You can now combat the fear of an icy-cold car with an electric blanket which plugs into the cigarette lighter.
It’s around this time of year when young drivers understand why leather driving gloves are a thing – it seems to only be a thing if you’re 60 years old or above.
Much like the way cars turn into ovens in the summer, they turn into freezers in the winter, and driving to work with blue hands and a frosty breath doesn’t make for the most pleasant start to your morning.
I don’t know if it’s just my car, but more often than not, I’ve got to my destination before the car’s even started to warm up, even after blasting the heat on full. Which, in my rickety Honda Jazz, is about the strength of a butterfly’s breath.
Some people’s cars boast toasty seat warmers to keep your bum warm through the winter months, but it just doesn’t provide the same comfort as, say, the electric blanket might.
The heated blanket is designed by Stalwart and available on Amazon, and it’s a sure way to provide all the warmth necessary for your commute.
It works in cars, trucks, SUVs and RVs so you can stay warm no matter what you’re driving. The cord is almost 2.5 metres long so it can reach any seat in the car, promising winter car rides full of cosiness.
Admittedly, I do have my doubts about this invention.
Long loose wires are surely an accident waiting to happen if they get tangled around your legs – which are vital limbs when it comes to driving a car.
You might be warm, but you still need to be able to hit the brake pedal.
Also, if your coordination isn’t the best and you need the occasional glance down to make sure you’re hitting the right pedal – well honestly you probably shouldn’t be driving – but having a blanket blocking your view, or potentially getting trapped around your foot isn’t going to help.
As well as getting tangled up in the wire and having your foot swaddled dangerously in the blanket, it doesn’t have an on or off-switch, so you have to be able to reach the cigarette lighter to unplug it if you get too hot.
It seems like it could be quite the hazard if you’re in control of a moving vehicle at the same time.
But despite the potential risks, the blanket would definitely make a great gift for yourself – or any other trustworthy and competent driver who’s always cold.
I trust you’d be able to make the correct judgement about whether you can juggle the responsibilities of the blanket and driving.
The description promises the blanket automatically maintains a comfortable temperature to prevent any overheating injuries, and it’s even said to boast a handy plastic case with handles, perfect for convenient storage.
The warming accessory is available from £26.62 in both navy blue and a black-and-white checkered design on the UK Amazon, as well as in a red and a green checkered design on the US Amazon site, so you can choose the colour which best compliments your vehicle.
The blanket would certainly provide the perfect, cosy solution to cold car rides – just don’t say I didn’t warn you of potential dangers.
Drive warmly and safely!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.