Have Road Rage? Find Out in Our Quiz

When I was a young boy, I remembered a phrase my mother used to tell me on occasion.  She would begin to speak loudly, pause to look at me and say “earmuffs”.  At that moment, I would press my hands over my ears, drowning out the onslaught of curse words that proceeded to leave her mouth.  The more the vein pulsed on her neck, the more feverishly she would curse. This happened most often in the car when one of two occasions occurred: One, she was cut off by another driver, or two someone did something completely reckless, putting our lives in danger.  Road rage was funny to me then, but since those moments as a child, I’ve come to understand its power.  Do you have road rage?  Find out in a quiz courtesy of Progressive to find out if you fit the bill.

Yes or No, Do You ...

1. Overtake other vehicles only on the left?
2. Avoid blocking passing lanes?
3. Yield to faster traffic by moving to the right?
4. Keep to the right as much as possible on narrow streets and at intersections?
5. Maintain appropriate distance when following other motorists, bicyclists, motorcyclists, etc.?
6. Provide appropriate distance when cutting in after passing vehicles?
7. Use headlights in cloudy, rainy, and other low light conditions?
8. Yield to pedestrians?
9. Come to a complete stop at stop signs, before right turn on red, etc.?
10. Stop for red traffic lights?
11. Approach intersections and pedestrians at slow speeds to show your intention and ability to stop?
12. Follow right-of-way rules at four-way stops?
13. Drive below posted speed limits when conditions warrant?
14. Drive at slower speeds in construction zones?
15. Maintain speeds appropriate for conditions?
16. Use vehicle turn signals for all turns and lane changes?
17. Make eye contact and signal intentions where needed?
18. Acknowledge intentions of others?
19. Use your horn sparingly around pedestrians, at night, around hospitals, etc.?
20. Avoid unnecessary use of highbeam headlights?
21. Yield and move to the right for emergency vehicles?
22. Refrain from flashing headlights to signal a desire to pass?
23. Drive trucks at posted speeds, in the proper lanes, using non-aggressive lane changing?
24. Make slow, deliberate U-turns?
25. Maintain proper speeds around roadway crashes?
26. Avoid returning inappropriate gestures?
27. Avoid challenging other drivers?
28. Try to get out of the way of aggressive drivers?
29. Refrain from momentarily using High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes to pass vehicles?
30. Focus on driving and avoid distracting activities (e.g., smoking, use of a car telephone, reading, shaving)?
31. Avoid driving when drowsy?
32. Avoid blocking the right-hand turn lane?
33. Avoid taking more than one parking space?
34. Avoid parking in a disabled space (if you are not disabled)?
35. Avoid letting your door hit the car parked next to you?
36. Avoid stopping in the road to talk with a pedestrian or other driver?
37. Avoid inflicting loud music on neighboring cars?

Score Yourself ...

Are you an Aggressive Driver or a Smooth Operator? Answering "No" to more questions means you're a more aggressive driver.

Number of "No" Answers	How You Rate as a Driver
1-3 4-7 8-11 12+	Excellent Good Fair Poor

How Your Engine Works (INFOGRAPHIC)

Ever wondered how an engine truly functions? Check out this animated info graphic that shows the complete running process for a gas and electrical engine:
Infographic designed by Jacob O'Neal

Quick Tips: Ideas For Keeping Your Car Running Great

Life is a blur, sometimes.  Work can become stressful as the day begins and ends with an aching neck and sore feet.  The last thing on your mind is maintaining your car’s performance.  You’re more in the realm of kicking your feet up, getting a bite to eat, and catching the last part of 2 in a Half Men.  Car maintenance is very important, so how do you know if you’re over doing it or ‘under’ doing it?  In today’s blog, we discuss ways to keep your vehicle running great. 

         

          First, how often are you supposed to receive maintenance?  All of your answers lie in a small space known as the glove box.  Every car is supplied with a maintenance schedule-in the owner’s manual or in a separate maintenance log book-that includes details that vehicle’s need to sustain long and healthy lives.   Taking a few minutes to assimilate the requirements will help you avoid the following car-maintenance pitfalls. 

          Tire Inflation & Rotation

          Tires should be checked regularly, because over time, they leak naturally.  Problems can arise from under inflated tires, which suckS up more gas, as well as over inflated tires, that wear them out sooner.  Plus, front and rear tires wear differently and should be rotated to even that wear.  Your owner’s manual will have a recommendation for pressure and rotation.

          Wiper Tales

          Fall is the best time for wiper replacement.  After a certain period of time your wipers will be useless, leaving you prone to accidents.  Depending on location, wiper replacement may be an annual affair in the Southwest to a biannual chore in northern climates.

          Tune-Ups

         

          Tune-Ups are almost non-existent.  Valves no longer need adjusting, ignition timing is computer controlled and there are no more carburetors.  All you really have left is the spark plugs.  These are usually good for 100,000 miles! Save 60,000 and 120,000-mile services for timing belt, and coolant.

Got your own tip you want to ad?  Feel free!

Improve Health While Driving

The average American spends approximately 101 minutes a day driving.  Many times we get stuck in serious traffic or we find ourselves having to wait at endless lights.  Have you ever thought to yourself, that you could be doing 9 million other things instead of just sitting in your car?  Do you like to multi-task? Are you procrastinating on taking better care of your health?  Well, I have the solution.  I will help you make better use of your drive time and improve your health while keeping your eyes on the road.  Here are 10 things you can do while driving that can help increase your health, making you stronger while sitting behind the wheel.

Chin and Neck Exercises

Spine Stretchers

Tension Tacklers

Best time to drink your water

Moisturize your cuticles

Drink you smoothies and juice instead of soda

Steering Wheel Isometrics

Park further away

Meditation

You can firm up that chin and neck by using a rubber or foam ball. Place the ball below your chin and below the larynx. Hold the ball in place with your hand, and use your chin to press down on the ball. Squeeze the ball gently downward with your chin. Do as many repetitions as you are comfortable with, stopping before your neck muscles get tired.

While driving, pretend you’re zipping a tight pair of jeans. Pull your belly button toward your spine and your lower belly away from your waistband. Hold, engaging your abs.  Up the intensity, quickly exhale 20 times. As you breathe out, contract your lower abs even harder to pulse them in and out.

While stuck in traffic, grip the steering wheel with your hands at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and round your back. Take a breath and release. This stretches the area between the shoulder blades and mid-back.

While stuck at a red light, tilt your right ear down towards your right shoulder. Relax your shoulders and breathe into the left side of your neck, stretching the left side of your neck. Hold for 10 seconds.  At the next light, repeat on the other side.

Steering wheel isometrics can really create a great workout, without you having to set aside 20 minutes during your day. With isometrics, you can use your body’s own resistance, but you can also employ stationary objects in your exercises such as a steering wheel that can heed some great results.

We know that water is essential to our health and if you aren’t doing this already, try to always have bottled water in your car.  You can easily get the required amount of hydration if you make this a habit.  The other option is juice or smoothies for your daily fruit or vegetable intakes.  There are several delicious versions located at places like gas stations and Starbucks.

Other areas that require healthy attention are our hands. Try moisturizing your cuticles by using a moisturizing lip balm.  This can really help make your nails grow and keep your hands looking lovely.

Of course the obvious isn’t so obvious sometimes. Instead of rushing to find the perfect parking spot; park further away and walk brisk to get a little bit more cardio in.  Heck, if you have the time-do laps around the parking lot!

Driving can be stressful but it can also create Zen. To practice Moving Meditation you must fully accept where you find yourself. Divest yourself of all expectations and standards of technique and take that clear, observing, unobserving, unobstructed state of being, and keep on driving!

These tips will not only improve your health and keep you fit, they will also make your drive time seem more productive.  Pssssst…give it a whirl and pass it on!

Sharing the Road with Truckers

Remember that kid in grade school who used his size and authority as a weapon for malice?  It was the snot nosed kid that bullied everyone just because he was bigger?  Yeah?  That’s how I feel sharing the road with 18-wheeler’s.  Without putting every truck driver in the proverbial box, many of them are great drivers and very courteous, but I can’t help but feel my heart rate increase when I’m sharing the highway with one.  In today’s blog, we discuss some things to avoid when sharing the road with truckers.

1.    Riding in trucker blind spots – Trucks have huge blind spots to the right, rear, and left side.  The worst thing a driver can do is chug along in the trucker's blind spot, where he cannot be seen. If you're going to pass a truck, do it and get it over with. Don't sit alongside with the cruise control set 1 mph faster than the truck is traveling.

2.    Never, ever, ever try to sneak into a small gap and then brake and make a turn.  Trucks need 3 times the distance to stop!  Always give yourself more room. No assistance in lane changes – BAD IDEA.  If a trucker is indicating he wants to change lanes, leave room for them to do so.  You can indicate your willingness by flashing your lights. According to "Sharing the Road," a booklet distributed by John Deere Transportation Insurance, the three most common types of accidents involving heavy trucks involve the following:  Crashes caused by the truck's inability to stop in time.2) Crashes caused by a motorist trying to pass a truck on the right while the truck is making a right-hand turn. Also known as the right turn squeeze.3) Crashes caused by a motorist riding in the trucker's blind spots. Use the following rule of thumb: If you cannot see the truck driver in his mirrors, he probably cannot see you.

Be careful, guys! See you soon!