No matter how cool a car may be, safety is always something to be taken into consideration. A good portion of all car crashes originate simply from distracted driving. The forefather of distracted driving has always been food. Not only can Big Macs kill your heart, but that delicious Big Mac sauce dripping all over your lap can send you hurling over a cliff. Another agent of death that began to steal the attention of drivers was the cell-phone. All it takes is one texted “lol” while driving to cause you to inadvertently crash into a moose that otherwise could have been avoided. Nowadays, more and more cars are being outfitted with touch screen controls on dashboards. Are touch screens in cars the next death omen for distracted drivers? Continue reading →
With spring on the horizon, the peak PCS season of military individuals and families from base to base will soon be upon us. Because Quantico MCB is such a hot base on MilitaryCarLot.com, it is important to know how to get your car registered to operate on Quantico MCB. Your journey begins at the base provost marshal’s office. Here is a handy map to help you find your way around Quantico MCB. Because the general demographic of those at Quantico MCB happen to be young marines moving in and out, there are a few
2008 BMW X5 SAV Listed at Quantico MCB
things that you should be aware of. If you are under 26 years old, you will be required to take a military driver’s improvement course before you can get your car registered to operate on Quantico MCB. If your choice of wheels happens to be a motorcycle, you will be required to take a motorcycle safety course (And that requirement goes for everyone). Once you’re free to cruise around base, make sure you always wear a helmet, reflective vest and appropriate safety gear to avoid getting a ticket (Not to mention avoid getting seriously injured if you wipe out).
For those more comfortable cruisin’ around on four wheels, you still have a couple things on the to do list to get your car registered to operate on Quantico MCB. One of the steps on passing through this mini-gauntlet of registration, is checking to see if you have your car registered solely in your name. If that’s the case, then your out of state license plate is golden so long that it isn’t expired. If your car registration has your spouses’ name on it as well, then the 30 day timer starts ticking before you have to get a Virginia license plate. As cool as foreign license plates may be, you have to immediately switch to U.S. plates if you brought your car from overseas. This handful of tips should be enough to get the clockwork in your brain ticking. For more information on how to get your car registered to operate on Quantico MCB, consult the official Quantico information site for new personnel. And as always, “click it or ticket” when driving!
As we plunge into the winter season, the threat of driving in hazardous road conditions is becoming more of a concern for people living in colder climates. Driving on icy roads always comes with a number of inherent risks. While you’re on the road, having some basic supplies handy can bail you out of some tough situations. For example, having a container of a sand-salt mixture can give your tires the traction needed to get you out of that pesky snowbank that came out of nowhere! Also, having your own set of jumper cables will greatly increase your chance of having a good samaritan give your dead battery some life. Surprisingly, not many people carry a set of jumper cables with them. If you’re stuck with a dead battery, prop up your hood (I like to call it a roadside SOS) and a passerby is sure to stop and offer you a helping hand.
No matter how keen or careful we may be while driving, there sometimes lies a problem from within waiting for the worst possible time to afflict our car. To the naked and untrained eye, belts are fraying, batteries may be on their deathbed and essential fluids may be long gone. It is curious as to why our car saves up a failure just for the time when we are 16 miles from the comforts of our home and stuck in 20 degree weather with nothing but a dying cell phone and half of a three day old burrito from taco bell. Before we might find ourselves in this situation, we should consider some helpful ways of preparing a car for winter weather. To address this simple, yet important question, I decided to call my local mechanic to seek the wisdom of the expert: What is the best way of preparing a car for winter weather?
I was able to meet with Doug Stacey, owner and manager of Muffler Brother’s in Bellbrook,Ohio to address this concern. For a number of years, our family has trusted this particular auto repair shop to care of our cars. And they have never failed us. According to Doug, “The best thing that you can do is find a shop that you can trust, develop a rapport with them, going there on a regular basis with them to take care of most problems”. The advantage of having a mechanic that you can trust is that they will not only develop a relationship with you, but come to know your car as well. As members of the military community, our busy lives need a reliable set of wheels! When moving to a new base, one of the things on your to-do list should be to find yourself a good mechanic. During my time with Doug, he shared some good tips to help yourself find a good mechanic. In the video referenced below, Doug personally explains some ways that you can find yourself a reliable mechanic. After you have found a solid mechanic, they will work with you to prepare your car for the winter season.
In all of the years that Doug has worked with us, he has truly appreciated the military by granting us military discounts. So when you are looking for your trusty mechanic, be sure to ask if they offer military discounts! A great article that I have referenced to quite a few times can be found at weather.com. They provide information about safe driving techniques as well as mention some of the things that your mechanic will check for you. Drive safe!
