What you hear as you drive can be the difference between a great adventure and a sorrowful wait beside the road. My first advice is to become familiar with what your vehicle sounds like when it is happy.
0 Comments
It goes without saying that of the 5 senses, Sight is the most important when driving. Beyond making sure that you are not distracted by mess or the sight of something broken or dangerous in your car while you drive there are 3 key areas to focus on which will make your adventure on the road more safe, simple and stylish.
As I drive my Chev, I often like to stroke the metal of the door. I find the cool steel and the gentle curve to be very comforting. The touch and feel of your car can make or break your driving experience. The moment you sit in a luxury vehicle you can feel the difference in the quality of materials. They feel solid, they are quality, they give you a quiet confidence.
Driving is a tactile experience. The feel of the steering wheel, the gear stick, the dash, the switches, the knobs. Surfaces that get hot or slippery can cause you to accommodate them rather than focus on driving safely. While we don’t always have the choice of a car with good quality finishes, we can make some changes to our vehicle to not only improve the feel but also to make the driving experience safer. Good taste can be interpreted in two fashions when relating to adventures on the road. One may refer to the choice of tasteful accessories or destinations. That won’t be the one that I refer to today. The other option for taste is the taste that makes your mouth salivate and your stomach grumble. That is the taste I will discuss here and now.
I bought a new dual cab ute this weekend. As I slid into the driver’s seat for the test drive I was overwhelmed. The stench! A headache inducing mix of cigarette smoke, male body odour and rotting food. There was a left over chocolate thick shake spilt in the back, a half-eaten burger and a can of coke with cigarette butts floating in it. The only aromas missing were that of wet dog and the classic pine tree shaped air freshener much loved by teenage P plate drivers everywhere.
Driving a vehicle is a task that uses all 5 of your senses and all 5 can have an impact on the success of your journey. As we all know the scents we smell can have a huge impact on our mental state. The right scent can induce sleep, improve concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, and make you crave deep fried foods. "Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance," says Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, the research and educational arm of the perfume industry's Fragrance Foundation. |