Defensive driving courses a brief overview

Advanced Driving or also known as defensive driving is a more advanced form of training that motor vehicle drivers can take, over and above the mastery of the rules of the road, and the basic mechanics of driving. Its aim is to reduce the risk of driving by proactively avoiding dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions and/or the incorrect actions of others. This can be achieved through adherence to a variety of general-purpose rules, as well as the practice of specific driving techniques.

Listed below are a few of those techniques, and a few words about them.

Rule No. 1 - Pay Attention!

A moving vehicle develops thousands of foot-pounds of energy. YOU as a driver have the responsibility not to use that energy to injure or kill others, or damage their property. Paying attention makes it possible for you to see, recognize and avoid the hazards lurking on the road; these are the three basic elements of defensive driving. The primary attribute necessary for a safe driver is alertness, and paying attention is the most important driving task because it helps create the time you need to recognize hazards and avoid a collision.

Rule No. 2 - Do not Trust Anybody!

We have met the enemy and he has us. You can never rely on what the other driver will do. Think back to all the mistakes you've made while driving over the years. Think ahead to the ones you know you will make in the future. All the other drivers are just like us! Don't trust them! While you are driving, keep a wary eye on the other guy and leave yourself plenty of room. Anticipate the mistakes he might make and be ready for them. Eventually, he will! Because he's just like us! When you are driving on "autopilot," you have turned control of your vehicle over to those other drivers - you are at their mercy. Their fate is your fate.

Rule No. 3 - Don't speed!

Driving at a higher than reasonable speed increases your risk in two ways: it cuts your reaction time and results in more "stored" energy (that must be dissipated in any collision). You should consider if the risks are worth the gain. This is the science of math and physics—you cannot bend these rules. Each incremental increase in speed reduces your ability to react in time to hazards, because you may be covering distance in less time than it takes to react. Normal reaction time is between .75 second and 1.5 seconds, on average. Average reaction time distance at 50 mph would be approximately 83 feet. At 70 mph, it is over 115 feet (over 7 modern car lengths). These numbers do not include braking distance, just reaction time. The average difference in reaction-time distance from 50 mph to 70 mph is about 32 feet. If you were relying solely on braking, any hazard you encounter within the reaction distance is already a problem; you can't react quickly enough to miss it. This is particularly important at night, when darkness restricts your visibility. Do you know at what distance your headlights will illuminate a hazard? How is your night vision these days? When headlights finally light up a road hazard, it is often too late to avoid it. Many experts would tell you that even 50 mph is too fast for conditions at night, on any dark roadway.

Rule No. 4 - Drive Precisely!

Sloppy driving breeds mishaps! Most everyone knows the basics of the traffic laws; signaling, proper lane position for turns, turning into the proper lanes, complying with traffic signs (like "No U-Turns," "No right turn on red," etc.), driving to the right except when passing, passing across double yellow stripes, really STOPPING for stop signs, and many others. Drivers ignore them for the sake of expediency every day. We are so impatient to get about the details of our lives that we don't take the time to do it "right." One estimate I've seen is that average drivers commit 2.5 traffic violations every mile they drive! But, those pesky, nit-picky driving rules ARE important!

Most important rule – Respect all the driving rules that your country’s legislation has.

The list could go on for yet another fifty or more rules, but these are considered the most important of them all. More rules and details on how to attend a defensive driving course can be found on the following sites:

dmv. org

drivinguniversity. com

Atv safety tips

1. Before You Squeeze The Throttle

* Choose the Right Vehicle - Adult model ATVs are for riders age 16 and older only. Younger riders should never ride an adult-sized vehicle until they are at least age 16. This is especially important, since younger children are usually injured on ATVs due to their size or inexperience with operating vehicles.

* Complete a Safety Course - First-time riders should always take an ATV safety course before heading out on the trails. Safety courses educate riders of the correct way to operate and ride an ATV to ensure he or she knows how to handle the vehicle. Also, safety courses will teach riders of all ages the appropriate behavior when riding an ATV, making it critical for teens and adults to attend.

* Gear Up - Riders should always wear an ATV helmet and other protective gear, including gloves, long pants, footwear that covers the ankles, a long-sleeve shirt or jacket and eye protection.

* Respect Vehicle Capacity Guidelines - Riders should never carry a passenger on an ATV unless the ATV has been specifically designed to carry an operator and a passenger. Since you have to manipulate your weight in order to control the vehicle, two riders on a vehicle is incredibly dangerous. Also, the ATV may be unable to successfully hold the combined weight of two riders, making it less stable and more apt to roll over.

2. When You're Rolling

* Respect the Environment Where You Ride - Always obey all applicable laws and ride only in approved or designated areas and trails. Make sure to get permission before riding on private property and never ride on paved surfaces.

* Choose Your Settings - When it comes to where to ride your ATV, ensure you choose a proper setting. Avoid roads and streets, since ATVs are not designed nor intended to be driven on concrete or asphalt with larger cars and trucks. Also, avoid improper terrain that may encourage the ATV to roll over due to instability in the ground.

* Know Your Limits - Do not ride at excessive speeds or past the limit of your visibility. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Increasing the speed — especially through certain terrains—decreases your control and the vehicle’s stability, making you more prone to have an accident.

* Don’t Drive Impaired - Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Even over the counter or prescription medications can impair your reaction time, thinking process, and judgment, so be sure to avoid operating an ATV during this time.

* No Tricks or Stunts - The most injuries on ATVs occur when the vehicles are operated improperly. Take great care in riding your ATV and be sure to avoid any tricks or stunts that will encourage an accident. Furthermore, avoid improper interaction with other individuals, whether they are on an ATV or not.

* Tell a Friend - Always make a plan before you ride and tell someone where you’re going. Ride in a group of two or three and create a buddy system.

* Carry a Communication Device with You - ATV operations should be sure to carry a cell phone or walkie talkie with them at all times so that they can call for help in the event of an emergency. This is especially true if you are riding alone, which is not encouraged, so that someone will be able to find you if you become injured.

Will the democrats be able to reverse the online gambling ban

Many people were hoping that if the Democrats won control of Congress they would reverse the online gambling ban, but experts doubt they will even try or that if they do that the will be successful.

Once the bill was passed and signed into law by the president, it became much harder to reverse the law.

The democrats would need to bring up the law and get it to a vote, then after the vote passed it needs to go to the president for his signature. The problem with this is that the current president is the one who signed the bill into law in the first place.

Another problem is because the gambling ban was attached to another bill, it means that to reverse the law the entire bill needs to be reversed, but the other part of the bill is for an increase in port security, so any congressmen who recommends reversing this law, will be going on record as trying to reverse the increase in port security.

Because of this trying to get the law reversed could ruin a congressman’s chances of ever getting elected to public office again for the rest of their lives.

It is more likely that it will have to wait till the end of George Bushes term in office and then get an amendment to the law that reverses only gambling ban part of the law.

So if you are on Online Gambling enthusiast and you were hoping that after the election the online gambling ban would just disappear I am sorry to say you were mistaken and that you are going to have to wait a little longer, but that does not mean you need to sit quietly by.

The key is to make sure that you are heard, write letters to congressmen, and attend protest rallies anything that will keep this issue in the front of the minds of the politicians so they know that just as the Republicans lost the house so can they.

The republicans used the online gambling ban to try to gain votes for them in the last weeks before the election, but it backfired on them and lost them more votes then it brought in.

Hopefully the Democrats will learn from the mistakes of the Republicans and will understand that banning something never works, and that it is only thru regulating the online gambling industry that will ensure that it is safe and honest to play and that no underage children manage to play.

Other wise I am sure that the Democrats will also see the wrath of the American voters when it comes time for the next elections.

The American people are tired of having the government controlling every aspect of their lives and I think this election may have made their point for them.

So if the question is will they try to reverse the law I am sure they will try, but how successful they will be is still up in the air, and no one can really know what the outcome will be.

Online gambling is the american dream

Every generation has dreamed of a better life for their children, and many decided to pack up the family and move to America and that is how most Americans came to be Americans.

For 200 years people suffering from poverty, hunger or oppressive governments have dreamed of a better life for themselves and their families, and came to United States of America in search of the American Dream.

Many people around the world have to work 18 hours a day just to make enough money to survive; to these people the American dream is nothing more then a less hard life and a better education for them and their children, and to some it is getting rich without working hard to do it.

This is not much different from the mentality from an American who maybe builds houses, or works in a factory or some other type of physically demanding job that they hate, and at the end of the day they dream of winning that jackpot in an online casino.

Winning the grand prize and making enough money to put a nice roof over their kids heads, put the kids in a good school, money for college. This is exactly what the American dream is about.

Many Americans work 2 or more jobs a day to support their families, and have no way to get to a casino, they just do not have the time to get there. Does that mean that they should not be allowed to follow their dreams because they have to do it from home?

This is like telling a new immigrant that the American Dream has been outlawed because you may squander you money trying to achieve it.

What if a hard working man saved up some money and decided he wanted to open a restaurant and the government told him no, because the restaurant business is dangerous and most new restaurants fail within the first 6 months.

The law making online gambling illegal is a direct blow to why most of our grandparents moved to the United States.

The entire idea of the American dream is to be able to do better in life then the cards you have been dealt, just like in poker you are dealt your cards then after looking at them you have the chance to exchange your bad cards for better ones. The ability for a child from poor family to be able to get a good education and to make more of himself then the generation before him did.

Many people around the world are dealt a bad hand in life, but the American dream helps them rise above it to make what before may have seemed impossible become an every day occurrence.

Pure and simple the American dream gives hope to people who never expected to have hope again, and online casinos give people the same thing. The hope to improve their lives, and to deny people that chance is like putting a sign up for new immigrants to the USA saying Sorry The Dream is Over Please go home.

Getting fueled-up for summer driving

As temperatures begin to rise, so does the anticipation of being able to drive with the windows down and the wind blowing in your hair during America's hottest season. Amid today's ever-changing fuel landscape, it is important for drivers to educate themselves about how to make smarter decisions for their vehicles-especially during the summer months. Car owners, it is time to get "fueled-up" for summer driving.

Cars, like their drivers, require proper maintenance and replenished fluids in order to be prepared for the sweltering summer heat. Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, a nationally recognized automotive expert, shares some tips for consumers on how to keep their cars performing at their best throughout the summertime.

• Inspect the cooling system. Prevent your car's engine from rapid overheating by inspecting its cooling system. Make sure to keep an eye on the coolant level-if low, refill using a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze. If your antifreeze is dirty or weak, have your cooling system flushed at your local auto repair shop. Also, while you're there, have your auto technician test the cooling fan and thermostat for proper operation and repair or replace as needed.

• Fill up with quality fuel. When at the pump, be sure to rejuvenate with a quality fuel such as Amoco Ultimate® premium fuel at BP. With continuous use, it can help clean-up dirty engines by cutting away deposits from intake valves. A cleaner engine can give your car better performance-ensuring less hesitation and smoother acceleration. It may even help improve your gas mileage for a more cost-efficient summer road trip.

• Replenish fluids. Don't let your car dehydrate; make sure that all fluids are replenished accordingly. Remember to check and/or replace the transmission, brake, washer and power-steering fluids. All can be easily located by reviewing your owner's manual, or consulting your local auto technician for expert help.

• Examine the AC system. The air temperature coming from the air conditioning ducts should be approximately 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If not, you should have it inspected by a licensed AC repair facility or your local auto technician where they will inspect for leaks, repair them and recharge the system with the proper amount of Freon for your vehicle.

• Change your oil more often. Start the season off with premium motor oil for maximum engine protection. This is especially important in the summer because hot weather requires extra lubrication for the engine.

Car shipping help

Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for your next auto transport company:

Make sure the auto transport service you select has the proper insurance in case you have any damage to your vehicle

Do they have a history of good service and customer satisfaction? Visit website like autoshipments dot com for a list of auto transport companies and reviews to help you make your selection.

Confirm your auto transport company is bonded

Do they have a toll free number you can call

Are the sales agents knowledgeable and courtesy on the phone?

Do they offer door to door service?

Always make sure the price they give you is the final cost and there are no hidden charges

Request at least a 3 day window for pick-up and delivery of your vehicle or vehicles

Do they have a physical location address available at their website you can verify

Many times shipping your vehicle is cost effective with today’s rising gas prices so you should always explore the option when you need to relocate your car, truck or SUV. This also allows you to focus on your move and your family relieving you of stress of driving your vehicle.

Here are a few things to remember prior to shipping your vehicle:

Insure your vehicle has no obvious fluid leaks.

Be sure that the battery is secure, has no leaks, and that the fluid levels are low enough to accommodate expansion.

Make sure that your vehicle is clean enough to ensure an accurate pickup inspection.

Leave only about ј tank of gas in the vehicle, as a full tank of gasoline adds a lot of costly weight to the transport.

Disable or disconnect anti-theft devices or alarms.

There can be serious problems and unnecessary expenses if the driver is locked out or if the alarm goes off during the auto shipping process or the car transport.

Remove all personal belongings except standard vehicle items such as jack and spar tire.

Remove after-market or not build-in radios, cassette decks, CD/DVD players and/or toll passes/tags and garage openers.

Secure or remove any loose parts or specialty items such as ground effects, spoilers, fog lights, bike racks, grill covers or wide mirrors, and lower or remove the antenna if possible.

Repair or seal any tears or open seams on convertible tops to prevent fast-moving air from causing further damage.

Make sure the radiator has adequate levels of fresh antifreeze and prepared for new climates.

Very slightly open one window to relieve pressure due to temperature and elevation changes. This will allow for your vehicle(s) to breath and protect window(s) from blowing out because of the temperature and pressure changes during transport.

There are literally thousands of choices in today’s market place but applying some prudence and asking the right questions will all but guarantee you a safe and reliable auto relocation.