By David Peel
Online we see all these crazy tips —so called “life hacks” —that are supposed to make life easier.
While some of them are really interesting and maybe useful in various ways, I’m going to share a couple simple things that I do regularly that really help out when I’m driving.
1. Turn on your Maps Traffic layer setting. Even if I know exactly where I’m going, I still turn on the navigation to have a live view of the traffic on the way. By doing so, I have missed many a back up or avoided a significant slowdown. Typically, these traffic routes indicate Green for full speed driving, yellow for slowing, and red for stopped. In the worst cases, it seems like the red is a little darker, and often times there’s an icon indicating an accident or road construction.
2. If you are meeting someone somewhere, send them the actual location from a digital map.
This completely eliminates confusion as to which location of Chick-fil-A you meant to meet at. After all, it’s not enough to say the “one on Poplar.”
3. If you’re going to be meeting somewhere, you can take a moment and look at Google Street view to see what the house or business looks like so that you’ll be familiar with it when you pull up.
4. Keep the following in your trunk: A case of bottled waters, some granola bars, a blanket, jumper cables, a tire inflator, fire extinguisher, and I like to keep a impact driver with a socket that fits the lug wrench, and a small better jack for a quick tire change, and you can add other things that make you feel more comfortable, having such as a way to make a fire, a good knife or hatchet,etc.
5. In the cab with you within reach, have a way to cut a seatbelt, a way to break a window, pepper spray, and if you are trained with it, a loaded pistol.
6. Finally, stick something—whether it be something you buy or something you make or find— in the cracks to the side of your seat to prevent your phone, or other things from falling down in that crack.
Drive carefully
Peel seeks justice for those injured in tractor trailer and car accidents, medical malpractice, and disability. He often addresses churches, clubs and groups without charge. Peel may be reached through PeelLawFirm.com wherein other articles may be accessed.
