Deadly Driving Hazards (and how to survive them)

YOU LIFT YOUR FOOT off the gas, but your car surges ahead as if it has a mind of its own. An approaching car swerves into your lane and comes straight at you. A tire blows out, and the steering wheel
pulls violently in your hands. In each of these cases, what you do — and don’t do — next can make the difference between a simple scare and a disaster.

Runaway engine
On August 28, 2009, California Highway Patrol officer Mark Saylor was driving with his wife, daughter and brother-in-law aboard. Suddenly the car began to accelerate. Their desperate 911 call was of no avail. All four died in a fiery 120-mph crash.

The problem behind “unintended acceleration” may be a mechanical glitch or simply a floor mat bunched up against the gas pedal. Whatever the cause, stopping is easy if you know how.

With an automatic transmission, shift into neutral. With a manual, step down on the clutch pedal. The engine will race, but the car will stop accelerating. Don’t turn off the ignition while the car is moving, or braking and steering will require much greater effort.

Wrong-way driver
This is one of the most hair-raising situations you can face. The driver who’s about to ram you head-on may be asleep, distracted, drunk, sick or even suicidal. In that instant, it doesn’t matter. Brake hard and lean on the horn. Steer toward the right—off the pavement, if necessary. Don’t steer left: The oncoming driver may swerve back at the last instant. Avoid a head-on crash at all costs. If you must hit something, aim for shrubs, a parked car, anything that gives.

Tire blowout
My niece Jill was driving to college in Connecticut when construction debris blew out one of her tires. She slammed on the brakes, and her car spun around and rolled over three times. Only her safety belt saved her from serious injury.

If you have a blowout, stay off the brakes. Keep your foot steady on the gas, grip the wheel firmly and concentrate on steering. When you have the car under control, gradually lift off the gas.

No brakes
Today’s cars have dual brake systems, so total brake failures are very rare. In case of a malfunction, the brakes on at least two of the four wheels should still work. But stops will take longer and will require more pedal effort.

Pumping the brake pedal rapidly and hard may build up enough pressure for a four-wheel stop. If necessary, shift into a lower gear so the engine slows you down. You might damage the transmission, but that’s better than crashing. As a last resort, scrub off speed by sideswiping a wall or parked cars—whatever it takes to slow down.

Hydroplaning
You’re driving on a wet road, maybe a little too fast, when the steering suddenly feels eerily light. What has happened is that a thin wedge of water has actually lifted your front tires off the pavement, as your car glides ahead as if on ice. To regain control, ease off the gas. That will shift some of the car’s weight onto the front tires and squeeze out the water underneath. Then, slow down.

Whether you drive a Hummer or a hybrid, knowing what to do — and what not to do — in an emergency is the key to survival.

Alex Markovich was the auto editor at Consumer Reports before he retired. His articles have appeared in many publications.

-- Costco Connection, April 2013

obesity is officially a disease

According to the American Medical Association, obesity is now officially a disease. A highly preventable disease, but a disease nonetheless.

I think that's probably the right call. For many people, lung cancer is highly preventable -- just don't smoke -- but it would be weird not to call lung cancer a disease.

The decision wasn't without debate, though. In fact, the AMA's Council on Science and Public Health actually recommended against calling obesity a disease. The main issue revolves around using body mass index, or BMI, as a measure for obesity. A 5'11'' man who weighs 215 pounds is technically obese, but he may be fairly healthy and probably doesn't need to be treated aggressively. There was also a worry that calling obesity a disease might let people off the hook in trying to prevent it in the first place.

Ultimately, the AMA's House of Delegates ignored the council's recommendation, voting in favor of a resolution to recognize obesity as a disease.

more uses for WD-40

4. Exterminate roaches and repel insects

Don’t let cockroaches, insects, or spiders get the upper hand in your home. • Keep a can of WD-40 handy, and when you see a roach, spray a small amount directly on it for an instant kill. • To keep insects and spiders out of your home, spray WD-40 on windowsills and frames, screens, and door frames. Be careful not to inhale the fumes when you spray and do not do this at all if you have babies or small children at home.

8. Clean toilet bowls

You don’t need a bald genie or a specialized product to clean ugly gunk and lime stains from your toilet bowl. Use WD-40 instead: Spray it into the bowl for a couple of seconds and swish with a nylon toilet brush. The solvents in the WD-40 will help dissolve the gunk and lime.

10. Clean and restore license plate

To help restore a license plate that is beginning to rust, spray it with WD-40 and wipe with a clean rag. This will remove light surface rust and will also help prevent more rust from forming. It’s an easy way to clean up lightly rusted plates and it won’t leave a greasy feel.

13. Remove doggie-doo

Uh-oh, now you’ve stepped in it! Few things in life are more unpleasant than cleaning doggie-doo from the bottom of a sneaker, but the task will be a lot easier if you have a can of WD-40 handy. Spray some on the affected sole and use an old toothbrush to clean the crevices. Rinse with cold water and the sneakers will be ready to hit the pavement again. Now, don’t forget to watch where you step!

27. Clean carpet stains

Don’t let ink or other stains ruin your fine carpet. Spray the stain with WD-40, wait a minute or two, and then use your regular carpet cleaner or gently cleanse with a sponge and warm, soapy water. Continue until the stain is completely gone.

39. Remove burrs from horse

To remove burrs from a horse’s mane or tail without tearing its hair out (or having to cut any of its hair off!) just spray on some WD-40. You’ll be able to slide the burrs right out. This will work for dogs and cats, too.

51. Kill thistle plants

Don’t let pesky prickly weeds like bull and Russian thistle ruin your yard or garden. Just spray some WD-40 on them and they’ll wither and die.  [I wonder if it'll work on nutgrass?]

and lots more..

50 life hacks

to simplify your world

14. use a can opener to open a blister pack and avoid cutting yourself
18. stack your clothes vertically to see them all
21. a frozen saturated sponge makes an ice pack that won't drip all over when it melts
22. use a bread tab to hold your spot on a roll of tape
35. use binder clips to fix broken keyboard feet
39. get built up residue off your shower head by tying a baggy of vinegar and leaving it overnight
40. the ninja fold
41. light candles with a stick of spaghetti
44. use unscented dental floss to cut cakes
46. use a clothespin to hold a nail while hammering
48. a paper CD case

more
use bread clips to save flip-flops with split holes
opening plastic bag knots
wrap a wet paper towel around your beverage and put it in the freezer.  In 15 minutes it will be ice cold.

also

50 animated gifs for any occasion

-- from twistedsifter via BrianK

add 20 years to your life

If you think that how long you’ll live is based on how long your grandparents and parents live, you’re only partly right. While genetics certainly have an impact, you have more control than you might assume. “By the time you turn 55, only about 30% of how quickly you age is based on your genes, as compared to 50% when you’re younger—the rest is due to your lifestyle choices,” says Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic. To figure out about how many years certain habits can add to your life, Dr. Roizen created the RealAge test, which uses data from hundreds of studies by groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics. With his help, we’ve gathered the most important habits and estimated how much longer each one may extend your life.

Add 2.2 years: Walk 30 minutes a day

Add 5.6 years: Get up and move!

Add 1.8 years: Do some strength training

Add 3.5 years: Floss daily

Add 14 years: Eat healthy

Add 8 years: Have more sex with your partner

Add 2 years: Don't text and drive

Add 4 years: Manager stress

Add 6-12 years: Stop smoking

So that's 47.1 to 53.1 years!

Read more: Live Longer - Healthy Living at WomansDay.com - Woman's Day