A Brief History of Anti-Lock Braking Systems

The Statue of Liberty is not the only world renowned object designed by the French.

Anti-lock braking systems, also known as ABS, were also designed by the French for aircraft around 1929. Before they put anti-lock braking systems on cars, if the road was slick and you slammed on your brakes, your wheels would lock up and you would skid out of control. So drivers would pump their brakes to create traction in a skid. Anti-lock braking systems pump the brakes for you. That’s what that vibrating and hammering feeling is in the brakes where it feels like the brake is slipping. Now, when you apply your brakes, rather than locking up, they still rotate, but they rotate at intervals. Because the brake is gripping the wheel at intervals, i.e. it is pumping the brake. So, when the road is slick, you no longer need to pump the brake. Rather, you only need to apply steady pressure and hold down the brake, while it gives you a nice, relaxing foot massage.

How Do Anti-Lock Brakes Work?

So, there is no need to pump the brakes anymore. In a car with ABS, the wheels should never lock in the first place, so pumping the brakes will just make you take longer to stop. They prevent wheels from locking up on slippery surfaces. So, all-in-all, better traction and better steering control are the main attributes to ABS.  An ABS does not necessarily shorten your stopping distance, but does allow you to keep control of your steering allowing you to have better control over your vehicle.

So, while the Statue of Liberty, French bread, French fries and French toast are all very important contributions to society as well as history, and the French maid is arguably the most noted costume at any party, the Anti-lock braking system is their greatest contribution of them all.

How To Apply Anti-Lock Brakes

• Press and hold the brake, you will feel the petal vibrating, don’t pump the brakes, just steer your car to safety.
• Keep your tires filled with the proper air pressure and make sure you have adequate tread.
• Allow enough space to stop.  Use the 3 second rule and if there are bad conditions increase the seconds appropriately.

The post Anti-Lock Braking Systems appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

• There are no pedestrians in the crosswalk
• There are no vehicles coming into your desired lane
• There are no signs prohibiting a right turn
• There are no obstructions

Read on for more exciting red light details.

You can turn right on a red light if there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk:

Be sure people aren’t crossing before you turn right. When no cars are coming in the perpendicular direction, people may want to cross the street. They may even have the signal to walk at that time. When pedestrians are crossing, they have the right of way (even if they don’t have a signal). Be careful.  Also, don’t creep into the crosswalk before turning. Your car should not be in the crosswalk because it could obstruct the walking paths of pedestrians. If there is no crosswalk, stop before the crosswalk line when making your turn. A ticket-happy cop could cite you because of this, so play it safe.

You can turn right on a red light if there are no vehicles coming into your desired lane:

No matter how badly you want to make that right turn, other cars with green lights have the right of way. You must carefully look to ensure that no vehicles are coming. If you aren’t sure you can turn right in time, just wait instead of taking the risk.

Also, you must yield to the following if they are driving with a green light:

• Bicyclists
• Motorcyclists
• Semi-trucks
• Any and all other vehicles

You can turn right on a red light if there are no signs prohibiting a right turn:

Sometimes, there will be a sign clearly saying “Don’t Turn” or “No Turn on Red”.  These may be found in more highly trafficked areas, such as downtown centers or university campuses.

Some areas in the U.S. don’t allow right turns, so be familiar with local laws. For example, Nassau County, located on Long Island in New York, allows drivers to turn right on red. However, New York City, including Queens, which is situated on the border of Nassau, prohibits right turns on reds. On the most part, turning right on red has been legal since 1978 in all 50 states.

You can turn right on a red light if there are no obstructions:

Don’t turn if you can’t see or get into the lane. There may be cars parked in traffic that are waiting for another signal. If you inch into the traffic box and obstruct traffic even further, you could get ticketed and be forced to come to one of our defensive driving classes. While we appreciate your business, you probably don’t want to see us that much.

Thanks for reading, we hope you have learned something and become a safer driver!

The post When Can You Turn Right on Red? appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

What to do in a hail storm

http://www.comedydefensivedriving.com/texas/ This video tip will let you know what to do when an emergency situation occurs while you are driving. Hail storms can cause severe damage to your car and can even harm you if you get caught off guard. Watch the whole series of short tips! Also, feel free to share the videos as well if you want, the more people to learn about this the better!

Have you ever been curious about the way hail is formed? Hail formation requires the perfect environment of strong, upward sweeping motions or currents of air. Each time the hail formation is swept up through the clouds, another layer or concentric ring is added to it. This happens over and over again until the formation is heavier than the wind is strong and it falls to the earth.

Another thing that I find interesting is that hail is usually described as the size of a sports ball, while tumors are usually described as the size of a breakfast fruit…just an observation.

Tips for driving in a hail storm

• Keep your radio tuned in to a weather channel.

• Be sure to use your headlights. Most states require you use them in rain anyway.

• Slow down. Call your boss or whomever you are trying to impress and tell them you are going to be delayed by weather. Tell them how hard you will be to replace!

• Allow extra breaking distance between you and the car ahead of you (use a 6 second rule for wet weather or a 9 second rule for icy weather).

• Move your car to a covered area and sit there until the weather alert has ended. A parking garage would be ideal as hail tends to bounce back up after hitting the ground at such a high speed and may bounce into your direction.

• If you stop, keep your seat belt on and put on your hazard lights. If pulling over to the shoulder of a freeway, put your signal light on instead, as if you are planning to re-enter the freeway.

• Whatever you do, if you stop under an overpass, pull onto the shoulder, do not stop in the traffic lane. Otherwise, people will think that you have already been hit in the head by the hail.

• Be extra careful in intersections for people who may not be able to stop.

• Be careful stopping or driving near power lines that may be weighed down with ice.

If you practice these recommendations when driving in bad weather, you’ll make it safer for you and everyone around you. And remember, if there is the slightest warning of approaching hail or any other kind of inclement weather, don’t drive unless it is absolutely necessary.

Until next week…keep your car and your head wrinkle-free.

Daun Thompson

Driving In Bad Weather – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER? – HAIL NO! appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Hand Signals for Bicycles:

• Stop – Extend the left hand and arm downward
• Left Turn – Extend the left hand and arm horizontally
• Right Turn – Extend the left hand and arm upward, or extend the right hand and arm horizontally.

A bicycle is a vehicle and a person operating a bicycle has the rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle. This, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, gives good legal cause to sharing the road with bikes. Bicyclists that do not follow street signs and laws are subject to the same penalties as a motor vehicle driver. If you ride a bicycle, you should check your own city’s bicycle laws as well as city ordinances on wearing a helmet.

Additional laws bicycles need to follow:

Here’s some additional information which is not only good for the bicyclist to know, but those driving around bicyclists as well. If a person operating a bicycle on a roadway is moving slower than the flow of traffic, they need to ride as near as possible to the right curb or edge of the roadway. However, there are exceptions to this law. Under the following conditions the law allows bicyclists to take the full lane of travel when:

• The person is passing another vehicle moving in the same direction.
• The person is preparing to turn left at an intersection or onto a private road or driveway.
• When there are unsafe conditions on the roadway, including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, or surface hazards that prevents the person from safely riding next to the curb or edge of the roadway.
• The lane is of substandard width (less than 14 feet in width and not having a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane) making it unsafe for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.

And persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast, but they must share a single lane. They may not impede the normal flow of traffic and they may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles. I’ve been stuck behind a row of those guys at the lake. Although, the view wasn’t so bad, I still want those hours of my life back.

Share the road with bikes:

If you are a bike enthusiast or just a weekend warrior, you may be interested to know that now, in Texas, you may purchase specialty license plates from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that will hopefully remind people about sharing the road with bikes. And, a portion of the fee funds a variety of Bike Texas programs such as the Safe Routes to School program, the Community Trails Program as well as the Share the Road program for bicyclist and motor safety education.

Until next week…bicyclists are people too (just goofier looking). Look out for them.

Daun Thompson
Writer/ Comedienne/ Artist

Sharing the Road With Bikes – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Bikes v.s. Cars – Sharing the Road With Bikes appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

I must admit, at first I laughed out loud. Clearly in shock at the contrast of the bright white ball of man-made plastic amidst the beautiful, natural setting. And later, when recalling the image, it made me mad. Someone snapped that family photo, and left their calling card. A loaded diaper. The calling card of a trash hound!
In hind-sight, I should have taken a picture of it with my smart phone and sent the image to the Don’t Mess With Texas.org website. They could have featured it on their home page. And, yes, I do have a smart phone. I don’t know how to use it. A chimp can probably work  a smart phone, but not me. It should be against the law to own one if you don’t know how to work it. Well, at least I don’t use it while I’m driving…just because I don’t know how. I saw a guy yesterday who was talking on his smart phone, while driving in his smart car. And I was thinking that guy’s probably a smart a$$.
I didn’t take a picture. But this experience did encourage me to research the Adopt a Highway Program. Did you know this program actually started in the Lone Star State? I didn’t. In fact, the first adopted highway was in Tyler, Texas back in 1984. The Tyler Civitan Club was the first group to volunteer, adopting a two-mile stretch of Highway 69.
Within months more than 50 groups in the region had joined the program, which quickly spread nationwide. March 9 is National Adopt-A-Highway day. And we just celebrated our 25th Anniversary. Now, more than 4,500 groups across the state are keeping Texas beautiful. The program saves taxpayers money as well as keeping right of ways clear of debris. With volunteers doing the work, the state is able to use more tax dollars on highway beautification rather than on trash pickup.
It’s a free, easy way for groups to help their communities. The way the program works, you adopt a two-mile stretch of highway for a minimum of two years. You agree to pick up litter four times a year (more in high traffic areas). Adopt-a-Highway signs will be posted with your group’s name at your adopted section. Adopt-a-Highway provides your volunteers with safety vests, litter bags and safety training.
Who should adopt? Individuals, families, youth organizations, businesses, schools … oh, yes, and that lazy mother who likes to leave her kid’s loaded diapers on the side of the road. Trash hound!
Until next week…get involved…and make it pretty.
Daun Thompson

The post Happy Mothers Day, Mom … Am I Adopted? appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

This is why tailgating is most definitely a moving violation. With the rise of speed limits, the current following distance is now 3 seconds in dry weather. This is to be doubled to a 6 second rule in wet weather. And it is to be tripled to a 9 second rule in icy/snowy weather.

I believe that most driver education instructors teach drivers the following way. Once the car ahead of you has passed a stationary object, you should be able to count the appropriate number of seconds before your car passes the same object.

So, good luck there my friend! It may take you twice as long to get to your destination if you practice this method, but at least you will arrive (undead).

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

FOLLOWING DISTANCE – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post FOLLOWING DISTANCE appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

• Driving record
• Credit history
• Make and model of your vehicle, as well as the mileage
• City and state you live in
• Age and gender

Accidents and traffic tickets are one of the biggest contributors for rate increases.  Each year when your policy renews the insurance company will look at your driving record to see if you have had any accidents or traffic violations.

One year I had a “no fault” accident (someone hit my car in an ice storm while it was parked on the street) and my insurance company said I was high risk and dropped me.  Ouch.  It took a few years to get rid of that and get my rate back down.  Sometimes insurance agents will help you by offering as many discounts as possible.  I of course took a defensive driving course and was able to get a 10% discount for 3 years, this really helped offset the high cost.

There are so many items that affect your insurance rates. Here are some more of those items:
• Your age (under 21/25 and over 62)
• Gender (boys under 25…yikes!)
• Full coverage or bare-bones liability
• Married or single
• Own or rent your home
• Longevity/Loyalty (how long you had coverage with your last insurance company)

I remember the good old days when my full-coverage insurance rate was $61 a month. And it even included roadside assistance and towing. When I added my 16 year old daughter to my insurance plan, my insurance more than quadrupled. I thought “Thank God she’s a girl and not a boy. How much would my insurance rates have increased if she had been born a son?” And I did the math. It would have been cheaper to fly her to Sweden to get a sex change.

If you review the items above with your insurance agent, perhaps a few of those items can be addressed and may help to lower your insurance rates. Good driver discounts and good student discounts can also be addressed. Most insurance companies still give a discount for taking a state-approved defensive driving class. It just makes sense that they would prefer that you take a “refresher course” to help make you a better driver. And some reward you for doing so. The discount is typically 10% off your liability insurance for three years (but can be anywhere between 5% and 25% off). Ask your insurance agent about this and all discounts.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Insurance Rates Increased – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Insurance Rates Increased appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

The post HOW TO PARALLEL PARK appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

How your Automobile Insurance Rate Is Determined

First lets do a little explanation of how your auto insurance rate is determined. Today the average cost of automobile insurance in New Jersey is around $1346 per year and per vehicle. But  explaining why your auto insurance cost what it does isn’t as simple as you think. Unfortunately, it isn’t just about being a safe driver. There are 11 main factors that go into determining your rate. These 11 factors listed below all have different weights that come together to determine what you pay.

1. Gender and Age
2. Marital Status
3. Where You Live
4. Credit Score
5. Profession
6. Safety Rating
7. Vehicle Size
8. Age of the Car
9. Likelihood of Theft
10. Driving History
11. Driving Activity

New Jersey’s Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction ACT or The AICRA

In 1998 the Garden State put the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act or for short the AICRA in to place to control the rising cost of auto insurance.  This legislation required that New Jersey auto insurance rates be reduced by approximately $700 million or an overall 15%. On top of reducing cost this act allowed people to have more choices in coverage options, standard or basic policy, and it allowed you to better control your own cost. You can control your current insurance rate by doing any of the following:

• Raise your deductibles. To lower your insurance rate, set your deductible higher.
• Change your PIP benefit options. You can change your auto insurance coverage depending on your health insurance coverage. If your health insurance offers primary coverage for auto accidents injuries you can choose to have them be the primary payer for auto related accidents.
• Limitation on Lawsuit option. Selecting this option can allow you to save up to 75% on bodily injury and property damage liability coverage.
• Take a state approved defensive driving course. Those who complete a defensive driving course may receive discounts on their auto insurance by reducing the points on their driving record
• Buy a safe car and drive safely. The most obvious way to lower cost and also, the safest! Remember to drive safely and always make sure  your car is up to date.

How to take a defensive driving course in New Jersey and reduce your Points

Taking a defensive driving course is easy, even in today’s crazy world. You can take a defensive driving course from the comfort of your own home! Thats right you don’t even need to leave your living room or put pants on. We don’t care what you wear at Comedy Defensive Driving.

There are a couple things to know when deciding on a Defensive Driving course to lower your insurance cost. Make sure your course is approved by the New Jersey MVC and all New Jersey cities and counties. Second, you may only receive a two point reduction once every 5 years and only if there are points on your driving record at the time you complete the course. Finally, check with your insurance agency. All insurance agencies are different, some and the amount of money you can save can change depending on the type or coverage you have and your personal driving record.

How much money can you save by taking an online defensive driving course?

Taking an online defensive driving course keeps your record clean and your insurance premiums low. All insurance agencies are different, some higher some lower but the average savings on auto insurance after taking a defensive driving course is around 10%. Since the average cost of New Jersey auto insurance is around $1,346 a year, that means a ten percent savings over three years would be around $402. Factor in that our course only cost $15 and has a free instant certificate for you to print and that means you save on average $387.

Why choose Comedy Defensive Driving to reduce points and lower your automobile insurance cost in New Jersey

We know, taking an online course about safe driving probably isn’t at the top of your list of things to do. Even though it helps save you money! All online courses are a minimum of 6 hours as required by the state and have a small quiz at the end of each section.This all sounds painful and not at all entertaining but we promise it is not all that bad. Thats why we made sure to make our course as hilarious and educational possible using real comedians, actors and lots of fun animation. We want everyone to laugh, learn and save money all at the same time when they take our course.

Stay safe and save some money on your car insurance. Until next time,

Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Lower your New Jersey Auto Insurance Rate appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

SPEAKESIES IN CHICAGO

There are still some speakeasies that exist in Chicago, hidden behind a false wall. I’ve been to two of them. The best kept secrets to this day! The Drifter on North New Orleans Street and The Watershed on North State Street are in my opinion the best ones. But you’d have to try Chicago Magic Lounge on North Clark Street where you enter through a laundry mat, or if only because they have a drink called “How Houdini Died.” Bordel on North Division Street has that dim-lit 20’s feel and décor as well as a cool burlesque show. Now you too are in on the “secret.” And, although alcohol is legal now, you still feel like you’re kinda doing something naughty.

HOW PROHIBITION STARTED

Prohibition was the attempt to outlaw the production and consumption of alcohol in the U.S. It began primarily as a religious movement in the early 19th century. So, that’s how prohibition started. Drinking alcohol was not actually outlawed, but prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of it. In 1920, the Feds put a ban on alcohol. Chicago was the nation’s breeding ground for speakeasies. Even though alcohol is legal now when handled responsibly, even everclear grain alcohol has an alcohol content of 190-195%! I would consider that legal moonshine.

THE END OF PROHIBITION

Franklin D Roosevelt signed into law the Cullen-Harrison Act, legalizing beer, wine and alcohol with a 3.2% content. Because, hey, even a president needs to get his drink on! That’s a stressful job. In fact, the ending of Prohibition was one of his selling points when running for president. I would assume that contaminants in the distilling process in a hillbilly’s shed in the woods out back that caused people to lose their eyesight and then put a lump in their liver was yet another reason to end prohibition. Proper, regulated distilling methods are definitely the way to go.

Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

100 YEARS SINCE PROHIBITION – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post 100 YEARS SINCE PROHIBITION appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.