4 great mobile tools for drivers

When an earthquake struck the east coast of the US, recently, people were receiving tweets about it and then feeling the earthquake's shockwaves moments later. What a world we live in where news can travel that quickly. And while it's true that some news ends up being fake (Justin Timberlake is still alive and the Balloon Boy never was in the balloon) technology can be harnessed positively to make our lives better. Drivers have great tools available to them to help them arrive at their destinations on time and safely.

In this article, I’m going to give you a few tools you can use to help you drive better:

Twitter: Twitter is a great tool that provides real time information. Sometimes it's not so helpful (I don't care what kind of sandwich you're eating) but sometimes it can be helpful. Use Twitter's search function (http://search.twitter.com) to help you plan your route. Search for the name of your city or town plus the word "traffic". For example, search "Vancouver Traffic" or the hashtag #vancouvertraffic if you live in Vancouver. (Of course, substitute your own city or town). This can alert you in real time to accidents, construction, lane closures, and more, without having to wait for the traffic report on the radio.

Apps to read your emails: If you can't wait until you get home to read your emails, tweets, Facebook statuses, and whatnot, many mobile devices have apps that will read these for you while you drive. It's much easier and safer to have them read to you than to read them yourself (and, in some jurisdictions, it's illegal to use your phone while driving). Each mobile device is different so I'm not naming any specific apps here, but if you search your app store on your mobile device, you should find an app that can read your emails for you.

Waze: Here's an interesting app that has some interesting potential. It's called "social GPS" and it provides turn-by-turn GPS functionality for your iPhone or Android device. So, how is it different than regular GPS? As a "social GPS", it builds off of information from other users so it can respond in real time to road conditions. If only a few people use it, it's frankly not going to be that helpful (because there is less input for the "real time" component). But if many people use it, every additional piece of information can help it to become a useful tool to everyone.

Car Accident Report: There's an app for everything, and it turns out that there's a app for when you are in a collision. With Car Accident Report (C.A.R., available on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/c.a.r.-car-accident-report/id320377277?mt=8) you get an iPhone tool that can record a whole bunch of really helpful information when you get into a collision. It will pull in GPS information and Google Maps to help you report what happened, and there is a place to collect driver and witness information.

There isn't an app yet for when you need a repair after a collision, but when you bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass, we can repair it for you quickly and easily to get you back on the road.

Easy ways to eliminate road rage

It doesn't seem that long ago when you would hear a news story about someone who "lost it" during rush hour and picked a fight with the driver in front of them. But today, news stories about road rage are becoming increasingly common. We're not as shocked by them, and we chalk it up to "road rage" (now that we have a name for it).

But road rage is completely avoidable. If you tend to fly off the handle while driving (and if you don't want to) then here are some easy ways to eliminate road rage.

First, plan ahead: Before jumping in the car to go somewhere, take a moment to plan your route. Consider taking a slightly longer route that has no stop lights. Chances are, it will take about the same amount of time but it will feel faster… and less frustrating.

Second, do a bit of research: It's not as boring as it sounds. Instead, check a couple of websites for road conditions, construction, and traffic jams. For example, many cities will post information about road construction sites so check them first. Also, search on Twitter (http://search.twitter.com) for local traffic. If you live in Winnipeg, for example, you can search #winnipegtraffic to find out up-to-the-minute traffic conditions.

Third, mitigate your frustration triggers. Do you find bad drivers annoying? Do you hate stop-and-go traffic? Do you get frustrated by not having enough room while you drive? Figure out what frustrates you and make changes accordingly. For example, travel when there are fewer cars on the road or take routes that have fewer stop lights.

Fourth, leave early. Road rage can stem from a combination of factors – frustration at other drivers and stress from work – but it can also be caused by a feeling of being late. You can easily eliminate that by adding a few extra minutes to every trip.

No one is saying that you have to start driving like a sightseeing, Sunday-driving slowpoke. And these four tips won't completely eliminate the frustration you feel when you drive. But if you want to remain a little more patient and calm while driving, these four tips can help.

In spite of your best efforts, sometimes a collision can still happen. When it does happen, remain calm – although you might feel that your frustration has peaked, this is when it is most important to remain calm… for everyone's safety and to help the police and the insurance companies sort out the situation.

When a collision does occur, bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass for a high quality repair to put your car back into great shape. We'll make sure your car looks great, drives well, and keeps your family safe while on the road.

Misconceptions about collisions (and what's REALLY going on behind the wheel)

According to Transport Canada, there were over 120,000 collisions in Canada in 2009 (the last full year that statistics are available for). That's approximately 13 or 14 every single hour, or slightly more than one every five minutes.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself: "I'm not going to get into a collision; I'm a safe driver". But many people who say that have two misconceptions that they are not considering.

1. First, no one ever plans to get into a collision. So deciding not to get into a collision isn't really a "decision" you can make.
2. Second, collisions don't just happen because two unsafe drivers crash into each other. They happen when one unsafe driver crashes into a safe driver or when one safe driver loses control of their vehicle and crashes into another safe driver.

Collisions occur because of a combination of factors, and not all of those factors are entirely controlled by the person sitting in the driver's seat:

• The environment can make it difficult to be aware of what's going on around you. For example, fog can limit your ability to see very far or lightning can momentarily blind you.
• The environment can foil your quick and accurate reactions. For example, icy roads can keep you driving straight even when you're doing your best to turn.
• Numerous distractions can cause you to react a second or two too late. Even if you're not on your cell phone or yelling at the kids in the back seat, it can be easy to take your attention from the road to shift gears or turn on the air conditioning or reach for your coffee. That second or two makes all the difference.
• In the milliseconds before a collision, your mind unconsciously evaluates as many possibilities as it can to protect you. That's why you might automatically steer away from the potential collision or brake suddenly or even stiffen your body as a natural response to the danger. And sometimes, a collision with a car might have been your preferred unconscious response to some other potential collision (such as a collision with a cyclist who is not protected in a cage of steel).
• Other drivers – unsafe drivers – drive on the same roads you do but don't take into consideration all of the rules of the road that you do. If even half of the collisions in 2009 were the result of an unsafe driver crashing into a safe driver, that's still 60,000 safe drivers who were in collisions!

As you can see, even a great driver who decides that they are so safe they can't get into a collision can still find themselves in a scenario where a collision is inevitable in spite of their safe driving. When a collision like that occurs, it's no longer about how safe your driving is but rather it's about the safety features in your car.
After your collision, bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass for repairs. We'll work hard to restore your car to pre-collision condition and we'll restore the safety features that are built into your car to protect you in case of another collision… so you can get back onto the road safely.

Top Reasons Why Your Car Won't Start

Top Reasons Why Your Car Won't Start

There's nothing like that sinking feeling when you turn the key in the ignition, nothing happens. And since a car is a big group of complicated systems – with each one connected to several other systems – it can be daunting to know where to start. Fortunately, there are a few common reasons and these are a good place to start.

Here are a few of the top reasons why your car won't start.

Immobilizer. Many cars are equipped with immobilizer devices and those devices are engaged and disengaged through computer chips embedded in the key or a key fob. Unfortunately, those chips aren't always durable when they're jammed into your pocket with your cellphone, chewing gum, and coins. Check to make sure the immobilizer light isn't flashing.

Fuel. You have enough fuel in the car, right? And it's not in a big pool under the car, right? That might seem like a silly question to ask but it's a good first place to check. If you've tried starting the car and you smell fuel – but there isn't any under the car – it's possible that the engine has been flooded (by inadvertently pressing the gas pedal too soon).

Transmission. Sometimes, it's as simple as your transmission isn't fully in "Park" (even though the stick shift seems to be). Put on the parking brake, turn the key slightly, put the transmission in neutral and try again.

Battery. Like any other battery, your car's battery carries a charge and can lose its power over time. This can be hastened by leaving lights on. Try turning on your headlights and seeing if they come on. If not, you might need a jumpstart.

Connections. Canadian roads can be rough and winters can be harsh, so wires that connect one part of the car to another can loosen and corrode. Lift your hood and check to make sure everything is connected and that each connection is clean.

Fuses. You're probably familiar with fuses in your house. If you plug too many things into them at once, they can blow. The same thing can happen to your car. Pull out your owner's manual and check those fuses.

If you're still not sure what it could be, try lifting the hood so you can watch, listen, and smell what's going on. Your senses could give you a clue as to what the problem might be. Of course, there are many reasons why your car may not start and if none of these work, seek the help of a professional mechanic to analyze and fix the problem.

Financing vs Leasing

The Difference between Financing and Leasing... Which one is Right for You?

If you are thinking about getting a new car or truck, one of the things you'll need to consider is whether you want to finance your car or lease it.

Financing your car is where you borrow the money to buy your car. You pay regular payments to the lending company. Leasing your car is where you borrow the car and pay regular payments to the company lending you the car.

With financing, you own the car. If you cannot make payments, the lending company will repossess the car to try and sell it and recoup what they couldn't collect from you. With leasing, the dealership owns the car. If you cannot make payments, the dealership will repossess the car to try and recoup what they couldn't collect from you.

The key difference between the two is who owns the car. This difference will have an impact on how you drive the car and what you do with the car at the end of the loan period.

With financing, you own the car. When the loan is over, you own the car "free and clear" and can continue driving it or resell it or whatever. The advantage to you is that you actually own the car and are free to do whatever you want with it. The disadvantage to you is that you actually own the car and are now responsible for selling it.

With leasing, the dealership owns the car. At the end of the loan period, they would like to get the car back in great shape so they can resell it. The advantage to you is that you're paying a small monthly fee to drive a nice new car and you don't have to worry about selling the car at the end of the loan. The disadvantage is that the dealership might charge you extra for mileage over a specified annual mileage allowance or they might charge clean and repair the car when you're done with it.

So, which one is right for you? That depends on you, of course. If you want to own your car and not worry about the shape you'll return it in at the end of the loan, then financing might be the way to go. If you want to always drive the latest car, and you don’t mind paying extra if the dealership doesn't feel that the car is pristine, then leasing might be the option you prefer.

We've tried to take a balanced approach on financing versus leasing. For more information about financing and leasing (although they are not necessarily neutral on the topic!) check out these links:

·        This article from Investopedia takes a mainly balanced approach and digs in a little deeper into the topic: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/05/042105.asp#axzz1UYnOEaF8

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     LeaseGuide has some valuable tool and tips for leasing: http://www.leaseguide.com/index2.htm

·       The Buy Versus Lease Decision: Suze Orman is no fan of leasing! Find out why she doesn't like it: http://biz.yahoo.com/pfg/e16buylease/