70 Rules of Defensive Driving

1. Pay Attention	2. Don’t Trust NOBODY!	3. Yield Anyway!	4. Don’t Speed!
5. Don’t Drive Impaired	6. Wear Your Seat Belt!	7. Buy and Use Safety Devices	8. Motorcyclist, Protect Thyself!
9. Don’t Run Red!	10. Drive Precisely	11. Chill Out!	12. Look Down the Road!
13. Create Space	14. Drive to Communicate	15. Drive Predictably	16. Always Signal Your Intentions!
17. Know Your Blind Spots!	18. Avoid Distractions	19. Avoid Backing Up	20. Beware of Intersections
21. Be A Freeway Pro	22. Know How To Stop	23. Know When To Use Your Headlights	24. Slow Down in Rain or Snow
25. Maintain Your Tires	26. Take Care of Your Vehicle	27. Get Rid of Tailgaters	28. Maintain an Even, Measured Pace
29. Check for Hydroplaning	30. Know How To Recover From A Skid	31. Avoid Head-On Collisions	32. Be A Safe Passer
33. Avoid One-Vehicle Collisions	34. Deal with Light Glare	35. Never Play Chicken With a Train	36. Beware of Stopped Vehicles
37. Practice Animal Avoidance!	38. Don’t Prevent Others from Passing	39. Drive Your Van Safely	40. Practice Smart Bicycling
41. Share the Road With Bicyclists	42. Exercise Prudent Courtesy	43. Recognize the Futility of Rushing	44.Allow for Your Physical Limitations
45. Start Rested–Keep Fresh!	46. Share the Road With Trucks	47. Make Space for Parked Vehicles	48. Give Way on Mountain Roads
49. Make Safe & Sane Left Turns	50. Connect Your Mind To Your Eyes!	51. Make Defensive Stops!	52. Slow Approaching Intersections!
53. Beware of Traffic Holes!	54. Turn Right, LOOK Right!	55. Don’t Change Lanes in Intersections	56. Don’t Abuse 2-Way Left Turn Lanes
57. Avoid “Reverse Traffic” Lanes	58. Move Right Nearing Intersections	59. Beware of Vehicles at Crosswalks	60. Use the Center Lane for Safety
61. Never Stop on a Freeway!	62. Don’t Cross a Freeway Median!	63. Seat Belts and Air Bags Go Together!	64. Avoid Head Injuries
65. Don’t Ride in Pick-Up Beds!	66. Secure Loose Objects!	67. Keep Your Child Safe in the Center	68. Don’t “Pump” ABS Brakes!
69. Choose Your Route for Safety!		70. Use Uncle Bob’s Defensive Driving System by Bob Schaller

Twenty One Things Your Burglar Won’t Tell You

Twenty One Things Your Burglar Won’t Tell You:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last

week cleaning your carpets, painting your

shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom

when I was working in your yard last week.

While I was in there, I unlatched the back

window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have

taste … and taste means there are nice things

inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out

always make me wonder what type of gaming

system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on

the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in

your front door to see how long it takes you to

remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a

neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the

house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead

giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front

entrance, don’t let your alarm company install

the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That

makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window

over the sink. And the windows on the second

floor, which often access the master bedroom-

and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put

motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella,

and you forget to lock your door-

understandable. But understand this: I don’t

take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for

directions somewhere or offer to clean your

gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock

drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the

bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’

rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to

break into that safe where you keep your

valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take

it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent

than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant

to leave your TV on while you’re out of town,

you can buy a $35 device that works on a

timer and simulates the flickering glow of a

real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)

14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I

dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do

my best to never, ever look like a crook.

15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and

nosy neighbors.

16. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a

little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud

sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to

hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll

just go back to what he was doing. It’s human

nature.

17. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay

all that money for a fancy alarm system and

leave your house without setting it?

18. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for

signs that you’re home, and for flat screen

TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or

walk through your neighborhood at night,

before you close the blinds, just to pick

my targets.

19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your

Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to

look up your address.

20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack

during the day is a way to let in a little fresh

air. To me, it’s an invitation.

21. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the

door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk

right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California ,  Kentucky, security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

Lake Agnes

Robert and Harley at Lake Agnes, Cameron Pass

Wheeler Lake

This photo was taken on our hike to Wheeler Lake