There are groups of drivers such as truckers or ordinary travelers. Both of them very often make long trips in their own car, far from home and other comfortable conditions. And here a car electric kettle comes to their aid. Let's look at what it is, what it is like and how to choose it.
Behind the wheel - a teapot
The new sign will become mandatory for those drivers who have less than two years of experience. Corresponding changes to the rules are being prepared by the Road Traffic Safety Department.
Drivers with little experience have long been an eyesore for State Traffic Inspectorate employees. And although there are no separate statistics on road accidents caused by young driving enthusiasts, sometimes data comes to light as part of some special events. And it turns out that every third accident occurs due to driver inexperience. According to the traffic police, most often those who have less than a year of driving experience are to blame for accidents.
They are not always directly at fault, but where an experienced driver could correct the situation by using the great rule of the three Ds - give way to a fool, a young driver only makes the situation worse. Therefore, the traffic police decided to highlight them in the general stream with a special sign. The idea of such a special sign for inexperienced drivers was proposed at a recent meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Health and Social Development, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Transport, the head of the road safety department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Viktor Kiryanov.
However, what this sign will look like is still unknown. It is just being developed. Nowadays, on the road, everyone designates their own car based on their own imagination: from the banal exclamation mark in a triangle to the amazingly absurd: “blind driver”, “heeled”, “teapot” and “children driving”. But all this is my own home-grown creativity. In the Soviet years, the exclamation mark was a special designation for a newcomer. But recently, due to its too wide dissemination, it has discredited itself: everyone hangs it with or without reason.
It must be said that during the same Soviet years in our country there was such a practice when a young driver drove for the first two years on a temporary license. Such a driver was required to stick that same exclamation mark on the rear window. Moreover, his rights were severely limited; for example, on the highway he could not drive more than 70 km/h. As soon as the idea of a special sign for beginners arose, proposals immediately poured in to limit the speed of new drivers: on the highway - the same 70 km/h, on the highway - 90. But such a restriction contradicts the current legislation. After all, in this way the young driver’s rights are infringed: they say, why is he worse than others? Therefore, the traffic police decided to limit themselves to just a warning sign.
By the way
Many countries have a practice of restricting a young driver's license. You don’t have to look far for examples: neighboring Ukraine and Belarus have retained practically Soviet legislation in this area. In Ukraine - a young driver's license, and in Belarus - plus a sign on the rear window.
In Italy, for example, there are also speed limits for young drivers. In Singapore, a young driver receives his first license, which not only limits him in speed, but also in engine power. To increase horsepower, you need to go to the exam again, and only if you have not been caught breaking the rules before.
How to avoid stress on the road?
The number of cars in cities is growing every day, traffic jams are also increasing, the number of dangerous situations, accidents is increasing... Driving today is very difficult, especially for beginners after learning to drive . Constant stress, moral fatigue, severe emotional state can lead to serious negative consequences for health. To avoid this, you need, first of all, the right attitude.
We offer you seven ways to help overcome stress on the road.
The car should be fine
Before leaving, always check the general condition of the car: fuel level, oil and washer fluid, wheels, license plates, whether there are any extraneous noises when the engine is running. It is better to spend a few minutes on such a check than to stand on the road for several hours due to some kind of breakdown.
Plan your route in advance
Beginners are advised to familiarize themselves with the intended route before traveling, study the map, and identify less crowded streets. The navigator is an excellent assistant for those who do not know the city well.
Comfort and convenience
The basic rule of driving safety is that you should not be distracted by anything.
Before you start driving, adjust the mirrors and seat, set up the air conditioning, and turn on the radio in advance. And don’t forget about hands-free, so you don’t get distracted by your phone on the road.
It’s better to turn it off altogether, at least for the first time, until you feel more confident.
Leave early
If a person is late, then, as a rule, he is in a hurry, nervous, and takes risky maneuvers, which can lead to unpleasant traffic accidents. Therefore, it is better to leave for a meeting or work in advance. So, you will be calmer. If the upcoming road is long, then plan stops along the way to rest and drink water.
Don't forget about traffic rules
Learn the traffic rules by heart and follow them on the road! Always follow the speed limit sign as this is directly related to your safety. When changing lanes, do not forget to turn on your turn signals.
It's a traffic jam
After checking the tightness of the system, it would be a good idea to replace the old antifreeze. After two years of operation, it loses its properties, becomes contaminated with decay products of plastics, metal, rubber and clogs the internal channels. Air pockets form, leading to overheating. Therefore, before three months of summer heat, it is better to take care of the power unit and fill the iron heart with high-quality cooling.
Another weak point is the thermostat. Whether it is functional or not is difficult to understand in winter. You can drive with a “dead” thermostat even from January. Then the first traffic jam in May will result in malfunctions and the collapse of the hardware. Antifreeze will circulate through a small circuit, and overheating is not far off. The arrow will move into the red zone, and soon the light will light up.
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“Problems with coolant circulation can even arise due to an old plastic reservoir cap,” says CarFix technical expert Oleg Chirkov . It has a built-in valve that relieves excess pressure. When it becomes clogged or the plastic cracks, the pressure in the system changes. In critical cases, overheating may occur.
In addition, it is important to check the degree of contamination of the radiator. It gets clogged with lint or dirt, road chemicals stick to the honeycomb and bake into a hard crust. Naturally, this harms heat transfer.
Features of operation
How to properly use a car cigarette lighter kettle?
User reviews indicate that it is necessary to turn on devices of this type only when the engine is running. Otherwise, the battery will drain faster. Thus, preparing a cup of aromatic drink can be quite expensive. When purchasing car kettles, you should choose models that have a function of protection against switching on if there is no water in the container. It is also encouraged to purchase devices that automatically turn off after boiling.
When you turn it on for the first time, you should check whether the car kettle wire is overheating. Operating the device with a low-quality electrical cord can lead to a short circuit in the system and, as a result, a short circuit in the entire wiring of the car.
Time bomb
It is important to monitor the health of the radiator fan. It turns on when the temperature reaches 105 degrees and prevents the antifreeze from boiling. To check its performance, you need to let the car idle or make a couple of circles around the house in first gear. If the fan is silent and the needle is creeping towards the red zone, then it’s time to go to the store.
To some extent, you can relieve overheating on the road using the heater radiator. If you turn it on at full power, you will last for another ten kilometers. But it will be hellish heat in the cabin. It's better to turn off the engine and open the hood. It takes more than half an hour for the iron to return to working condition. And then the road goes straight to the service center or to the garages of familiar craftsmen to find the cause of the boiling. You can't delay the visit. Every overheat is a ticking time bomb. And she is capable of rushing at any time.
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The reason is the oil. Modern motor oils are filled with many additives that change their properties when overheated. The oil loses its necessary qualities. There is even a risk of it instantly turning into jelly. The oil changes viscosity and turns into a viscous substance in which mechanisms cannot operate. With this development of events, you won’t get away with replacing the head. The engine is being written off. Therefore, manufacturers strictly require changing the oil immediately after the engine overheats.
Tips for choosing
To choose a car kettle, it is worth noting for yourself what is required from such a device and under what conditions the device will be used. If you need a product for use on long flights, then preference should be given to a regular electric kettle with a large-capacity cigarette lighter. When you plan to use the device quite rarely during normal trips around the city, you can limit yourself to purchasing a heated thermos or a thermal mug. In the latter case, ready-made drinks can be heated at any free minute.
As for capacity, a kettle with a volume of no more than 0.5 liters will be sufficient for several people. If you need boiling water for cooking, you will have to purchase a more capacious device of 0.75-1 liters.
An important selection criterion is technical characteristics. The optimal solution for passenger cars is devices with a voltage of 12 V. For trucks and buses, 24 V kettles are suitable. If rapid boiling of large volumes of water is a determining factor, preference should be given to the most powerful devices.
By making the right choice, you can get a reliable, functional and extremely practical device that will brighten up the time spent on a trip and keep you warm away from civilization.
Boilers
They are the simplest, cheapest devices that are suitable for heating a small volume of water.
Car boilers are connected to the cigarette lighter using a special adapter, after which they are placed in a container with liquid, which is brought to a boil. Among the advantages of devices of this type, it is worth highlighting the fast heating of water and small dimensions. As for the disadvantages, here we can note the inconvenience of operation while the car is moving, the inability to securely fix it on the mug.
