Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/89721
where cellphones roam AVOID THE POST-VACATION 'OUCH' Between checking Facebook, using Google Maps and calling home, you can burn through a lot of minutes and data on vacation. And with international roaming charges running as high as $7 per minute (plus long-distance fees) and $25 per megabyte, an eye-popping bill could be your welcome-home gift. Plan ahead to prevent unwelcome surprises. Call your service provider Before you go, check the voice and data rates that you'll be charged in the country you're visiting. And confi rm that your phone will work in your destination at all. If it will, ask whether you can add an inter- national roaming package to your plan. Many carriers will also send you text notifi cations when you're close to your data limit. Sniff out Wi-Fi To avoid roaming fees, turn off the data- and voice-roaming settings on your phone and look for Wi-Fi hotspots — often free or inexpensive in hotels, cafés and public places. If you have a smartphone, use Skype or another low- cost Internet phone app to make your long-distance calls. Unlock your phone Canadian cellphones are linked to specifi c networks, but most service providers will unlock them for a fee. This allows you to swap out your SIM card (the removable chip that determines the phone's network and number) for a local, prepaid SIM card, purchased upon arrival. Lock your keypad Click that padlock icon, or shut off your phone completely when you're not using it. The dreaded pocket dial can have costly consequences abroad. AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE A TRACKPANTS PARTY: They were called the Alberta Team. You'd think they were heading off to the Junior Olympics. But no, these Grade 6 students were chosen to represent Alberta at the National School Safety Patrol Jamboree in Ottawa in 1995. If you can muster the courage to admit that you're one of these kids in snazzy suits, email us (westworld@ama.ab.ca) or tag yourself on Facebook.com/AMASchoolSafetyPatrol. You can view more photos and share your school stories while you're there. iStock WESTWORLD >> NOVEMBER 2012 13 up front Road Smarts TEST YOUR Q: TRUE OR FALSE? To stop safely on a slippery road in a vehicle equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), you should pump the brake pedal. A: False. Pumping the brakes sends the wrong message to the ABS computer, increasing your stopping distance. Instead, apply steady and constant pressure to the brake pedal, and don't take your foot off until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. It's normal to feel some vibration as this is happening.