WANT TO HELP? PLEASE DO, ALTHOUGH SOME MAY SUE YOU FOR YOUR TROUBLE
- Josh Max, Auto Gigolo
Archive for the ‘Useful to know’ Category
New Year’s day is most popular day for car thieves
In Useful to know on January 1, 2011 at 2:06 am
A nation of honkers – AOL Autos article
In Useful to know on November 26, 2010 at 2:36 pmNew law punishes inattentive, incompetent drivers who kill
In Safety, Useful to know on October 12, 2010 at 1:18 pmCONSEQUENCES FOR CAR “ACCIDENTS” CAUSING DEATH
In the circle of auto pundits I travel in, many say “crashes” instead of ”accidents” because “accident” implies a circumstance out of the driver’s control, rather than what usually causes highway crashes—driver error, inattention or incompetence.
How many hundreds of millions of drivers are there out there on the road—and what sort of testing do we require to judge competence? Exactly one road test, and no follow-up test, except for eyesight, our entire lives—not in a year, not in ten years, not in fifty years. Don’t we also need tests for hearing, reflexes, ability to respond to emergency situations?
How seriously, then, do we currently take vehicular manslaughter? Not very.
Hayley and Diego’s Law, reported below by the NY Daily News, may not save any lives in the short term, but it’s another affirmative step in sending the message that the government, responsible for issuing licenses to drive, is taking vehicular incompetence and inattention as seriously as driving while impaired/drunk.
- Josh Max, Auto Gigolo
Slow down? Us? Forget it!
In Useful to know on September 23, 2010 at 1:20 pmEXPERTS: U.S.A. FULL OF LEADFOOT CHARLIES DESPITE HIGH GAS PRICES
We’ve had two years of extreme belt-tightening, and gas prices continue to hover at around $3.00 a gallon nationally.
But are we using a socked foot instead on the gas pedal instead of lead?
Not on your life, according to Department of Energy, who say aggressive highway behavior such as speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower gas mileage by a whopping 33% at highway speeds, and 5% around town.
Also, are you shocked and appalled at pump prices? You pay more more if you’re Speed Racer out there, according to The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) who say drivers can assume each 5 MPH they drive above 60 MPH hikes the price they pay for the flammable red stuff. ”It’s like paying an additional 20 cents a gallon for gas, ” said a spokesperson.
Auto Gigolo, not slowing down, at Poconos Raceway
According to a GHSA survey of state highway safety agencies, just one state—Wisconsin—has reported a noticeable level of slower vehicle speeds stemming from recent price hikes. Officials there say traffic volume is down slightly, but speeds are also down, which may account for the fewer and less serious traffic crashes across the whole state.
“I try to remember to slow down,” says Eduardo Rodriguez of upper Manhattan. “But today, it’s always hurry, hurry, hurry everywhere you go. Everybody’s gotta be there yesterday.”
Commercial vehicles are slowing slightly, state troopers report, with many traveling at or below the speed limit. A handful of other states note the reduced speed of commercial vehicles, likely resulting from more trucking companies setting policies that require their drivers to stay below a set speed, such as 67 mph. In addition to helping fight the cost of record-high gas prices, slowing down also increases the likelihood of surviving a crash.
But slowing down isn’t just about saving money, or gas. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in a high-speed crash, a passenger vehicle is subjected to forces so severe that the vehicle structure cannot withstand the impact of the crash and maintain survival space in the occupant compartment. Further evidence comes from a 2005 study that showed even a small reduction in speed can have a big impact on lives saved.
In the report, published in the Transportation Research Record, author Rune Elvik found that a 1 percent decrease in travel speed reduces injury crashes by about 2 percent, serious injury crashes by about 3 percent and fatal crashes by about 4 percent. These reductions are critically needed, experts say, as speeding remains a serious highway safety problem. Nearly 13,500 people died in speed-related crashes in 2006.
GHSA Chairman Christopher J. Murphy says, “Nationally, GHSA members report that we are not seeing any noticeable decreases in travel speeds by passenger vehicles. However, given the extremely high gas prices and life-saving benefits of slowing down, we urge the public to ease off the accelerator.”
- Josh Max, Auto Gigolo
Do ask, do tell—and get it in writing, carbuyers.
In Useful to know on May 3, 2010 at 12:09 pmTrucks to blame for dinged-up roads, study says
In Useful to know on April 14, 2010 at 10:06 pmKINDA BORING, BUT WORTH KNOWING DEPT.
Drivers put up with flats, damage to their vehicles and even crashes due to our many-potholed roads, but it’s not just a local phenomenon. From 1995 to 2005, the weight load on urban highways increased by half due to the increased weight of trucks on our streets and highways, according to Federal Highway Administration statistics.
Our bridges are also feeling the strain; a 2006 study by the Department of Transportation Inspector General of 43 bridges in Massachusetts, New York and Texas found that at least 12 of them allowed vehicles to cross that were heavier than the bridge’s maximum weight limit. 11 of those did not have the required posting signs. Some engineering experts speculate that the wear and tear over the years of heavier loads could be one of the factors that triggered the collapse of the interstate bridge in Minneapolis August 1.
“More weight wouldn’t be a problem if the highway system was regularly and adequately maintained because well-kept roads and bridges can handle the added weight,” says University of Texas civil engineer professor C. Michael Walton. The maximum amount of truck weight New York City roads allow is 73,280.
Clayton Boyce, a spokesman for the American Trucking Association, said it is unfair to single out trucks. “Yes, (the deterioration is due to) an increase in traffic and an increase in cumulative truck weight, but there has been a similar increase in the number of automobiles,” Boyce said.
Mark Berndt, chairman of the truck weight committee for the National Academies of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board, said the United States has some of the strictest weight limits of any industrialized nations, limiting trucks on the federal interstate system to 80,000 pounds, a limit that has been around for decades. State roads, however, can allow heavier trucks. Trucks in Europe can go up to 97,000 pounds and Canada and Mexico allow up to 100,000 pounds, he said.
“There’s no doubt that the truck has more of an impact on a bridge than a car, but it’s really being driven by the nature of our economy,” said Berndt. “Certainly truck traffic has increased far more than anyone predicted. That’s been one of the big issues in transportation in the last 10 to 15 years. Berndt also said farmers who used to drive small trucks are now using bigger and heavier tractor trailers in rural areas. - Josh Max, AutoGigolo
PS Your ride STINKS! Here’s how to fix it.
In Useful to know on March 24, 2010 at 1:03 pmAuto Gigolo reveals how to de-stank ya ride, Clyde. Courtesy of AOL AUTOS.
Read.
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat!
AutoGigolo in Paris
In Useful to know on July 6, 2009 at 10:16 amEven a sick job like testing cars requires a pullover here and there.
AG takes Paree.
We at AutoGigolo have been in Paris for the last week, absorbing. Recharging. Filling the tires. Polishing the windshield. Digging Peugeots and Renaults and—
WALKING! Holy mother of Jupiter! About 10 miles a day—the Louvre alone has to be 100.
Back soon with more fun stuff.
Meantime, watch your mirrors.
- Josh Max, AutoGigolo.com
New motorcyclist? Read on.
In Useful to know on June 18, 2009 at 3:47 pmMotorcycling is fun, motorcycle is hot— and motorcycling is dangerous.
AutoGigolo.com's Josh Max rounds a corner near Denver, CO.
It’s right up there with sex, chocolate and rock ‘n’ roll—motorcycling’s a blast. It also carries hazards that could mean your death or dismemberment, tough guy. Though it’s impossible to completely eliminate every risk this pastime carries, there are ways you can help reduce the hazards if you’re a new rider.
Get licensed A bike is subject to the same laws a car is, and a regular driver’s license isn’t enough to legally ride; you need to obtain a class M rating on your license. Get pulled over without one and you’ll be towed. Log onto www.nysdmv.com and enter “motorcycle” in the search engine for more information on how to apply for a class M.
Wear full gear
In the event of even a minor spill, a biker and his or her bike will slide, and even a few feet of skidding on pavement will take the flesh right off your body. Ideally you should wear heavy-duty gear even if it’s warm, but at the very least, long jeans, denim and gloves are musts. And don’t forget the helmet—it’s the law in New York.
Watch for cars making a left turn
This is one of the most common causes of car-motorcycle clashes. If you’re approaching an intersection and see a car with its left directional on, pay very close attention and be prepared to stop or take evasive action as cars often misjudge both the distance and speed of motorcycles when turning in front of them, if they notice bikers at all.
Don’t tailgate It’s tempting to close every available inch of space between you and the guy in front of you, as car drivers will do. But a motorcycle operates on a different set of stopping rules than an automobile, the biggest one being that car drivers don’t have to keep their cars upright, so maintain your distance.
Don’t ride above your ability If you’re just starting out, take it easy, especially if you’re riding in a pack. It’s tempting to try and keep up with the at the front of the line, but better to swallow the pride, fall behind and keep body and soul together than to try and prove you’re as good as riders who’ve been at it longer. Skill will come in time.
Don’t drink or use drugs, prescription or otherwise, and drive Also, experts recommend, don’t ride when you’re fatigued, in an extreme hurry or have just been canned from your job. Pay attention and don’t let your mind wander; it only takes a split second to go from thrill to a spill.
Consider a safety course. This is the best way to learn, and you may get a break on your insurance. Ty van Hooydonk, a spokesman for the Motorcycle Industry Council, says motorcycle safety courses don’t have to be a bore. “The training stuff isn’t just all about strictly safety,” he told the Daily News. “It’s also about fun.”
To inquire about a safety course near you, call (800) 446-9227 or visit www.msf-usa.org
- Josh Max, AutoGigolo.com
