Readers offer their best tips for catching shuteye in the car, preventing your food from being stolen from your workplace fridge, and on-demand Google Maps caching.

About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons — maybe they’re a bit too niche, maybe we couldn’t find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn’t fit it in — the tip didn’t make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favourites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Email it to tips at lifehacker.com.au.

Get Better Sleep in Your Car, or The Seatbelt Head Hammock

Reader Matt Coker writes:

If you want to sleep in a car, start by putting your seatbelt on regularly. Then, pull just a little bit of slack in the shoulder strap and jerk it suddenly away from you. The seat belt locking mechanism (for car crashes) will activate, and you will have a place to rest your head as long as you keep it tight. I instantly fell in love with this, enjoy!

FYI the picture I have attached may look like my head is resting on my shoulder, but it is actually on the seat belt.

Keep Your Food and Drinks from Being Stolen in Your Work Fridge

Reader LARPkitten writes:

If your coworkers keep stealing your soda from the fridge, try putting it in a can cozy.

A coworker of mine kept having his sodas stolen from the fridge, even when he put his name on them or hid them in various locations, so instead he started putting them in the fridge, one a day, in an insulated can cozy. He hasn’t had a one stolen since.

The seems-plausible explanation:

I think the psychology behind it is that it’s easy to anonymously steal a can that’s marked – just cover the marking (or peel off the sticky) and boom! The can looks like every other can out there, and no one knows you stole it. It’s not about feeling guilty, it’s about not getting caught.

The big bulky cozy, on the other hand, is highly noticeable and not quite so easy to remove, so it’s more trouble than it’s worth. People are more likely to notice you peeling off a cozy (“Shouldn’t they be leaving it on?”), and if you drink the soda in the cozy, you’re easy to spot as the thief. So they leave it alone to avoid suspicion. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a deterrent to the casual soda-stealer.

Photo by Quinn Dombrowski..

On-Demand Google Maps Caching for Offline Navigation

Reader LordieLordie points out an under-the-radar feature from today’s Google Maps for Android update:

In the new version of Google Maps (5.7) for Android you can download maps to your phone.

Tap menu More Labs. Select Download map area. Once you’ve done that, just follow the directions: “To download an area of the map, long press on the centre of the area you’d like to save, then tap on the bubble. Or go to ‘More options’ on a search result details page. Then select ‘Download map area’.

By Dale Roe

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

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Hot enough for you?

Oh, sorry not you. I was talking to your car.

All due respect to your human suffering, but your trusty vehicle — the one you rely on to take you to work, on vacation and off to holiday weekend day-tripping destinations — can’t just drop its top and jump into the lake at Hippie Hollow when the thermometer hits triple digits (unless, I guess, it’s a convertible and you have really good insurance).

The prolonged hot weather we’ve been having is hard on vehicles, but a little preventive maintenance can go a long way toward ensuring that you don’t wind up stranded on the side of the road withering in the heat while waiting for a tow truck.

Cars are complicated beasts and, of course, anything can go wrong at any time. But experts say there are four main problem areas that crop up as the mercury rises: batteries, tires, radiators and air conditioners.

I know firsthand about the battery issues. A few weeks ago I was leaving a coffee shop where I’d been writing a story. When I hopped in my car and turned the key, it didn’t make a sound. It wouldn’t take a jump. I had to schlep it to the auto parts store and drop $100 on a new battery.

“The extreme heat makes the acid and the fluid inside of them (car batteries) expand, which can cause them to start leaking,” says Jim Kilgo, a supervisor at Austin’s Groovy Automotive and Groovy Lube. “That causes battery failure in the long run.”

Sarah Schimmer, AAA Texas public affairs representative, recommends that drivers keep in mind the age of their vehicles’ batteries, especially in hot weather. “If it’s older than 2 to 3 years, have it tested and consider having it changed out,” she suggests.

I haven’t blown any tires this summer, but I saw enough of them on the highway during a recent road trip to Florida that I have come to believe split treads should be the official state roadkill (reauxdkill?) of Louisiana.

Heat raises tire pressure, which is why manufacturers recommend checking their inflation before driving. And worn treads compound the effect. “As you drive during any month of the year, your tires’ PSI (pounds per square inch) will raise from 5 to 8 pounds,” Kilgo explains. “When it gets hot like this, it’s going to raise even more. If you’ve got weak tires — worn tires — you’ve got a better chance of having a blowout.”

Here’s a bonus: Properly inflated tires in good condition (don’t forget your spare) will improve your gas mileage.

If you see a car stranded on the shoulder and it’s not up on a jack, chances are it has overheated. Your car is already working harder than normal in extreme heat, and low coolant levels can spell disaster for its engine. Belts stretch and hoses deteriorate with age; long periods of extreme heat can accelerate the process.

“A hose failure can cause an engine to blow almost before you can shut it down in this heat,” Kilgo says.

“If you’ve got worn hoses that haven’t been replaced in a while, you’ve got a better chance of a hose rupturing now than you do at any other time.”

Steve Pustelnyk, director of communications for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, recommends a simple hose, belt and coolant level check. “Don’t overheat the engine through a lack of fluid, and don’t have a hose fail and lose all of your coolant,” he says.

You’ll also want to have your mechanic check your air conditioner to make sure it’s working properly. In extreme heat, drivers tend to run the AC continuously, often at full blast, which puts extra strain on the cooling system.

Finally, Schimmer points out that every vehicle has a useful preventive maintenance tool factory-installed in the glove compartment.

“Basically, every car comes with an owner’s manual, and in the owner’s manual there’s a severe driving section. It’s a maintenance schedule for severe driving conditions,” she says.

And that information is especially valuable to Austinites, she notes.

“Those include long commutes, extreme weather, dusty, unpaved roads — that’s basically a Texan’s every day.”

droe@statesman.com; 912-5923

If you’re stranded …

But what if your vehicle does fail? What if you’re one of the countless Americans who disregard maintenance schedules and prefer to deal with problems as they crop up?

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority runs the Highway Emergency Response Operator Program, which provides aid to stranded motorists on Interstate 35. From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, HERO vehicles patrol a 35-mile stretch of the interstate from the Hays/Travis County line to U.S. 79 in Round Rock. HERO personnel can change tires, jump batteries and add gas and water to vehicles. In addition, they’ll help you to move your vehicle off the road so that traffic doesn’t back up.

Stranded motorists can call 974-HERO (4376) for assistance.

AAA’s Schimmer offers some additional tips on what to do if your car breaks down:

Keep some cash in your car, in case you run into a situation where credit cards are not accepted.

In spite of high gas prices, don’t let your car run on empty.

Keep an extra quart of oil and a gallon of water in your trunk.

Make sure your cell phone is charged in case you’re stranded in an area where you can’t walk for help.

Be aware of your location — noting landmarks, etc. — so that you can be found if you need to call for assistance.

If you’re on the highway, pull off to the side of the road if you can and secure the safety of yourself and your passengers. Make sure your vehicle is visible. If your car dies just over a hill, for example, other automobiles coming up that hill won’t be able to see you.

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Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) June 30, 2011

Car fires are a danger that many motorists are not fully aware of. Most people are not aware that certain types of cars have design flaws that can make them more likely to catch on fire in an accident. The attorneys at Solomon Relihan have worked with many car fire victims and has compiled the following list of common design flaws that can lead to car fires.

Car Fires Caused by Design Flaws

Design flaws that cause burns and other injuries are not always immediately identifiable. That is why Solomon and Relihan begins every case with a thorough investigation of the facts and law involved to determine all possible causes of your injuries.

Sidesaddle Gas Tanks

A common design flaw is the sidesaddle gas tank on pickup trucks. If the gas tank is mounted outside of the truck’s frame, it is unprotected and can explode if the truck is hit from the side.

Rear-Mounted Gas Tanks

Rear-mounted gas tanks located between the rear axle and the bumper, like the one on the Ford Pinto, leave cars at greater risk for explosion in a rear-end collision. With only a bumper to protect it, a rear-mounted gas tank can easily be ignited by sparks from a collision.

Even if a vehicle does not have a sidesaddle or rear-mounted gas tank, in the event of a collision, design flaws and equipment defects can lead to fuel-fed fires. In a fuel-fed fire, the design flaw or equipment defect allows gasoline to escape the gas tank and feed any fires that may have resulted from the collision. These fires can grow very large and be extremely dangerous.

Fuel Line Problems

Fuel lines may be manufactured with inadequate materials, which can easily break and cause fuel leaks. In addition, fuel lines may not have safety valves that are designed to cut off the fuel flow in the result of an accident. Either of these problems can cause gas to feed a fire after an accident and lead to much more serious injuries or death.

Fuel Pump Problems

Electric fuel pumps should shut off in the case of a collision. If a fuel pump does not shut off, it will continue to pump gasoline through the fuel system and feed any fires that may have resulted from the accident. It is critical that all fuel pumps have a mechanism for shutting off fuel in the event of an accident and that the mechanism works properly.

http://www.solomonrelihan.com

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JAIPUR: The first spell of rain has brought much respite for people from the heat. But it has raised woes for city’s cars owners who end-up footing bills on repairing cars as waterlogged roads give them an unpredictable ride.

The poor sanitation system converts our city roads into waterways even if it rains for half-an-hour. Some parts of city roads have already become a nightmare for motorists.

Already many accidents have been reported due to skidding on turns, potholes and low visibility. All this can be avoided if you follow do’s and don’t laid out by traffic and automobiles expert.

TOI has studied this problem and come up with remedies for your vehicle after speaking to automobile experts. These are basically do’s and don’ts when you drive out in the rains. When it begins to pour, make sure your vehicle is fully equipped to face the odds. Frequent driving over broken roads results in damage to the underside of the car.

Many times the rubber grips on the perforations on the chassis come off and chances of rust formation increase due to exposure to mud and water.

Experts recommend anti-rust coating (a combination of rubber and wax) on the chassis as a primary requirement to ensure that the car does not sustain damage while passing over flooded roads. This can be done at most service stations across the city. Ensuring that the rubber grips are in place also helps in keeping water from seeping into the car floor. “If water creeps under the mat, fungus might easily form. The rubber grips must be intact to prevent this,” said an owner of a motor garage in city Vivek Kaushik.

As the same coating cannot be applied on the silencer and engine, it is advisable to get a polyurethane lamination done for your engine. This ensures that fungus does not form due to prolonged contact with water, said experts. The coating also helps prevent the engine from misfiring and keeps it up and running.

As for the silencer, one can get aluminium and zinc oxide coating done. “The silencer usually heats up to attain a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius when a vehicle is running. The anti-rust underbody coating increases the life of the silencer and protects it from water woes,” said Atul Katiyar, Service manger, KS Ford Malviya Nagar.

Some of the known trouble stretches are Malviya Nagar, Durgapura circle, Ajmer Pulia, Subhash Chowk, Tonk Road, Sahkar Marg, Raja Park, Moti Doongri etc. Before hitting the road, it is advisable to check whether the plastic fender lining is properly in place or not. It protects the chassis from rust. Mud flaps for each tyre is also a must. Teflon coating on the upper body of the vehicle keeps it safe from hairline scratches. “But it cannot safeguard against more serious scratches, so the driver must be careful,” said an expert. Once out on the road, one must try and avoid roads that are known to be perennial trouble spots during monsoon.

“It is advisable that during rains they shouldn’t sped-up. Keep the car in lower gear and get slow on turns besides keep the lights on even during day as visibility gets very poor,” traffic police,” said DCP (traffic) Rahul Mahajan. He also advised citizens to use public transport or refrain from using roads where flooding has been reported. And always keep the vehicle on middle of the road while flooding.

Some cars like the Honda Civic and Honda Accord have regulator bottles in front of the car, which suck in water that chokes the engine in turn. Utmost care must be taken while driving these cars. “The rubber tray beneath the engine of some cars – for instance the Hyundai Verna – needs to be checked. Some cars are more susceptible to damage than others. Water may easily enter the engine if the vehicle is driven too fast,” said an expert.

Kaushik adds, “Don’t drive too fast while passing through flooded stretches, but don’t slow down either. Once you pass the flooded stretch, you could pump the accelerator lightly a few times to pump out any water that may have entered.”

Don’t restart your vehicle if it stops. “Either get out of the car and push it out of water or call for help. Your engine will go for a toss and you will be taking on a much bigger problem onto yourself if you try to restart. Insurance companies do not cover it if you happened to have restarted your car while in water,” added Katiyar. Most car owners wait until the monsoon is over to service their vehicles. But experts advise that it is best to get servicing done before the season starts.

Naomi Odes Aytur is a writer and mother of two sons, the youngest of whom was born in the end of August 2010. Before that she was an elementary school teacher, and before that, she was an actor. Naomi blogs more about motherhood at I Am Still Awake, and about sandwiches at Traders-’n-Wiches. Naomi lives in Los Angeles, CA and South Hero, VT.

Monica Bielanko was born and raised on the wild frontier of late 1970′s Utah. She once went to see an unknown band from Philly and three months later she married the guitar player. They are still hitched six years later. She lived in Brooklyn, New York for a few years and she misses the Big Apple bad. She works in TV news. She loves nachos and beer and music and books and her two black labs. Her heart belongs to her toddler, Violet and her newborn little boy, Henry. Oh yeah, she also likes wine. When she’s not babbling you can find her at thegirlwho.net.

Alyson Brown is a graphic designer and first time mom living with her husband and two bad cats in Portland, Oregon. She writes the popular lifestyle blog Unruly Things as well as its newest spin off, Unruly Little Things. When she’s not spending time snuggling her little boy Wolf, she enjoys the finer things in life like perfectly buttery pie crust, yoga in the afternoon, and napping with the windows open listening to the rain.

Danielle Elwood is a Connecticut Mother to three, two boys, Camden, and Benjamin, and a surprise little girl Addison. She is married to William, a volunteer firefighter, and veteran Marine. Danielle’s personal blog Momotics led to such projects as Lamaze’s Giving Birth with Confidence. She’s also a Lamaze Educated Childbirth Educator in Training, and Doula. She also enjoys photography when she isn’t chasing around after her children. Be sure to catch her on Twitter @BirthBabiesBlog

Rachel Jones explores design and lifestyle topics on her creative blog Black Eiffel. She has a serious case of wanderlust, and loves the colorful flavors of gelato. She lives in sunny Utah with her husband, and two vivacious daughters.

Nicole is a trained photographer chef who shoots commercially for clients from San Francisco to New York City. She also founded Nicole’s Classes, where she and her team teach classes in photography, Illustrator and Photoshop. Nicole is one of the newest mommies on the block to her baby girl, Evie. You can follow Nicole on Twitter Facebook.

Katie Allison Granju is the married mother of five children, the youngest of whom was born June 27, 2010. She also blogs at Mamapundit.com and at Babble’s Home/Work. She works full time in digital media with a large cable network.When she isn’t washing someone’s socks, she enjoys listening to powerpop and Americana, riding horses, engaging in political debate and drinking good beer. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Natalie Holbrook is a first-time mom and second-time New Yorker, living in a teensy apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. She loves a good Diet Coke, wandering aimlessly, and believes you can solve any of life’s problems by asking ‘What Would Anne Shirley Do?’ She blogs at Nat The Fat Rat and really wants to be your friend.

Jacinda Boneau can be found at PrudentBaby.com, the premier DIY destination for crafty moms seeking ways to make their lives even more stylish and beautiful. She lives outside of Dallas, where enjoys making fanciful treats for her kiddies Clare, Quinn, and Gordon; taking baths; and complaining about the Texas heat.

Roni Noone is a web publisher, healthy living blogger, social media fanatic and, of course, mom. She was happy with one child until her first started Kindergarten. Then the baby bug bit and bit hard. Join her as she nurses her newborn, helps the first with homework and runs her small business. Roni blogs about weight loss regularly at Roni’s Weigh, about food on GreenLiteBites and now has the quirky Poops Butterflies as a creative outlet.

Madeline Petersen was born and raised a bargain shopper; pinching pennies from an early age. She writes a shopping and style blog devoted to dressing stylishly without breaking the bank at Uber Chic for Cheap. She firmly believes that shoes are the most important part of an outfit and that there is no such thing as too many cardigans. She works in Architecture and spends her summers with her husband commercial fishing in Alaska. She is a first time mother living with her husband and their sweet baby Tate in Salt Lake City. You can follow her on twitter.

Melissa Jordan is a mother to two, the wife of a musician stay-at-home dad, and works in marketing for a technology company. She started writing bad poetry in middle school and followed her passion all the way to university where she eventually majored in English. Her passion for the written word met its match when she discovered blogging. Dear Baby is an online narrative of her experiences with pregnancy and becoming a new mother. With a toddler daughter, Everly Veda, underfoot, and a newborn son, Arlo Redding, in her arms, she writes often about her experiences with natural childbirth, cloth diapering, family adventures, and the everyday trials and beauty she finds in navigating parenthood.