Chaverim members took time to offer the community the following summer safety tips:
Mike Khiyayev of Safehouse Locksmith & Hardware encourages the community to always lock your doors, both to your vehicle and to your home. But don’t forget to take your keys along. So many of us are in a rush and forget the most basic rules of life.
Moshe Teicher encourages the purchase of wheel locks to protect your car from lurking thieves ready to leave your car on crates or cinderblocks. Don’t forget where you place the wheel lock key for times when you need to use your spare tire or have autobody work done.
Yair Adler informs us of the Waze feature that reminds users to check their back seat for children. Prevent tragedies like heatstroke by using the Waze app feature that allows parents to set specific notifications called “Child Alerts” that will be activated upon your arrival to your destination. This is how it works: Go to your Waze sidebar and select the Settings menu, scroll down to the Reminders section and turn on Child Alert with a custom message. Be sure to allow reminders, so that the app can send you a notification upon your arrival. While it may seem like an excessive step to take, these reminders can often be the difference between life or death for children, ensuring that busy parents are constantly aware of their surroundings.
Yehudah Benjamin calls for the installation of a dash cam in your vehicle. Make sure to check them periodically for proper functioning as this will save many headaches down the line.
Elchanan Aronov only joined Chaverim a mere three weeks ago and has already amassed over 30 responses. His first call was for someone who ran out of gas. Aronov stresses the importance to check one’s gas tank and fill up when you reach a quarter tank.
Mordechai Lapp followed up with an important reminder about gas. If you ever put in diesel fuel, don’t make the mistake of turn on your vehicle as you will probably blow your engine.
Lapp also encourages the community to call Chaverim if your tires appear low on air. Having the proper tire pressure will help avoid a potentially catastrophic blowout.
Meir Nordlicht offered boosting tips. If you are using jumper cables to boost your car battery, ensure a firm connection with minimal sparking. One should also make the final connection onto the live battery as this will avert sparks and smoke.
Moshe Verschleisser adds that prior to jumping a car, one should inspect for an acidic smell coming off the battery. This is probably oil or gas being spit by the engine, and if the vehicle is jumped it may result in an explosion. Always look before you work.
Verschleisser also mentioned that when jacking up a car for any reason, one must use the parking brake to avoid having the vehicle simply slide right off the jack.
Shabsie Saphirstein stated that to combat catalytic converter theft, one should have his/her device etched by the NYPD for enrollment into the CATGuard database, which provides a unique serial number to assist in the investigation and retrieval, potentially saving vehicle owners thousands of dollars. The NYPD will also provide an enrollment sticker, lessening the chance of a theft when targeted.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
