safety Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

Holiday Car Safety Tips

Daun Thompson — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 14:50:59 +0000

Christmas is the time for giving! The Salvation Army’s bell ringer is almost “pavlovian” to our ears, reminding us that it is better to give than to receive. It also should remind us that not everyone is fortunate enough to afford buying gifts. And desperate times call for desperate measures. During busy holiday shopping, cars left in parking lots can become treasure troves for thieves. Keep your purchases out of sight. Here are a few holiday car safety tips to help you to get through your season with all of your gifts and to keep your “joy” intact.
• Lock shopping bags in the trunk. If you don’t have a trunk, use a cargo cover or even a dark blanket. Cover everything before you drive to the next shopping location.
• If you have expensive purchases like big-ticket items, or if you have completed your shopping list, drop your gifts off at home. Taking a few extra minutes to do so may save you hours of laboring away at your job to make enough money to purchase those gifts all over again.
• Use compartments that keep things out of sight, like your glove compartment or console. If they are lockable, lock them.
• Use the valet parking service whenever available. This is convenient in so many ways. Plus, it will ensure that there are no shopping cart dings and safer for you than parking far away from the shopping entrance. It is also good to have a valet key handy.
• Use your remote door lock. This also serves to minimize chances of someone jumping in the passenger side.
• Use your back-up cameras and mirrors when parking. But don’t make the mistake of only using your back-up camera. Get a full picture of what is around your car, like stray shopping carts and stray kids.
• Try to back into parking spaces so it is more difficult for someone to open your hatch-back. This also makes it easier to exit in heavy holiday traffic.
• Keep your phone in your hand so you can call for help if you need it. And keep your keys in the other hand, with the sharpest, longest, most pointy key secured between your fingers to jab anyone that may try to snag your bags. Or carry mace on your key fob.
Again, desperate times call for desperate measures. If you have it to give, please visit one of the following websites to donate what you can so that other, less fortunate people can enjoy Christmas too.

support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate
donate.cancer.org/‎
www.stjude.org/
inspiredgifts.unicefusa.org/Children/Donation

Until next week…Have a Happy and Safe Holiday!
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Holiday Car Safety Tips – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Don’t Make Me Guess – Use Those Turn Signals

Lisa — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:47:47 +0000

Someone once said they followed my career for years, until suddenly, it took a sharp right and lost them.

I know that some of us don’t use our turn signals all of the time. For some, perhaps it is only when we feel a real urgency to use them. I must admit, I am a reformed non-signaler. In Texas, the fine is around $191.00…and that’s a lot of Jack Daniels. And it’s usually added to another ticket, such as speeding or illegal lane change within an intersection. It’s like an “add-on,” like a pack of gum at the grocery store check out counter. I didn’t even realize I wasn’t signaling until I had a friend in the car point it out. He said “I thought you teach those classes…you haven’t signaled the entire time I’ve been in the car.” So I had to use those turn signals. And I really can’t say why I wasn’t signaling. Maybe I was trying to conserve the life of the bulb, so it lasts the life of the car.

Of course, some say they don’t signal when no one else is around. Or they don’t signal in rush hour traffic because then, it’s a guarantee that no one will let you over. And, of course, we all signal when we’re being pulled over by the cops…for sure. Maybe it would be a good idea to just get into the habit of signaling all of the time…audience or not, just so it’s second nature, like wearing a seat belt. It seems to be a road rage contributor as well. People don’t like to guess where you’re going. They don’t like rear-ending you (well, some actually do) and they don’t like waiting at an intersection for you to spin the wheel.

Then, of course, we have the eternal signaler. You know, that guy that turns on his blinker and never EVER shuts it off.

Until next week…don’t be a schlep…use those turn signals.

Daun Thompson
Comedienne / Writer / Artist / Idea Mogul

Use Those Turn Signals – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Bumper stickers, they are everywhere!

Lisa — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:59:36 +0000

Bumper stickers. They are everywhere! Almost every other car you see out on the road has at least one. These adhesive documents tell the outside world your political views, religious views and your stance on the abortion issue or maybe just your favorite radio station or football team.

The family mini-van has the stick figures of the whole family and if there is a guy driving that mini-van his balls are probably in a holder around the rearview mirror. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about the family.

The single guy has a diver flag sticker on his Jeep to impress the chicks, even though he might not know how to swim.

One time I saw a sticker that said “Honk if you love Jesus” so I honked and the lady in the other car shot me the finger! That wasn’t supposed to happen!

And check this out, they also have “WI-FI detection” bumper stickers! You put it on your window and it lets you know when you have a Wi-Fi signal. I would think it would work better on your dash but hey, you’re trying to look cool so put it on your back window so everyone can see it.

But one thing I also noticed when noticing all these bumper stickers is that I wasn’t paying attention to the road! Bumper stickers are major distractions for drivers across the country. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, 80 % of crashes and 65% of near-crashes are caused by some form of driver distractions and yes that includes drivers trying to read bumper stickers! One of my favorites is, “If you can read this, you are too close” and next thing you know, BAM, you hit the person in front of you! If you must share a clever extract make sure it only contains a short sentence like “Obey Gravity, It’s the Law.” Anything more than one sentence can be a distraction, besides who would remember all that anyway?

If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them in. Join me again next week and until then…

Take Care and Be Safe-

Danny Keaton

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