WINTER DRIVING RULES _ Unless you’re planning on spending the next few months in Florida, odds are you’ll have to deal with icy or snow-covered roads at some point. A recent survey reveals just how little people know about winter driving.
• Nearly half of those surveyed didn’t know that the gas tank should be at least half full in order to continue providing heat in case of an emergency
• 38 percent didn’t know driving while using cruise control, even in clear conditions, could be dangerous
• 24 percent did not know to turn the wheel in the direction of a skid
• Though not true, 37 percent of people with four- and all-wheel-drive drive vehicles think they are less likely to have an accident.
ANOTHER SURVEY ON TIPPING _ A new survey found that 92 percent of Americans leave a tip when eating at a restaurant where there are servers, 78 percent tip the person who gave them a haircut, 76 percent tip their delivery driver, and 70 percent tip their bartenders. Just 61 percent of people always or often tip their taxi or rideshare driver, just 25 percent of people buying coffee, and 12 percent tip at fast casual restaurants where there are no servers. Perhaps most surprisingly, 57 percent of adults said they tipped 15 percent or less at a sit-down restaurant.
WHEN DOES ‘OLD AGE’ START? WHEN YOU STOP SHOPPING _ How old is old? Research finds that for most Americans, old age is not heralded in by a particular birthday, but rather by how a person acts. In particular, people who still shop for themselves or take care of their own household chores are less likely to be perceived as old. A study (Oregon State University) found that the ability to participate in certain activities, such as buying groceries or attending medical appointments, serve as a means of identifying whether someone is “old.” The research was based on interviews with people in their late 80s, their family members and their paid caregivers.
