- 2 hours ago
This video covers a range of essential tips and life hacks that all drivers should know
Category
🎈
FunTranscript
00:00It happens every 43.8 seconds. I'm talking about car theft in the USA. Yep, every minute someone
00:07loses their precious vehicle to crooks. If you want to learn more about these heartbreaking
00:12stats, here you go. Over 800,000 car thefts were reported in the US in 2020 alone, and Ford pickups
00:21win the award for the crook's choice, since it was the one most frequently stolen. Also,
00:27New Year's Day had the most thefts. Seems like we all need to keep an eye out for our cars.
00:34First things first, it's very unlikely that someone may steal your car while you're on the move,
00:39but once you park it, it gets way easier. So, you need to park responsibly. Yeah,
00:45sometimes you might need to walk a bit more, but it's worth it if it means leaving your car in
00:50a
00:50well-lit place. Improperly parked cars are often taken away by tow trucks.
00:57Turns out, not all of them are real. So, should you ever see one near your car,
01:02check whether it's real or fake. A real tow truck should at least have some branding on it,
01:08and its crew should be wearing a uniform.
01:12Remember I told you it's not that easy to steal your car while you're on the move?
01:16Sorry, but that's only partially true. Carjackers don't really care about the fact that you're
01:22sitting in your car. The trick here is simple. Even if you're inside your vehicle, always make
01:27sure to lock your doors. Carjackers often have shady schemes of how to lure car owners out of
01:33their vehicles. They may even set up a trap and sort of stage a car accident. So, even if you
01:39see that
01:40your car has been bumped from behind, don't rush out of it instantly to check on it. Just wait a
01:45little
01:46bit to pull over. Make sure the place where you stop is safe and there are people around you.
01:51In case you get suspicious, it's better to call the police.
01:56If you're ready to shell out some money to protect your car, here's some info.
02:00You can install a remote car starter. It's not just a great thing for those who live in colder
02:06climates and who need to start their car beforehand. Its main advantage is that you can't drive away with
02:12the car started like this, since this mode doesn't allow you to shift gears. Any car has a vehicle
02:19identification number, or simply VIN. This one may seem pointless, but here's a trick. When thieves sell
02:27a stolen car, they do VIN switching. It's when they want to disguise a stolen vehicle and use another VIN
02:34from a similar car. But if you etch your VIN on each window of your vehicle, crooks will instantly see
02:41that you're interested in protecting your car. Plus, such a vehicle will seem spoiled for them.
02:47After all, they'd have to do the VIN switching. Plus, they'd have to come up with a plan on how
02:52to fix
02:52the windows, as they have the VIN etched on them. They'll probably need to change the windows
02:57altogether. And that's pricey. So, reselling such a car would appear too time-consuming for crooks.
03:04And they aren't willing to put in that much effort. Come on, these guys don't even work.
03:08They're way too lazy to deal with those windows. By the way, some specialists can do this etching
03:14for you, so you don't have to deal with it yourself.
03:20By the way, if you want to buy a used car, a VIN can help you a lot. Some cars
03:26are sort of
03:26cloned, which means their VIN isn't real, but was simply added to the plate manually.
03:32So, you have to check all the documentation before buying a used car. Pay special attention
03:37to the DVLA-V5 documents and make sure that the VIN there coincides with the VIN on the vehicle.
03:45Here's another protection gadget. It's called a smart car alarm, and its sound is even nastier
03:51than the sound of an alarm clock. It can do two things. First, it makes a super loud sound that
03:58can both scare away intruders and attract witnesses. Second, it can send you an alert in case you somehow
04:05don't hear the deafening sound it makes.
04:08There's another secret mechanism that can protect your car. You can install an emergency
04:14stop button that you can wire to the ignition, battery, fuel line, you name it. When you get
04:20out of the car, you simply need to flip the switch. Even if crooks steal your keys somehow,
04:25it won't help them. They need to find the switch to start the car first, and it's up to you
04:30where
04:30to hide that switch. We all know that the more security you have in your car, the better. Crooks
04:37don't like to mess with technologies, and the statistics prove it. Tesla, along with other
04:43high-tech cars, were the least stolen ones over the last few years. However, modern doesn't mean
04:49safe and crook-proof. Many cool vehicles have engine management diagnostic ports. Sounds super
04:56convenient. But there's a downside. These ports can help unlock and even start the vehicle. So if
05:03your car has such a feature, consider getting a lockable cover. Always check whether you've closed
05:10the windows before leaving your car. Even the smallest gap is enough for a crook to open the door
05:16and steal the car. Yeah, don't tell me it's obvious. I somehow see cars with open windows
05:21every single day. If a crook really wants to, they can simply smash a window with a heavy object
05:29or even a rock. See what I'm driving at? Try not to make crooks want to open your car. That
05:35means
05:35there shouldn't be any valuables visible. So please, no laptops or purses on the front seat. Hide them in
05:42the trunk or take them with you. There are many options. Just don't show thieves that there's
05:48something they can steal from your car. Keeping a spare key in the glove box isn't the best idea
05:55either. Crooks know where to look for it. It's really simple. They've opened the car, which isn't
06:01that complicated, and they just open up the glove box and they're free to drive. So let's say you still
06:08keep your valuables in the car and a spare key in the glove box because, you know, you like it
06:14that
06:14way. Well, consider installing a steering wheel lock. It's probably not that functional, but experts
06:21believe it's a working visual deterrent. Remember how thieves are sort of lazy and don't want to mess
06:27with various gadgets? Specialists claim that crooks are more likely to pass by a car that has a steering
06:32wheel lock on it. So even if a crook still wants to drive your car away, they won't be able
06:41to. Plus, it's not
06:42that easy to remove it. Now for the most obvious tip. It's CCTV. There's a variety of such cameras today.
06:51They have night vision modes, people detection functions, and really high resolution. Literally anything you
06:57might need. A real camera can help you watch your car 24-7. But in case you don't feel like
07:03spending
07:03money on that, you can install a dummy and hope that the thieves won't figure it out.
07:10Okay, let's imagine the worst. Someone ignored all of these simple tips and got their car stolen.
07:17What should they do? First, they need to provide all the information to the police. So make sure you know
07:23the color. I know it's easy, but please don't use complicated wording while describing the car color.
07:29Like, it's not moss, but rather dark green. You also need to know the year, make, and model. Make sure
07:36you remember all these. The police will also need to know your license plate number and VIN. If you
07:42don't remember the VIN by heart, write a note on your phone just in case.
07:47Now, can you honestly tell me you have never used your phone while driving? I know, me too. But we
07:54both know that it can be dangerous. To help with this, some newer cars have a special feature called
08:01a heads-up display. This option shows important driving information in front of you, like speed
08:07and directions, so you don't have to look away from the road. It's like a floating screen on the road
08:14in
08:14front of you. This can help you drive safer and avoid getting a ticket for going too fast.
08:19Not all cars are so modern, so to drive safely, you need to put your phone away. Thankfully, some
08:26cars have special places for your phone while you're focused on the road. One specific 2021 model,
08:33Chrysler Pacifica, has a feature where the second row of seats can be folded down into the floor.
08:39It's good for carrying big items. But when the seats are up, these areas are good for storing
08:44things out of sight. Just remember to check and clean them out every once in a while, because they
08:50can become magnets for all sorts of knick-knacks, like french fries or wet swimsuits that will surely
08:56start to smell at one point. Keep some cleaning supplies in your car, just in case.
09:03Are you a science fiction fan? I have some good news for you then. Turns out that flying cars may
09:10be closer to us than we think. And it's not just because they look cool. Manufacturers are looking
09:15into developing such vehicles for practical reasons too. For starters, our standard rows are getting
09:22pretty congested as time goes by. We'll need some other means of transportation in the future to be
09:28able to cope with a large number of vehicles. You can find loads of flying car concepts online,
09:34for all preferences. There's one that looks like a giant drone, and another one like a mini airplane.
09:40The simplest designs just took a car and put wings on it.
09:45Some cars will light up a snowflake on the dashboard every now and then.
09:49In case you're wondering, it's a sensor, and a pretty important one too.
09:53It shows the exterior ambient temperature. It gets activated when there's a road warning due to a
10:00sharp drop in temperature. It may sometimes even come with an audio warning or a message on your
10:06dashboard to inform you that the roads may be getting icy, so you can either adapt the speed
10:12or change to the appropriate tires if necessary.
10:17Cars these days aren't just adapted for the cold season.
10:20They come with cool features to help out during the summer months too.
10:25I'm talking about those neat sun visors. Check your car to see if it has this added bonus feature.
10:31We know they twist to help the driver out, even when they're not driving directly toward sunlight.
10:37Some visors can also extend, so they can provide shade to a larger area.
10:42If yours can't extend, there's a simple solution.
10:45Buy a sun visor extender. You can even find them online.
10:49They work by being attached to your existing sun visors or the windows for better shade coverage and visibility.
10:57Now, your car might have another hidden feature.
11:00Well, it's technically not in the car, but in its tires.
11:04These days, some cars come equipped with foam-filled tires.
11:08They were created to fix the problem of air-filled ones that often went flat.
11:13Why? Well, because foam-filled tires have many of the same benefits as air-filled tires without the danger of
11:20leaks.
11:21Regular air-filled tires can sometimes lose air over time, even if there hasn't been any damage.
11:28In most cars with this feature, the tires are not completely filled with either foam or air.
11:33They have a mix of both.
11:39A bonus of these modern tires is that they make the cars quieter.
11:44Generally, electric cars make less noise, but because of that foam, they end up being as quiet as a cat.
11:51Some people like the fact that they're quiet, while others prefer that classic screeching or rumbling that vehicles make.
11:57But even people who like the sound of regular engines might like the quietness of these new models, because they
12:04are still very fast.
12:06Hey, I drive one, and it's fun!
12:10You might have stumbled upon a button called AEB.
12:14It stands for Automatic Emergency Braking, and it's a feature that uses sensors to detect if a collision is going
12:21to happen really soon.
12:22When activated, it will automatically apply the brakes to try and prevent something bad from happening, or make it less
12:29severe.
12:30There are two types of AEB.
12:33One that only works at slow speeds, and one that works at all speeds.
12:37If the car can't be stopped completely, the AEB system will try to slow it down as much as possible
12:44to reduce the impact.
12:47Many cars now have systems that can warn you if someone is walking in front of you, and can even
12:53automatically stop the vehicle to prevent an accident.
12:56These systems use special sensors that can also detect bicycles and animals.
13:01However, a study found that these systems don't always work well, especially at night.
13:06Even if your car comes equipped with this added feature, it's crucial to always pay attention while driving and not
13:14rely solely on these systems.
13:17A little thing called Lane Centering Assist helps you stay in the middle of your lane when you're driving on
13:23the highway.
13:24It's not a replacement for paying attention to the road either, but it can help guide you through gentle curves.
13:30You'll still be in control of the car and can turn the wheel if you want to go in a
13:35different direction.
13:36Some systems give you a lot of feedback, while others are more subtle.
13:41Lane Centering Assist can't handle sharp turns, and in most cars doesn't work if you don't have the cruise control
13:48on.
13:48What's also cool about this feature is that if it senses you've removed your hands from the wheel,
13:54it'll give you the warning to return to the correct driving position.
13:59A lot of accidents can happen when you're reversing your car, like out of the supermarket parking lot.
14:05Parking sensors can help prevent these things from happening by using radar or sound to detect things that the driver
14:13might not see from his position.
14:15These sensors will make a noise or show a warning on the car's screen to let the driver know something
14:21is there,
14:22like another car or a person passing by.
14:26If you're planning to have a road trip, you know how hard it is to adapt to various speed limits
14:32throughout the country.
14:33Traffic sign recognition is a technology that can help with that.
14:37It allows you to know what the speed limit is on the road you're driving on.
14:41It uses a camera to take pictures of traffic signs and display them on a screen in your car.
14:47This can be helpful if the signs are hard to see or if you miss them while driving.
14:52Some cars with this technology can even change their speed automatically based on the signs they see.
14:59This technology is mostly found in luxury cars, but it is becoming more common in other types of cars too.
15:07The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has made studies that show up to 6,000 drivers per year have bad
15:15accidents simply because they were too tired.
15:18Sure, I would like my car to come with built-in coffee makers or showers to keep me awake on
15:23those long days driving,
15:25but some do have systems that can tell when a driver is getting kind of snoozy.
15:30These systems monitor the movements you make while in the driver's seat.
15:34It looks at things like how you turn the steering wheel around and move the car.
15:39If it senses you're a bit too tired to move on, it'll make a noise and show a message on
15:44the dashboard urging you to take a break.
15:47Some of these systems even show a picture of a coffee cup to remind you to stop at the next
15:52gas station for a refreshing beverage.
15:55Might save your life too.
15:57A slice of cheese isn't something you'd expect to find on your parked car.
16:01As hilarious as it seems, it might indicate something quite dangerous.
16:05One woman detailed such a story online.
16:08At first, she thought she had been pranked by some neighborhood kid.
16:12She decided to call a friend and ask for help with cleaning the car.
16:15But once the two ladies started removing the melted cheese,
16:18they noticed something strange two parking spots down from them.
16:22They remembered seeing a white van arriving.
16:24In it, there was a bunch of men staring at them.
16:28Since she wasn't alone, the woman decided to finish cleaning the car.
16:32Even though the ladies didn't feel comfortable being watched,
16:35it took them almost an hour to scrape off the cheese that had already been melted under the heat of
16:39the sun.
16:40She did wonder, though, if this wasn't a tactic to rob a person.
16:43Because most people would be so focused on cleaning up the mess on their car,
16:47that they would be too distracted to keep an eye on their belongings.
16:51Or worse, what if it was a kidnapping strategy,
16:53since you wouldn't be able to see suspicious people coming at you in due course?
16:57She went on to recommend,
16:59if you ever see a piece of cheese on your car, just leave it.
17:02Your safest bet is to scrub it off at home or to take your vehicle to the nearest car wash.
17:07They'll know the best way to remove it without ruining the paint.
17:10The slice of cheese may have easily been a coincidence,
17:13but some scams out there are even more imaginative.
17:17If you notice a piece of clothing on your windshield are wrapped between your wiper blades,
17:21don't hurry to take it away.
17:23Again, it can be strategically placed there to distract you while your car gets taken away.
17:27The best option is to drive away as quickly as possible and get to a safe location.
17:32It should be well lit and populated.
17:34Then you can safely remove the objects placed on your car.
17:37Some people have even found money under their wipers.
17:40It was probably placed there with the same intent in mind.
17:44Here's a method some people swear by
17:46when it comes to decreasing the odds of getting your car snatched away.
17:50Keep the tires turned toward the curb when parked.
17:53That's because when your car wheels are positioned like that,
17:56thieves are less likely to be able to maneuver the vehicle.
17:59This way, your car will require more time and energy to be moved,
18:03and it will less likely become the focus of theft.
18:07Another woman remembered finding a napkin under her car door handle at one point,
18:11but at that time, she didn't think much of it.
18:13She removed it and went on with her day.
18:16However, a couple of hours later, she ended up in a hospital,
18:19complaining about pain in her hand and shortness of breath.
18:22Doctors figured out she had been poisoned with an unknown substance.
18:28Unfortunately, scams are becoming more and more common these days,
18:31with online ones topping the list.
18:33You may be the subject of a phishing scam,
18:36for example, when you receive an email from someone who seems familiar.
18:39It might be your accountant, someone from work,
18:42or a retailer you often buy from.
18:44But if you look closely at the email address,
18:46you'll easily notice that something is off.
18:49It might just be one edited letter or a name spelled differently.
18:52These types of emails can ask various things from you.
18:55Anything from private information, such as addresses and passwords,
18:59to payment requests.
19:01Others offer coupons or gift cards.
19:03If you click on a certain website, it may actually hack your computer.
19:07This is probably the most common online scam these days.
19:11Authorities claim that over 114,700 people fell victim to it in 2019.
19:16Their losses were estimated at roughly $57.8 million.
19:22Then, there are fake shopping websites.
19:25To make sure you're always on the right one, check the URL carefully.
19:28If the website reads Amazon.com with a zero,
19:32you're obviously not in the right place.
19:33And you're probably about to get scammed.
19:36You can buy something from these websites,
19:38but the chances are you'll be receiving nothing.
19:40Or the best case scenario, a fake item.
19:44Ever heard of form jacking?
19:46It happens when a retailer gets hacked.
19:48And once you've finished adding things to your cart during a shopping session,
19:51you're actually redirected to a fraudulent payment page.
19:54The scammer then has access to your payment information,
19:57like your name, address, and credit card details.
20:00To always be on the safe side,
20:02double-check the URL of the payment page
20:04before entering any sensitive information.
20:08Tech support scams are even more creative.
20:10With this one, you might even receive a phone call
20:13saying that your computer is infected with a dangerous virus,
20:16which may damage your device or destroy all the information stored on it.
20:20The scammer may then ask you to download an application
20:23that will give them access to your computer,
20:25even if they're located on the other side of the world.
20:29Then they'll download an actual virus on the computer to confirm their lie.
20:33It makes people think there's indeed something wrong with the computer.
20:36The next and final step?
20:38Asking for a fee to fix it.
20:39If you suspect your device might be compromised,
20:42always reach out to a trusted tech support or retailer.
20:46These types of businesses will never contact you out of the blue.
20:50This scam tends to appeal to people's emotions,
20:53targeting mostly the older generation.
20:55That's why it's also dubbed the grandparent scam.
20:58The targeted senior will most likely receive a phone call from a distressed person,
21:02claiming they're a grandchild or a close relative.
21:05The fraudster will then proceed to ask for money for various things,
21:08like to get out of jail,
21:10to be able to leave a foreign country,
21:11or to cover a hospital bill.
21:14Grandparent scams are really on the rise these days.
21:17In 2017, the losses from such scams added up to $26 million.
21:21But in 2018, they almost doubled, reaching $41 million.
21:26If you find yourself in a similar situation, try not to act immediately.
21:31Ask the person for some information that could help you verify their identity.
21:35Also, it might be a good idea to double check with another family member before sending money to a stranger.
21:41The Google Voice scam is as easy as it is efficient.
21:45For scammers, of course.
21:47Here's what you should look out for.
21:48You might have posted your phone number on some website for various reasons.
21:52Maybe you're looking to sell something or offering to perform a service.
21:55The fraudsters will pick up on this information and rapidly call you,
21:59asking to verify if you aren't a scammer yourself.
22:02Talk about reverse psychology.
22:04You'll be asked to pass on a Google verification code.
22:07In reality, a Google Voice account is being set up in your name.
22:12Fraudsters can go on with their scams and pretend to be you while doing it.
22:16Using the newly created account,
22:18rule number one, never share verification codes with anyone.
22:23Online resumes aren't safe either, as they can offer personal information to scammers.
22:28They will try to contact you, pretending to be recruiters.
22:32Some might even take the time to conduct a job interview.
22:35Most of them pretend to offer high-paying positions,
22:38which you'll obviously be inclined to accept.
22:41But here's the catch.
22:42Before they can offer you the documents for employment,
22:44you'll be asked for money for some participation fee,
22:47or even for your future home office setup.
22:50To make sure you're always on the safe side,
22:52create a different email address, which you'll only use for job hunting.
22:56This way, you can keep your personal email unlisted and safe from any unwanted online scams.
23:02Always ask recruiters to confirm the information you've heard on the phone via email, too.
23:07If it's a company you're familiar with,
23:09you can also reach out to their HR department
23:11to confirm that what you're asked to do is according to their policy.
23:15Altyazaaa
23:154
23:155
23:158
23:159
23:159
23:1610
23:1612
23:1612
23:1613
Comments