Horsepower is easy. With all of the options available to today’s car guy, gut-wrenching performance is nothing but a bankroll away. As far as we’re concerned it doesn’t take much to go fast.
Everybody’s got that rich friend who’s always showing off his crankshaft. But in real life, the ugly Buick in your neighbor’s back yard is probably packing more heat. Outright speed and breakneck performance aren’t the only qualities of a great automobile.
There’s no reason to drive around everywhere like your hair’s on fire. Life is short! There’s so much more adventure per mile than people seem to understand.
No longer does it take the latest tech to gather insurmountable velocity. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a car nowadays that can’t summon the gumption to keep up in traffic.
In recent years, massive advancements have been made in computer technology. EVERYBODY knows this. But what’s not so obvious is how useful a couple little gadgets can be when you’re cruisin’ down the highway.
Ever since the days of Bonnie and Clyde we’ve been transforming our in-car-experience with in-car-electronics. Sometimes nothing is more entertaining than talking to truckers.
And did you know that a pocket sized device that plugs into your cigarette lighter can save you from speeding tickets? In case you’ve been living under a rock, have a look at these digital playthings as the miles slug on by.
Car Radios / Stereos
We’ve been listening to music in the car as long as any of us can remember. It’s a great way to relax, leaving you to take in your surroundings.
What many of us don’t realize is that standard factory stereos leave a lot to be desired. This is one of those things you can spend an unlimited amount of money on, but a couple quick radio upgrades can completely transform your driving experience.
Walkie-Talkies / CB Radios
There is a reduction in CB Radio traffic over the past 30 years or so, but there are still a few die-hards out there. Available at every major truck stop, these things aren’t even expensive anymore. They actually make use of rather simple technology. CB Radios and Walkie-talkie communication frequencies have long been standardized.
Even if you’ve found a CB Radio or a pair of old walkie-talkies at a garage sale, plug it in or get yourself some batteries and speak freely with whoever’s on your channel on the other side. You still have to know where the bears are.
Radar Detectors
These handy little gadgets are a more recent development, but they’ve already outdone themselves in terms of the value they provide.
If you drive much, you’re obviously aware that the road isn’t a racetrack. Driving too fast is extremely dangerous and unnecessary.
Of course, none of us actually do it. But then one day you’re cruisin’ down the road and BAM. Out of nowhere, you get a ticket for going two mph over the speed-limit. With a simple BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! you can avoid the hassle and exorbitant fees that aren’t really going to stop a crash anyway.
GPS
Getting lost sucks. It’s embarrassing, time consuming, and if you happen to do it just right, dangerous too. We’ve managed to put a comprehensive network of artificial satellites in orbit around our planet.
Connecting to a convenient little gadget that fits in your pocket, they can tell you exactly where you are with unnerving accuracy.
Cell Phones
This is a fairly controversial topic. Anything that distracts you from the road while driving should be avoided at all costs. There are laws in place to discourage you from using cellphones behind the wheel, and for good reason. But one of these multifunction contraptions can mean anything from convenience to survival on a road-trip to nowhere.
Modern technology has revolutionized the way we travel. Whether we’re going to the gas station or to Mars, electrical devices enhance every bit of the experience.
Maybe you’ve got a flat tire. Maybe you’ve run out of gas. Maybe you need a pizza. Whatever predicament you’ve gotten yourself into, you can probably crawl back out with just a little ingenuity, and the slew of gizmos available at your local truck stop.
photo: google images, atticpaper, adclassix, yanewvision