18 Car Accessories for traveling salesman

Accessory #01: Car Dustbin.

Since, we keep on consuming stuff on the road to save time. Tissues followed

Accessory #02: Kotton Tissue – Pullable

Now this pullable tissue – needs to stay at one place on the dashboard dashboard. So deliberated to use a both side tape – But that is not scalable plus it will spoil the dashboard.  So anti Skid mat followed. 

Accessory #03: Anti skid Mat followed

The Mobile with GPS was initially kept on the central console in the cup holder. This is plain wrong. Can be fatal. The time required to switch your eyesight from driver vision to gear box is too much on Expressway and Hilly areas. 

Hence, a robust Mobile holder was the next purchase. Again, I own a Xiaomi MI Max. That’s a large and heavy phone. Almost a Phablet. Hence, I needed a strong mobile holder that can be mounted horizontally. 

Plus, roads beyond the National Highways can be rocky. You don’t want it to be falling off. Hence, finally a slightly expensive Mobile holder. 

Accessory #04: Mobile Holder 

The prime reason for buying MI Max 2 was the battery. However, once on the road and under the sun, the battery discharges faster. 

Hence a USB charger out of the 12V Power Supply was the next accessory. There are generally 3 people in the car. All 3 have 3 different chargers – I have the Flat USB, Shrikant has Type C and Nishant has Apple. 

The cable with the adapter is 3 headed. That helps a lot. Further, the Anti Skid mat becomes the resting ground for at least 2 mobile phones when charging.

Accessory #05: Power Supply Adapter

If I were to pick up a character from Sitcom friends that would be Monica.  I am a bit of a stickler for cleanliness. My day would include getting on all sorts of roads, approaches to the colleges.

Getting a dust pan with a brush and a vacuum cleaner logical step. I am running a Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan in my car. When at Home the car is regularly washed. But washing everyday on the road is a bit of a task. 

The Driver is on a per day basis so it’s kind of difficult to expect him to shower any kind of love towards the car. I still get the local guard to do the needful for a 1 time tip. So here are some accessories for the Car Cleanliness. The Duster is kind of neat. Works like a charm.   

Accessory #06: Vacuum Cleaner 

Accessory #07: Dust Pan with Brush 

Accessory #08: Car Duster

Majority of HoDs & Principals work in a fixed set of hours. 10am to 4:30 pm. Hence, having lunch is NOT an option. You start your day with a really heavy breakfast. 

I personally top it up with Dry Fruits. This helps me go a bit longer. Around 5 PM – the biological clock trips. You are hyper hungry. 

Here are the options. You have a snack. We always carry Unibic Bars and Rajgira Chikki. These are life savers. So you have these at 6 PM. Dinner meetings are a given. 

You want to catch-up with people, local businessmen and more. If we do not have any dinner meetings – we go back to the Hotel. Else, we drive to some other place. Having a tray to sometimes work, kill time, write, eat is a bonus. 

You don’t want to walk into a meeting with tidbits of the food all over your t-shirt. So – here it comes – 

Accessory #09: Steering Wheel Tray, Drink & Laptop Holder

With all the munching happening in the Car – Having aroma control mechanisms are must. Air freshener, perfume and some gel really helps. We generally get a cot or a room for the Driver. 

However, we have been to places where the driver had to sleep in the Car. All humans sweat when they sleep – Driver is no different. Hence, air freshener becomes more imperative. FYI – I get my car cleaned with Dettol each week just to ensure there is no outbreak of any kind of disease within. 

Accessory #10: Godrej AER Pocket

I use sunglasses – ONLY while driving. It takes care of glares. It’s a personal choice. Don’t have any real advisory here. At GreyAtom, the BD team always wears GreyAtom T-Shirts. This is round neck t-shirt. 

There is no real place to park the sunglasses on the t-shirt. When you walk in the meeting with the Sunglasses either parked on your forehead/ head it can be distracting for the other person. The line of sight for the other person keeps on shifting. 

Further, the perception it creates that you are snobbish, a city slicker etc. Hence, the next place to park it is Dabangg style on the t-shirt. Again, it is uncomfortable for the person wearing the Sunglasses. 

I can use a sunglass case and keep it in the bag. However, that’s too much to ask if you are doing 6 – 8 colleges in a Day (some people call it laziness). So, I like to keep things organized and also easy to use. So, here you go.  

Accessory #11: Sunglass Holder for Sun Visor 

I can work at a stretch for 30 hours. Also, I am gifted in the sense that I can fall asleep at will in less than 60 seconds. This one is a no brainer – a horse shoe styled TravelBlue memory foam pillow is just awesome. 

When you are the co-passenger and wish to sleep between 2 touchpoints, it provides for excellent neck support. Couple that with a hoodie on a long drive. 

The warmth and comfort can really help you sleep fast and long. You wake up refreshed.

Accessory #12: Memory Foam – Neck Pillow

Music helps on the road. I upgraded the Gaana to Gaana Plus for 1 reason. You can download songs. The internet kind of sucks on the Highways. Always good to have a backup. So not a hardware but finally a software to make life easier. 

Accessory #13: Gaana App

Got this more as it was made mandatory. The implementation of Fastag is coming up to speed. Think it’s a step in the right direction. Avoids all the windows up/ down, exchange of currency, adjusting the side mesh sun visor. Fastag it is. 

Accessory #14: Fastag

3 People + 1 Driver = 4 People – Luggage + BD material + Goodies + Drive Material. Lots of things to carry. While buying Maruti Ertiga boot space was never a variable. Officially, its 400 Liters! The last row of seats is folded to make way for Luggage. 

That makes luggage room larger. We tried parking some cartons/ boxes bags between 2 seats in the middle row. However, we managed to run out of all space. Filled all cracks and crevices. 

Hence, a roof top carrier. It kind of kills the aesthetics but ergonomics rules. You need ropes to secure the luggage on the carrier. 

Accessory #15: Roof Carrier

You need an accessory to manage the accessories. This is too much. But guilty of buying this one. But did help.

Accessory #16: Foldable Boot Trunk Organizer 

Khaki Cartons are like cop magnets. Moment they spot that you have luggage and especially cartons they will pull you up. Question you. I ended up pitching the GreyAtom business model to at least 2 traffic police. Same 3 documents. PUC, Vehicle Registration and Insurance. 

We got reasonably fed up with this. Hence, got it laminated. Lamination signifies that you are so used to showing this document that they don’t bother a lot. But on a serious note, really happy that traffic police take the effort through vigilance to ensure bad actors are off the road.

Accessory #17: Laminated PUC/ Registration and Insurance

Beyond a point in time, I stopped driving. It’s physically taxing. Moresoever, its emotionally taxing. After driving 400 kms a day, all you want to do is sit in a room, AC on, and watch some stuff on TV. Basically, unwind. 

I like to read to relax and other evolved pursuits. But after a gruelling day that starts at 5 am. You are done. You have to muster energy to speak to your family. Speak to your kid. You don’t have emotional energy. Hence, the driver. 

With the driver, comes a whole host of surprises. Let me just say My Driver got drunk and slammed my car and got in a brawl. Also, got beat up. Features like Car Start Alerts. Geofencing. Driver Recognition. All are necessary. This deserves a separate write-up. Here it is – the last one – Dashboard Cam and GPSs. 

Accessory #18: Kent Cameye