Tailgating Tips

It's that time of year...Football Season! That means many of us, whether we are actually going to the big game or not, will be driving out to meet family and friends to tailgate. In order to get the most out of your tailgating experience, you need to have a game plan. This article from howstuffworks.com is full of tips to help you have the best possible tailgating experience to cheer on your team to victory.

5. Show up early In order to get the full enjoyment out of tailgating, you need to make sure you leave yourself enough time before the game. You'll probably need to show up about 3 to 4 hours before the game to set up. That should give you plenty of time to cook the food, play some games and just hang out with your group. Don't forget to factor in some time to break everything down once you're done. 

For those die-hard tailgaters, there's always the option of coming back to the parking lot once the game is over to do some additional tailgating. This might save you some frustrating time in post-game traffic and give you the chance to celebrate a great victory -- or forget a horrible defeat. 

4. Find a Good Parking Spot
Finding the ideal spot for your tailgate party might not be the first thing that everyone thinks about, but it can make your party a little more fun if you can pick a prime location. If you can, look for a parking space right next to a grassy area so you'll have more space to spread out. This way you'll have one less car next to you and you might even score a tree to chill out under if it's a hot day. If you can't find a shady spot, bring along an extra tent or canopy to block out the mid-afternoon sunon those really hot days. 

Some areas may charge for prime parking locations -- and in some cases, that charge may be a little too much for your party budget. So if you have to make do with whatever spot you can find, be sure to make friends with the other football fans parked around you. Who knows? You might even decide to plan your next tailgate party with them. 

3. Know the Rules
The rule book makes football a lot more fun because everyone has to play hard within the confines of the agreed-upon terms. When you're tailgating, remember that the parking lot or facility where you're partying probably has rules, too. This could be simple things like making sure to clean up after you're done, no unattended grills or as on some college campus parking lots, the rules could entail no alcoholic beverages. 

Do a quick search online before you go tailgating or ask some friends if they know of any important rules to follow. Once you understand what you'll be working with, you'll know how to plan for your tailgating party and what you do or don't need to worry about. Finding out ahead of time may keep you from getting asked to leave because you unintentionally broke the rules. 

2. Plan Ahead
This is an obvious one, so let's take a look at what planning ahead for a tailgating party really entails. Of course, if you're in charge of cooking you'll need to bring the food and the grill and maybe even the drinks. But what about the utensils, plates, cups, garbage bags and so on? Try to think of everything you'll be doing when you're tailgating and make a list of everything you'll need. Once you've parked and started your tailgate party, you most likely won't be able to leave the lot to pick up anything you might have forgotten. 

Try to think of things that you'd need at home, and then bring them along. For some locations, this may mean planning ahead for extreme weather situations, like thunderstorms or even typical issues like using the bathroom. In fact, if there are no bathrooms available, it may even be necessary to rent a port-o-potty to make the afternoon a little more comfortable for everyone. 

1. Pack it up
When it comes to tearing down your tailgating site, apply the camping rule that says you should take out everything you bring in. You might be able to find some trash cans nearby, but then again, you might not. It's important to make sure you have everything with you to properly dispose of, or carry away, all of your trash. 

If you grill out using a charcoal grill, keep in mind the policies and rules for your tailgating area. Charcoal coals can stay hot for hours and they need to be disposed of properly. Using aluminum pans that you had the food in is a good way to discard the remaining charcoal. You can then use the melted ice in the cooler to pour over the coals if they're still hot. 

Whatever you do, don't leave trash, food or bottles laying around when you're done. It's in everyone's best interest to keep the place nice and neat so you'll have a premium spot to tailgate throughout the rest of the season.

Click the link to read the full article from howstuffworks.com: http://bit.ly/17OIIfi

15 Minutes to Clean Your Car's Interior

We spend so much time in our cars that even the nicest vehicles can end up looking a little dirty on the inside. Usually though, we don't have hours to dedicate to vacuuming, shampooing or polishing our car's interior. The good news is with just a few household items and 15 minutes of your time you can have your car's interior looking like new again. This checklist from realsimple.com details the steps to take in what timeframe to speed-clean your car's interior.

Gather a few tools—a small plastic bin, garbage bags, glass cleaner, car cleaning wipes, air-conditioner treatment, a flat-head screwdriver, paper towels, and a hand vac—and get ready for your car to look fresh off the lot. 

Minute 1:
Toss items that shouldn’t be in the car into a small bin. Throw trash into a garbage bag. Spritz the cup holders with glass cleaner and let sit. 

Minutes 2 and 3:
Using the wipes, clean the dashboard, center console, inside door pockets, steering wheel, and gearshift. Spray air-conditioner treatment into the air vents below the windshield and let sit. 

Minutes 4 and 5:
Clean leather seats with a few wipes. (Seats that are upholstered will get vacuumed later.) 

Minutes 6 and 7:
Wrap a wipe around the end of a flat-head screwdriver, and run it along the buttons and switches on the dashboard. Wipe out the cup holders with paper towels. 

Minutes 8 through 10:
Spray glass cleaner on paper towels and wipe all the windows, including the windshield, sunroof, and rear window. 

Minute 11:
Remove the floor mats and whack them against each other to dislodge any dirt. 

Minutes 12 through 14:
On the driveway, vacuum the floor mats with the bare hose of a hand vac for maximum power (do not attach a tool). Vacuum the seat upholstery and foot wells, shifting the front seats fully forward, then back, to hit every spot. 

Minute 15:
Replace the mats and return the seats to their original positions. Open all the doors and let fresh air blow through.

Read the whole checklist at realsimple.com by clicking the link: http://bit.ly/dntdXi

Sharing the Road

The road isn't only for drivers. You have to share with runners, cyclists and pedestrians. It's important that drivers know how to share the road the safest way possible. This article from ehow.com will give you some tips on how bikers and pedestrians can use the same road as motorists without conflict.

1 . Watch out for cyclists or runners wearing headphones. There is no way to know how loud their music is playing, so it may be possible they cannot hear the cars around them. Music seems to take us out of our environment as well, so runners and cyclists may not even be aware or paying attention to the environment around them.

2. Know the direction bicycles and cyclists should be traveling and be cautious about those who do not follow the rules. A bike is considered a vehicle and should travel in the same direction as regular traffic. Runners should travel in the opposite direction of vehicles.

3. Look carefully before making a right turn -- cyclists and runners may be crossing the street. For them, their straight path intersects with the spot where the turn will be made. The runner or cyclist may or may not stop, depending upon their awareness or whether they see a car in their peripheral vision waiting to make a right turn. Look out the passenger and backseat windows to make sure no one is coming up from behind to cross the turning path.

4. Do not get distracted. It is easy to look away for a moment to change the radio station, answer a phone call or look at another person in the car. Even though it is a small moment, a runner or cyclist could be along the road or in an area where they are prone to be hit. They may be listening to music, engaged in their own workout or concentrating on their own direction and not be able to react quickly to a distracted driver's mistake.

5. Stay out of the bike lane unless a state law allows temporary driving in it for certain reasons. Even then, look carefully before going into the bike lane, watch for cyclists and be ready to get back out quickly if needed. A car is moving faster than a bike, so someone riding a bike may appear very quickly.

6. Pass runners and cyclists with care when they are jogging beside the road. Slow down significantly before approach them, especially on narrow roads where there is little or no shoulder. Veer the car slightly to the left to keep a minimum 4 feet distance away from them while passing, and be sure to check for oncoming cars. Make sure cyclists and runners can be fully seen in the rear-view mirror before moving back to the right and speeding up.

7. Watch for children riding their bikes, walking or running. They may be tougher to see because of their height but can appear just as suddenly as adults. Children's behavior may be more unpredictable, so be ready for anything. Don't expect children to know traffic laws or follow the rules recommended for pedestrians and bikers.

8. Check for cyclists and runners before opening the car door. On roads with on-street parking, cyclists especially may unexpectedly and quickly ride past the car door, causing an accident if it is opened. Look forward and past the rear of the car before getting out. Urge other passengers, especially children, to do the same.

Click the link to read the full article from ehow.com:  http://www.ehow.com/how_12050328_share-road-cyclists-runners.html#ixzz2d6b9vLwS

Finding the Right Auto Insurance

If you're going to have a car, you're going to need insurance. But it isn't as cut and dry as having insurance or not. There are a few different kinds of coverage you can get. There are also a few other important considerations you should look at when looking for the correct coverage. Hopefully this blog will help put some of those different aspects of car insurance into perspective for you.

Three Types of Coverage

Although insurance policies and prices vary from company to company, there are three basic types of coverage you'll want to consider.  

Liability: If an accident is your fault, the insurance company will usually cover the damage you caused, including bodily injury and property damage.

Collision: The insurance company will pay for repairs performed after an accident. Make sure you go to a repair shop approved by your agency. Otherwise, they may not pay for the work.

Comprehensive: Damage from vandalism, theft, floods, fires and other events is covered. Some insurance agencies don't cover certain kinds of mishaps, so make sure you know all the details — and exclusions — of your policy. Some insurers offer protection from uninsured drivers.

Other Important Considerations

Find out your auto lender's preferences
If you owe money on your car (through your loan), your lender may have some rules on the kinds and amounts of coverage you'll need. Most lenders want a comprehensive coverage package to protect the car in the event of an accident. However, if you own your car outright and have the title, you are free to select the insurance you feel most comfortable with, as long as you comply with state insurance requirements.

What's the smart amount of coverage for me?
Figuring out how much time you spend in your car and the number of hazards that your car faces on a regular basis (traffic, parking, etc.) can help you figure out the coverage you need. If your car is frequently exposed to hazardous conditions, you may want to consider adding more coverage. If you keep your car in a garage most of the time, you probably don't need as much coverage as someone who's parking on congested city streets every day.

Your insurance agent will ask you about your driving habits. Based on data from thousands of insured drivers, the agent can figure out the likelihood of you having an accident and offer a plan that is appropriate for you. Some insurance companies will reduce your payment if you drive less frequently, live close to work or if you drive a safer vehicle.

You should also consider where you live, work or go to school. Are you concerned that your car may get stolen or vandalized? Weigh all these things when choosing your insurance plan. You can easily increase your coverage if necessary.

Click the link to read the entire article from Cars.com: http://bit.ly/17YZhRO