This website is really not here to tout any particular company or technology but after this past weekend I have to shout about OnStar.

I was in Dallas, Texas this past week working at a convention in the area of part of my business. I do this quite often—travel to a city with product, set up in a convention hall and sell for the weekend. Of course means I must break down and pack my trailer at the end of the show. This also means there may be nasty people waiting for me to leave the building. This time there were nasty people waiting for me. I don’t feel I made a mistake in my judgment that led to this situation—they were there and so was I.

They tried to stop me three blocks from the event area but I didn’t fall for it—knocked on my window to say there was something wrong with my trailer. I didn’t open the door or lower the window. I went back to the convention hotel where there was light and people and checked it—no problems. Nasty people averted right? No, they followed me on the freeway for 8+ miles—they could see me and my big, red trailer—I just couldn’t see them.

Dinner was at the IHOP. I have eaten there before and had no problems. All of the sudden the staff is telling me someone broke into my car and that they had already called the police. There it was—smashed and grabbed. Lots of damage from drivers side over to passenger side—amazing what a cinder block can do to glass windows and plastic interiors.

So now what to do? Late on Sunday, no window on one door and glass everywhere!! I called OnStar and they spent at least thirty minutes trying to find a glass company for me at that late hour. No luck but they tried and they cared. I realized that I should have hit the red emergency button immediately when they tried the first time to get me to open the door or window. OnStar would have known exactly where I was through GPS and would have contacted the police to help me right away. It is technology, it is helpful. I am not afraid of it but I just didn’t think of it in that way.

So, I have learned my lesson. I have taken the time in the past few days to look at every tech item I own and to judge their uses in such a situation. Some cell phones can call 911 wherever they are—find out if yours does and then use it if you have to! Some other brands of cars have similar units to Onstar—find out if yours does and use it. If you have none of the above consider them for your next phone, or car. This would truly be the grand use of technology that I feel some inventors meant it to be—you are not alone and technology is your friend.