Night Light

Tue., Oct. 13, 2015

Sharon Peters CTW Features

QUESTION: I find myself horribly distracted by the low-level light of our GPS at night. I actually think there’s something almost dangerous about that glowing thing when it’s dark out. Am I crazy or does anyone else complain about this? ANSWER: The enticing glow of the GPS causes issues for many people. Experts say you can take one of a couple of approaches. Turn the screen away from you or use the dimmer capability to reduce the illumination. It’s good you’re self-aware enough to recognize that the distraction exists and that it’s not a good thing. Distracted driving (using the phone, eating, slapping at the kids misbehaving in the back seat, texting, changing radio stations and other stuff like that, including, possibly, not being able to draw your eyes from the screen), resulted in 3,154 deaths in 2013, according to the most recent national stats. QUESTION: My husband and I agree that we’ll use a driving school augmented with hundreds of hours of instruction we’ll provide. But we disagree on the radio. Off or on when she’s driving? ANSWER: Off. At least for the first few hundred miles she’s behind the wheel while one of you serves as instructor. Here’s why. I don’t want her to have music as a distraction, I want her to be able to tune into every sound that’s in the environment - sirens, horns, even too-fast cars roaring up to the intersection. She should hear everything with clarity. At some point later in your time driving together (before she gets her license), you should turn on the radio. Better that she learns to process music as a backdrop to all the other sounds she should be listening for while you’re still in the car. We can hope that after weeks of in-car silence, she’ll come to understand and appreciate the importance of being alert to exterior sounds, so she’ll keep the radio at a level that actually permits her to hear things she should hear to keep herself and the rest of us safe. What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.