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How To Keep Your Kids Entertained and Keep Your Sanity

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The summer is upon us and so are road trips.  While vacations are fun, getting to your destination may not always be enjoyable.  Whether you are going near or far  you will most likely hear, “Are we there yet?”  Luckily, I know a few ways to keep the kids entertained.

  • Movies!  If your Buick/GMC didn’t come with an in-car entertainment system, invest in a portable DVD player and few pairs of headphones.  The kids will love watching their favorite movie for a few hours and you will love the silence from the backseat!
  • Hit the library up before you go.  For a free mode of entertainment take your kids to the library the day before you leave and let them pick out a few books to bring on the trip.
  • Have an in-car scavenger hunt.  Make the kids a list of things to look for as you drive.  Examples: a red car, a license plate from another state, a horse, a pink flower, anything you might see as you drive.
  • Pack trivia cards. Each kid can take turns reading a card and guessing the answer.
  • Always pack music.  Even though the Barney sing-a-long may not be your favorite music, let the kids have 20 or 30 minutes of their favorite music.
  • Zitch-dog!  Every time someone sees a dog they yell zitch-dog! The person who sees the most dogs first wins a prize at the end of the trip.

Do you have any other suggestions for keeping kids entertained?

The Proper Way To Handle A Police Stop If You Have A Concealed Handgun License

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In Texas, we have the right to carry firearms concealed on our person with the proper concealed handgun license. If this applies to you, you are fully aware of your responsibility as a gun owner to alert the officer as soon as he makes verbal contact with you. This is for both your safety and the officer’s. I can tell you that if you are upfront, your simple moving violation will be far less complicated if you immediately tell the officer that your are licensed and that your are carrying.

Believe it, not I know many officers who respect an individual’s right to protect themselves and are, in fact, for lack of a better word, grateful that the citizen has taken some responsibility for his own safety. After all, the police only show up after a crime has been committed.

So what is the right procedure? You should have already learned this in your CHL class, but here is a reminder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUhJFhMKmko

Of course, this scenario was set up to show you what can occur when you are pulled over and engage with the attending officer in regards to your firearm. Tell them you have it immediately! Chances are, they will be much more respectful of you and ease any additional tension the officer may have at the beginning of the stop.

Just a friendly reminder brought to you by Freeman Grapevine.

Plano Police Officer Hides Money In A Ticket For Expired Registration

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Let’s face it when we get pulled over it’s because we were breaking a traffic rule of some kind and not because the police have to meet a quota, or that you didn’t deserve to be pulled over. In fact, I’m going to share a story about a Plano Police officer who gave more than just a ticket for an expired registration, he gave the man $100 along with it.

The officer, who didn’t want to be named, simply said that the man he ticketed “needed it more than he did”. That is an amazing example of someone, not only doing their job, but being a good human being to boot!

Here’s the story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYS638liiIA

I think everyone should take a hint from this officer. Be kind. It’s a simple philosophy. That doesn’t mean you have to give money, or time, or whatever…it means simply, “Be Kind”. The next time you see someone trying to merge in front of you, let them in with enough space, so you don’t stress them out. Give someone the parking spot you were in line for. Let the person who “really” got to the stop sign first go…and these are only car related ones! Think of all of the good Karma you will have if you make “Being Kind” one of your daily virtues…that’s how your Freeman Grapevine operates!

 

Remember, We Are Donating to Cook Children’s Health Care

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Yes. I already wrote a blog entry about our $1 per fan donation to Cook Children’s Health Care Foundation, but is one blog really enough? Of course, not…100,000 blogs aren’t enough to get across how important places like Cook Children’s are!

I’ve already heard amazing stories of survival and received heartfelt “Thank You’s” for holding the simplest fund raiser we could. But ,you know what? Every dollar counts. Every pair of eyes that reads this counts. Every person we get to our Facebook page counts, because without the support of the community, places like Cook Children’s Health Care System would struggle to make ends meet.

I know what you are thinking, but the insurance covers…I’m going to stop you there. This isn’t about insurance, it’s not even really about money, it’s about people. It’s about kindness. It’s about hope. Freeman Grapevine understands how important these things are to the Mother’s and the Father’s of these children. We understand that these families are stronger and more courageous than you could imagine. We want you to understand that too.

As much as we all wish that every baby was born healthy, that every child was cancer free, that every child’s lungs and hearts were without flaws, they aren’t and that’s why we need places like Cook Children’s. That’s why we need you!

If you haven’t already, take a moment “like” our page and show your support for one of Texas’ greatest health care systems on, or before December 31st.

Thank you for your support and your time.

Personal Safety And Awareness Tips For Being In Your Car

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You never know when and where your personal safety might be threatened, or may be the victim of a crime. One prime location is in a parking lot of local stores. Just getting in and out of your vehicle can be dangerous if you aren’t paying attention. It can be just one person who accosts you, or it could be more. Do you know what to do? When you leave a store are you instantly looking for suspicious people. Maybe someone hanging around the lot, or worse, your car? Even before then, did you notice anyone in the store you were just at who may have been following you?

I’m not trying to scare you. Quite the contrary, I want you to start paying attention. This time of year we are all preoccupied by other things…especially if we are shopping for the Holiday season. It’s very easy to ignore everything around you and that includes potential dangers like lurking criminals, or criminals of opportunity.

So what can you do when leaving a store and going back to your Buick, or GMC? Take a look at the video below for some helpful tips.

It is difficult to predict behavior, but easy to PAY ATTENTION to it, especially with all the paths of communication these days. In every case where a crime or theft has been committed, there have been warning signs, clues, and outright threats that go ignored.

If you feel nervous, or threatened alert a security guard, or police officer. Around the holiday season, patrols are usually heightened and there are more officers in and around stores. Remember, the people who are victims of crime are the people who are not alert, or prepared.

Freeman Grapevine wants this to be the best Holiday Season it can be, so take a little extra care this year and use your better judgement when you are carrying armfuls of bags out to your vehicle.

If you have any stories or tips you can share about ways of staying safe this year, please share write them in the comments section below.

Texas Law Allows For Arrest On Minor Traffic Offenses

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This is, in fact, true. A police officer in Texas can arrest you for minor traffic offenses excluding speeding. Sounds strange, huh? When I heard this from a lawyer friend of mine, I was left scratching my head thinking that this couldn’t be true, but I did a little research myself and found that this is true. The case is Atwater vs. Lago Vista, 99-1408. I found an article from ABC news which confirmed that in 1997 Gail Atwater was arrested for not wearing her seat belt:

The officer arrested Gail Atwater, handcuffed her hands behind her back and took her to the city police station. A friend looked after her children and her pickup truck was towed away.

Texas law allows police to make arrests for routine traffic violations, except for speeding..

From my understanding, Atwater sued the city under the pretense that her Constitutional rights, specifically her Fourth Amendment Rights were violated. However:

The high court majority rejected her argument that police should not have arrested her for a crime that would carry no jail time.

“The arrest and booking were inconvenient to Atwater, but not so extraordinary as to violate the Fourth Amendment,” Justice David H. Souter wrote for the majority.

So, for all of you Texas drivers out there, it pays to be nice to the attending officer if you get pulled over for something other than speeding. Don’t have your seat belt on? You can be arrested. Run a stop sign? You can be arrested.

Now, that being said, you probably aren’t going to be held for a minor traffic violation, that is as long as you just follow the rules and don’t make that officer’s job any harder than it already is. Remember, they never really know what type of situation they are going into, even on a routine traffic stop. They have one of the most dangerous jobs you can have, so just go with the flow be nice.

What do you think about this story? Do you agree, or disagree?

 

Fort Worth, what’s your opinion on “checkpoint” apps?

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Every year, there are thousands of DWI related accidents, injuries and deaths on Texas highways. In Dallas and Fort Worth alone you are bound to see one or two stops that you know are alcohol related. Did you know that there are DWI phone Apps out there that a night help drivers avoid speed traps and DWI check points? That is to say, an application for your smart phone, be it Blackberry, iPhone or whatever. Do you think that the apps are designed to help drunk drivers avoid getting caught, or are they a way to keep people from driving drunk altogether? I think the jury is still out on this.

I guess the bottom line is that if you just don’t drink and drive, you’ll have nothing to worry about and you can that that $1.99 you are going to spend on that App and put it towards something more useful…like taking a taxi.

Freeman Grapevine, your Dallas Fort Worth Buick GMC dealer is curious to know what you think about using technology to potentially avoid a DWI check point. The police, by their own admission want you to know that they are out there, so they could care less if there is a phone app tipping you off of their location, but you may feel differently. Do you think that these apps help, or harm drivers?

 

Veteran’s Day Should Be Every Day

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Veteran’s Day was yesterday and your Dallas Fort Wroth Buick GMC dealer, Freeman Grapevine wants to extend our warmest “Thank You” to all of the men and women who have served in our nation’s military with honor and pride.

The thing to remember is that it shouldn’t take a National Holiday for you to recognize the sacrifice that so many have made in order to secure our freedom and liberty for threats both overseas and stateside. Their job could possibly be the hardest in the world…and they volunteered to do it. They put themselves in harm’s way so you and your children hopefully won’t have to. For that, EVERY day should be Veteran’s Day.

Never forget that when you wake up in your comfortable bed, somewhere a soldier is waking up in a sleeping bag in the middle of a country that isn’t his own. When you kiss your kids goodbye before you go to work, you know that only 8 hours separates you from seeing them again. Where as when a soldier kisses his or her child goodbye before going to work, they won’t see them again for another 6 months.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bKG6ERsg50&feature=g-vrec

Remember, every day should be Veteran’s Day. If you see, or know a vet, shake their hand for their service. It’s the very least you can do to honor their sacrifice.

Hurricane Sandy Flooded Cars Make Way Across Nation

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OK, here’s the deal Dallas Fort Worth. Hurricane Sandy really did a number on the Northeast. The chances of many of the cars which were flooded out being sold for salvage is pretty high. If you are looking at purchasing a used car in the coming months be wary. If you don’t think that a flooded car from the Northeast can make its way to Texas, think again. In fact, those selling salvaged vehicles are going to do everything they can to get the vehicle as far away from the flood zones as possible as to not draw suspicion.

So, how can you check to see if a Dallas Fort Wroth used car you are looking to purchase has been flooded? Check the video below for some  good tips.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNkxICLHC4M&feature=related

Of course, your best bet is to bring the car to a certified technician for a thorough inspection. The bottom line is that if you suspect that a car has been in a flood, DON’T BUY IT! Also, don’t just assume that all of the flooded car up north are going to stay there, there is a good chance that they will make their way as salvages across the country.

If you plan on buying a used car in Dallas or Fort Worth, be aware that you could be purchasing a previously flooded vehicle. So, if you want to just avoid all of the hassle, just come see your Buick GMC dealer, Freeman Grapevine. We will not buy, nor sell a car that has previously been flooded.

Where’s The Fastest Speed Limit In America

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If you guessed Texas, you are right! Apparently, the House Voted to agree to satisfy Texan’s need for speed. At this point in time, the new speed limit increases aren’t going to be up here in the DFW area any time soon from what I understand. In fact, I believe the 85mph speed limit will be down in the Austin area. Of course, once adopted, you’ll see the new speed limits pop up all over rural stretches of highways.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSVlJuPrMaw

So, how does this make YOU feel? Aren’t people already exceeding the speed limit most ot the time anyway? Will an sped limit increase or decrease the number of accidents on the road? Do you already go 85mph on the highways? If you do, would you let your kids?

These are all very serious questions that need to be considered. I know we all want to get where we are going in a hurry, but is a speed limit increase the answer? It could be. Freeman Grapevine is eager to know what your think about increasing the speed limits to keep up with today’s busy drivers.