Watch that oil!

 With today's gas and go, very few people take the time to check their oil - this can be a fatal mistake.

To review - all car burn a certain amount of oil.  This is determined by how hard you drive your car and under what conditions.  The mechanical state of the engine also plays into this of course.

When a car is new and just braking in, you should check you oil level every week until it is broken in, usually around 3 - 6 months. depending on mileage.  May people believe in changing their oil at 1000 miles and then at 3000 miles, in order to flush out assembly lube and wear.  

A new car should go over 1000 miles without losing a quart of oil, and when broken in, over 2000 miles.  But think about it.  If you engine holds 4 quarts of oil, being one quart low means you only have 75% of the oil working to lubricate and cool the parts of the engine.  That is why I do not like it to go below 1/2 quart before topping off.  

Some people assume you can go from oil change to oil change without adding oil.  Most of the time the oil change tech will not check the oil before a change,  This leads to many people coming in a quart or two low, and never knowing it.

Some people check their oil and since it does not lose much if any, and get lax on checking it.  This leads to surprises when something happens to the engine and they don't catch it in time.  I find it better to check the oil on time, every week or so, while some people check ever fill-up or every other fill-up. For some cars with big tanks, this could be over 800 miles, so in that case better to check no more than every 500 miles.  You need to set up your own schedule, put it on your calendar or better yet set an alarm in your phone.

What happens if you run your oil too low?  Besides the wear and tear on your engine, you run the risk of an engine failure leaving you stranded on the road, or possible in an accident.  

Going back to the Prime Directive:

The purpose of driving is to transport you and your passengers to your destination safely and efficiently, and to help other drivers do the same. 

So checking your oil is an important part of safe driving.

Next time - Tires.

How to drive through Intersections

You just step on it, right?

Green for go and red for stop......is it more than that?

There are rules for intersections with stop signs; who goes first etc.  This is not that. By using some knowledge and restraint, you can make intersections safer for other drivers and pedestrians, as well as keeping you out of trouble.

Awareness is important as intersections are some of the most dangerous parts of any road.  First, because traffic is crossing and two objects - whether a person or another car, cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

As you approach the intersection, even if the light is green, you cannot assume that the intersection will be clear by the time you get to it.  Normally, the speed limit for the road is the same for the intersection, but my suggestion is to consider the surroundings.  If it is flat and you can easily see through the intersection and the side roads, driving at the SPEED LIMIT is usually safe.  However, if there are buildings and trees which could hinder your sight, the proper action is to look in your rear mirror and if it is safe to slow down.

One of the things I was taught in Driver's Ed was to consider the condition of my light when approaching an intersection.  If the light had been green for a while, I should consider it a "stale" green and expect it to change.  If I had been traveling OVER the speed limit, I should anticipate it changing and slow down.  

The Yellow light time is set up to allow cars to reasonably stop if going the speed limit.  If you are going over the speed limit and the light turns yellow, if you are in the area called the decision zone, you will not have time to stop.  If lucky, you will get through the intersection while still yellow.  If not you may end up running the red light.  Now imagine there is a impatient driver waiting for the light to turn green.  He takes the green to be like a dragstrip light and takes off without looking and now you have the ingredients for a crash.

One trick on some intersections is to watch the pedestrian crossing light.  Before the light turns yellow, the light will turn from white to red and either flash or count down.  This piece of information will help you prepare for the changing of the light.  However, remember that the two actions you should take are to slow down or hold your speed.  The one things you do not want to do is to speed up going through and intersection.  Here is why.

Pilots say when flying, you can never have too much altitude or too much fuel (the latter unless you are crashing).  The idea is that altitude gives you time and fuel gives you the ability.  In driving, the corollary is less speed and space.  Less speed gives you more time to react and space, more options to maneuver.  By slowing down, even slightly, you give yourself more time to react to a pedestrian darting out in traffic or a car blowing through a red light.  

So the first thing to be safer when driving through intersections is to watch your speed and be aware of the surrounding traffic.  

To be continued...

Zen and driving anger

 From Wikipedia

Zen emphasizes rigorous self-restraint, meditation-practice and insight. 

No I am not going to turn this into a far-east religious experience. But the above description does tell us something about driving attitude.

Imagine you are driving down the highway and someone cuts into your lane.  Many people would be mad, speed up and confront the driver in some way.  So let's apply Zen

Self -Restraint.  Resist the urge to do anything. Your emotion tells you to do something - but should it be your first reaction?  You would not buy a car without considering alternatives.  This is not a situation that requires a decisive action like someone coming at you the wrong way on the highway.  So your first thought should be "What is the best way to react in this situation".  

Meditation-Practice.  No don't start saying om or close your eyes.  But get out of an emotion state and into a contemplative state.  This will diffuse any surprise and anger.

Insight.  Why did the person cut you off?  Is this a one time thing?  Does the person even know you?  Think about the situation and were you ever in the otehr persons position?

In practice, a person cuts you off.  First control your car.  Are you now too close to them - if so slow down.  Is the person continuing to drive in a dangerous manner - don't get caught in their mistakes.  Once you have established control over your situation,

Relax.  The car's movement might have caught you distracted.  Your adrenaline will be high.  Take the time to take a deep breath and calm down.

Now think about what happened.  Were you in the driver's blind spot?  Were they trying to make an exit they almost missed.  Did they have to make a sudden move to avoid something? Did the other driver offer a "I'm Sorry" sign?  Are they slicing through traffic in order to get somewhere fast or just driving erratically?  Most likely, if it wasn't you it would be (and many times will be) another car.  You just happened to occupy that time and space.  You will probably never see that person again.  

But all this leaves you powerless to change anything - yes.  It is not you responsibility to police the roads or correct every driver.  But is there something you can do?  First, if you do have a dash cam, be sure to lock in the recording, especially if the person sideswiped you or any other car of caused an accident.  Then decide if it is worth calling the police.  They will ask the make of car, what road you are on, which street or exit you are near and the license plate of the other car if you can read it.  Most of the time, the best they can do, if they are around, is to follow that car to see if they do anything else.  So usually nothing.  Don't feel you have to chase the car to get them the information.

There might be one exception. A driver who seems to be under the influence, drifting out of lane or off the road should be reported.  They are a disaster waiting to happen.  They will usually not be speeding.  But reporting this gets you involved and requires a calm, observant person.  

Can Zen make you that person?