Ensure Your Car is Ready To Drive

How many times have you found yourself ready to head out for that sporting event, concert, or birthday party, and as you get into the car you realize that you don’t have any cash? Most of us live a pretty fast paced lifestyle and wait till the last minute to do everything. ATM cash machines have become a way of life for many people. They offer a nice convenience to those on the run, but they also offer a nice convenience to thieves. What better place to find people with cash on hand than at the ATM. Just because these machines are open 24/7 doesn’t mean they are safe to use. ATM safety requires awareness and a little planning.

Most ATM robbery victims are women and are alone when the robberies occurred. The robbers usually prefer to work alone. They will hang out somewhere near the cash machine where they will be hard to notice, usually behind bushes or trees, concrete barriers, or sometimes in a nearby automobile. They like to use the element of surprise on their victims.The majority of victims claim that they never saw the robber coming until it was too late. In drive thru ATM robberies, the robber usually approaches from the rear of the car on the driver’s side. Walkup ATM robberies occurred in many different ways. Many times the thief will wait on the right opportunity, get out and act as if he is using the ATM in front of his intended target, and then rob the person when they walk up behind him. The percentage of robberies is slightly higher at walkup ATM’s than at driveup ATM’s.

If you or your family use ATM’s on a regular basis, there are a few simple guidelines to follow to ensure that you always have a safe experience. First of all, make sure that you only use ATM’s in well lit, high traffic areas. Don’t go to the machines that are located behind buildings away from the public’s eye. Drive to another location till you find one that you feel safe at. Try to only use the ATM in daylight hours. The highest risk is between 8pm and 4am. Try to always have some cash on hand, especially if you will be travelling through or near a high crime area. A little forethought and planning can eliminate a lot of problems. When ever you drive up to an ATM, scan the area really good for suspicious people standing around or sitting in cars. If you see anyone suspicious, drive away. If you do use it, keep your car in gear with your foot on the brake, and be ready to drive off if you see someone suspicious approaching. At a walkup ATM, always have your card ready, make your transaction quick, and always keep an eye out behind you. If you carry a self defense spray or stun gun, it would be wise to have it ready to use. When you receive your cash, put it away immediately. If you are ever approached by someone that feels or looks at all suspicious while at any ATM, terminate your transaction, and leave immediately, even if it means leaving your card. Losing your card is not a big deal. Losing your life is.

If you are approached by an unarmed robber, first tell the unarmed man to “back off!” or “get away from me!” in a very firm and loud voice. If their are people nearby, scream as loud as you can. Studies show that screaming “fire” or “fight” will bring people running to the scene quicker than “help”. Also, try to avoid a physical confrontation, but be prepared to protect yourself at all costs. In the event that you are ever caught by surprise and are confronted by an armed robber, give up your money without argument. Never attempt to fight with or follow an armed robber. The small amount of cash you stand to lose is not worth serious injury or death. Afterwards, get to a safe place and call the police immediately.

Spring has arrived and it has quite possibly been six months since your classic car has been started. Hopefully before the snow hit last year you took proper steps to secure your vehicle to get it ready for its winter slumber. But even with proper preparation, there are important steps necessary to check your vehicle over before you turn the key for that first drive of the spring.

VISUAL INSPECTION

Start with a visual inspection of the entire vehicle.

Begin with the body, work your way around and get under the vehicle to look for leaks or any areas a critter may have nested. You can usually find nest particles that have dropped down on the floor or on top of engine. If you are lucky, no critters have nested. If they have, try to use a shop vac to suck out the debris instead of using your bare hands. Throughout the inspection you have probably noticed all of the dust and grime that has built up and you may feel inclined to wipe a few spots while you are overlooking the car. Stop right there. Do not do this until you can wash the car properly so as not to scratch or dull the finish.

UNDER THE HOOD

Before attaching the battery, test it and/or give it a charge. While it is charging you can check belts, hoses and wiring to make sure everything looks good. Pump the brake pedal a few times to make sure it has a good pedal and no leaks. Change your oil and filter; moisture has had time to gather and pool inside the block. The same can be said about all lubricants and fluids, but use your discretion; the longer the vehicle has been sitting the more crucial this becomes. Remove the spark plugs and check for moisture and measure the gap. While the plugs are out you may choose to add a small amount of oil to the cylinder walls to lessen damage on initial start. With oil in the motor, turn the vehicle over by hand to get the lubrication process started. Disconnect the “+” coil wire and attach the battery. I would recommend turning the key to the run position and inspect the cars wiring. Look, feel and smell for shorts. Once the wiring appears to be o.k. go ahead and crank the engine over and check your fluid levels again. With the plugs out it will turn easily and hopefully clear out any junk in the combustion chamber. Check your fuel lines, carburetor, clutch and shifter for proper movement and operation.

BRAKES AND SUSPENSION

With the weight of the wheels, wiggle the tires back and forth and up and down. This will make sure that the wheel bearings and suspension links are ready to roll. Remove the tires and check the brakes for rust, leaks, frayed hoses and adjustment. A wire wheel can be used on rotors and drums to remove rust without damage. With correct air pressure in the tires, torque the lug nuts back and roll the car out a few feet. This will assure everything is free and ready to go.

INITIAL START UP

Go easy on the cranking and do not be worried if the engine does not fire up right away. Never use starting fluid to help speed this process (it can crack your heads). If you have a mechanical fuel pump, it may take a few cranks to build pressure. It may be necessary to squirt a small amount of fresh gas in the carburetor and then try starting it (never squirt while cranking or running. This will start a fire). When the car starts, hold the throttle around 2200rpm to insure proper lubrication. This should be done for about 60 seconds. Let the car idle down and shut off and take another general inspection for any surprises that may have slipped past or occurred while running. If no problems exist, restart the car following the previous procedure. Run all the controls, lights and accessories and move the car back and forth a couple of times in the driveway. Once the temp gets close to operating range you are ready for a short trip around the block.

No one knows your car better than you, so pay attention on the first drive and take it easy. After a couple of laps around the block, shut the car down and recheck everything again. Most failures will occur in these first few moments, so stay close to home. If everything is humming along great, put about 40 miles on the odometer (half city/ half highway) and you should be good to go. I perform this operation on ten different vehicles every spring, and I have yet to be disappointed by the outcome. They sometimes need some work before I leave the shop, but I have not been stranded on the side of the road after following these steps.

The time for the trial has finally come. After having grasped what you need to do with driving lessons, you’re now facing the test that’s necessary to obtain your driver’s license. This involves a lot of preparation, most of which is psychological. You’ll want to ensure that you feel physically and mentally ready for making good on being judged, and that you remember to adhere to the principles of proper road conduct.

There is more to this than just that, though. The other part involved is your vehicle of choice. In a good driving school, you’ll be instructed on what you must do to be ready for the driver’s test. They’ll cover more than just driving lessons – they’ll tell you what a car needs to have to meet the requirements.

If you’re bringing your own vehicle to the test for a driver’s license, be certain that it meets certain standards. The first and most important is that it has valid inspection stickers. This is something almost every driving department will check, and if you have a car that is out-of-date inspection-wise, then they can refuse you the test. Even if they don’t do this, it’s generally safer to assume they will. Also, keeping your inspections updated means that you’ll have covered several other aspects involved in determining your vehicle eligibility.

The next thing to confirm is the functionality of your car horn. It may seem useless to you in most cases, but this is still a tool that has a proper purpose for the right time, and a test judge will see to it to ensure your horn is functional. If you don’t have a working horn, you can expect your car to be refused the test, unfortunately.

Tire treads are usually checked as well for grip and pressure. Make sure you stop at a petrol station before going to the test to make sure all 4 tires are in good condition and pressurized.

Without mirrors, lights, or signals, you simply will not qualify at all. The other things may not always be looked at, but these three elements will never be overlooked. That’s guaranteed. A severely damaged or missing mirror will count towards disqualification – there’s just no safety present in having blind spots, and the lack of a functional mirror adds to them. No test judge will allow you to drive with a car lacking the basic elements of providing vision, and for obvious reasons. Burnt lights may not seem as important, considering that you’ll be doing your testing during the day. However, they represent visibility for other divers. This is especially true for signals. While you may have the rare fortune of not having your headlights examined, the signals will always be checked because every test requires that you use them accordingly. Fortunately, all of these things are cheap, so getting them replaced is a fairly simple and affordable process.

If you are an automobile owner, it is important to ensure that you know how to change your oil. Oil is the substance that provides lubrication to the various parts and components of your automobile’s engine. Over the course of time, the oil in your vehicle experiences a general type of breakdown as a result of operating in conditions that have a relatively high temperature. If the oil is not changed on a regular basis, it will eventually fail to lubricate parts and components of the engine effectively. Additionally, the additives that are contained in the oil begin to fail in neutralizing the numerous acids contained within the engine. When oil becomes old and overworked, substances such as water and byproducts of the internal combustion may begin corroding various parts of the engine.

Tools Required When Changing Oil

There are various types of tools and accessories that are required when changing your own oil. First, you will want to have a socket set that contains a 3/8 drive. It is also appropriate to have a wrench set that is considered to be a “combination” unit. These typically contain a closed end, opened end, and a metric wrench. You also should have a brand new oil filter as well as a wrench that is designed to remove and attach the oil filter. You should also ensure that you have a large container that can be used to “catch” the oil that is removed from the vehicle and storage containers to place the oil in afterwards as it is considered illegal to dispose of this substance in any manner.

You should pick out and purchase the oil that will be used to refill the engine once you have removed the old oil. Typically, four to five quarts is appropriate for this task. You should pay special attention to whether your engine has a lot of miles on it, if you operate the vehicle at high performance, and the climate that you live in. There are many name brand oils that have been tested and deemed appropriate for certain types of vehicles, as well as factors regarding those vehicles – such as high performance, high mileage, and there are various weights. Examples of appropriate oils include “Valvoline”, “Mobil”, and “Pennzoil”.

The Steps for Changing Your Oil

1. When learning how to change your oil, it is important to know that if the engine is warm, the oil will actually drain from the engine more quickly. Of course, if you elect to drive your car for a bit in order to get it warm, you must be very careful when working with the parts underneath the vehicle.

2. You should park the vehicle on ramps that can be purchased from a local or online auto accessories retailer. This will allow you more room to move comfortably underneath the vehicle. If you elect to drive up on ramps, be absolutely certain to place large cement blocks or another type of barrier that will prevent movement of the wheels.

3. Now, you will need to slide underneath the car and locate the drain plug on the oil pan. This is basically just a large nut structure with a flimsy looking washer holding it on. Once located, experiment with the sockets that you have until you find a match. Once located, turn counter clockwise to remove it.

4. Now, once this is loosened, get some old newspaper and place it underneath the drain, as well as the engine as a hole. It is important to remember that you will need to remove the oil filter as well as this could result in a spill. Once you have laid the old paper, get the container that you have designated for the old oil and place it under the drain.

5. Now, finish removing the drain plug and allow the oil to drain into the container. While this will only take a few minutes, you can move on to the next step to save yourself some time.

6. Now it is time to take your wrench that is designed to remove the oil filter and remove the old unit that is on your vehicle. You should make sure it is set up to turn in a counter-clockwise motion. Be very careful as oil will be inside of this container. Be sure to remove it so that the oil does not pour out. Once doing this, empty the contents into the drain pan.

7. Once the vehicle has been draining oil for approximately one to two hours, you are ready to put the new oil filter on. You should coat the gasket area with some clean oil and the inside of the area with some oil. Once doing this, you can thread the new filter and ensure it is put on properly.

8. Prior to placing the drain plug back on your vehicle, you should determine if a new washer is necessary. Typically, it is a good idea to use a new one so that the oil does not leak. Once the washer is replaced, you may reattach the drain plug.

9. Now, you may place the new oil into the vehicle.

10. Once the oil has been placed in the vehicle, remove the tire barriers and pull the vehicle off of the ramps. You should allow the vehicle to run for at least five minutes to ensure that there is no leakage.