We usually keep good tabs on changing oil and stuff on our cars, but I see many people out on the highways that miss a few routine checks.
Tires:
I see a lot of people cruising down the road oblivious to the fact that they have a flat tire. I'll usually try to let them know, but sadly, I've found that people generally don't want to be bothered. So, are your tires inflated to the pressure recommended by the manufacturer? If not, this is a huge safety risk, will cause the tires to wear out prematurely, and can cause an increase in your fuel consumption. Each time you stop to fill up your gas tank, you might want to do a walk around your car and do a visual check on the tire pressure. If a tire looks low, check the pressure with a pressure gauge.
Shocks:
I get a kick out of people who seem to just be bouncing around the highway. This isn't because of the music they're listening to, but instead, it's because their shocks are worn out. This is another safety hazard folks. A simple check of your shocks can be to push down on each corner of your car and see if it bounces or if the car stabilizes quickly. If it bounces, you should schedule yourself to get those shocks replaced.
Dirty windows:
I see this a few cars in my travels that I can hardly see in due to the grime on the inside of their windows that is probably caused by cigarette smoke. If I can hardly see in your car, I doubt you can see out too well either. And no, these cars do not have tinted windows.You might want to be sure you clean the inside of your windows fairly frequently.
Lights:
Since I am out the door way early in the morning before most smart people get out of bed, I depend on other vehicles having properly working lights. This includes headlights, brake lights, turn signals, marker lights, and taillights. There are usually a good number of cars out on the highway that have at least one light out.It would be great to add a light check to your vehicle maintenance routine. This would include making sure all your lights are working properly, including the turn signals and brake lights when they are activated.Oh, and if you find that you need to replace a headlight, be sure to use the screws (if applicable) that allow you to remove the bulb from its socket and NOT the screws that adjust the aiming of the head lights. I see a lot of folks on the road that have wonderfully functioning headlights, but those headlights are basically aimed at the ground instead of forward as they should. Improperly aimed headlights are a big safety hazard too since you are basically getting a smaller percentage of the visibility that you should really be getting.
Just some thoughts....
Published Saturday, January 20, 2007 1:46 AM by dthomson
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