Glove box… glove compartment… whatever you call it I have a feeling that you aren’t storing your gloves in it. In fact, my vehicle’s glove box has just about everything in the world crammed in it except for a pair of gloves. And, I’m not alone. According to a new survey, 84% of Americans no longer use the glove compartment to store gloves. Despite the fact that the original use for the space — when car manufacturers originally introduced it in the 1920s — was for the sole purpose of storing those handy hand protectors. (By the way, according to the survey more than 72% of respondents had no clue how the compartment got its name.)
Instead of gloves, the survey revealed that many of us are storing items in the glove box that we shouldn’t –such as our vehicle’s title. Forty-four percent of Americans admit they are using their glove compartments to store their vehicle title and in the process unintentionally making life easier for car thieves. I’m sure you realize if a vehicle title gets in the wrong hands, a thief would be able to change the name on the title, sell the vehicle or legally put the keys in his or her pocket. You are better off keeping your title in a safe place in your home or in a safety deposit box.
So what is in the average American motorist storing in his or her glove compartment? Take a look. According to the survey:
· 94% store proof of insurance
· 92% store vehicle registration
· 71% store tissue and napkins
· 63% store maps
· 53% store flashlights
· 47% store sunglasses
· 38% store first-aid kits
In a previous blog I reviewed a 2007 Dodge Caliber that I rented during a recent trip to Hawaii. Interestingly, designers at Dodge decided that since drivers were no longer using the glove box to store gloves, they would reengineer the compartment into a cooler so car owners could keep their refreshments chilled during long drives. They call it the Chill Zone storage bin and it’s a standard feature on the 2008 Dodge Avenger and on most Dodge Caliber models. The bin can hold and chill as many as four 12-ounce beverages. Sounds like a clever idea, but I have to say, in the time we had the car we didn’t use the Chill Zone at all. Perhaps, if we owned the car we’d stick some water or juice in it.
Right now I’m concentrating on what I need to do to organize my own glove compartment. I’ve decided I should add a few band-aids and a pen and some paper in case I get into a fender bender and need to jot down insurance and license information. Then again, I could already have those items stuffed in there. I’ve just been afraid to open my glove compartment for fear of not being able to close it again.
What’s in your glove compartment?
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