Avoid Stranger Danger on Road Trips

When I moved away to attend college I visited home as often as I could. After driving the 700 mile trip several times I experienced some close calls with potentially dangerous strangers. I soon realized the highways had more hazards than the traffic. Here are some safety tips I picked up along the way that anyone traveling alone should know to avoid stranger danger.

Never Stop in the Dark.

You should limit your stops to only well lit populated areas. I bring a small cooler with several sandwiches, fruit juice and a six pack of soft drinks so that I must only stop for gas. Truck stops are notorious for strangers that walk up asking for change or directions. Most times these are harmless events but can still give you quite scare . I was caught off guard by a stranger while pumping gas on one of my trips home. I made it to the other side of my vehicle into the store but he rummaged through my car.

Get a Good Night's Sleep

For obvious reasons you will want to be awake and alert while driving on long trips. But also you don't want to have to stop unexpectedly to sleep in a hotel because you can no longer keep your eyes opened. I became drowsy while traveling home for Christmas vacation and stopped at a hotel for the night. I called home to let my family know I couldn't go on. All the hotels in the area were booked solid and I had to sleep in my car. I parked in a well lit area for a short nap. I was startled awake by an altercation outside in which two people were fighting near my car. I was fully awake after this and had no trouble getting out of there.

In the event you cannot find a room to rest. Go inside a truck stop restaurant and sit at a booth near the back. You can buy a cup of coffee and take a small 30 minute nap. Typically, the waitress will not mind as you have purchased something. Leaving a tip showing on the table is also good. It's not ideal, but is much safer than sleeping in your car.

Avoid Detours

You should avoid detours from the main highway, especially when you are not familiar with the area. Sometimes this is unavoidable as a result of road work. It's a good idea to mark several alternate routes back to the main highway on a map. Checking your location on a map while trying to drive is not very safe. This is how I got a ticket for weaving while searching for my turn back to the main highway. To make matters worse I was nearly out of gas by the time I found my way. I could have been stranded in an unfamiliar place.

Ensure Loved Ones Know Where You Are

I never recommend chatting on the phone while driving. I have a dash mount and I put my phone on speaker with the touch of a button if someone calls. I keep conversations brief to concentrate on driving. With that said, staying in touch with those awaiting you at your destination is important. Use your stops to let those at your destination know you are okay and your current location. If for some reason you do not arrive on time your friends and family will know something is wrong.

Comcast Poised to Control America

Comcast Corporation is arguably the largest mass media and communications company in the world. It is the nation’s largest cable company, Internet service provider and the third-largest telephone service provider. Having acquired the majority of the NBC Universal media company, Comcast also has holdings in several large cable networks.

In recent decades, one thing has proven to be more powerful than a handgun, an army or even a nation’s government. Today, arguably the most powerful thing on the planet is the ability to communicate on a worldwide scale. Revolution spreads like wildfire across the Internet. Millions are outraged by one video posted on YouTube which in turn leads to protests, dissension in ultimately governments throughout the Middle East overturned. If the power of communication is as all-consuming as we have witnessed it to be, how powerful then is the one who monopolizes the control of communication?

In January 1984 the Bell Telephone System was ordered to be broken up and divided into three separate corporations. This resulted after years of strong arm business tactics used to leverage hundreds of millions a year from the people of the United States. During the time before the advent of the Internet, those who control the telephone effectively control the people. It was on these grounds that resulted in the government stepping in to break the tyranny of a corporate superpower. We’re witnessing the reemergence of yet another corporate superpower in the Comcast Corporation.

By comparison, the hundreds of thousands calling for government intervention regarding the Bell telephone system or minute compared to the millions who now call for change regarding the Comcast threat upon the American people and perhaps the world. One would have to wonder why our government, so intent upon foreign threats, does not see the one within their own borders. Like the Bell telephone system, Comcast is maneuvering itself to take control the entire United States communications system. By controlling the communications, essentially the news networks and the Internet, Comcast could effectively control everything we see, hear and say.

Many parts of the country only have access to cable Internet the Comcast. Comcast effectively has a monopoly in these areas. Without citing the millions of individual sources, anyone who must go through Comcast get online is well aware of the strong-arm tactics utilized by Comcast against their customers. So why does our government continue to allow Comcast to harass, strong-arm and price gouge the American people during the worst economic recession of the past century?

With class-action lawsuits filed against Comcast yearly covering a wide range of bad business practices Comcast as are shown its domination over the lower branches of our own government. As legitimate lawsuits against Comcast are continually thrown out of court, even more lawsuits filed to replace them. This effectively makes legal recourse against the tyranny of Comcast futile.

Perhaps the most significant threat posed by corporate superpowers is only now emerging. Wal-Mart was effectively allowed to run amok throughout America shoving out small businesses and replacing them with gigantic Wal-Mart superstores. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart does not give back to the communities of which they had invaded. They drain the economies of these communities like a siphon into the pockets of their own corporate leaders. Many openly point the finger companies like Wal-Mart and Comcast for the economic woes we’re all facing now. With glad-handing and friends in high political places these simple peddlers of groceries and television are now among the richest corporations on the planet.

Perhaps our government leaders and state representatives should take a closer look at the implications of a Comcast communications monopoly of the United States. In 1984, the government did not break up the Bell Telephone System to help the people. They broke it for the potential threat it posed to the nation as a whole. With patents being approved to allow Comcast to monitor you online and in your own home, perhaps we need to speak up while we’re still allowed to have a voice.

Fun with Comcast

The breakup of the Bell Telephone System was mandated on January 8, 1982 for this same activity. They got too large and controlled too much of the market with no competition. Today, we are seeing this again with Comcast. They need to be split up in to at least 3 separate companies so the people of this country can be protected by a competitive market system.

Transcript from Comcast CSM:

Analyst Clytie has entered the room

Clytie: Hello Johnny, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Clytie. Please give me one moment to review your information.

Johnny: My Issue: why am I paying 71.95 for internet when I'm struggling to pay the original 60 dollars monthly?

Clytie: I appreciate the time you chatting with us. I hope your day went well.

Johnny: i can't afford this, man. You guys keep going up as if you are offering more and you aren't.

Johnny: i need my bill to remain at 56 monthly.

Clytie: Thank you for sharing this with me, I can see how you would be concerned about the internet having a $71.95 charge. I also would want to understand what's on my bill. Let me pull up your account so we can discuss the bill together.I assure you after this chat proper resolution will take place.

Clytie: So I can better assist you, do you mind if I ask a few questions?

Johnny: look how far behind i already am. do you think increasing my bill is going to make that any easier?

Clytie: I am sorry for the hassle. Just to verify, is the account under your name?

Johnny: yes

Clytie: Thank you.

Clytie: After we look into your issue, I’d love to look at your account to ensure you are getting the best value for the services you have.Would this be okay?

Johnny: okay

Clytie: Great! I need 2 minutes to review the account, would it be fine?

Johnny: I keep getting roped into offers I don't need. I don't even own a TV yet I'm having cable television charges added to my account. I mean, I'd rather pay to have Comcast come walk my dog... I don't own a dog either. How does that make sense?

Johnny: and yes for every reply. "It's okay to check my account"

Clytie: No problem

Clytie: While waiting, let me share with you some information about Comcast Customer Central. It's the one place where you can view and pay your bill, and manage all your Comcast product features and settings. It will combine the billing features of Comcast.com with the account management features of Comcast.net to allow customers to have a unified experience for customer self-service. You can go directly to the customerCentral URL at click here or by clicking the Account Links on Comcast.net.

Clytie: Thank you for patiently waiting.

Clytie: As I have checked, you do have the $64.95 Performance internet package with $7 modem rental fee

Johnny: my original bill was 56.00 monthly

Clytie: It is because you were under a $49.99 bundle package promotion yet it expired causing rate to roll off to a regular $64.95

Johnny: then lets get it back

Clytie: Thank you for providing your account information on our security form prior to this chat session.For additional security verification, may you verify the last four digits of the account holder's ssn.

Johnny: xxxx

Clytie: Thank you for providing that information.

Clytie: Just to set proper expectations, promotions are meant as incentives for customers to try our services and see the value that we match with our prices and not as a long term deduction of your bill.+

Johnny: my original bill was for 25 something that rose to 49 after the special. My "special" was over and 49 is my ongoing "non-special bill" they tried to dupe me into that a few months ago and I had to call corporate to intervene. Do I need to do this again?

Johnny: i have the bills that prove this but you really don't need that do you? You know I'm right

Johnny: put my account back to its original fee and leave it alone. Please and thank you

Johnny: as per your own original agreement

Clytie: Johnny, when you started your services, you did get the same New Customer Discount. Since that promotional offer already expired, the regular prices already apply. This is the same offer that we give to new customers now. By the time the promotion expires, they will also be paying for the regular prices already.

Johnny: I'm not a new customer I've been a customer for 2 years

Johnny: its too much work to go through this every 3 months. Can I get my original bill reinstated or not?

Clytie: I understand, yet just like other customer promotions are provided as a one time courtesy not as a deduction for life

Johnny: if not them I've saved myself over $200 in base fees to pay this account up

Johnny: this is your final word then?

Johnny: because 3 months from now you will up my account to 85 dollars and tell me this 70 dollar fee was some kind of promotion

Johnny: now tell me im wrong

Clytie: You can have a $49.95 Performance Starter internet package with a speed of 6m/1m

Johnny: you have well over 100 lawsuits for this garbage across the country. you can google it yourself

Johnny: I don't care. Just put my bill back where it was. Your high speed isn't high speed anyway. It's some dumbed down version of high speed shared with everyone in my neighborhood. When everyone wakes up I can't get anything high speed

Johnny: so i have to work at midnight just to get my work done

Johnny: which is writing articles for nationally syndicated news agencies that love this kind of piece

Johnny: so yes. put my acct fee back to the way it was

Johnny: Huffington Post pays me in free coffee and peanuts but they publish everything I write

Clytie: Johnny, as for this since there is no current promotion stated in the account. No worries, you may just give us a call through hotline 1-800-XFINITY (9346489). The Specialists over the phone will have a wider range of options for existing loyal customers such as yourself. There should be nothing to worry, I will just note that here in your account so that they will be expecting your call and you will not have to repeat yourself.

Johnny: just sends me to the people that can make this right.

Johnny: I'm not explaining this whole thing to another CSM

Johnny: I didn't have to call anyone for you to up my bill

Clytie: Johnny, let me give you the options how a bill can be lowered.

Clytie: 1. A bill can be lowered by downgrading the package for your service to have a lower package rate. 2. A bill can be lowered by removing some services on the account to remove additional costs. 3. A bill can be lowered by taking advantage of package upgrade discounts.

Johnny: let me give you the options of how you can prevent 5000 Facebook friends from reading this chat window. Than 5 million from reading it nationwide... (1) Put my bill back to the way it was.

Clytie: Johnny, as much as I would like to add the promotion it is no longer available in the account. I can transfer you to our Sales team to check for options to lower the rate. Would it be fine?

Johnny: yes

Johnny: In fact that would have been great 30 mins ago

Editor's Note
The breakup of the Bell Telephone System was mandated on January 8, 1982 for this same activity. They got too large and controlled too much of the market with no competition. Today, we are seeing this again with Comcast. They need to be split up in to at least 3 separate companies so the people of this country can be protected by a competitive market system.