Mother Says: When to call 911, especially on the road...

...and other things I said I'd get back to but didn't At least not yet. Did I say later this week? I meant later this month. Or maybe this year. I forget. And that's the trouble, isn't it? OK, it's time to catch up, so here goes...

Have you been enjoying the goofy 911 call stories lately, for things like misbehavior in pets, children or fast food employees? In case you've missed any, here's an LA Times piece that has a pretty extensive list: L.A. Unleashed (but it's only fair to warn you that the video shows some other cute kitty playing with string, not the actual emergency cat). These nutty folks may be hilarious, and we're all about a good laugh, but we also can see how victims of actual emergencies who are waiting on hold or getting busy signals might not be so amused. In fact, they could end up dead. Not funny.

Seriously, the official Vermont 9-1-1 website has instructions for what to do if you get a busy signal: You should contact your emergency service provider using their 7-digit telephone number. That is pathetic. So let's review our 911 guidelines, shall we? Here's the scoop from the same State of Vermont website FAQs:

When should a caller use 9-1-1?

A person should only call 9-1-1 when there is an emergency that requires immediate action to save a life, to report a fire, or to stop a crime. For non-emergencies the public should call the telephone number for police, fire and EMS in the white pages of their local phone book.

That's pretty clear, but leaves us in a bit of a dilemma when we need help that doesn't meet 911 standards. How many of us always have a phone book handy, especially in the car? I suppose there's a way to get directory assistance but am not sure what it is any more, are you? Should we program our local and maybe state police non-emergency numbers into our cell phones? Couldn't hurt. Should we join AAA (my personal favorite) or some other fine auto club, or buy a car with OnStar or Sync? Those are all good ideas. And many of us have friends and family standing by, as we are for them. So I want you to go ahead and think about alternatives for situations that can better be handled without 911, like minor accidents or breakdowns on the road. Because we absolutely do not want to distract emergency personnel from meeting more critical needs, now do we? Of course not!

That said, however, I have it on good authority that the police would rather have you call 911 for these kinds of non-emergency crises when you really don't have a better option. They don't want you to create an emergency where there wasn't one, say by freezing to death at the side of the road or hitching a ride with a psycho. And by the way, I'd say that road rage definitely qualifies under saving a life.

When you call, if you do it from your cell phone, be prepared to tell the operator where you are, with specific road signs, mile markers, landmarks or an address if you know it. Cell phones do not transmit precise location information to the 911 center the way your traditional landline does at home. And VoIP is another whole kettle of fish, that doesn't normally apply on the road so I'm going to pass on that discussion, but if you're using a VoIP service be sure to check with your provider to make sure you're set up properly to interact with the 911 system.

OK, let's review:

• Have yourself a hearty laugh over those crazy inappropriate 911 callers, and don't be one of them.
• Call 911 to save a life, report a fire or stop a crime.
• If you're calling from your cell, know and be prepared to describe where you are.
  
• Use alternative methods, like the police non-emergency number, an auto service or a helpful friend or family member, for crises that are not emergencies.
• Go ahead and call 911 when you don't have any other safe options.

Got it? I know a complete list of possible misadventures with specific instructions would be better, but you're going to have to use your judgment here. Mother R trusts you completely.

And yes, I know I also promised more on alternatives to sending all our gas money to the grubby folks in OPEC, but we've had enough for today, haven't we? What do you say we postpone that until next week, when we've completed and recovered from our New Year celebrations? I am seriously considering a resolution to become more disciplined and less forgetful about blogging on the many happy, safe and healthy driving issues that remain unexplored. So stay tuned.

And Happy New Year!

Crazy in Copenhagen

They have GOT to be kidding! But apparently they are not. Get this. After rolling in our oil dough for lo these many years now, the Saudi Arabians actually have the colossal nerve to suggest, nay insist, that if we and the rest of the world should finally get our act together sufficiently to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, they should be compensated for the lost revenue. Really! Check it out: (Saudis Seek Payments for Any Drop in Oil Revenues)

Stop laughing! These people are serious.

If this were not the cheery family blog that it is, Mother R would have considerably more to say about this lunacy, but as it is, I'll simply suggest that now might be a good time to finally get rid of that gas guzzler you haven't quite been able to part with yet. I hear there are plenty of more fuel efficient ways to get around without sacrificing the features you need and want in a vehicle. And many of the new ones have terrific new safety innovations too. Stay tuned for my full report later in the week, but in the meantime, you can start by browsing the latest in fuel efficiency at www.fueleconomy.gov.

Compensation for the poor whiners in OPEC. Yeah, right!

Goodbye to Driver Safety Month, but not to driver safety

Oh boy, here it is December already. Hard to believe that National Salubrious Driving Day and Driver Safety Month are both over so soon, isn't it? Do you feel any safer? Would you like to? Well, I'm feeling safer so let me just share a few tips:

First, now that leftovers are gone, it's time to start thinking about winter tires. We want to make it to the mall and back in one piece, don't we? If you're like me, you may have stopped thinking about winter tires years ago, when some smarty pants invented all weather tires. They certainly were convenient, and I think most of us fell for the notion that they were plenty good enough. I know I did. And honestly, I survived for the most part very nicely with my all weather tires through winters in upstate New York, New England, Michigan and even Colorado (although I admit to cheating by buying AWD vehicles in Colorado). So you can imagine my surprise when I arrived in the Northeast Kingdom and discovered that up here they still use winter tires. And do you know what? It works! Our wussy little front wheel drive that spent most of the winters in Colorado hiding in the garage can drive through just about anything now on its tough new winter tires. So if your all weather tires are scaring you out there on the ice and snow, check out a set of winter tires. I think you'll like them.

I was also pretty excited to learn that winter tires with studs are still an option. When I was a young driver we always had studded snow tires that got us through the winter even on those old rear wheel drive cars. But that was before the birth of all weather tires, and we were driving on roads that were covered with a layer of snow or ice (or both) more often than not during the winter. And as it turns out, while studs were keeping us on the road, they had a tendency to wreck the pavement. So many states have banned them altogether, and most of those that allow them limit their use to the winter months. As usual, the rules vary from state to state. If you're interested, you can check this chart compiled by the Rubber Manufacturers Association for the regulations in your state, or any state you plan to visit. But first, I have to say that although studs were terrific back in the day, they have their drawbacks now that the art of clearing snow from the roads leaves them clear and dry for a good part of the winter. And the studs that give you better traction on icy roads, don't help at all on dry roads, and are worse when the roads are wet. So as fondly as I remember them from the good old days, I can't say that I'd suggest you bother with studs on your winter tires today. Ah, but the winter tires themselves have my enthusiastic support. They are so worth it!

Finally, the good folks at AARP don't declare a Driver Safety Month without a bundle of safe driving advice for backup. Check out this article: November is Driver Safety Month on the AARP website for more safe driving tips, and while you're there, head over to the Driver Safety Program page for information on their excellent driver safety classes for adults.

Who says we can't extend our salubrious driving habits into December and beyond?