BRICKBATS FOR BOUQUETS
Mint makes you drive better, but beware of lavender. Here’s why you should pay more attention to the smells in your car.

The next time you get into your car, sniff hard. Because, says the UK-based RAC Foundation for Motoring, the wrong smell in a car could lead to road rage, nodding off, speeding and even serious accidents. The smells could be anything from the odours released by a once-soggy fast food wrapper or last night’s bhelpuri bits to that ‘lavender’ air freshener.
The RAC is an independent charity established to promote the environmental, economic, mobility and safety issues relating to motor vehicle use. It followed up on a recent study on odours and driving carried out by the West Virginia Wheeling Jesuit University and conducted some extensive research of its own.
“Smells impact our driving considerably, much more than we think,’’ says Sue Nicholson, head of campaigns at RAC Foundation. According to the RAC study, sense of smell, more than any other, skips the brain’s logical parts and acts on the emotional systems, which is why, for instance, the smell of baking bread can make even a determined dieter’s plans go haywire.
So who are the potential culprits?
• Give that air freshener a closer look. Camomile, jasmine and lavender are all used in the treatment of insomnia and could make drivers to relax a bit too much.
•The aroma of pastries or freshly-grilled kebabs or the smell emanating from a McDonald wrapper may provoke a tendency to drive fast, lead to irritability, and cause road rage since these could make drivers feel hungry and eager to cater to their appetites.
•Some drivers could find the smell of fresh cut grass or roadside flowers relaxing, but others could be lulled into daydreams, often involving empty blacktops, which could lead to them not realising the speeds they are carrying.
•Leather seats and oil may remind some older drivers of more carefree times, like when they got their first cars. This could result in them taking more youngish risks with their driving.
•Some perfumes and aftershaves, with strong sexual associations, could lead to the brain dwelling on horizontal matters rather than on the road ahead.
But not all smells are bad.

Nothing like the ‘new car’ smell to improve focus and dial in caution.	Briny sea air promotes deep breathing which in turn relieves stress.

•Peppermint, cinnamon, lemon and coffee are known to up concentration levels.
•New car smell, that organic solvent and cleaning product combo, also makes drivers concentrate better and generally be more careful.
•Briny sea air — think Marine Drive or Marina Beach — promotes deep breathing, which in turn relaxes muscles and ejects stress.
Keeping your car smelling right also has other advantages. In an earlier Foundation research, a pleasant-smelling car was among the factors that yanked the attractiveness levels of a potential partner.
The way a car smells can also impact its resale value. Total put-offs include:
•Stale smoke. So discourage smoking in the car.
•Sweaty tracks suits and other exercise gear. Long after they have gone, their effluvium remains.
•Pet odour. Wet Tommy stays out.
•Kiddie capers. Did you really, really clean up after little Nikhil did the deed?
•Mouldy air-con. Drive the bacteria out at regular intervals.
•The odour of damp carpets. If your car gets flooded, call up a professional detailer who’ll do a through clean-n-dry.
It helps to stock your car with a bio-friendly deodoriser and dehumidifying unit, says car detailer Gospi Bharucha, who runs The Bike & Car Salon in Mumbai and Pune (see panel below).
Fifty years ahead, says another
Foundation research, we will have cars equipped with in-car systems that are
able to detect a driver’s mood and automatically alter seating position, lighting and temperature to complement it. The same goes for smells.
But until then, the best thing to do, it adds, is to keep a mint or cinnamon-scented freshener that could aid in keeping drivers alert and focussed.

Tommy’s presence will be felt long after he’s out.	Fast food wrappers could spell trouble.

Whiffs and Butts 10 WAYS TO SHOW SMELLS THE DOOR
•Avoid eating or drinking in your car (wet, soggy food is an absolute no-no)
•If you can’t keep food out, ensure the insides are regularly vacuum-cleaned of fallen crumbs.
•Avoid smoking in a vehicle and if you do, roll the window glasses down and ensure ash and tar do not fall or accumulate in the car. The odour of nicotine is very harsh and the smallest particle of ash will emit a persistent odour. Thoroughly clean the insides of the ashtray with a wet and moist cloth.
•Always keep a bio-friendly deodoriser in the car boot. Ensure the deodoriser is mild and does not contain any chemicals or substances that dull and damage upholstery, either leather or fabric. Always spray a few puffs in the car at night.
•A dehumidifying unit, which also filters bad odour, is an ideal buy.
•Dust your shoes before stepping into the car and ensure the soles are free of muck, wet dirt or soiled filth.
•Place additional plastic mats over the original pieces. These mats are easy to remove and clean.
•Ensure no food/sweet wrappers get left in the car. These not only cause odours, but also attract insects.
•Particles of dust, dirt and food tend to gather and settle between the stitched
areas of the seats. Clean the spaces regularly with a moist cloth.
•Heat penetrating into a car can also generate a peculiar odor. Avoid keeping the car in the sun for long hours or cover front and rear windshield with a reflecting sunshade.