The first thing that you want to do when you get a flat is decide if it is safe to stop or not. You want to pull over in an area that is far from the flow of traffic, has a smooth and flat surface and allows you plenty of room to work. You also want to be in an area that is visible to others to reduce the risk of becoming a target for an opportunistic attacker or thief. If you are pulling off to the side of the road, make sure that you turn your flashers on and set up warning devices or flares if you have them. You may also want to consider putting on a reflective vest, such as those that road workers use in order to increase your visibility to oncoming motorists. All of this can help to alert other motorists that you are up ahead and allow them to slow down, move out of the way or even stop and help. Many people are killed each year because an unsuspecting motorist crashes into vehicles that are pulled off to the side of the road.

Loosen Nuts First

It is important that you loosen all of the lug nuts on the wheel BEFORE you jack up the Vehicle. This will minimize the chances of knocking the vehicle off of the jack once it is raised. It will also prevent the wheel from spinning around as you try to loosen the nuts. Don’t remove the nuts completely. Just unscrew them enough so that they can be loosened easily with the lug wrench or by hand once the vehicle is raised off the ground.

Lifting the Vehicle  

Every vehicle has spots along the chassis either in front or behind each wheel where the jack is to be placed. This will either be a pimple or a dimple or notch. Find this spot and insert the jack. Do not place the jack anywhere other than in one of these designated areas. Otherwise, you can damage the body, crack the frame or cause the vehicle to slip and fall after the tire is removed. You also run the risk of getting injured if your body is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Consider using some wooden blocks as chocks to place behind other wheels if you are working on an uneven or rough surface to ensure that the vehicle won’t slip or move while you are changing the tire. You also want to make sure that the jack is firmly planted on the ground and not resting on debris or gravel. If the ground is not as stable as you would like, place a piece of plywood beneath the jack to provide some additional support.

Jack up the vehicle until the tire is completely raised above the ground. Make sure that you allow for some space to place the inflated spare onto the wheel as well. Chances are that the flat tire will be compressed and require less space than the spare that you will install.

Changing the Tire  

Remove the lug nuts and place in the hub cap or somewhere else where they won’t roll away and get lost. Pull off the flat tire by wiggling it from side to side and up and down until it can be removed completely. Set aside. Place the spare against the wheel and align the holes in the rim to closely match the position of the bolts on the wheel. This will reduce the amount of adjustment that you need to make as you wrestle the new tire in place. Keep in mind that the tire will be heavy and bulky, so the less “fine-tuning” that you need to do will save you a lot of time and energy. Lift the tire, slide the holes in the rim over the bolts and start to reattach the lug nuts.

Tightening the Nuts

 It’s easiest to start with tightening the top lug nut before tightening one on the bottom. Then you can attach the sides and the other bottom one. This will vary from vehicle to vehicle, and most manuals in the glove box will show a diagram that indicates the preferred order of attachment.

However, there are really no hard-and-fast rules as long as you get all of the nuts attached and secured. You may need to lean into the tire in order to press it against the wheel in order to get a snug fit. Tighten each screw by hand as much as possible before finishing it off with the lug wrench after you’ve lowered the vehicle and removed the jack.

You may need to make a few passes in order to ensure that all of the nuts are secure. Reattach the hub cap, remove the jack and place everything back in the trunk. If you are driving on a donut, make sure that you do not exceed the recommended speed limit that is stamped on the rim of the tire. You also want to be careful when driving over potholes, crossing train tracks or heading over uneven terrain. Keep your driving to a minimum until you can get a new tire in order to reduce wear and tear on the donut.

Always remember to replace the damaged tire as quickly as possible. You don’t want to be driving without a spare for too long, because you will be up the creek without a paddle if you happen to get another flat.

Finally, consider keeping an extra floor mat in the trunk, some work gloves or knee pads so that you will be more comfortable while changing a tire. These little things can make a huge difference in terms of reducing the need to plant your knees on rough or hot roadway surfaces. Nobody likes changing a tire, but in reality, you can get the job done a lot faster than it would take for someone to come to your location and do it for you. Follow these guidelines and you will be able to save, time, energy and minimize the inconvenience as well as hazard of being disabled on the side of the road.

The cardinal rule with respect to lightning safety is to be indoors, in a safe building, when thunderstorms approach your area. While the average annual number of deaths from lightning strikes are well below a hundred, thousands get seriously injured from simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The vast majority of lighting strike victims are in open fields or parks when a thunderstorm approaches. This is followed by those who are hiding under trees or people who are in boats or fishing. Consequently, it is imperative that anyone who is exposed to the threat of lightning seeks adequate shelter immediately. But what is adequate shelter?

The Best Structures in Lightning Storms  

A common misconception is that picnic shelters, outhouses and basic structures in open spaces will provide protection against the effects of a lightning strike. The reality is that while these structures may protect against a direct hit, people can still be impacted by a nearby strike. The best place to be is in a structure that is enclosed, has a real roof, walls and according to the government, indoor plumbing. This distinction is meant to reinforce the idea that we should take cover in a real building. However, believe it or not, indoor plumbing can also create a ground for the lightning and prevent people inside from being harmed as well. Being inside of a vehicle is also a safe alternative if you can’t get to an adequate shelter in time.

Keep in mind that you can still be injured from a direct hit or nearby strike even if you are in an adequate shelter. Stay off the phone, turn off electronic devices and avoid touching metal objects such as shower heads and faucets. A good rule of thumb is that you should exercise caution until 30 minutes after a storm has passed. However, use your own judgment because many storms move quickly and can be well out of your area by that time. The goal is to put at least five miles between you and the storm in order to minimize the chances of being hit by a stray lightning bolt.

What to do if You’re Stuck Outside

Use your best judgment as far as where to seek shelter if you are in the path of a storm and can’t get to safety. Run to your car. Hide under some outcroppings, ditches or in other terrain that is lower than the surrounding area. If you’re in a boat and can’t get back to shore, lay as close to the bottom as possible and drop anchor. Dropping the anchor will provide a ground which can shield you from the brunt of the electricity if struck. While chances are that you won’t be struck by lightning, remember that it only takes one time to alter your life forever. The best way to avoid becoming exposed to a dangerous situation by keeping tabs on weather forecasts. However, following these guidelines can help to maximize your safety if you get caught unawares. Remember that the last place you want to be is beneath a tree or metallic structure. If worse comes to worse, get to the lowest point in the area and lay down until the storm passes.

 

 The body absorbs water better when it is introduced steadily over time. Drinking a gallon of water after spending a day in the hot sun is going to lead to more waste and potentially overwhelm systems in the body. This particularly true when it comes to the kidneys. Some people suggest that kidneys should be processing anywhere between 12-18 ounces of water per hour.

I don’t know if this is true or not, but introducing too much water in the system at once can cause it to go into overdrive, which can actually lead to kidney damage or even renal failure in some extreme cases. The digestive system can also be thrown into chaos if too much water is ingested at one time after dehydration.

The best thing to do is to provide a steady supply of water that is consumed over time in order to allow the body to properly re-absorb fluids. Otherwise, you may end up doing more harm than good while also wasting most of the excess water through urination.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks contain additives that are intended to replenish minerals and other nutrients that get lost through sweat. However, many of them are also designed to make you thirsty so that you buy and drink more of their products. Drinking a quart over the period of an hour is all you need to give the body an initial jolt back into rehydration. Compliment additional fluid intake with water. You can also make your own by mixing ½ teaspoon of salt with 6 teaspoons of sugar for every quart of water. This will help the body to replace fluid that has been lost between and within cells. How Water is Lost

The best way to understand how to rehydrate the body is to see how it releases fluids in the first place. The first way that the body produces water for sweat is by excreting it from the blood. In fact, blood volume can decrease up to 25% during periods of exertion. The body then releases water from spaces between cells to offset this reduction and provide additional fluid for sweat. Finally, the body will release water that is within cells if necessary. This is also where most of the water in the body is stored.

As you rehydrate yourself, the reverse happens. The blood gets more water, then supplies are replenished in the spaces between cells before cells themselves get rehydrated. While you will feel the effects of rehydration almost immediately, it can take hours for water to re-enter cells and levels to reach equilibrium. Consequently, if you gulp a lot of water in one sitting, it may help to satisfy the need to replenish fluids in the blood and around cells, but fail to replenish fluid loss within cells.

 This is where the sugar/salt mixture comes in to play. This helps to unlock the membranes around cells so that water gets reabsorbed. However, it takes time. So, even if you feel better and begin to perk up after being dehydrated, your cells will still be in the process of recharging depleted supplies long after you start drinking again. Urine is Misleading  

 The color of your urine can be a good indicator of when you are getting dehydrated as it gets darker when the body conserves water. However, clear urine during rehydration is not necessarily an indicator that supplies have been replenished. Frequent urination is not necessarily an indicator that your water levels are optimal after dehydration as well.

Remember that the body can only process so much water at any given point in time. Any excess is removed through urination, and you can lose a lot of water before it is absorbed properly. Think of how anti-freeze or coolant overflows from a radiator if you pour too much in at once. It takes time for the water to enter the system and fill the internal chambers. This is why the only way to really fill a radiator is to pour in fluid slowly. The same happens with our bodies. Frequent urination that appears clear may simply be a sign that you’re overflowing as opposed to absorbing water.

 

Lightning is inherently-dangerous, and most of us know this. However, there is also a lot of misinformation out there regarding how to stay safe during an electrical storm, and far too many people are injured or killed by lightning strikes each year. Let’s look at some common myths vs facts about lightning so you can reduce the chances of finding yourself in harms way. Crouching or Laying Down Many people have been told to crouch down as low to the ground as possible if caught outdoors during a thunderstorm. The reality is that standing or crouching makes us just as vulnerable, and the only way to truly avoid being hit is to seek shelter. Another myth is that laying flat on the ground can provide additional protection. However, once lightning strikes nearby, the electrical current spreading through the ground can be strong enough to cause serious or even fatal injuries. No Rain Nearby Lightning can strike at any time, whether the storm is producing rain or not. In fact, a lot of forest fires are sparked by lightning from “dry storms” that don’t produce any rainfall at all. Additionally, lightning can extend for miles around a storm cell. This means that someone who is standing in clear skies near a storm can be just as vulnerable to being struck as someone situated directly beneath the clouds.

People do not store electricity from lightning in their bodies. The current leaves the body after it passes through, and this means that it is perfectly-safe to touch the victim or render first aid. However, it’s important to remember that you can also get hit by lightning if you expose yourself to the same conditions. Try to minimize the time you are exposed to the storm by fetching the victim and bringing them to a sheltered area where they can be assessed and treated. Lightning Never Strikes Twice Lightning strikes can happen at the same spot unlimited times. Just look at how many strikes lightning rods attract during storm after storm. Just because lightning struck a tree that you’re hiding beneath doesn’t mean that it won’t strike again.

 

While it is true that homes and structures provide substantial protection during lightning storms, currents can travel through wires, phone lines and power cords.  The greatest danger is when we are touching connected devices or appliances when the current passes through.  This is why the safest option is to avoid touching anything that is conductive to electricity until the storm has passed, even if you are indoors.

Another common misconception is that lightning only strikes metallic or tall wooden objects.  Lightning can strike anything at any time.  In fact, many lightning strikes hit bare ground or rocks.

In most cases, the best place to be when lightning strikes will always be indoors or inside a vehicle.  It’s also a good idea to get to shelter as soon as you start hearing thunder or seeing flashes of lightning.  Waiting until the last moment can limit your options for escape and increase the chances of getting struck.