Your mind is drifting, and so is your car. Falling asleep at the wheel is a real danger, and it happens more often than you’d like to think. To help keep your car on the road and your eyes open, here are a few tips from Nalley Volvo to help you stay awake on a long drive.
Get Some Sleep
Not while you’re driving, silly. Get a good night’s sleep before you head out by going to bed early the night before. The more rested you are before you hit the road, the better.
Bring a Friend
Having a companion in the car can help you stay awake. Talk, play car games, sing songs. Do what you can to keep conversation going. Those long silences are perfect for drifting off. Your copilot can also look out for signs of drowsy driving and keep you from pushing yourself too hard.
Sing a Song
Crank up the tunes and belt it out. Singing will help keep you awake and pass the time on those trips, too.
 Get Some Fresh Air
Fresh air is your friend. Open a vent or crack a window to get some fresh air circulating through the car.
Take a Break
It’s good to get out of the car and stretch your legs occasionally. Try to stop every two hours or so. Get a soda and a little something to eat– small meals along the way will keep your energy up much better than one big meal. Avoid fatty foods– they weigh you down. That Snickers bar might give you a short boost of energy, but the sugar crash isn’t going to do you any favors. Try to avoid too much sugar.
Have a Cuppa Joe
Coffee is your friend. Don’t overdo it, but one or two cups of coffee at the start of the journey will give you a decent amount of energy.
It’s Nap Time
If you feel fatigue coming on, a break is a must. Pull off the road and take a catnap, but first make sure your car is in a safe location. Don’t just pull onto the shoulder. Get your car completely off the road. Look for a rest stop– that’s what they are there for. If you have to, find a motel.
Timing Matters
If you can, plan your drive during hours for which you’re normally awake. That midnight madness might sound like a good idea, but driving during the late nighttime hours can be incredibly dangerous– your body wants what your body wants: sleep.
Don’t be a statistic. Arrive alive. For more information on the dangers of drowsy driving, check out the National Sleep Foundation’s website: DrowsyDriving.org.
Pizzas come in a great many different forms but it is usually only the pizza topping which is varied. The pizza base and sauce are all too often ignored as a simple means of bringing freshness to this classic dish. This recipe from Nalley Volvo is in a sense a fusion of Indian and Italian cuisine in that it uses the teardrop shaped Indian flat bread, naan, as the base for the pizzas, while the simple sauce is homemade, rather than from a jar. Although designed for vegetarians, this is a recipe likely to cater to all tastes.
Vegetarian Naan Bread Pizza
Preparation time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Active time: 30 minutes
Inactive time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Serves two
Ingredients
1 14 ounce can of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
1 large garlic clove, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried basil
Salt and black pepper
2 ten inch long naan breads
3 bell peppers (one red, one green, one yellow), deseeded and sliced in to ¼ inch thick rings
1 small red onion, peeled, sliced to ¼ inch and split in to rings
4 ounces pizza mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
It is essential to begin by making the tomato sauce and allowing it to cool. If hot sauce is added to the naan breads, it will seep in to the bread and spoil the whole effect of the pizza.
Put the extra virgin olive oil in to a small saucepan and on to a gentle heat. Add the garlic and stir with a wooden spoon for about a minute until you can smell the garlic starting to cook. Pour in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the dried basil. Season with salt and pepper and stir well, turning up the heat until a gentle simmer is achieved. Adjust the heat to maintain the simmer for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and velvety. Turn off the heat, cover and set aside to cool for at least one hour.
Preheat your oven to 450F. Lay the two naan breads side by side on a large baking tray or sheet. Divide the tomato sauce evenly between the two naans and spread evenly with a knife, leaving about a half inch border all around for a crust to form. The bell pepper slices and onion rings should be laid alternately on top of the sauce in the pattern of choice before the two cheeses are scattered over the top. Place the tray in to the oven for ten to twelve minutes, depending upon how crisp you like your crust, until the cheeses are melted and bubbling.
The naan bread pizzas should be transferred to plates with a spatula before being further seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and served immediately.
 Your mind is drifting, and so is your car. Falling asleep at the wheel is a real danger, and it happens more often than you’d like to think. To help keep your car on the road and your eyes open, here are a few tips from Nalley Volvo to help you stay awake on a long drive.
Get Some Sleep
Not while you’re driving, silly. Get a good night’s sleep before you head out by going to bed early the night before. The more rested you are before you hit the road, the better.
Bring a Friend
Having a companion in the car can help you stay awake. Talk, play car games, sing songs. Do what you can to keep conversation going. Those long silences are perfect for drifting off. Your copilot can also look out for signs of drowsy driving and keep you from pushing yourself too hard.
Sing a Song
Crank up the tunes and belt it out. Singing will help keep you awake and pass the time on those trips, too.
Get Some Fresh Air
Fresh air is your friend. Open a vent or crack a window to get some fresh air circulating through the car.
Take a Break
It’s good to get out of the car and stretch your legs occasionally. Try to stop every two hours or so. Get a soda and a little something to eat– small meals along the way will keep your energy up much better than one big meal. Avoid fatty foods– they weigh you down. That Snickers bar might give you a short boost of energy, but the sugar crash isn’t going to do you any favors. Try to avoid too much sugar.
Have a Cuppa Joe
Coffee is your friend. Don’t overdo it, but one or two cups of coffee at the start of the journey will give you a decent amount of energy.
It’s Nap Time
If you feel fatigue coming on, a break is a must. Pull off the road and take a catnap, but first make sure your car is in a safe location. Don’t just pull onto the shoulder. Get your car completely off the road. Look for a rest stop– that’s what they are there for. If you have to, find a motel.
Timing Matters
If you can, plan your drive during hours for which you’re normally awake. That midnight madness might sound like a good idea, but driving during the late nighttime hours can be incredibly dangerous– your body wants what your body wants: sleep.
Don’t be a statistic. Arrive alive. For more information on the dangers of drowsy driving, check out the National Sleep Foundation’s website: DrowsyDriving.org.
 After thousands of supporters visited our Facebook page to vote for their favorite local charity, Nalley Volvo and the Nalley Automotive Group would like to congratulate Harbor House for winning the online public vote and receiving the first free vehicle in Nalley’s Driven For A Cause event.
Harbor House is a child advocacy center in Rome that provides a comfortable setting for forensic interviews and crisis counseling to children who are alleged victims of sexual and physical abuse. The agency works with the Rome and Floyd County police departments, the Department of Family and Children Services, the Floyd County court system and some other law enforcement agencies to provide a less threatening environment for children who need to be questioned.
Harbor House received 895 votes, the most of our 10 finalists and just 27 more than second-place finisher Atlanta Pet Rescue. Because the organization cannot legally transport patrons, Nalley will purchase the car back and give Harbor House a $15,000 check that among other things will help upgrade the buildings the agency uses, including a new furnace and some gutter work.
“The $15,000 is a big start to our annual fundraising campaign,” Harbor House executive director Gail Garland told the Rome News-Tribune. It represents 5.7 percent of the agency’s $260,000 annual operating budget, with $45,000 in private donations sought in total, Garland said.
Nalley Volvo is proud beyond words to help the people who help make our community a better place to live, and we want to thank everyone who took time to get online and make their voice heard. If your favorite charity didn’t win this time around, don’t worry. Another round of nominations and voting will take place later this spring, so be sure to like our Facebook page for updates on how you can continue helping make a difference!
 You’ve heard of destination weddings, but have you ever considered a destination car purchase? It’s not just a fantasy. With Volvo’s Overseas Delivery program, you can buy a new custom-built Volvo by April 30th and pick it up while enjoying a winter vacation of your dreams in Paris or Stockholm.
You’ll meet your new car in Gothenburg, Sweden, the home of Volvo Cars, and we’ll provide you with Swedish vehicle registration and complimentary car insurance for up to 15 days so you can explore Europe at your own pace. Starting at just $795 for a two-person trip, you’ll also receive: |
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- 2 complimentary round-trip tickets on Scandinavian Airlines
- 3 hotel nights in either Stockholm or Paris, as well as 2 hotel nights in Gothenburg
- VIP delivery at Volvo’s Factory Delivery Center
- An exciting Volvo factory tour or a visit to the Volvo Brand Experience Exhibit or the Volvo Museum
- Extensive complimentary home shipment services
- For Stockholm travelers, a special Stockholm Card that offers you free admission to 75 museums and attractions, as well as sightseeing boats and other forms of transportation.
For more information about Volvo’s Overseas Delivery Program including great MSRP savings and additional incentives, call Volvo at (800) 631-1667 or visit us here at Nalley Volvo. Bon voyage!
 Be honest, you miss your car when you drop it off for service. Those fawning headlights, that playfully wagging windshield wiper…it can be a long afternoon while your faithful companion is getting a tuneup. Don’t worry, Nalley Volvo can help you put an end to that separation anxiety.
Come to Nalley Collision Centers of Marietta for any of your body shop, auto repair, or parts needs, and if you leave us a phone number or e-mail address, you’ll be able to see photos of your car online as it progresses through its service and our certified, experienced, and knowledgeable body shop technicians assess your situation with care and consideration. We also offer car repair estimates in Marietta to fix your vehicle promptly, the first time, and at an affordable price. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. Contact us today!
Whether you are a blogger, entrepreneur, freelancer, aspiring entertainer, or business owner, building a top-notch personal website can help you attract and impress an audience of potential customers. Here are some tips from Nalley Volvo Marietta how to do it right.
Determine the site’s purpose. The purpose of your personal website should control everything from the content to the design. If you’re trying to attract male clients to your fitness website, for example, you probably wouldn’t include a pink and purple flower polka-dotted background. Is it an informational site geared toward friends and family? Are you trying to attract customers? Do you need a job? Who is your audience? These are all questions you must answer before proceeding.
Brainstorm. Anyone who’s thought of great ideas at 3:00 A.M. only to have forgotten them by 8:00 A.M. understands the importance of writing everything down. Although you want to express originality and creativity, it’s a good idea to do a little research and see what other people who are trying to reach similar audiences have done.
Choose a website host. The host is the company that stores the files that make up your site. Things to consider when choosing a host are cost, technological knowledge required, ease of use, and quality of services. Part of choosing a host is getting a domain name, or website address. Keep the domain name simple. You can buy a domain name from the hosting service or from the domain register. The latter is usually less expensive. The former is more convenient.
Choose a template. Hosting sites usually have hundreds of templates to choose from. If the web host doesn’t have a template you like, find another host. As with other aspects of your personal website, make sure the template “matches” and reinforces the site’s purpose and content.
Create a logo. Even if the website is just for friends and families, a logo adds an official touch and provides a unifying visual aspect. Besides, Uncle Fred in Albuquerque will be really impressed with a killer logo.
Choose content. Now is your chance to get out your message, so you’ll want to think carefully about what content you include (unless, of course, you are looking to create an informal personal blog). Always remember that what you put on your site can be viewed by anyone with Internet access. Make sure your content matches your purpose.
Paginate. Nobody likes to scroll five miles to see what’s on your site, so you will want to use page breaks. Most web-hosting sites make pagination simple. You’ll probably have links to different pages on your site, especially older material.
Optimize. You’ll only need to optimize your site if you’re trying to attract strangers. Search engine optimization involves using keywords and content to attract Internet users to your site. This is important if you’re trying to attract business, and there are numerous resources online about how to successfully optimize your site.
Online dating is growing in popularity. The better sites use loads of data to come up with a compatibility profile. None of them, however, use the greatest indicator of potential compatibility in existence today—the pizza eating profile—until now. Let Nalley Volvo Marietta take a crack at this saucy equation.
The Cheese Delayer
The Cheese Delayer scrapes all the cheese off his pizza and saves it until the end. This type of pizza eater saves for retirement, has no credit cards and will wait before putting the moves on anyone. Beware of the Cheese Delayer’s propensity for selfishness, he serves his guests beer and drinks champagne when they leave. He takes you to McDonald’s and stops at a steakhouse on the way home. He drives a station wagon for twenty years and buys a Mercedes when his kids finally leave home. Cheese Delayers can be cured of their selfishness while maintaining a responsible attitude only by matching up with a Pizza Stacker.
The Pizza Stacker
The Pizza Stacker takes one slice of pizza, sets it on her plate and tops it with an equal-sized upside down slice. The Pizza Stacker lives life to the fullest, never wastes an opportunity for fun and is usually the life of any party. Some Pizza Stackers lack self-discipline and find themselves in debt and a little too rotund. Pizza Stackers should never, under any circumstances, hook up with a Knife and Fork pizza-eater.
Knife and Forker
About 4% of the U.S population uses a knife and fork for everything, including pizza. Because they take 17 times longer to eat their meal than a normal person, they have very few friends. Knife and Forkers are more likely to be skinny, enjoy the performing arts and not watch football. They should only pair up with other Knife and Forkers. Under no circumstances should a Knife and Forker befriend a Crust Firster.
Crust Firster
Pizza is meant to be eaten pointed side first. Crust Firsters don’t care. They have no sense of right and wrong and no need for society’s rule. Don’t try to change a Crust Firster. He or she may eat pointed side first when you’re around, but the second you turn your head, that mouth will be watering for crust. This disregard for proper pizza etiquette may also take the form of non-matching socks, strange work hours and an inability to commit to one spouse. Crust Firsters can be rehabilitated, but only through the Fold Over method.
Fold Over
Some choose to take a nicely shaped rectangular or triangular shaped piece of pizza and fold it in half, enabling them to ingest more pizza per bite. They share the Pizza Stacker’s appetite for fun, yet aren’t as smart – the Stacker gets twice as much pizza. Fold Overs are the most likely to change eating styles, especially when they see how much more effective Pizza Stackers are and how many former Crust Firsters have joined their ranks.
Straight Eaters
Straight Eaters eat pizza the way it was meant to be eaten. They don’t need to fold, stack, reverse or cut it with a knife. They are very sure of themselves. They are most likely to maintain a healthy, stable relationship and hold a steady job. Straight Eaters, however, make poor entrepreneurs, choosing more conventional, less risky livelihoods. Straight Eaters should never, regardless of physical attraction, date a Crust Firster.
In order to make this information most effective, order pizza on the first date and never get your heart broken again.
Say hello (figuratively, not creepily at your computer screen) to this month’s featured Nalley Volvo Marietta employee, Pre-Owned Manager Bryan Goff!
Bryan is a proud husband and the father of two children, a son in college and a daughter who just graduated. His hobbies include playing golf, fishing and spending time with his family away from work. He started his sales career in the home remodeling business before moving into the automotive industry and following in his older brother’s footsteps. He has now been in the car business for more than 15 years, including 9 in management. “I have been very fortunate to work with some great companies and varying brands over the years, and I am very pleased to be here at Nalley Volvo because of the extraordinary people we have here at our store, the incredible products we sell, and the great community support we provide,” he said. “We are working extremely hard to provide each of our customers the very best buying experience and greatest selection of Pre-Owned vehicles here at our store. We are always in the market looking for great cars, and I am very happy to always look at anyone’s car to evaluate it for purchasing or just to assist in an appraisal. Please feel free to come on in and meet myself and all of our tremendous Pre-Owned staff.”
Bryan, thank you so much for all you’ve done for Nalley Volvo! We’re so lucky to have you!
A Volvo is more than just an incredible ride—it’s one of the safest vehicles that you can take out on the road. At Nalley Volvo, we’ve always known this. That’s why we’re so excited to announce that a total of five Volvo models have been named Top Safety Picks for 2012 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Volvo models which received the rating include the Volvo S80 (2010-2012 models), Volvo S60 (2011-2012 models), Volvo C30 (2010-2012 models), Volvo XC60 (2010-2012 models), and Volvo XC90 (2010-2012 models). Each of these models received the highest rating of “Good” in the areas of Front Offset, Side Impact, Roof Strength, and Rear Crash Protection. Each model also includes standard Electronic Stability Control, which helps ensure a smooth ride on some of the toughest terrain.
Volvo vehicles go beyond the requirements to offer innovative safety features that benefit everybody. For instance, the S60, S80, XC70, and XC90 all offer the City Safety feature standard. This feature automatically applies the brakes if certain situations where you are approaching a vehicle too quickly.
There’s a Volvo to suit just about any budget and lifestyle. Visit Nalley Volvo Marietta today to find the vehicle that’s right for you.
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