Tips To Take The Stress Out Of Driving

Do you find your daily commute to be stressful? Are you a basket of nerves and frustration by the time you reach your destination? If so, you are not alone. Driving is one of the most stressful things we do each day. 

There's no question that people often act differently behind the wheel. Driving seems to bring out a new side of people that often isn't seen. Someone who is typically shy and meek is suddenly aggressive. And it's no wonder, our cars are most likely the single most expensive thing we own (other than our house.) And lets not forget that we are transporting the most valuable cargo on the planet, our loved ones. Take into consideration, we are not mind readers; we have no idea what others are doing out there...is it that hard to use your signal light?
Obviously, some handle it better than others. People often seem to forget that there are also people in the other vehicles on the road. Each one of us just as human as the next. These big metal machines hide the humanity behind the wheel. Things are so different when we are placed face to face, if we happen to accidentally walk in front of someone at the mall we will quickly apologize for our mistake (well, most of us will.) And we are usually met with understanding, a smile and acknowledgement of our apology and everyone carries on as though nothing even happened. That same scenario on the road can have a dramatically different outcome. Even if there is nothing serious that happens, just the unnerving feeling that something could have happened causes all kinds of anxiety. And of coarse, being hit hit by a large hunk of moving metal is going to cause serious problems: injury, insurance costs, repair bills, and possibly worse.
If we all do our part on the road we can alleviate some of the unnecessary stress of driving. There are a few things that can be done to help ease the frustration of driving:
1) Leave earlier than needed to reach your destination. If you give yourself more time it will allow for unexpected situations that can occur. Without the need to rush we end up much calmer and less stressed on the road.
2) Accept the fact that you are behind schedule. If you are not able to get out of the door on time or you experience a delay it is important to realize that you are going to be late. There is little you can do to change it, just  take a deep breath and accept the fact. Driving faster or more aggressive isn't going to change anything.

3) Follow the rules of the road. Yes that's right, use your signal light when you're turning! Letting others know what you are doing on the road can help prevent frustration for everyone out there. Don't use your cell phone while driving, keep your focus on what is going on around you. The rules are there to keep order and safety, when everyone abides by them things are a lot smoother.

4) Forgive quickly. Yes, people are going to go out of turn, go too slow, cut you off, turn without warning, etc. When these situations arise just let it go. Anger is often met with anger, if you chose to just let it go you can prevent tempers from flaring on both sides. Mistakes happen, carry on.

5) Be a thoughtful driver. Now that you are relaxed and on time you have the opportunity to be the nice guy on the road, and everyone loves that guy. You know the one, he is the one who leaves space for you in that big line of traffic or doesn't block roads when waiting at traffic lights. These are the unsung hero's of the road, the ones that get the "big picture" about cooperating in traffic.
6) Acknowledge kindness. If you come across one of those thoughtful hero's, be sure to show your appreciation. Give a smile, a nod, a wave, something to show your gratitude. Then, repay the kindness to someone else. Keep those positive vibes going, it can make a big difference to everyone out there.
The daily commute can be stressful. Unfortunately, we often spend more time on the road than we would like. Follow these few easy tips to help ease your driving frustrations. It is important that we all find ways to make it a more pleasant experience, it will go a long way to help improve our health and well being. Let's all do our part.

- Muriel Rolufs

Life Hacks For Your Vehicle

We spend a lot of time in our vehicles. There are a few things you can do to make your car more comfortable and make life a little easier too. Here are a few tips to get you started...

At the Pump: 

If you are not driving your own car or simply forgot what side of the car your gas tank is on, you can just look at the gas gauge, it has a little arrow pointing to the direction that your tank is on.




The price of gas is always a hot topic, here is a tip to get the most for your money at the pump. ( I haven't tried this yet, I am planning to try it next time I fill to see how it goes.)




In the Garage:

It can sometimes be a tight squeeze, here are a few tips to help with parking in the garage:

  





Stay Organized:

We carry a lot of stuff around with us in our vehicles. Here are a few ideas to help keep things a bit more tidy.

1) Buy a couple of over the door shoe organizers from the dollar store, they make perfect pockets to hold small stuff on the backs of car seats. Also, utilize hooks in the vehicle to hang items with handles and straps.


2) Use laundry baskets to contain things so they don't roll around the trunk. Put your reusable shopping bags in them too, so you always have them on hand. After a shopping trip, use the laundry baskets to carry your groceries into the house.
 

3) Use cloth remote control holders for added pockets on the side of your seats.
               

4) Make a small garbage can with a lid to prevent litter from taking over. Use a plastic cereal container and line with a bag, then snap the lid on and voila!!!

         

5) Use a tackle box as a first aid kit. The compartments are great for all the little things, and it's easy to pack around. You never know when you will need something. These are also great because they usually have a place for a lock so if you have little ones you can keep any medications locked up.


6) Add over the head storage with a bungee net attached to the hooks or handles on the ceiling of your vehicle. There is usually more than enough space above the head to accommodate this trick.
   

Around the house:

There are plenty of common items that you have around the house that can be a big help in your vehicle. Here are a few:

1) After cleaning the dashboard, use Olive Oil to give it a great shine. This is easy on the pocketbook and doesn't contain harmful chemicals.


2) Toothpaste to clean hazy headlights.


3) Clear nail polish can be used to seal a chip on the windshield to prevent it from spreading before you get it in for repair. It can also be used on dings and scrapes in the paint to prevent rust from forming. You can also used coloured nail polish to touch up scratches if you can find one that matches close enough.


4) Cooking Spray is great to prevent your door from freezing shut in the Winter. Just spray the rubber gaskets around the inside of your doors, then wipe access off with a paper towel.


5) Speaking of freezing...use hand sanitizer to deice a frozen lock.  


6) Need to get that key off the key ring???  Save your finger nails and your sanity, use a staple remover to separate the ring to get the key off.


7) WD-40 can be used to remove stains in upholstery and carpets. It is also great for removing gum and other sticky stuff.
 

Bonus Hacks:

                  



I hope you found these helpful. If you know of any other great hacks, please feel free to share.

-Muriel Rolufs

Spring around Prince George

 Now that the snow is melting away, it makes me want to get out and do stuff. I have to admit I'm not much of a Winter person so once Spring hits it really feels like I'm coming out of hibernation. I started to think about all the things I want to get out and enjoy.

This made me realize just how many things there are to do in and around Prince George. Last year at this time I made a list of things I wanted to do over the non-winter months. Some were things I enjoy every year and some were things I always wanted to do. I never did do them all, but the good news is that I can keep working on my list this year, although I have a feeling it is going to grow before it shrinks. I thought I would put together a list of things I've found, and share the top activities with you.
 One of the things that makes Prince George so great is the access to the great outdoors. Many people who live here already make the very best of what nature has to offer. There are some however who may not, and may not even know where to start. Hiking is the easiest way to get started. There are all kinds of hiking trails that are easy to access with many options depending on your skill level. You can get a piece of the wilderness right down town or venture out for a drive. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Nature Walks:
1) Cottonwood Island Park
2) Forests For the World
3) Moore's Meadow Park


-These are all right in town and are very easy trails that do not require experience.

Hikes:
1) Eskers Park
2) Ancient Forrest Trail
3) Ferguson Lake

-These are located a short drive from town and are still relatively easy hikes.

Historic and Heritage Sites:
1) Railway Museum
2) Huble Homestead
3) Down Town Heritage Tour - Prince George Public Library


Fun Activities for kids:
1) Park Drive-In Theater & Go carts
2) Exploration Place
3) Noah's Ark


These are just a few of the things I could think of off the top of my head. There a are by far many more activities to get you out and about this Spring. Visit http://tourismpg.com/ for more idea's. I found that once I started mentioning my plans to others they started sharing their favorite things to do and the options are endless. Please share your favorite places so I can add to my list.

-Muriel Rolufs

Preparing Your Vehicle For Spring

Well, Spring has sprung...at least according to the calendar anyway!!! But, even though Mother Nature hasn't quite caught up yet doesn't mean you can't get a jump on some preparations.
Keeping up on the maintenance of your vehicle is a must if you want to get the most out of it. There are a few simple steps that you can take to improve the longevity of your ride. Changing of the Season is the perfect time to put some extra love into your investment. When you live in Northern Canada each season brings it's own challenges so when you prepare ahead it makes the transition a little easier.

1) Clean the interior. Remove all the junk that has accumulated over the winter months. You know...the stray mittens, food wrappers, and boulder sized gravel that you tracked in on your boots. Wow, that looks better already!!! Now vacuum up the small stuff (don't forget the seats) and give everything a good wipe to get rid of the thick layer of dust.  

2) Wash the exterior. You will want to get all of the dirt and salt off the exterior of your vehicle. Salt is what leads to rust, so be sure to do a thorough clean. Once it's clean, a good coat of wax is a great idea to help the Spring rain bead away and add further protection.

Note: If you aren't up for this there are plenty of options for car washes that will gladly do the dirty work for you.

3) Schedule an appointment with your mechanic. Winter temperatures are tough on your engine, you will want to have a mechanic go over everything to make sure it is in good condition. Make sure these things are done while you're there:
- Change oil
- Change other fluids
- Check belts, brakes and hoses
- Check suspension

4) Changeover tires. Once the temperature is consistently above 7 degrees it is safe to take off your winter tires. If you use studded tires they have to be removed before April 30th in B.C. If you don't use winter tires then you should give your tires a good inspection and make sure that the tread looks good and that there is no damage. Make sure to check your tire pressure too.

5) Inspect your wiper blades. Ice and snow can damage your wiper blades pretty quickly. With the rain in the spring you will want to make sure your wipers are in tip top shape. Check for cracked or dry rubber on the part of the blade that has contact with the windshield.

6) Speaking of the windshield. Check for chips and cracks and have any repaired, or have your windshield replaced if necessary.

7) Check Your A/C. You will want to be sure your air conditioning is working properly before the summer months hit ( believe me, I'm speaking from experience.) Test your A/C to make sure it is working before you go to the mechanic, that way if there is a problem you get get it looked at while you're there.

If you take the time to do these few things it will help your vehicle running smoother and looking better. Take the time to do maintenance every few months to get the most from your vehicle and it will be worth your while.
Now just sit back and wait for all this snow to melt!!!

-Muriel Rolufs