I love autumn.
Whenever I say this out loud, most people go for one of these two reactions: They either try to be polite and only think that I am crazy, or they go ahead and say it right in my face. In the latter case, this small insult is usually followed by statements such as:
– “It gets colder again, it’s dark and it rains ALL THE TIME”, and consequently: “I always get sick this time of year!”
– “Trees are dying but at the same time, spiders pop up from everywhere”
– “The trains are always late because of wet tracks”
– “I can’t wear my nice summer outfit anymore, and it cost me so much money!”
– And… so… on…
All of these are very valid arguments, but it’s not all that bad. Truth be told, I might be a little bit biased. Having been born in October, I’m a child of the season, which makes me link the first symptoms of the after-summer period to the joyful idea of birthday celebrations and nice presents. But also objectively, I can think of several reasons why this season is actually really nice. First of all: Trains have a tendency to be late all year long, it’s in their nature (believe me, I know). And second of all (and third, fourth and fifth): Autumn brings cosiness with warm drinks; the great smell of wood being thrown on fireplaces; the perfect excuse to stay home all day doing nothing; and – last but not least – incredibly beautiful nature. It’s not a coincidence that so many people get out there for the sole purpose of admiring those colourful sides of the roads (and living in a forest-rich area, I know perfectly why); but to do so safely, some measures need to be taken. You certainly know these 4 points already and might be able to extend this list yourself, but just as a small reminder:
Careful in the corners
Those leaves in 50 shades of green, yellow, orange, red, purple and brown can be stunningly beautiful, both up in the trees as down on the soil, but they can also get really slippery after some rainfall, especially when piled up somewhere in a corner. So no matter whether you are by bike, motorbike, car or fancy inline-skates… take care.
Blinding beauty
It’s a stunning sight, the reflection on the roads caused by the sunshine that warms the wet roads right after a bit of rainfall that is so typical for this season. But then on the other side… it’s also extremely blinding. It might look a bit silly, being out there in your warmest clothes and at the same time wearing a pair of sunglasses, but just imagine that you are on a skiing trip. It pays off to have them close-by, just in case.
Quick checkup
Game of Thrones-fan or not: Winter is coming. This means that, even more than in warmer seasons, it’s important that your car is in good shape. Related to the next point, clean windows are essential, but also keep an eye on your headlights (more time driving in the dark), your battery (colder temperatures require more of your battery) and your tyres. Whether you want to go for winter tyres or not depends a bit on the climatological circumstances of your country, but in any case, keep in mind that grip is essential and that when temperature drops, the pressure in your tyres will make the same move.
Last but not least: Good music
Good music is always a big plus obviously, but even more so when it gets colder outside. This is especially the case at the very start, when the hot girl or guy that you are enters the car, and you notice that the windows are steaming up right away because it’s suddenly much warmer on the inside than on the outside of the vehicle. Online you can find some tricks to make the haze go away quicker, but in my opinion, the easiest way is to just put the air circulation on at maximum force, aim it at the window, sit back, and enjoy some nice tunes until those blurry shapes outside are recognizable again.
These are all really small things, and nothing a bit of preparation can’t fix. So don’t let this stop you from enjoying the world outside, it’s beautiful!
Author: Davy
Davy is active in the BARE International office in Antwerp. He has a Master’s degree in Multilingual Communication, and can get himself understood properly in 5 languages. Professionally he’s mostly busy with cars and wireless speakers, topics he’s fond of in his private life as well – apart from other hobbies, such as travelling, cooking, cycling and football.
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