordially to release me from a room reservation penalty as I had procured shelter in Gillette. They were very cordial and understanding. I settled into my room for the night. It was 2:30 in the afternoon. Safety first. Everything else comes later.
Have a map for every state through which you travel. It is far more comprehensive and far more comprehensible than any GPS screen. Never drive down the road juggling a road map in your right hand while steering your vehicle with your left hand. Study alternative routes and be flexible with your time. Do not try a long trip into unfamiliar territory without a GPS. Know how to use it. It is not a luxury. It is a necessity for serious travelers. And take a map. Be smart. Be safe.
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