False. Idling uses more fuel than turning off your engine and restarting it. As a rule of thumb, turn off your engine if you will be idling for more than 60 seconds. That said, do not turn your car off at a traffic light. However, if you are at a train crossing, or a bridge opening and you will likely be parked for a number of minutes, turn off your engine.

There is a lot of traffic in New York City, so when you rent a car in Manhattan, keep this myth in mind and turn off the engine if you think you’ll be stuck for longer than a minute.

Myth #2: You should warm up your vehicle in the morning before driving.

While we can certainly see how this myth would appeal in the winter when you just want to get warm, in terms of warming the engine up, this is pure fiction. Your engine will warm up faster and be more fuel-efficient when on the road.

Myth #3: When You Rent a Car in Manhattan, It’s Better to Roll Down the Windows

This is false, sort of. While in the city, you can save 1 mpg if you roll down the windows. However, once you get up to higher speeds, it is more efficient to roll the windows up and turn on the air conditioning.

Myth #4: It’s best to drive an automatic transmission around town in “3” or in “D” with the overdrive button off – save “D” for the highway.

This idea originated with the thought that drivers needed to lock out the highest gear for responsive performance in stop-and-go traffic (which you will encounter when you rent a car in Manhattan). However, modern vehicles now have transmissions that are quick to kick down into a lower gear. Driving without the topmost gear around New York will only lower your gas mileage.

Myth #5: Shift your automatic transmission into Neutral at red lights.

This myth started with the idea that keeping the transmission in Drive while stepping on the brake wastes fuel and results in unnecessary wear on the driveline. The reality is that the engine wear and fuel loss is minimal.

When you rent a car in Manhattan, know that regularly shifting from Neutral back into Drive when the light turns green and then immediately stepping on the gas can slightly wear on the transmission, driveline, and engine mounts.

Myth #6: Talking hands-free is the safe alternative to holding a cell phone.

While this is definitely the lesser of two evils, it still has considerable risks. Talking on a cellphone is definitely a distraction and an ever-growing factor in many accidents. However, the culprit isn’t simply the act of holding a cellphone and the one-armed driving that accompanies it; it’s taking your mind off the road. Unfortunately, Bluetooth or headsets will do little to mitigate this risk.

Myth #7: You don’t need to wear a seatbelt when you’re sitting in the backseat.

Few people actually advocate this horrendously unsafe act, but many rear-seat passengers wear seat belts. This puts you at high risk for accidents – especially rollovers – when you rent a car in Manhattan. In any location in the car, not wearing a seat belt can make you a projectile towards others during the collision (or out of the vehicle). Crashes are violent, so don’t count on the seat to brace you – you won’t be able to physically stay where you are.

Myth #8: Keep your doors unlocked so rescuers can get you out after an accident

This seems reasonable – help them help you! However, unlocked doors are more likely to open during a collision and eject the occupants of the car. In many modern vehicles, the doors automatically unlock following airbag deployment. Even if they don’t, rescuers can break the windows to get in.

While we just debunked some driving myths, our awesome Fleet is pure fact. Check out our impressive line of vehicles for when you rent a car in Manhattan.

Safety Tips for Your Manhattan Rental Car

• The pedestrian always has the right of way, unless they are jaywalking. However, just because they are jaywalking, that does not give you license to hit them (no matter how much you may want to teach them a lesson). Make all attempts to stop if a jaywalker crosses the street in front of you.
• If you are in a busy area, such as main intersections, or school and playground zones, expect that someone is going to cross the street and slow down. Decreasing your speed by a few miles per hour will give you more time to stop and help you stop faster if the unexpected happens.
• Make sure your lights and windshield are clean. New York City is infamous for its night life and if you are driving your Manhattan rental car around at night, chances are a pedestrian will appear on the street. Except the darkness will make them harder to see. See and be seen by keeping your windshield and lights clear and crisp.
• Keep your eyes on other vehicles around you. Sometimes they may see something you don’t – such as someone crossing the street. Be prepared to stop in case another vehicle is stopped for a pedestrian.
• If you are stopping for a pedestrian, don’t block the crosswalk if you can help it. If you pull right up to the crosswalk lines, your Manhattan rental car may obscure the view of other drivers who may not realize someone is crossing. Make sure the pedestrian has completely cleared the adjacent lanes before proceeding; this will alert other drivers that there is someone crossing the street. If you notice any vehicles approaching the intersection quickly, flash your break lights or honk your horn. This could alert both the driver and the pedestrian.
• If you are turning left, be aware of pedestrians crossing the street to your left. Due to the constantly busy streets in New York, you may be focused on approaching traffic and fail to notice pedestrians. When you spot a gap, check for pedestrians and then turn.
• Keep an eye out for jaywalkers while navigating the streets in your Manhattan rental car. Although drivers have the right of way over jaywalkers, no one wins if a collision happens. However, renting your car from Action Car Rentals causes everyone to win. Visit our website to reserve your Manhattan rental car.

Facts About Jaywalking

• November is the month where pedestrian collisions are most likely to occur. April is the month where they are least likely to occur.
• Pedestrian collisions occur most often on a Friday and least often on a Saturday.
• As for the time of day, pedestrian collisions are most likely to happen during the evening rush hour period.
• Most of the time, it is the driver who fails to yield to the right of way of the pedestrian. Don’t be one of them – drive cautiously.

Be a responsible driver – keep an eye out for jaywalkers during your upcoming Manhattan rental car vacation.

1) Avoid High Speeds

As your speed increases, so does your aerodynamic drag (and your aerodynamic drag will do so in an exponential fashion). For example, if you drive 62 mph as opposed to 75 mph, you will have reduced your fuel consumption by 15%. Basically, for every five miles you drive above 55 mph, you lose 10% fuel efficiency, so it pays to keep the speed down.

2) Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard

Anticipating traffic can result in New York car rental discounts in terms of fuel savings. Instead, apply slow and steady braking. This could increase your fuel economy by as much as 30%.

3) Use A/C Sparingly

When the air conditioner is on, it puts an extra load on the engine, which forces more fuel to be used (to the tune of 20% more). Fun fact: using the defroster in most vehicles also utilizes the air conditioner. Avoiding the air conditioner or defroster can result in New York car rental discounts in both the summer and winter.

4) Use Cruise Control For More New York Car Rental Discounts

A quick and easy way to save gas is to maintain a constant speed over long distances. If you’re driving on a highway or for long periods of time and it’s safe to do so, set the cruise. In the city, lights are timed for efficient traffic flow. Maintaining a constant speed allows you to hit more green lights in a row. You can save up to 10% in fuel just by keeping a steady speed or using cruise control.

5) Avoid Heavy Loads

Even though you may be travelling, avoid going too heavy on the cargo. The lighter your car is, the less power it needs to achieve the speed you want.

6) Stay Out of Rush Hour

If you think you may be stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for longer than a minute. By not letting your car idle when stopped, you can save up to 19% fuel efficiency.

7) Selecting One of Our Fuel Efficient Vehicles Results in Automatic New York Car Rental Discounts

Examine the vehicle’s rated fuel efficiency. Typically a small vehicle with a manual transmission provides the greatest fuel economy. To find out the specs on all of our vehicles (as well as their rates), visit the Fleet section of our website.

8) There’s an App for New York Car Rental Discounts in Fuel

If you have an iPhone, install a fuel saving application like MyMPG, which will let you know when you’re wasting gas.

If you have a smartphone, install an app like GasBuddy, which searches the price of gas nearby so you can go to the cheapest station.

9) Pool Ain’t Just for Summer

If you drive alone, you are giving the gasoline industry exactly what they want. Repay them for their excessive prices by carpooling or travelling in groups.

10) There’s a Map for That

By planning your route in advance, you can not only find the shortest, easiest route, but you can also enhance your mileage (mainly because you avoid getting lost). Also, mapping your trip allows you to avoid heavy traffic (and thus avoid idling).

Hang Back

School buses make frequent stops. It’s the law in most areas for school buses to stop at all railway crossings. For these two reasons, it’s important to leave plenty of room between your New York rental car and the bus ahead of you. No matter where they are – highways or towns – school busses will likely stop at railroad crossings, so be prepared.

The more obvious reason for making frequent stops is to drop off and pick up children. The stops can be somewhat unexpected for New York rental car drivers, as the bus is liable to stop anywhere along the road, even if the bus is not in front of a house. When the bus stops and puts on its flashing lights, it is mandatory that you stop. Wait for the lights to disengage and the bus to resume driving.

If you are in a hurry and want to pass the bus, wait until you have a stretch of road that allows you to pass. Never pass a bus while it’s stopped to load or unload.

Respect the Lights and Signs of the School Bus

If a school bus is stopped and has its stop sign outstretched, crossing arm activated, or lights flashing, you need to bring your New York rental car to a complete stop. Even if you are headed in the opposite direction, it is required by law in many places that you stop and wait for pedestrians to unload or cross the street and that you do not proceed in your New York rental car until the lights and signs are disengaged. The exception to this rule would be highways divided by a standing median; traffic coming in the opposite direction is not required to stop.

Similarly, when you see lights and signs on a school bus, passing it is illegal (doing so will be accompanied with heavy fines). Slow down, and be prepared to stop.

Other School Bus Safety Tips for Your Our New York Rental Car Drivers

School buses are pretty hard to miss: they’re big and yellow, with reflective stickers, flashing lights, and warning messages on them. For you, this means a few things:

• The size of the bus limits how well it can maneuver on the road. As such, they make wider turns.
• School buses take longer to stop, especially in adverse weather. Also, they stop frequently.
• They travel at lower rates of speed.

When you approach a school bus from either direction, you should use extra caution:

• If a school bus turns in front of you, it will take longer for the bus to leave your lane.
• If they make a right hand turn, they could swing wider into the intersection.
• They also have large blind spots and rely heavily on the use of their mirrors. If you cannot see the bus driver in one of the bus mirrors, the driver can’t see you either.

To avoid any run-ins with a school bus, slow down, use extra caution, and drive as though one of the children on the bus is your child.

These are good rules to live by when you encounter school buses on the road. For Action Car Rental’s rules regarding renting one of our cars, visit our Policies section for more information.

What a Yield Sign Looks Like

A yield sign is an upside down triangle that is typically red and white. Sometimes they will say “Yield” in the middle or “Yield Right of Way.” But is the right of way and how do you abide by it while in your New York discount car rental?

Right-of-Way Laws

The right-of-way laws are one of the first things people typically learn when they first learn to drive. Usually learners try to correlate common sense with the regulations: any vehicle to the right of your New York discount car rental has the right-of-way, unless you’re on a bigger road.

What Yield Signs Remind Us Of

Yield signs remind us that many accidents can occur at intersections when drivers lose track of what car goes first. A lot of experienced drivers will classify yield signs as an often-ignored traffic sign.

In crowded urban areas (such as New York), drivers will make quick decisions about whether or not they yield to pedestrians. This decision is most often based on the amount of frantic, honking traffic behind them and their New York discount car rental.

Responding to Yield Signs in Your New York Discount Car Rental

According to the New York State driver’s manual, a yield sign means:

“Slow down as you approach the intersection. Prepare to stop and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in or approaching the intersection. You must come to a full stop at a YIELD sign if traffic conditions require it. When you approach a YIELD sign, check carefully for traffic, and be prepared to stop.”

In practical terms, what does a yield sign mean? And how do you respond to it? Here are some guidelines:

1. If you and another car, driving on similar roads (city streets, suburban streets, rural roads etc.), and come to an intersection at the same time, the right-most car has the right-of-way.
2. If you are entering a larger road, such as a highway, from a smaller street or a ramp, expect to see a yield sign. Look for adequate space in the lane that you are entering in. Keep in mind that the other cars are already going much faster than you. Do not enter the lane until you can do so without crowding other cars or making them rapidly change lanes to make room for you.
3. Pedestrians always have the right-of-way. Stop for them, whether you hear honking or not. This is a law, regardless of whether you see a yield sign. If a yield sign is there, it serves to remind you that there have been previous accidents or near misses at that particular crosswalk.
4. Keep an eye out for drivers who may ignore yield signs. If you’re on a highway, play it safe by avoiding driving in the lane closest to entry and exit ramps unless you’re taking the next exits.

While driving your New York discount car rental, always be prepared to stop and yield to another vehicle’s right of way. New York can have frantic traffic, but it’s important to stay safe and legal.

Action Car Rental can provide you with a variety of compact, luxury, and full sized cars. We also have cargo, mini, and passenger vans in stock. Contact us to make a reservation on your next rental car today.

What is Traction Control?

A Traction Control System (TCS) is also known as Anti Slip Regulation (ASR). Traction control is a system designed to help prevent loss of traction to the drive wheels of a car when a driver accidentally accelerates their New York airport car rental too much. It is also used when road conditions are poor.

The purpose of traction control is to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle. Traction control is usually confused with stability control; it is different than stability control in terms of controlling the vehicle. Traction control is designed to make your car safer and give you more control in adverse conditions such as bad weather or the need to swerve out of a potential accident.

Traction control deals with lateral (front-to-back) loss of friction during acceleration. While accelerating, traction control works to ensure maximum contact between the road surface and your tires. So, if the road conditions are icy, the ice will reduce the traction between your tires and the pavement. Traction control will work to keep your vehicle in contact with the ground and to prevent wheel slippage.

Thinking of it in another way, traction control works the opposite way your ABS brakes will work. So your ABS senses the slippage of the wheels during braking and adjusts braking pressure to ensure maximum contact between the tires and the road. Your traction control will sense the wheels slipping during acceleration and work to ensure contact between the tires and the road.

To select your New York airport car rental, visit the Fleet section of our website and look at the stats for the variety of rental cars.

How Traction Control Works in Your New York Airport Car Rental

Traction control is a form of intervention in your car’s engine and can take several forms:

• Suppress the spark to one or more cylinders, which gives the engine less power.
• Reduce fuel supply to one of or more of the cylinders. This will also reduce power and speed.
• Brake one or more wheels if needed.
• Close the throttle. This only happens if your New York airport car rental is fitted with drive by wire throttle. If the throttle is closed, this will also reduce power and slow the vehicle in a way that helps you regain control.
• If your vehicle is turbo-charged, traction control can reduce the boost in your boost control solenoid and thus engine power. The boost control solenoid adds or removes extra power to or from your engine.

Typically, traction control is an electro-hydraulic system (hydraulics controlled by an electronic system). Various sensors are placed around your New York airport car rental that detect driving problems and activate the various interventions mentioned above. This helps you regain control of your car.

Traction control is typically associated with high performance cars (such as a New York airport car rental from Action Car Rental).

These cars also have throttle inputs that are very sensitive, especially in slippery conditions. Traction control comes in handy in these conditions in order to avoid wheel spin. Recently, traction control is becoming more common in generic vehicles. While highly skilled drivers dismiss traction control, it is a worthwhile safety addition in any vehicle.

Do Not Park Here When You Rent a Car in New York

If you see a sign that has a red arrow and those words across a white background, it means “No parking anytime.” However, you can make quick stops to pick up passengers or load/unload cargo.

This is not to be confused with the “No Parking” sign. This is a white sign with red text and symbols. On it you’ll see the words “No Parking” and the dates and times that it is closed for parking. A double-ended arrow indicates the areas that are closed for parking.

Watch Out For Street Cleaning

Cleaning up after millions of people takes a lot of coordination. The simplest way to communicate when the street is being cleaned is with a sign. The “Street Cleaning” sign has a circle with a “P” and a broom with text telling when the spot is unavailable for parking. The sign will tell you when the area is to be closed on certain days (and the hours of the day) for cleaning. It is a white sign with red text and symbols.

The No Standing Signs

This sign means business. It is a red sign with white markings and contains the words “No Stopping Anytime.” This sign has a double sided arrow that will indicate where you may not park when you rent a car in New York. However, it takes into account a broader definition of the term “park.” Not only can you not park here, you also cannot wait, load or unload cargo, or drop off or pick up other people for any amount of time.

Something you’ll notice when you rent a car in New York is that the trucks and commercial vehicles get all the love. There are two separate signs that are both red with white text and markings. One will say “No Standing Except Commercial” and the other will say “No Standing Except Trucks”. If you are not a commercial vehicle or a truck, you cannot park here. The signs also have a single-headed arrow showing the spot that is unavailable.

Make Way for Buses and Taxis

When you rent a car in New York, you’ll find that the buses come quite frequently. As such, bus stops often come equipped with a “No Standing” sign next to the bus stop sign. Bus stop signs are blue with white markings and the “No Standing” sign will be red. The sign will show a white bus and handicap signals and an arrow pointing in the direction of the stop. This shows the bus where the stop is, the destination, and the address of the stop. The “No Standing” rules apply at all bus stops, but you may stop to drop off or pick up passengers.

With the “No Standing Anytime Taxi Stand” sign, you may not park in these spots at all when you rent a car in New York. The sign is red and has white markings, and taxis are the only vehicles allowed to occupy the area.

Don’t Forget the Time Limits

If you see a white sign with green markings, that sign indicates that the parking space is a “Time-Limitation Parking Spot.” The text on the sign will indicate how long you can park in the spot when you rent a car in New York, the hours of the day you can park there, and on what days. There will be a double-ended arrow on the sign that will indicate which spot you can park in.

How Do Air Bags Work?

Air bags are connected to sensors in your New York budget car rental that detect sudden deceleration. When the sensor activates, it sends a signal that ignites a chemical propellant that, when ignited, produces nitrogen gas, which inflates the air bag. This process happens very quickly – less than one-twentieth of a second.

Most air bags have internal tether straps that shape the fabric and limit the movement of the bag. Air bags also have rear ventilation that allows the bag to deflate slowly to cushion the head as it moves forward into the deploying air bag.

In order to set the bags off, the sensor will only send a signal when deceleration exceeds a minimum threshold. In low-to-moderate speed collisions, the seat belt of your New York budget car rental is usually enough to prevent serious injury. In high speed collisions, the seat belt may not be able to prevent the driver’s head from striking the steering wheel or the passenger’s head from hitting the dashboard.

Frontal air bags are in your car to protect the head and upper body in frontal crashes and are not designed to deploy in rear-end collisions, side impacts, or rollovers.

How Air Bags Can Cause Injury and How to Protect Yourself in Your New York Budget Car Rental

Since the purpose of the air bag is to protect your head and upper body in high-impact crashes, air bags must deploy so fast and with such force that they can cause injuries. Usually the injuries are minor and are merely bruises and abrasions; some are more serious, such as broken arms. If your head or chest is against the steering wheel at the time of the collision, the injuries can be fatal.

Other potential injury-related positions include:

• Sitting too close to the steering wheel
• Children under the age of 12. They should always be seated at the back of your New York budget car rental
• A child standing or sitting near the dashboard.
• A rearward-facing infant restraint system will be propelled into the back seat if the air bag deploys.
• Allowing a passenger to sit with their legs on the dashboard. If the airbag deploys and they’re lucky, it will just snap their legs.

You can protect yourself in the event the air bag inflates by doing the following:

• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Adjust the seatbelt properly. Place the lap belt as low as possible over the hips, not the abdomen. The shoulder belt should lie on the chest and over the shoulder.
• Put the seat as far back as possible to give the air bags as much room as possible to inflate.
• Keep children under the age of 12 in the back seat.
• Keep rearward facing infant restraint systems in the back seat.
• Do not pace the shoulder strap of a seat belt behind the child’s neck or under the arm.

Stay safe during your trip to New York. Ensure your trip runs smoothly by reserving your New York budget car rental as soon as possible. Visit our website for more details!

When renting on of our New York exotic car rentals, many people assume that it is the high-end cars that are more likely to attract thieves. However, car thieves are more likely to steal older cars than they are to steal luxury brand vehicles, as odd as that may sound. Read on for what cars in particular car thieves are drawn to, why they like older cars and how you can protect our New York exotic car rentals on the streets.

Why Do Thieves Like Older Cars?

Ironically, older trucks and cars top the list of most-stolen vehicles year after year. Clearly, the thieves are not stealing these cars because they want them or want to sell them. At least the professional car thieves aren’t. Car thieves are responding to the demand for older car parts, which tend to be quite versatile. More people tend to drive older cars, so the market for used car parts for the used vehicles is also high. If an older car is stolen, it is usually stripped of its parts and it never makes it on to the street.

Another reason old cars are attractive for thieves is due to their technology. As opposed to our more recent New York exotic car rentals (such as the 2012 Convertible), older cars have worse security systems and are easier to break into and/or hotwire.

Which Cars are the More Attractive Option to Car Thieves?

Every year, the cars that top the top lists of stolen cars are not the latest and greatest things off the assembly line. They tend to be the tried and true workhorses of the auto industry. They are popular, yet unglamorous. And they are also very old. Many hail all the way from the 1990s.

Hondas and Toyotas top the list for compact and mid-sized cars. Domestic brands such a s Ford, Dodge, and Chevy all make an appearance as well, but in forms of pickups or vans.

Fortunately for you, none of our New York exotic car rentals top the list of most stolen cars. For more information on our vehicle selection, visit the Fleet section of our website!

How to Prevent Car Theft of Our New York Exotic Car Rentals

That said, car theft can happen to anyone, and it always helps to guard against it. Regardless of whether you currently drive one of the most stolen cars or are looking to rent one of our New York exotic car rentals, there are things you can do to help prevent car theft:

• Use common sense: sometimes drivers turn car theft into cakewalk for thieves by leaving their cars unlocked with their keys in the ignition or “hidden” in some ideal spot. Start with the basic deterrent by locking your doors, rolling up your windows, and keeping your keys with you. Also, do not hide an extra key in your vehicle or anywhere outside the vehicle.
• Park in well-lit, safe areas: thieves like to avoid witnesses, so dark abandoned parking lots are ideal for them. Stay away from those areas and aim for a brightly illuminated area with lots of people.
• Don’t leave valuables in your car: anything that will tempt a thief into your car may also attempt him or her to make off with your car. Never leave items such as cash, jewelry, or electronics in your car.

Common Causes of Rollovers

Rollover accidents are related to the stability of our Manhattan SUV rentals when they turn. The stability, in turn, is influenced by the relationship between the center of gravity and the distance between the left and right wheels.

If the vehicle has a high center of gravity and a narrow width between the two wheels, then the car will be unstable in fast turns or sharp changes of direction. This problem is more pronounced in 4 wheel-drive vehicles, such as our Manhattan SUV rentals, which have higher ground clearance for off-road driving.

Other Causes Include:

• A driver overcorrecting the vehicle: if the driver veers off of one side of the lane, jerking the wheel back in the other direction too forcefully could cause him or her to lose control of the vehicle.
• Hitting a “trip”: a trip is anything that the car or truck could hit to make it rollover, such as a median, a ditch, a tree, a guardrail, or any type of uneven ground.
• Aggressive driving: high speeds and reckless lane changes can lead to rollovers – even when the vehicle is not tripped by an obstruction.
• Collision with another vehicle: this happens when a narrow object causes one side of the vehicle to accelerate upwards, but not the other. This causes the vehicle to rotate on its long axis.

How to Prevent Our Manhattan SUV Rentals from Rollover Accidents

• Be aware of the higher center of gravity: our Manhattan SUV rentals have a higher center of gravity than a compact car or a sedan. This causes them to be top-heavy, and as was explained earlier, more prone to rolling over in an accident. As such, take care when you engage in sudden corrective action or going around a turn too fast or veering off the road accidentally. Drive more cautiously.
• Choose your route wisely: if you choose to drive a rollover-prone vehicle, pick a route that will allow you a smooth road surface, without needing to turn abruptly.
• Drive sober: veering off the road or needing to suddenly correct your vehicle all happen more frequently after you’ve been drinking. Always drive sober.
• Drive defensively: many rollovers occur as a result of panic-drive moves to avoid a collision. Be alert and stay aware of the continually changing traffic conditions.
• Avoid overloading: don’t overload the roof, which will only exacerbate the problem of your SUV being top heavy.
• Wear your seatbelt: while doing so may not prevent the accident per se, the majority of victims who die in rollover crashes were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the collision.
• Don’t drive tired: many drivers who fall asleep at the wheel veer off the road and then wake up as their vehicle hits the rumble strips or gravel. When they see they are leaving the roadway, they jerk the wheel, resulting in a rollover accident.

Stay safe in our Manhattan SUV rentals! By being cautious when steering on the road, by avoiding overloading your vehicle on top, and by choosing your route wisely, you can help avoid a nasty rollover accident. You can choose your rental vehicle wisely at our website. Visit our Fleet section for more details.