Car Ownership Overrated
March 16, 2014
America’s obsession with car ownership has reached its climax. The old glory days, the days when a car was a pivotal piece of the American Dream, are long gone. The cost of living in the modern world leaves little room for vehicle purchases, much less insurance, registration, inspection, maintenance, gas and parking money. However, the rapidly-increasing rideshare industry is giving new generation drivers all the freedoms of the open road, without the headaches of these costly hassles.
Today’s city-dwellers have a growing selection of driving options available. Zipcar, for example, is now offered in over 100 US cities, plus Toronto, Vancouver and London. Their incredibly smart business has grown quite a bit over the years, with convenient mobile access, coveted downtown parking locations, and a large enough fleet to keep customers extremely satisfied. In San Francisco, the City CarShare program provides 330 cars at 180 Bay Area sites that can be reserved for just $5.50 per hour. Meanwhile, RelayRides has a $2 per hour rate, and is available in both San Francisco and Boston. However, the fleet is stretched rather thin and careful planning is required. Other rideshare programs are popping up around the states, such as erideshare.com, ridebuzz.org, ridester.com, and carpoolworld.com, though these services are operating with a more Wild West-type style. People post rides offered, as well as rides wanted, and the vehicle you end up with could be anything from a brand new VW to a cologne-soaked El Camino.
This evolving attitude towards car ownership is sure to support the expansion of such services in the future, and could usher in a new era of transportation culture – a new American Dream where everyone can afford to drive a car, where parking spaces are always plentiful, and where we can finally put a dent in the environmental problems caused by our aging obsession with gas-guzzling vehicles.
Siri Vs. Safety
March 16, 2014
Apple’s favorite femme-bot, Siri, may help prevent distracted driving in future cars. Or, she may help promote it. There’s two sides to every story, and in this case it’s Apple versus the safety experts.
Apple revealed its new CarPlay technology at a recent auto show – a sort of auto app that integrates smartphone technology with the common car’s center-stack controls. In the Volvo, for example, the vertical center touch screen is transformed into an enlarged copy of the iPhone, with digital climate controls on either side. The essential driving apps are all there for you – including music, maps, podcasts and third-party music streaming – and the ever-present Siri is there to help you use them while keeping your eyes on the road. However, Apple has not said whether apps such as facebook and twitter will be available.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kqgrGho4aYM
9 Years in Prison After Texting While Driving
March 15, 2014
A 22-year old was texting while driving one day… His decision left a scene of damage, destruction and death. Now he’ll spend at least nine years in prison.
America’s Most Wanted: A Good Mechanic
March 14, 2014
Much like the elusive unicorn or shaved-butt yeti, a trustworthy mechanic is a rare specimen. However, they do exist and hunting down a good one is of the utmost importance.
Getting ripped off is always a concern, and ensuring a long life for your car is obviously important. But, it’s not just the vehicle’s life you should be worried about. A good mechanic will make your own life safer by preventing breakdowns and blowouts before they occur, as well as addressing visibility and traction issues. They will check seemingly trivial yet incredibly important items such as wipers, lights, brakes, tires and fluids – all the essentials. Some will even do these checks for free when you bring the car in for a routine oil change.
So, if you want to ensure a long life for yourself and your car – without breaking the bank – then let the hunt for a good mechanic begin!
Glow-in-the-dark Roadkill Solution
March 14, 2014
Rudolph may have a bright nose, but reindeer in Finland are known to glow in the dark. Thanks to a newly developed reflective paint, the number accidents caused by road-crossing reindeer is sure to go down. Now available online, this accident-preventing paint may begin appearing in deer-saturated areas across the U.S., as well as on neighborhood pets prone to escaping into nearby roadways.
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/20/finnish-reindeer-glow-in-dark-accident-prevention/
LEFT LANE FOR PASSING ONLY!
March 13, 2014
When learning how to drive, we all must study the basic rules of the road. One of these basics is the use of the left lane. Even though everyone learns that the left lane is for passing, people often seem to forget. The government has invested in plenty of “LEFT LANE FOR PASSING ONLY” signs on our interstates and highways, and yet people continue to sit in the left lane for long stretches of road.
The left lane cruisers are more than just annoying, they are unlawful and a detriment to traffic flow. In fact, many states have specific “keep right” laws, and recently in Georgia a new bill passed to go after left lane sitters.
So, don’t be that guy. If you’re driving slower than the speed of traffic, then keep right. If you need to pass a car, then pass on the left and then move it back over. This simple courtesy can prevent road rage and traffic buildup, and possibly give you a few karma points.
Distracted Driving is About More Than Just Texting
March 12, 2014
There’s been a lot of fuss about texting while driving lately – and rightly so. However, the fact is that drivers can be distracted by a variety of different things. Just because the cell phone is put away does not necessarily mean you’re home free.
Anything that takes your attention away from the road is potentially fatal. The list of distractions is as multifaceted as America. Food, pets, makeup and even music (if it’s too good) can be dangerous for drivers, especially the careless and the inexperienced.
Image: Thomas R Machnitzk
What You Need to Know About Tire Blowouts
March 12, 2014
A tire blow out could send your vehicle rolling off the interstate in the blink of an eye. And to think, the simple “penny trick” could easily prevent this potentially fatal crash. Learn how to prevent blow outs, as well as how to react to blow outs from the good people at the National Safety Commission.
http://alerts.nationalsafetycommission.com/2012/02/how-to-handle-tire-blow-outs.html
Reality Check: The Truth Behind Big Screen Car Racing
March 12, 2014
In the movies, cars can drive 200 mph, drift around turns, straighten out and be just fine. But, how many times do you think they shot that scene? How many cars do you think they killed in the process?
Ronin’s pivotal car chase ate up 80 cars… and that was with the help of Formula One driver Jean-Pierre Jarier. Transformers 3 destroyed a grand total of 532 cars. The Fast & Furious trilogy has crashed more than 900 cars… and counting.
That’s the reality. Even professional racers and stunt drivers can’t consistently keep pace with what you see on the big screen. And yet, teens and immature adults continue to attempt this insane driving on public roads. Well, the truth is playing speed racer is more likely to leave you broke-down and embarrassed if you’re lucky. Arrest and/or death are the more likely results.
No, it’s better to get your driving tips from the less popular crowd, aka parents and instructors. It may not seem like the “cool” thing to do, but it’s way cooler to drive like a sane person and stay alive than to drive like a lunatic and put everyone’s lives in danger.
Feeling unsatisfied by this sobering blog post? If you really have the need for speed, if you really must live life in the fast lane, then give the local race track a call. Many venues host educational events, offer training and open up their tracks for the public. There are also motorsports clubs and autocross events. Or, you could give NASA a call – the National Auto Sport Association, that is. These options allow new racers to learn how to drive correctly, and they do it far, far away from public roadways where fatalities may occur.
Texting While Driving Accidents Drastically Underreported
March 10, 2014
Texting while driving is an ever-increasing concern among safety experts. However, a new study by the National Safety Council revealed that this problem is actually much worse than it appears. While 50% of accidents were caused by drivers who admitted cell phone use, the official report showed very convincing evidence that cell phone-related accidents were vastly underreported.
Provided by Nationwide Insurance