Posts filed under ‘Travel’
How to Prevent a GPS From Falling Off the Windshield
You’re driving along, minding your own business, when your GPS unit suddenly annuls its marriage to the windshield. It crashes into the dashboard, slides into the door, high-fives your passenger and bounces on the floor. Your GPS is not broken; but, it will be the next time it startles, then attacks your passenger again.
In the winter, it’s especially tempting for the suction cups on your GPS or radar detector to take your electronics skydiving. The suction cup relies on a vacuum tight seal to maintain its grip on the windshield. Cold weather, or direct flow of air conditioning, can degrade that seal enough that it can’t support the weight of the device.
The secret to getting a good seal: warm the windshield and suction cup(s) before getting them back together. You can warm the suction cup(s) with your hand or treat them like takeout food and warm them with your seat heaters. Using the defogger, blow hot air on the windshield for at least 10 minutes, then pull over in a safe place and apply the warm suction cup(s).
The idea is to create as much suction as possible inside the suction cups. Before you push it against the window, be sure the suction lever is all the way back, then push the suction mount HARD against the windshield, then push the suction lever forward. Because the windshield and suction cups are warm, you’ll get a better seal that should maintain enough suction to support your GPS unit or radar detector.
If you still don’t have any luck, try cleaning your windscreen and suction cups with glass cleaner wipes and repeat the steps above.
BrokenSecrets.com [Now available on Kindle]
Photo: redjar (cc)
You Can Request a Mini Fridge in Your Hotel Room
I’m not talking about minibars that are jammed with overpriced, undersized hickory peanuts and watermelon spritzers. I’m talking about an empty mini fridge that you can stack with caffeine boosting morning starters and gut busting dinner leftovers.
It’s fun to go all MacGyver and use the sink as a cooler, but that loses its cool when you want to use the sink as a sink. That’s why hotels keep mini fridges on-hand for special requests. I discovered this little secret last year, and I travel a fair amount for work so I’ve tried it in many hotels since then — it held true for almost every one.
When you book the room, ask for a mini fridge (or add it to the notes if you book online). Chances are good they will have it in the room for you when you arrive. If you get to your room and there is no fridge there, call the front desk and kindly request one. Don’t mention you already asked for one unless they’re all out, then tell them you requested one when you booked the room, you’d like a discount and you’d like the next fridge that becomes available (when someone who has one checks out). With this approach, I’ve never waited more than a day for a fridge ; I’ve never been given the discount either.
Party On.
BrokenSecrets.com
Photo Credit: DewKnight (Creative Commons)
Why Airlines Dim Interior Lights Before Night Landings
Maybe you’ve noticed, maybe not. When you’re in an airplane that is landing at night, they dim the main interior lights upon final approach.
Why?
Because, if the landing does not go well and you need to evacuate the plane, your eyes are better adjusted to the darkness outside.
BrokenSecrets.com
Photo by: jayhay2336
(Flickr/Creative Commons/Attribution)
Broken Secrets 