With both gas and airline ticket prices skyrocketing, it may be hard to tell whether driving or flying is the better value (in terms of both money and time). This “Fly or Drive Calculator” can help you wisely plan your next trip. More »
Blog Archives
Compare the Cost and Time of Driving Versus Flying for Your Next Trip [Saving Money]
Posted on May 24, 2011
Get Better at Parallel Parking [Video Demonstration]
Posted on March 17, 2010
We all had that someone—mom, dad, aunt, neighbor—who told us everything we needed to know about parallel parking. Over time, we lose some of it, and pick up bad habits. Drop back into driver's ed with a smart video. More »
Adjust Your Car Mirrors to Fully Cover Your Blind Spots [Driving]
Posted on February 15, 2010
The way most drivers, and car makers, keep their side mirrors doesn’t actually cover the blind spot outside the driver’s vision. Car and Driver illustrates a car mirror setup that, once you get used to it, could prevent lane change freak-outs.
The auto magazine culls its mirror alignment diagram from a paper published in 1995 by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). That paper suggested, basically, moving your side mirrors to point further out into adjacent lanes, a trick that can take some getting used to:
The paper advocates adjusting the mirrors so far outward that the viewing angle of the side mirrors just overlaps that of the cabin’s rearview mirror. This can be disorienting for drivers used to seeing the flanks of their own car in the side mirrors. But when correctly positioned, the mirrors negate a car’s blind spots. This obviates the need to glance over your shoulder to safely change lanes as well as the need for an expensive blind-spot warning system.
So the trick is to get the side mirrors aligned just outside what your rearview mirror covers, and rely on your own vision to cover the areas in your peripheral vision. Neat trick, but as the magazine (and their commenters) mention, you’ll want to train yourself on a neighborhood road before taking this setup out on the interstate.
Check out the Car and Driver post for a full look and explanation of the SAE-approved side mirror setup. Got a better solution to your side mirror setup? Do tell in the comments. Thanks for the link, cipheroid!.
How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots [Car and Driver]
AccidentSketch Helps You Create Detailed Accident Reports [Driving]
Posted on October 28, 2009
Accidents happen to even the most cautious drivers. If you find yourself in one, AccidentSketch is a simple web-based tool that can help you draw up a picture and generate a report to give to your insurance company.
AccidentSketch uses a simple template system. Cars, road segments, signs, pedestrians, and more all snap to the grid and in the case of small objects like signs can be moved from there. You can change the colors of things, zoom in and out to get as close or wide as you need, and even assign information to parties involved like the license plate numbers of the cars in the accident.
Once you create a diagram you can also generate a text-based report to fill in details that can’t be easily conveyed by the picture. When you’re done you’ve got a tidy accident sketch and report to submit to the interested parties. The service is free and requires no registration.
Have a handy tool and tidbit for dealing with insurance companies and life after a fender-bender? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
AccidentSketch [via MakeUseOf]
Waze Generates and Reports Real-Time Traffic Data on Your Phone [Downloads]
Posted on September 16, 2009
iPhone/Android/Windows Mobile: Waze turns your GPS-enabled phone into a node in a network of real-time traffic reporters. As you use Waze, you build maps, get traffic data, and alert other commuters to events on the road.
Waze is focused on bringing you live traffic information and maps via crowd sourcing. Each phone with Waze installed generates map data and, through user-interaction, also provides information about construction, traffic jams, and other road-related events important to drivers.
Waze also provides turn-by-turn driving directions, which are adopted in real time based on traffic conditions and other information in the Waze network—it should be noted, however, that Waze currently doesn't function as a long range navigation tool but instead analyzes the areas you regularly drive in and suggests optimal routes.
Check out the demo from Waze to get a better feel for how the system works:
In addition to the application on your phone, there is also a dashboard system on the Waze web site. There you can flag areas of the map that need to be edited or repaired, make changes to the map to correct errors, and add additional information to the maps to help other commuters. Even if you don’t use Waze on your phone, you can still visit the Waze site and view their live map of your area.
Waze is free and requires an iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, or Symbian phone.
Waze [via jkOnTheRun]
Car Accident Checklist Lessens Post-Accident Stress [Driving]
Posted on June 9, 2009
Even a minor fender bender can make your nerves run amuck. Having an accident checklist on hand can make the situation less stressful so you can get the important information you need.
Photo by Oneras
Reader Chris points us to a free auto accident check list that his mother-in-law printed out and placed in his glove box, explaining that it came in very handy after he was rear-ended on his way home from work recently. The ten-point list is full of important reminder, including what information you should collect from the other driver(s) and any witnesses, what you should do if you can’t safely get out of the way of traffic, and how to create an accident diagram.
Another important step to remember, assuming you’ve got even a cameraphone on hand, is to take lots of pictures:
Take pictures of everything involved in the car accident, as long as it can be done safely. These pictures should include each car driver, each automobile in the car accident showing any property damage, skid marks, any other damage to property, as well as the location of the automobile accident. The more pictures the better. When in doubt, take pictures. It is a good idea to keep a disposable camera in your glove compartment or trunk. If there are no other cameras available, then you should use a cell phone camera. Pictures may help your automobile insurance company determine how much you should be paid for your injuries.
Having a checklist on hand and knowing what information you need to collect will definitely help you get through the moments after an accident. What got you through an accident? What did you find to be invaluable in the moments after a car accident? Share your experiences in the comments below. Thanks Chris!
Auto Accident Checklist [Serious Accidents]