TommyLog – Tommy’s 5 Safe Driving Tips #FordDriveSafe

Hey kids, for today’s Tommylog I want to talk about safe driving. I have been behind the wheel for almost 30 years -YIKES- and I have logged a lot of miles in the cars I have owned. These days I travel about 35 miles each way to work so I have a little experience in the area of driving safely.

So, lets jump right into some tips:

1.    Use the Right lane.  Most of my daily mileage is highway mileage and I see hundreds of cars each day. Folks, you need to drive in the right hand lane, PASS in the left lane. Too often people, and myself included as I forget, just set their cruise control and sail down the road in the left lane. That’s not safe. The left lane should be for passing or getting over so you can be safe when passing an emergency vehicle or someone stopped on the shoulder.

2.    Keep A Safe Distance. This is a big one. It is imperative that you keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. Leading driving experts, including well as SmartMoterest.com, talk about the 3-second following distance rule. Driving at 65 MPH, your car travels almost 100 feet in one second. You need to keep almost 300 feet distance between you and the car in front of you in order to adhere to the 3-second rule. Your reaction time isn’t what you think it is- especially while driving at 65 (or maybe just a little more…). For more on the topic, please click here.

3.    Use Your Mirrors. How many people do you know that do not use their 2 side or rear view mirrors? These 3 things are the BEST tools you have in your car. A quick glance backwards, and then to the left and right help keep you safe. Always knowing what’s going on around you is key to being a safe driver.

4.    Have a Backup Plan. Your brain can do millions and millions of calculations per second and while you are driving you always need to be thinking one step ahead of the cars in front of you. Being a defensive driver is key. You always need to ask yourself “What if?” What if this guy merging comes over into my lane…where will I go? What if the car in front of me stops quickly, what will I do? Knowing your surroundings and playing a few what if scenarios in your mind as you travel will help keep you safe.

5.    Focus. Nothing should be more important than what you are doing on the road. Your job is to get from point A to point B and do it safely. No phone call, no text message, and no one behind you is more important than your life. You need to focus on your task a hand. Everything else can wait till you are safely at your destination.

So there you have it. My 5 safe driving tips to making sure you arrive safe and sound at your destination. None are very difficult, but each one if followed can make a difference.

Another great resource to check out is Ford’s Driving Skills For Life. https://drivingskillsforlife.com/

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Disclosure: I receive a fee for participating in certain promotional campaigns for Ford Motor Company. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

TommyLog – Holiday Traditions With Special Guest Emma!

Today I welcome Emma to the TommyLog studios to talk about holiday traditions and what we are thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. Emma wants loads of comments so we can to a video reply to answer all the comments. GO!

 

TommyLog TECH – Demystifying The Google Chromecast #VZWBuzz #AD

ChromecastHey kids, for today’s TommyLog Tech, I want to show you my new Google Chromecast and talk about setting it up and then take a few moments to discuss what makes it different from it’s competitors.

When you open the Chromecast box, the first thing you notice how small the actual unit is. It’s less than 3 inches long but 1.5 inches wide and has a male HDMI on one end and a micro USB port for power on the other. That’s it. The box contains the Chromecast itself, a USD power cables, power adapter to plug into the wall and a HDMI pigtail extended to plug in your Chromecast into tight spots, that’s it. Wait… Where’s the remote? There isn’t one. We’ll get into that a bit later.

Setting up the Chromecast could not be easier. Plug it into a free HDMI port on your HDTV, add the power plug and turn on your TV- making sure to select the proper input. The Chromecast supports both 720P as well as 1080P. The first thing you will notice on your screen is the address of the WIFI network the Chromecast uses to broadcast and it will ask you to connect. Once you connect to the Chromecast WIFI network from your Android, IOS or laptop, you can then finish the 2-minute configuration. Select your home WIFI network and enter your password and you’re done. My Chromecast required an extra 2 minutes of preparation to download new firmware, your mileage may very.

Using the Chromecast is pretty straight forward and intuitive but much different than the Apple TV, Roku or Amazon Fire TV as there is no remote for the Chromecast. The Chromecast supports nearly the same array of channels or apps, as they are called in the Chromecast world, as the competitors. However, Chromecast is not driven by onscreen menus, your device is the remote control. You’ll need to download Chromecast aware apps for your mobile device or laptop. These apps have a Chromecast button on them and actually pass off the stream from your tablet, iPad, phone or laptop directly to the Chromecast. Again, your device acts as the remote. Once the stream starts playing, you can do other things on your device while you enjoy your show. I must admit, I was pretty skeptical of this system but its fast, slick and just rock solid.

Streaming shows from Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, HBOGO and many others to your HDTV with the Google Chromecast is totally Tommy Approved!

For more information on how to get your own Google Chromecast, click here

[DISCLAIMER — I’m one of the cool kids who has been asked to play with and test technology for Verizon. They asked me to test and share my thoughts. All my words are original and my own.]

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TommyLog – Being Thankful is About Others

This Thanksgiving holiday season there is just so much to be thankful for. One message I want to leave with you all is that being thankful isn’t about yourself, it’s about others. Put others firs and the rest will play out just fine. Happy Thanksgiving!