Stuck in traffic for 7 hours

Thousands Sat In Their Cars For 7 Hours Tuesday As Police Played Blame Game

On July 24, an shut down County Road 39 and Sunrise Highway in Southampton creating "sheer agony, bedlam and confusion" for hours for trapped motorists.  "I feel trapped,” one woman said. Another motorist said,
“I have children that are hungry, thirsty; 95 degrees in the car, and we have no gas and nowhere to go.”

Authorities passed the buck as Village police blamed the state police who in turn blamed the town police for closing the highway to clean oil and clear debris from a collision between a car and a garbage truck. Motorists were left in the dark and waiting, and waiting.

Nearly seven hours after the roads were closed, traffic began to ease.

When a reporter (who was stuck in the jam) questioned officials, would traffic be like this during a hurricane evacuation, the Suffolk County’s Office of Emergency Management responded, No way, in case of a real emergency "a coordinated effort would take place bringing all the response agencies together operating on one specific plan.”

[Now think back to Hurricane Katrina and the "coordinated" effort in Louisiana. If police cannot handle normal events, don't expect better performance during a crisis. ]

The Red Cross recommends that everyone be prepared for traffic events like this by having a go bag with you in your car. Keep snacks, water and a working phone in the car at all times and try to keep the gas tank near full.

Manual Backup for Cars?

When technology fails, it's always nice to have a low tech backup. For many years my wife & I resisted buying cars with electric windows and door locks. Suppose the car goes in the water and the electrical system shorts out. How will you escape the car? We had one car dealer argue, "it's free", but it was not a matter of cost, we WANTED the old-fashioned locks and windows. Also today it's impossible to but a new car without power windows.

When my father rented a car recently, he & I were stumped. How do you turn it on? There was no keyhole for ignition; just a "Start" button. We pressed the button and nothing happens. We later learned that the start button only works while the brake pedal is pressed.

Another "power" feature on new cars is keyless entry. But what if you press your "key" and nothing happens?
This is the bane of drivers in the Bermuda Triangle of lost cars in Yonkers, NY.  According to the Consumerist,

"A nearby funeral home owner says he's had constant complaints about people getting locked out of their cars, including his brother who had to get his car towed away."

A "radio-frequency specialist says there's likely a malfunctioning device in the area that's overpowering all the other quick signal bursts from remotes with its constant strong signal. He says drivers who experience such a thing should bring their keyless remotes as closely to their cars' antenna as they can, to minimize possible interference.

Local employees have learned to park far away or else PUSH their car out of the no-key zone.

Care for Old Cars

My parents are buying a new car and discovering the sticker shock of what new cars cost. They spent thousands of dollars to keep their 10+ year-old-car in good shape but it was recently totalled in a fatal car accident while driven by a friend who was house sitting while my parents were on vacation.

The car I drive every day is ten years-old and given the economy it's not unusually for families to keep their cars running longer and longer. PopularMechanics offers advice for maintaining old cars:

1. Love Thy Cooling System:
   one sure way to kill a car is overheat the engine and run it without coolant. Hoses get old and need to be replaced  - check your service manual. My car just passed the 100K mile mark and got new hoses and a new water pump
2. Brake Time:
   
   "Flush (completely replace) the brake fluid every two years. [...] check on the smaller pieces while you're in there. If your car is more than seven years old, replace the rubber brake lines when major brake work is required. If the rotors or brake drums must be removed, check the wheel bearings.
3. Black Gold:
   
   Your oil should be a "not-too-dark amber fluid. If the fluid that flows from your crankcase is jet black and contains bits of silvery flakes, you've got problems."
4. Don't Do Everything Yourself:
   
   "Periodically have an independent repair shop check critical steering and suspension components"

Don't leave Children & Pets in Cars

I've written before about the dangers of leaving children and pets in hots cars. It can be fatal. Some adults think this is OK so long as they leave the car running with the air conditioner on. Here's what can happen in that scenario ...

A grandmother left her 13-year-old granddaughter alone in the car with the keys while grandma went shopping at a Michigan mall. The teen decide to try her hand at driving. She hit a utility pole and a few parked cars before eventually nestling the vehicle sideways between two other parked cars.

Both the girl and the grandmother may face criminal charges.

Better Road Trips

Slate.com asks Do Family Road Trips Have To Be Horrible?

1. Plan the trip together - let the kids contribute ideas & make last minute suggestions based on road signs or GPS recommendations
2. Make plenty of stops - stop and smell the roses along the way. Aim for a ratio of 40 minutes sightseeing for every 60 minutes of driving.
3. Check out  Roadside America for quirky things to visit like the Jolly Green Giant statue or the Future Birthplace of James T Kirk of Star Trek.
4. Stop for factory tours - pretzel makers, chocolate, cheese, etc. Made in the U.S.A.
5. Avoid fast food - seek out local eateries and sample regional specialties like fried mac & cheese
6. Take nature breaks - not just a potty stop but get out of the car and toss a Frisbee around.
7. Make the car ride entertaining with music, games, and family talks

What Spare Tire?

Last night I had not one but two flat tires on my car. At first I thought something was wrong with the power steering. After driving a mile from the office I was convinced something was not right and I had better look BEFORE I get on the Interstate. I discovered I had one completely flat tire and another 1/2 flat.

My first thought (before I noticed the 1/2 flat tire) was. "I can deal with this. I'm supposed to be prepared." So I open the trunk and then the problems begin:

1. How do I get the jack out? It was wedged into a storage slot.  I opened the car manual which I keep in the glove compartment and learned I had to turn a knob to loosen it.

2. The spare tire - it looked OK. I have not checked it in 10 years so I'm lucky it was not flat, that can happen. But there was also 10 years of rust on the wingnut holding it in place and the wingnut refused to budge. I had some pliers in a car-kit but no wrench and no WD40.

3. At this point a co-worker saw me and offered me his spare tire and a full size tire he just happened to have in his car. His car is a Honda Civic, mine a Honda Accord. The tires looked the same size but I noticed they had different part #'s

4. Given the problems mounting I called the Roadside Assistance program I'm a member of and someone arrived 40 minutes later. There was nothing to read in the car so I listened to my commuting lecture CD while waiting.

5. I had forgotten to recharge my cell phone (which I usually do on Mondays). Fortunately it still had 1/2 battery and lasted long enough.

6. The mechanic found a nail in the half-flat tire, pulled it, plugged the hole and reinflated the tire. He could not find a leak in the full flat until I suggested the valve stem.

7. He could not get my spare loose either and the temp spare from my coworker did not fit the bolts. However the full size tire my coworker had did fit and got me home.

8. The mechanic charged extra for patching the one tire and expected payment on the spot for that (all else was covered by the plan). I was short on cash but across the street from a bank with an ATM.

I was VERY lucky that things did not turn out worse:
* I had never checked the spare in 10 years
* I had no experience with replacing a tire on my current car with the jack provided
* My cell phone was undercharged
* I should have never left the office parking lot
* I was low on cash

Do I have to keep Paying for a Stolen Car?

Years ago the father of a friend passed away unexectedly and his mother returned the father's new car to the dealer. She thought that would stop the payments but she was wrong. Since the "used" value of the car was less than what was still owed, she was billed for the difference.

A similar situation was described recently on FoxBusiness.com, Why You Must Keep up The Payments on a Stolen Car

"Until your car loan is satisfied, you are obligated by the terms of your finance agreement to keep up with your payments, and your insurance policy needs to be kept until the stolen car is no longer registered in your name."

A stolen car claim can take 30 days or more to settle and during that time you're on the hook for all payments. You definitely want to keep the insurance active in the hope that they'll pay for the car loss if it's not recovered or any damages sustained when it is recovered. There may be a gap between the used car price that insurance will pay and what is owed. There are special "gap" insurances policies you can buy to cover this (before the fact of course.)

Emergency Kits

While many preparedness sites emphasize 72-hour kits, I don't. I've seen too many people make a kit in a can, which is then placed in the basement and forgotten. When you think about it, a 72-kit makes no sense for emergencies at home if you have food and water storage. Are you truly going to leave your cupboards bare before the storm and live solely off your kit?

I like the term "go-kit". Some use GOOD-kit (Get out of Dodge) as a reminder that what you really need is an evacuation kit, something to sustain you for 3 to 5 days when not at home. Good go-kits are stored in backpacks and keep near the front door (or garage?) so you can grab and go when evacuating the house.

While a go-kit in a backpack is superior to a 72-kit in a can, it still has one drawback. If your house catches fire you might not have access to the front door and your kit burns with the house. So I prefer to keep my go-kit in the trunk of my car. This has the added benefit of giving me some protection if an accident happens while driving.

Bottom Line

Focus on building a great car kit for the family or commuter. See The importance of car survival kits for some great ideas of what to include and how to customize it for your family.

Are drivers getting worse?

My wife & I are amazed at the crazy, stupid things that drivers do now-a-days. She recounts that last week she came to a stop in her car for a garbage truck which blocked the road. The car behind, which had been on her tail, would have none of that and sped blindly around her and the garbage truck.

Here's an extreme example from CBS News in Miami:

According to witnesses, a woman got impatient while waiting for a gas pump so she swerved in front of a yellow Hummer which was next in line. Apparently, when she sped up, she lost control and slammed into the gas pump which caused a huge explosion and fire.

The entire incident was captured on surveillance video and can be viewed at the CBS site.

Bottom Line

The article concludes with "No word on whether any charges will be filed."  I hope they throw the book at the driver for being reckless.

How do I check my Tire Tread for Wear?

“The best way to keep children at home is to make the home a pleasant atmosphere and let the air out of the tires.”
- Dorothy Parker

During the winter it's especially important that your car's tires have a good grip on the road. I've already experienced black ice and curves slick with pouring rain this season. Are my tires in good shape? How can I tell?

 Coin Test

Use the coins in your pocket for a quick tread check.

• Place a penny upside down in a tire groove with Lincoln facing you. If the tread reaches the top of Lincoln's head then you have 2/32" or more of tread.
• Turn the penny around and upside down again. If the tread reaches the top of the Lincoln Memorial, then you have 6/32" of tread.

If you are between 2/32 and 6/32 inches, try this test...

• Place a quarter upside down with Washington facing you. If the tread reaches the top of Washington's head then you have 4/32" or more of tread.

Be sure to check both inner, outer and middle grooves of each tire, because tires can wear differently on each side, due to improper wheel alignment or low inflation.

Wear Bar Test

Tires sold in North America are required to have "wear bars" which run across the tire from the outside shoulder to the inside. When the tread is worn down to the "wear bar" then it's time to get new tires.

Bottom Line

New tires typically begin with 8/32 to 12/32 of tread depth (deeper for snow tires).

According to most states' laws, tires are legally worn out when they have worn down to 2/32" of remaining tread depth (i.e. top of Lincoln's head).

If wet roads are a problem, consider replacing your tires with 4/32" of remaining tread depth (i.e. top of Washington's head). New tires aren't cheap but cost less than an accident.

If snow is a problem, put on new tires or snow tires when the tread depth falls before 6/32". But don't toss the old tires away. You could put the old tires back on in the spring and wear them down to 4/32 or more when the snow is gone.

Tip

To prolong the life of your tires' tread, make sure your tires are properly inflated at all times. Over or under-inflated tires can put extra wear on the rubber, decreasing your car's fuel efficiency and even making it more hazardous to drive during bad weather. Consult your car's instruction manual or driver-side door panel for advice on the right air-pressure levels for your tires 

Do a Good Deed - get a ticket

"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers."
- Dave Barry

Today I was asked to help our local Boy Scout troop with their merit badge for emergency preparedness. One requirement on the list was about training and safety for traffic and crowd control. This made me shake my head.

As WEVR (Westchester Emergency Volunteer Responders) my wife & I had a training class on traffic control. The policeman who taught the class urged us NEVER to direct traffic. We were not authorized and if asked to direct traffic, would not be immune from lawsuits for any traffic accident we caused!

Police are serious about their authority when it comes to directing traffic. Last September a major traffic light went out in Pasadena, CA at Fair Oaks and Huntington avenues. Traffic was backed up for more than a mile and it took more than 30 minutes to get through the busy intersection. At this point Alan Ehrlich acted like a good Boy Scout, put on a bright orange shirt he had in the car, grabbed a couple of orange safety flags, and began directing traffic. [I wonder what his day job is?]

Ehrlich cleared up the mess in 10 minutes. Five minutes later the South Pasadena police showed up and gave Ehrlich a ticket ($193) for "pedestrian on roadway" and ordered him to stop. Did the police take over at that point? No. The police told him that they are not required under California law to regulate the traffic and they left the scene trusting instead upon temporary stop signs to control traffic.

Police and the city of South Pasadena say they currently have no plans to change their procedures. Ehrlich disagrees, “We have limited resources . . . we need to prioritize them. One of the major intersections out at rush hour in our city should be a priority.”

Bottom Line

Are stop signs enough at a major intersection when the lights go out? I'd say not, but California has other ideas.

Is your car ready for Winter?

I had to stop driving my car for a while...
the tires got dizzy.
- Steven Wright

Winter is a bad time for cars. Once I skidded into snow on the shoulder of a road and could not get my car free. A policeman stopped to watch but said he was not allowed to help push the car. (He could call a tow truck for me if I wanted.) Fortunately I was across the street from a Fire department and the firemen were willing to push the car free.

If I were not so lucky that day, I could have been stuck in my car for hours. Perhaps I was just driving to the corner grocery and didn't bother to wear a coat for so short a trip. It happens and that's a very cold mistake to make. Recently a trained professional in Alaska nearly died from exposure in his car. He drove off in a huff to escape wife/in-laws for a bit; he did not wear a coat or pack any supplies. His car slid off the road some 30 miles north of town and it was 3 days before he was found. He survied on frozen beer and ran the car just an hour or so a day to keep from freezing but not run out of gas.

In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car. This kit should include:

• Jumper cables
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• First aid kit and necessary medications in case you are away from home for a prolonged time
• Food items containing protein such as nuts and energy bars; canned fruit and a portable can opener
• Water for each person and pet in your car
• AM/FM radio to listen to traffic reports and emergency messages
• Cat litter or sand for better tire traction
• Shovel
• Ice scraper
• Warm clothes, gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of clothes
• Blankets or sleeping bags

Also consider:

• A fully-charged cell phone and phone charger
• Flares or reflective triangle
• Baby formula and diapers if you have a small child

Bottom Line

Be prepared for an emergency by keeping your gas tank full and if you find yourself stranded, be safe and stay in your car, put on your flashers, call for help and wait until it arrives.

I'll be Watching You

Every step you take,
I'll be watching you
-lyrics by Sting

My wife has frequently said that our next car should have "OnStar" becuase it sounds so useful and appropriate for emergency preparedness. But Wired Magazine reports something unsettling about OnStar, even if you unsubscribe and stop paying the monthly fee of $19-$29, they may still continue to track your vehicle. OnStar claims this is to make it “easier to re-enroll” in the program if you decide to come back. But more likely OnStar wants your travel history so they can make money selling it. A new privacy policy from OnStar makes it clear that they have the right to sell GPS-derived data in an anonymized format.

A spokesman for the General Motors subsidiary, said OnStar does not currently sell customer data, but it reserves that right. He said both the new and old privacy policies allow OnStar to chronicle a vehicle’s every movement and its speed. “We hear from organizations periodically requesting our information,” he said.

An example would be for the Michigan Department of Transportation “to get a feel for traffic usage on a specific section of freeway.”

Bottom Line
OnStar can be a life saver. But it should leave you alone if you cancel. Canceling customers must explicitly opt out of the continued surveillance monitoring program. If you don't trust OnStar to honor your opting out, the Consumerist recommends checking your user manual for the location of the OnStar fuse and removing it.

Survial Kit in a Bottle

"Every survival kit should include a sense of humor"
-unknown

Here's an interesting idea for a survival kit, ThinkGeek.com is offering the "Ultimate Survival Kit in a Water Bottle" for $20. The 32 oz (1 liter) water bottle contains:

• Carabiner
• Multifunction tool
• Multifunction whistle/compass
• Flashlight
• Batteries (2 pcs)
• Survival blanket
• Hand warmer packet (2 pcs)
• Candle
• Box waterproof matches
• Emergency poncho
• 20pc First aid kit
• Reusable zipper-lock bag

I have not bought this so I have no idea about the quality of the flash light, etc. Normally I'd recommend making your own kit but it might be difficult to duplicate the contents for just $20.

Bottom Line

Any survival kit should be customized to your needs. What's the market for the kit above? Hikers most likely. Tossing the above kit in the trunk of your car is better than nothing but you can make a better car kit with little effort. For the car you'll want bottled water (with water!) and powerbars when stranded, duct tape and other quick fix items, as well as most of the items in the hiking kit above (I'd leave out the carabiner and compass - best advice when stranded is to stay with the car so you can be found. Not to wander away and get lost. I'd keep the whistle in case your car goes into a deep irrigation ditch off the road and is out of sight.)

Smuggling Drugs in Unwitting People's Car Trunks

Woh, down in Mexico, I never really been so I don't really know.
And oh, Mexico, I guess I'll have to go.
-James Taylor, lyrics from Mexico

Schneier on Security has this is clever but scary story:

A few miles away across the Rio Grande, the FBI determined that Chavez and Gomez were using lookouts to monitor the SENTRI Express Lane at the border. The lookouts identified "targets" -- people with regular commutes who primarily drove Ford vehicles. According to the FBI affidavit, the smugglers would follow their targets and get the vehicle identification number off the car's dashboard. Then a corrupt locksmith with access to Ford's vehicle database would make a duplicate key. Keys in hand, the gang would put drugs in a car at night in Mexico and then pick up their shipment from the parked vehicle the next morning in Texas, authorities say.

A reader made an interesting comment at Schneier's site; with the duplicate key the smugglers could have easily stolen the cars. Apparently there is more money to be made in drug shipments than in selling a stolen car.

Bottom Line

People who smuggle goods are called mules and not every mule is aware that they are smuggling. Hence the questions at airports - did you pack your own bag? Did anyone give you something to carry on board? Etc.

Never leave your bags out of sight when traveling. A clever crook could slip something into your bag. They won't get caught when the illegal item is found on you. And if you do manage to get through the boarder, the crook or his/her accomplice will steal your bag on the other side.

Quick Car Maintenance,

“In less enlightened times, the best way to impress women was to own a hot car. But women wised up and realized it was better to buy their own hot cars so they wouldn't have to ride around with jerks.”
-Scott Adams

StumbleUpon.com offers Finances in 55 Seconds: Quick Car Maintenance, six ideas for your car that take less than a minute each.

• Do a quick de-clutter: Grab a bag and remove all the trash in your car. You may want a second bag for all the clutter that has accumulated.
• Check the fluids and top them off: Regularly check your fluids and top them off as needed.
• Look for leaks: Take a few seconds to look under the car for leaks. You can save yourself greater costs and aggravation if you take care of issues now.
• Check your tires: Properly inflated tires can be helpful as you work on improving your fuel efficiency. Check and "fill-up" all four tires. While you at it, look also for cuts, bulges and tread depth.
• Check filters: If you have the know-how, you can quickly check your own filters, and possibly even change them.
• Check lights: With a friend you can quickly check your light bulbs on brake lights, as well as your turning signal and head lamps. Change all burnt out lights.

Bottom Line

Check your car at least monthly for the items above. The total time is only a few minutes.

Falling asleep at the wheel

"Sleep is like the unicorn - it is rumored to exist, but I doubt I will see any"

The Consumerist sites a AAA study of 2,000 U.S. residents that 41% of drivers admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel, and drowsy driving accounts for about 17% of all crashes, and 2% of vehicular fatalities.

One in 10 said they did so in the past year and 27 percent of those surveyed said they were so tired behind the wheel that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open.

Drowsy driving was attributed to 730 deaths in 2009--about 2 percent of all vehicular fatalities, but an analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash data reveals that one in six or 16 percent of deadly crashes involve a driver who is sleepy and one in eight result in hospitalization. These statistics are higher than previous estimates and suggest that drowsy driving is a more prevalent factor in crashes, deaths, and injuries.

Bottom Line

The Consumer Reports recommends, "Drinking a good quantity of water helps as it prevents dehydration that can cause drowsiness. It also requires you to pull over regularly and stretch your legs for a bathroom break."

Pull over (preferably at a rest stop) and take a nap. My wife and I once did Tai Chi next to the car to wake up. Throw a Frisbee. Do jumping jacks. Take turns driving.

Caffeine may be good for a short burst but watch out for the "crash" afterwards as the body swings to exhaustion.

Riding the Brakes

“When you step on the brakes your life is in your foot's hands”
-George Carlin

“I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder”
-Steven Wright (?)

Today I'd like to further investigate automotive braking. Proper braking is a skill that can be specific to your car. The rules for dealing with a skid is different for front-drive and rear-drive cars. Do you turn into the skid or away from it? How about the rule of "pumping" the brakes for an emergency stop to avoid skidding? Today this is the wrong thing to do in cars with Anti-Lock Brakes; you need to push the pedal to the floor and let the brakes automatically pump themselves.

There are many bad habits of braking. The most common is "riding the brakes." This means constantly or frequently applying the brake with many light taps. The worst case is two foot drivers with a foot on each the brake and gas. Don't do this! Hitting the gas and brake at the same time can damage your car.

The opposite of brake riding is a "brake check." This means hitting the brake very abruptly with a lot of force. "Brake checks" can cause serious accidents when the driver behind you is unable to respond quickly enough and rear-ends your car. Brake checks should be used only for emergencies when you're about to hit something or someone in front of you.

Do you brake while turning a corner? This can actually cause loss of control on a curve. The best practice 90% of the time is to apply the brakes before the curve or corner, make the turn, than apply the accelerator.

The properly amount of brake pressure may be more art than science. Or a bit like Goldilocks. Not too light (riding) but not too heavy either. You have to discover the amount of pressure that is just right for the situation. The most brake pressure is needed when you first brake because the inertia is greatest; you can and should lighten your touch on the brake as you slow down. Many people drive the opposite - start with a light touch on the brake and stop hard at the end.

Bottom Line

Like any skill you ought to practice braking. Just about everyone underestimates the distance required to come to a full stop. Visit an empty parking lot (e.g. a church and school that is closed), pick a line in the middle of lot that is clear of obstacles like light poles or curbs, and practise stopping before crossing that line. Try this on dry pavement, wet pavement after a storm and on icy pavement.

Resources

http://www.ehow.com/how_5893230_brake-properly.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Brake-and-Stop-a-Car-in-the-Shortest-Distance

When Brakes go Bad

“When a man opens a car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife.”

Last week I took my car to a mechanic to examine why the maintenance light had come on. I figured it was just a routine warning for a check-up at 75,000 miles and had driven the car for several weeks, over 1000 miles, since the light had come on since everything seemed fine to me. Imagine my surprise learning that one of the front brakes had warped and locked-up. Now I knew braking was funny and I had to exert more force than normal but I thought it was the tires going bald. No clue that I was driving with just one working brake in front.

It can be argued that brakes are the most important safety feature on a car; seat belts and airbags are important but brakes are the first line of defense in NOT hitting something. Brakes wear out with use, but they do so slowly, meaning you may not notice they need attention until it's too late.

The most obvious indicator of brake wear is an incredibly high pitched squeal when you come to a stop; like fingernails on a chalkboard. Brake pads include a little piece of metal that rubs against the metal rotor when the pad wears down to ¼ inch or less. When you hear this sound, under normal driving, the brake needs to be replaced within the month. If you wait too long, the metal indicator in the pad will cut a groove and the rotor will have to be smoothed or replaced. Occasionally, the indicator falls off and the pad wears with no warning noise. If it takes longer to stop than it used to, or if the brake pedal travels farther down than it used to, get your brakes checked.

Rotors should last through two or three pad replacements. However if your steering wheel wiggles in your hands when you come to a stop, your rotors are probably "warped." A warped rotor causes braking vibration or pulsation. This is what happened to my car.
My mechanic attempted to "turn" my rotors by shaving off enough metal to make them smooth again but they were too warped and had to be replaced. Interestingly the “warp” can be very, very small; the faces of a disc brake rotor must be parallel (within .0005 inch on most cars) and flat (no more than about .002 to .005 inches of variance.)

One site described the rotor as the white center of an Oreo cookie being squeezed by the two dark cookie brake pads. The brake rotor can become "warped" due to normal wear and tear; most newer cars have very thin rotors which warp easily. Rotors can also warp by throwing cold water on a hot brake; for example driving through a puddle of water on the exit ramp after a long freeway trip and then applying the brakes.

Your brakes will last longer if you…

•Avoid "riding" your brakes.  Slow down with brief moderate pressure and release the brake to cool instead of keeping a long steady pressure on the brakes and overheating them. I’m guilty of riding my brakes – I like a smooth stop.

•On steep downgrades downshift your engine gear (but only do this when road traction conditions are good to avoid skidding.)  Downshifting lets your engine do some of the braking instead of your brakes.

Bottom Line

Top Ten Signs of Brake Wear:

1.   High pitched squealing

2.   Vibration in the steering wheel when stopping

3.   Grinding noises when stopping

4.   Increased braking distances

5.   Longer pedal travel

6.   Feeling the car "pull" to the left or right when stopping

7.   A weak emergency brake

8.   A bad smell after coming to a hard stop

9.   Pedal "fade"

10. Not stopping

Web Links

http://www.driverside.com/auto-library/car_brakes_how_do_you_know_when_to_change_them-22

http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repairqa/brakes.html

http://www.carbibles.com/brake_bible.html

http://www.autoeducation.com/autoshop101/brakes_1.htm

http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repairqa/brakes/ques005_1.html;_ylt=Avhqy6hScwTyAd9i5a7Yv86Dc78F;_ylv=3

Zombies!

Darkness falls across the land.
The midnight hour is close at hand.
Creatures crawl in search of blood.
To terrorize y'alls neighborhood.
-lyrics from Michael Jackson's Thriller

Here's an odd but true story via geekpress.com.

A car full of people dressed as zombies crashed on Interstate 84 near downtown Portland, Oregon, on Friday, causing initial confusion by people who witnessed the crash.

...Sgt. Greg Stewart said people who witnessed the crash initially thought the victims' injuries were much more serious, because of the zombie costumes.

"We're glad that everyone is alive, despite being 'undead'," Sgt. Stewart said, referring to the costumes.

http://www.kgw.com/news/Car-accident-victims-dressed-like-zombies-confuse-crash-witnesses-98157894.html