AAA offers "Tipsy Tow" on NYE

For all you party-goers planning to go out this New Year's Eve, the Auto Club of Southern California is offering it's free "Tipsy Tow" during the New Year's holiday.  The service will be available from 6pm on Thursday New Year's Eve through 11:59pm Friday night, New Year's Day.  

According to the Auto Club's website,

Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver may call 1-800-400-4AAA (4222) for a free tow home up to seven miles. Callers simply tell the Auto Club operators, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” to receive the ride home for themselves and their vehicle.

The website didn't specify members only.  From the looks of it, this service is available to the public within the So Cal counties they serve.  However, there are restrictions

The service excludes rides for passengers, is restricted to a one-way, one-time ride for the driver and the destination is limited to the driver’s residence. Reservations are not accepted. Drivers can expect to pay the rate charged by the tow truck contractor for rides farther than seven miles.

The Auto Club provides the Tipsy Tow service as part of its “You Drink. You Drive. You Lose.” campaign and also supports several other sober driver programs. The Auto Club advises that motorists can avoid DUI arrests or worse by keeping these safety tips in mind:

• At social events, designate non-drinking drivers who can get everyone home safely.
• Call a friend or family member for a ride home if you’ve been drinking.
• Keep a cab company telephone number in your wallet so you can call for a ride home.
• As party host, try to be aware of whether some guests are drinking too much. Offer non-alcoholic drinks and plenty of food. Provide a gift to guests who volunteer to be designated drivers.
• Take car keys away from friends and relatives who have had too much to drink.  

Tips To Buying A Car

Don't be fooled, know what you're getting into before buying your next car.

Tips To Buying A Car

View more presentations from Auto Expert.

Drive Safe.ly

Tara, one of our operations employees, was sitting at her desk when her cell phone started talking out loud in a women’s voice. All of us in the office were curious to know what it was. She said it was her new app she downloaded for her Blackberry, called DriveSafe.ly. Tara downloaded this free app to read her texts and emails while she drives, but she forgot to turn it off when she came into work. I’m glad she didn’t, because it got me curious as to what it was.

According to the designer’s website

DriveSafe.ly is a mobile application that reads text (SMS) messages and emails aloud in real time and automatically responds without drivers touching the mobile phone.

DriveSafe.ly is a free application that is available to Blackberry and Android users and will soon be available to Window Mobile and iPhone users.  According to Consumer Reports, it's a simple program that works well.

[It]reads text messages and e-mails aloud as they are received, either through the phone’s speaker or through a Bluetooth connection. It sends an automatic response to alert the sender that the recipient is driving...The free version features a female voice reading up to 25 words, though there may be verbal ads included. It does recognize common abbreviations such as “BTW” and “LOL”.

It’s really simple to download and allows you to adjust the settings. According to Berry Review,

you can edit the Auto response [to] create a custom response. Drivesafe.ly does not require anyone to use the auto response or any of the options on there but some come set by default so make sure you explore through all the settings.

You can also upgrade to DriveSafe.ly Pro, for only a $13.95 one-time cost.  The premium version allows up to 500 words and a few customization options, including changing the voices.

Like with any new tool, DriveSafe.ly has its pros, cons and room for improvement. According to Android Guys App Review,

CONS:
• Icon in status bar should indicate if the app is active or not
• Must have an internet connection to work

PROS:
• Let you hear messages without looking at your phone
• Good natural voices
• Understand acronyms and dates
• Auto reply to sender to let then know you’ve heard the message

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:
• Missing an option to automatically repeat the message
• Option to deactivate automatically (timed or by geolocation)

For Tara’s review, she gives it a thumbs up.   Distracted Driving laws are becoming more stringent, so DriveSafe.ly or any other text reading tool available is something to really consider. Read more about these laws in our posts Texting While Driving and Don’t Text and Drive.

Winter checklist for maintaining your car

Winter is approaching, well the actual start date isn't until December 21st.  But, the temperatures are falling fast and rain clouds are coming and going more frequently.  So, is your vehicle ready for the winter season?  According to ProCarCare.com's Automotive Technical Editor, Rich Diegle, "[your vehicle] needs to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis. A well-maintained vehicle gets better fuel economy, is safer and is less likely to leave you stranded." 

Here's a checklist from ProCarCare to help you maintain your car throughout the wet and cold months.

1. 
   
   Check the drive belts for cracks, tension, and glazing.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Check all fluid for condition, leaks and levels - replace as recommended by your owner's manual.
   
   
   
• 
  
  Fluids including oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, auto transmission fluid, battery fluid and terminals, hydraulic clutch fluid (if equipped).
  
  
  
3. 
   
   Check or replace filters
   
   
   
• 
  
  Including air, oil, fuel, emissions canister, PCV, cabin air (if equipped).
  
  
  
4. 
   
   Brake systems check and service
   
   
   
• 
  
  Check brake components (pads, rotors, shoes, drums, hydraulic parts)
  
  
  
• 
  
  Check the brake fluid
  
  
  
5. 
   
   Check tires
   
   
   
• 
  
  Proper inflation - make sure to check the spare tire.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Abnormal, uneven wear - if so, get the vehicle aligned.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Check for damages - visible defects such as nails, cuts or bulges in the side walls
  
  
  
• 
  
  Rotate, if needed. (rule of thumb, every other oil change or 5,000 -7,000 miles).
  
  
  
6. 
   
   Replace wiper blades, if needed.
   
   
   
7. 
   
   Check lights and horn
   
   
   
• 
  
   Test the brake lights, turn signals and headlights on to make sure they work properly and have enough illumination.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Tap the horn a few times to make sure it sounds loudly every time.
  
  
  

This information provided in this article is for information purposes only and is not intended as legal or professional advice.