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Discover Smith Mountain Lake
WINTER 2016
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After one of our day trips on unfamiliar
roads we would have a record of how
many times he is in the middle lane when
we need to exit, or in the only-turn lane
when we need to go straight.
Such a camera would also offer proof that
there was, indeed, a road sign warning
that the speed limit dropped from 70
MPH to 45 MPH and that the lane we
are in is soon going to end. Therefore,
he might want to (a) reduce his speed,
and (b) move into an actual working lane
occupied by other motorists.
A record of the number of times when we
are honked at, given the finger, or a dirty
word is mouthed in our direction would be
an added feature. A dash cam, along with
a backup camera, just might be the perfect
Christmas gift for an elderly driver. Too
bad they don’t make something that
installs inside the driver’s seat to nudge
him after the turn signal is on for more
than two miles.
It’s a fact that older people are hard to buy
for. First of all, they’ve been showered
with gifts for all those birthdays and
Christmases past, and secondly, they
never wear anything out. Especially
electronic things. They don’t wear them
out, because they can’t figure out how to
use them. Even if we do learn how to use
them, 12 hours later we’ll forget… or by
the time we do learn, new technology will
have made our gadget obsolete.
Please, if any of my loved ones are reading
By Kate Hofstetter
P
ete, my 81 year old husband, dropped a hint
that he would like a backup camera for his
truck for Christmas. The camera would be
helpful, he reasoned, because he can’t rotate his
head and look over his shoulder any more. Actually,
he hasn’t been able to do that since he was 60 years
old so why does he need a camera at this late date?
Plus, isn’t that why we have review mirrors?
However, I need to get him a gift and I am out of
ideas. Heaven knows we don’t have closet space
for more clothes that he will never wear, so I went
Online to shop for a camera that helps old people
see behind themselves while looking straight ahead.
Well, right there on Amazon, along with the backup
camera for your car was a “dash cam” that sees and
records what’s in front of you.
“Actually,” I said aloud to myself as I read the details
of each camera, “A dash cam for his truck makes
more sense then a backup camera.”
A dash cam might even prove to be educational.
