Wednesday 12/26/12 Go Easy

Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for a great Christmas, and thanks for Jesus.  Thanks for all You do for each and every person, and even those who don't know You.  Thanks for planting a message in my mind today.  Please help me with it now.  In Jesus' name, I send my prayers to Your Father.  Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters.  It is a great morning as we wait on snow to arrive at the Southern Location of the North Pole.  I had a great ride as Santa this year and along with Mrs. Claus, Elves Wanda and Grant in their elf costumes and our spy Elf, Pam, dressed in a Santa hat and her shirt which reads, "I spy for the big guy."  All the children, along with parents and grandparents who came to Santa's House heard the real story of Christmas and then got some really nice gifts.  But their best gift was learning about Jesus.  While most knew some, we had some children and their parents who did not have a clue why we have Christmas.  Many of the children were anointed with oil along with their parents.  This was our first year working  out of Santa's House and it did go well.  However, we also learned a lot and will make changes.  Most have to do with our hours and with getting the word  out.  On slack times in Santa's House with the ministry team all together we got to learn a lot about each other and also did other tasks for the Lord.

Today my message will take a break from the normal as I slip back in time in my memory and look at the days when I taught bus drivers and also safety, and safety on those winter roads.  Please take time to listen and read.  This might be a good one to clip and save for your younger drivers.  Or even if you wish, and that is up to you, send it to others who drive.  Let me get going on the message as I sit here having cookies and milk left from my big ride as Santa ...

Titus 3:1 - Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates.  (KJV)

Go Easy, 12/26/12.

As we sit waiting for another incoming winter storm, God opened my eyes that a good reminder on driving safely would be in line.  So I am rolling my memory back a few years when I taught safety.  Read or not, here we go.

First, if you do not need to go out in bad weather, STAY HOME.

Drivers First.  Is your driver's license current?  Time to check it!  You would be surprised how many of our school bus drivers would forget to renew their driver's license.  Next thing, try and clear your mind before hitting the road, and please, NO BOOZE in your system.  None, zip.  Now back in my days I did not need to say this one, but please HANG UP THE PHONE AND DRIVE YOUR CAR!!  And please, ladies, put that makeup on before you leave for work.

Your Car.  It should already be ready so I am thinking you for sure have your winter antifreeze checked and all of that, but going out in the bad weather, please be sure that windshield washer fluid tank is full and your windshield washers work.  If your wiper blades streak, replace them.  Take a walk around your car, look under it for fresh oil or antifreeze drippings.  And please check those tires.  Do any look soft?  The only true way to check them is with a tire gauge.  Check for tire pressures in your car manual or on the tire.  Also check the tread of your tires and see that they are good also.  A low tire can cause you trouble on any road, but on winter roads it could cause your car to turn around for when braking that low tire will lock up first.

Now let's get to the driving parts.

The driver and his car.

Pray first!!!

If you come out and the car is snow covered, clean an area so to get in and start the motor, turning on the heater and the defroster so that the car starts to build heat.  Get back out, being careful not to lock your doors, remember, your key is inside.  Now with your brush clean your car, ALL OF  IT.  Remember, if you let snow on the roof, it can blow off and hit others, or as your car picks up heat, when you are slowing or stopping it could come down over your windshield causing you to be blinded for that time.  After cleaning the snow and ice from your car, and by now you should be building heat so the snow would slide off the hood easily, and also the windows, pick the wiper blades up off the windshield by hand, not too far, just be sure they are not frozen to the glass so that when you turn them on you either tear the rubber on the blade or even break a part of the blade, arm, or that wiper motor.  Remember, have a clean windshield in and out so that you can see.  No little peep-holes, please.

Okay, on the road we go and it is winter and the roads are slick.  So let's GO EASY.

EASY on the gas, folks.  Turn off the cruise control so you have control.  Try only putting the gas pedal half-way down.  Do NOT JAM it to the floor when pulling out at any time on bad roads.  Going easy with the gas pedal not only saves from tire spin but will also save you fuel.

EASY on the steering:  Yes, make slow and easy turns with the steering.  Remember that when you turn fast you could cause your car to go "end for end" on an icy road.

EASY ON THE BRAKES.  Yes, this one might be the best of all on the Easy list.  Go easy on the brakes, this requires you to be thinking and planning ahead.  You see the cars slowing ahead of you, get off the gas and cover the brakes, and get ready to slow down.  Traffic stopped ahead of you, slow down early going easy up to the cars ahead and put some distance between you just in case you are hit from behind.  It might save you from being shoved into the vehicle ahead of you.  Here is a neat tip, and for all kinds of driving.  When you come to stopped traffic, Go Easy up to it, trying to pick up a car or two behind you.  Try not to be "last in line."  If you slow down early and you pick up a tail, you will not be the one who gets hit really hard.  And remember those colors on the traffic signal.  Red to stop, yellow to clear the intersection (it does not mean speed up to get through, it means slow down to stop.), Green means to go, look both ways when pulling out.  Then there is color four, yes, color four.  I call it "stale green", it means this.  If the first time you see the signal ahead of you it is already green, watch carefully as it might be ready to turn to yellow.

Easy out.  When pulling out from a light, be sure the traffic coming the other way will stop.  If it is icy, they might slide through  the light.  Yes, even if you have the "right of way", be sure the others coming can stop.

Reminders.  "The locked wheels go first."  Yes, if on slick roads and you are stopping, if your back brakes come on first, your car could go end for end.  If a right rear hits up first, the vehicle rear will go to the right.  Again, the locked wheels go first and they also "point the way."  Let's say your car is sliding, so you know you are to "steer into the skid" and this is a fact.  But if you have the front wheels locked up, you are going straight as the vehicle is pointed.  So if you are sliding toward something, you might need to get brave and lift that foot off the brakes so your front wheels can turn to change your direction.  Try this.  Take a child's toy car with wheels and push it freely across a smooth floor.  Make sure all wheels turn.  Then put tape over the rear wheels and give it a push again.  It goes end for end.  Take one back wheel and tape it, it will go toward that locked wheel.  Try it, come on, you know you want to play with a toy car or truck again.

Easy Going:  Means you plan so that you need not lock those wheels.  You get the best grip if you are moving slowly.

The slippery inch:  Remember, the first inch of snow is the slippery inch.  And snow is also the slickest 30 degrees and above.  It is because you form ice on top of the snow and it also packs into the tread of the tires.  Here is something to remember.  And please do this.  Take two pieces of your computer paper (it can be used) and cut them in half.  You now have four pieces of paper.  Think of these pieces of paper as the "bottom of your "tires."  Think of it, as you lay them on your chair.  I am serious about this, lay them on your chair, and then sit on them.  Think of this, this is how much tread of your tires, all four of them together, that is on the road.  Now think about it, and I have tire cuts, tread cuts to prove this.  As you sit on this paper, remember how heavy your car is, how heavy it is when loaded with people.  Remember again you are sitting on those tire treads (the slips of paper).  Now listen up and I will make this simple.  YOU ONLY  HAVE ENOUGH TIRE RUBBER ON THE ROAD TO COVER YOUR OWN "BUTT" SO SLOW DOWN AND GO EASY.

Black Ice.  Watch for "black ice", that is frozen water, or even frost on the roads, that you cannot see ... It is wicked, folks.

Dear Father in Heaven, the very first things we need to do when going on the road anytime is to ask You to keep us safe.  So right now, dear Lord, I am asking safety on the roads for all.  And I am asking it in Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Okay, my final tip.  If you do not need to travel when the roads are bad ... STAY HOME.  Now go forth and share your blessings.  Love ya, Pastor Dan.

Pastor Dan is retired from Central Dauphin School District as Coordinator of Transportation, one of the many jobs was to be sure 12,000 plus/minus a few children were taken safely to school each day.