Planes, trains and automobiles

I was recently in England again, with a rental car. A VW Golf Bluemotion as it happens - a nifty little 1.6 diesel engine that returned an easy 88mpg (UK) or about 73mpg (US). Think about that for a moment while we apparently struggle to get anything over 40mpg here in America. But that's a topic for another post.
The point of this is that owning and running a car in England is monstrously expensive. To half-fill that Golf on the way back to the airport cost me $75 - so we're looking at close to $150 to brim it from empty (thanks to a nearly 500% tax rate that the UK government levy on fuel). There's a bevy of taxes when you buy a new or used car (delivery tax, luxury car tax, sales tax, showroom tax and so on and so forth) and the annual taxes and costs of running are similarly high. Yet it's increasingly common for families over there to have two or more cars - something unheard of 15 years ago. Why is this?
I'll tell you why - because public transport in the UK is as broken as it's ever been, and even more prohibitively expensive. We needed to get in to London one day whilst there and I wasn't about to pay the extra road tax to get in to London by car (I think that's up to £8/$13 or more per day now) so we chose to take the train. To travel 49 miles to and from London Victoria station cost me £38 in train tickets each - so £76 for the pair of us (about $105). The journey was 90 minutes, averaging a whopping 32mph. Half way there the train broke down and we had to stand around at a station waiting 20 minutes for the one behind us to catch up, thus meaning double the number of commuters all jammed into a single train.
When we got to London it cost another £17 in tube tickets to travel - wait for it - two stops on the tube. They don't do single tickets any more - you need to buy an all-day TravelCard even if you're only traveling one station. Tip: if you get the TravelCard when you buy the train ticket, it's much cheaper. I found this out when I got home. Nice that the guy at the station ticket hall didn't bother to tell me this when I bought the tickets.
This situation hasn't improved since we left the UK in 2001 when it was already expensive and inconvenient to use public transport and/or run a car. Since then the cost of fuel has doubled; the underlying price-per-litre for petrol has only gone up about 20p but because of all the taxes on top, the end price to the customer goes up exponentially. In the same time the cost of public transport has doubled while the number of services have been slashed.
So it's really a case of the lesser of two evils. Sitting in your own car with your own music, even if it is in endless lines of traffic, paying through the nose for fuel, taxes and the "priveledge" to use roads that haven't seen proper maintenance in years, is still a much better option than being abused in a smelly train.

Guest post : Car Decal Questions Answered

I thought this was a timely post as the science fiction nerd in me recently caused me to put a new decal on the rear window of my daily driver.

Car decals (and car window decals) continually raise common questions for car owners about adhesive, material, and life-expectancy. These common questions are outlined and answered below.
Will car decals damage the car's paint?
Car owners asking if a decal that is applied to the body of the vehicle might ruin the paint should order a special adhesive that is produced specifically to not damage the paint. These adhesives are no less strong than other adhesives and will last just as long. The only difference is that when/if they are removed it will not bring the paint with it. Another material used as a substitute is a low-tack decal. These decals are made of fabric and apply to the car like masking tape. These can be removed damage free as well.
How are car decals installed?
Decal installation for either the body of the car or the window is simple, but must be done carefully because if done incorrectly it can be a costly mistake. Clean the vehicle or the window especially around the area in which the decal in going to be placed. Measure the window to find the center point. Tape the decal to the body or window and begin to slowly remove the backing paper and apply the decal. Use a squeegee to apply the adhesive to the car and drag out bubbles that might form. Do this slowly so that the decal does not fold on itself as the backing paper is removed. Once the decal is applied, use a razor blade to trim the edges and remove any extra material to blend the decal better.
Can car decals be washed?
Car decals and any type of car window decals are both car wash safe. The ink printed on the material is embedded in the decal. Still, it is important not to clean or scrub directly on the imagery and the decal in general. Any dramatic rubbing could potentially scratch the decal.
What is the right size for a car decal?
Measure the area of the car which the decals is being applied. This is a simple process. Suppliers of decals may have standard sizes but every car, whether by the measurement of the body or the windows, is different. Measure around the area to figure out what size the decal needs to be in order to fit that area.
How are car decals removed?
To remove car decals use a focused hear source against the decals surface. This heat source could be a heat gun or a hair dryer. That heat those machines project will loosen the adhesive that is sticking to the surface of the car. Once the adhesive is loosened the decal can be lifted of the car easily. Window decals should be removed using a razor blade to lift the adhesive.
For more information on car decals, visit Signazon.com.

Would I like to drive a Ferrari? Yes, yes please.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I'd recently been over to Europe on business. One weekend during my stay I hopped on a train down to Milan to see an old friend, and had the whistle-stop tour of the city. At a certain point, we 'accidentally' stumbled on the Ferrari store and I was impressed by the ability of the prancing horse to market everything. The store obviously had Ferrari-branded merchandise - everything from shirts and mugs to cellphones and key rings. But upstairs they had an interesting display of used parts for sale. Fancy the crankshaft from an F2008 F1 car, used in a race? For €3850 you can take it home in a nice glass display case. Same goes for connecting rods, pistons, valves, and even smaller items like cam cover screws. If a full-sized engine is more your speed, you can have a raced F1 engine from the 2003 or 2005 season, nicely mounted on a pedestal, for a pinch under €12000. It was an impressive display of marketing and being an F1 fan I could easily see how a hard-core Tifosi would empty their bank account for some of the items on sale. I personally particularly liked the carbon fibre front wing from the F2010 that they had mounted over the stairs, but (a) - it was predictably expensive and (b) - I don't have anywhere to put it (never mind (c) - how do I get it back across the Atlantic?)
Outside the store were two Ferrari California 30s (a hardtop and a Spyder) and a Lamborghini Gallardo, and as I was browsing their forms, a store representative came over and asked if I'd like to drive one of them. Obviously, the answer was yes, but only if I could take it out of the city to the nearby Monza track. Sadly of course that wasn't what was on offer. I could drive one of these beauties around Milan's choked streets if I liked, as long as I paid the insurance and rental cost. Tempting, but pointless. Ferraris and Lambos don't drive very easily at slow speeds (so Top Gear tells me) and it would seem cruel to be behind the wheel of such a car and not be able to use it as it was intended. I'll have to wait for another time and another place.

Guest post : Caution! Roads Slippery When Wet

When the temperature declines it seems people forget how to drive ... leading to more winter-related accidents. The Federal Highway Administration reported snow and sleet weather conditions make up for approximately 225,00 crashes and 870 deaths annually; icy pavements make up for approximately 190,100 crashes and 680 deaths annually. To help prepare you for driving in winter conditions, here's what you need to know:

Roads Get Slippery

According to the Federal Highway Administration, 24 percent of vehicle crashes each year are weather-related including rain, sleet, snow and fog. Be careful while driving in the snow or rain; the roads will become very slick because of oil spills and excess gunk on the roads brought up by the wet weather.

Beware of "black ice." This term refers to water frozen onto dark roadways, freezing black like the street. Motorists don't see this and while they pass over this area their car can slide; have good tires with great traction, engage your four-wheel drive, drive cautiously and keep your windshield clean. Bollards (the short vertical posts in white or yellow generally made out of cement) are setup to stop cars from sliding or driving into things such as pumps at gas stations, but are not a good protection from black ice.

Snow Chains/Winter Tires

The use of snow chains is recommended by Roads and Maritime Services when driving in very poor winter conditions. Snow chains help drivers reduce accidents in their design; chain devises are fitted to the tires to provide maximum traction when driving through snow and ice and helps prevent sliding. In some states it is illegal to drive with snow chains. In Michigan, tire chains are allowed if it is, "required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid," but the chain must not come in contact with the surface of the roadway.

"Summer" tires don't have enough tread and have little to no grip in snow; have both summer and winter sets of tires if you live in an area with extreme seasons. To have adequate snow traction, your tires need to have at least 6/32-inch deep tread, according to The Tire Rack.

Daytime Running Lights

Ambient lighting can be poor during the wintertime. To prevent accidents or running into snow poles, you should drive with your headlights on low beam, even during daytime to improve your visibility to other road users, according to Roads & Maritime Services. When the weather turns especially bad, turn on your vehicle's fog or head lights.

Get a Vehicle Check-Up

Have a mechanic to thoroughly check your vehicle before the winter season approaches. They could find existing problems that might get worse in the winter months. Check the tires, battery, brakes, cooling system, engine and windshield.

Don't skimp on new windshield wiper blades during winter; with the constant snow, rain and hail it will be a huge hazard if you don't have working wiper blades, making it close to impossible to drive. Fill your windshield washer system with anti-icing fluid. If you're parking outside or will be away from your car for a few hours, protect your windshield wipers by lifting them off your windshield or placing them in a plastic bag so they won't stick to the glass.

What Do You Do If Your Car Skids

According to The Weather Channel, here's what you need to know in case your front or rear wheels skid:

If Your Rear Wheels Skid

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If Your Front Wheels Skid

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

Your alternator doesn't charge your battery the way you think it does.

It's a common misconception among drivers that if their battery is flat (by which I mean dead), a good long drive will charge it up. After all the alternator generates power, right? Well yes, and no. Have you ever seen or driven a car where, as you sped up, the lights got brighter? That's because the battery was dead and all the electrical power was coming from the alternator with no battery to act as a load-balancer.
Bear in mind here the distinction between a low charge, and a flat, dead battery. Yes - alternators can revive batteries that have drained somewhat, but they can't revive a dead one (or at least it's not recommended to try). When people say 'flat battery' they normally mean 'low charge'. A truly flat battery is one that is nearly dead.
In a properly functioning car, the battery is there to start the car and be an electrical load-balancer. After the initial current draw of the starter motor, the alternator takes over and runs all the loads (lights, wipers, radios and other electrical gear) whilst providing a topping-off charge to the battery. Run that battery down far enough (under about 10v) and either the alternator won't recharge it, or it will damage the cells and give them a surface charge that will draw off so fast that it makes the charge useless. The alternator can't really be relied on to recharge a fully dead battery. So much so that most alternators have a warning label like this on the box when you buy them:

The alternator in most cars is typically sized to match the demands of the running car. In other words, when the engine is on and the car is running, the alternator provides the required electrical load for all the equipment and typically doesn't offer much more than about a 5%-10% overhead for the topping-off charge. To fully charge a nearly dead battery could take a very long drive with everything electrical turned off and as stated above, could result in a near-useless surface charge (and/or a dead alternator). A quick 10 minutes down the motorway isn't doing anything for you.
That's why you should invest in a battery charger if you ever find yourself with a very low battery. Use the grid's power supply to charge your car's battery instead of trying to overload your alternator. Chargers come in many sizes from 0.75 to 1.5 amps for slow 'trickle' charging, all the way up to 200 amp quick chargers (although you'll need a dedicated electrical supply for something that beefy). Optimate, Battery Tender and Black & Decker all do reasonable chargers in the $20 to $60 range, available from most local car parts stores or online mega vendors, and using them is pretty easy.
They'll typically come with a variety of connectors - clamps, ring connectors and accessory plugs. The accessory plug might seem like the ideal choice but many modern cars don't have live 12v accessory sockets when the ignition is off, plus you're trying to charge a hefty car battery through tiny cables so I just wouldn't recommend that. Ring connectors are good if you need to charge the battery time and time again because you can wire one end of the charging cable permanently to the battery.
The most useful connectors are going to be the crocodile clips. Simple to use - connect the red one to the positive battery terminal and the black on to the somewhere on the chassis or engine, plug the charger in and leave it alone. A decent modern charger will be able to charge in three or four different modes - bulk charge, top-off and maintenance are the most common three. It should choose which mode to use based on the condition of the battery, and there'll be a light or indicator on the charger to tell you what's going on.
Two final points : some cars, notably high end Audis and VWs, have their 12v battery in the trunk or under the driver's seat. Typically they'll have charging posts under the hood somewhere for easy access - Audi put theirs under a plastic flap at the back of the engine bay, in the middle. Flip it open and there's a "+" post in there. For the negative terminal, just clamp the clip to any part of the chassis or engine where there's bare metal.
And secondly : if you have to keep charging the battery, it means either your alternator is about to give up, or more likely, the battery itself is about to give up. Expect 3 to 4 year's life out of a normal 12v car battery, irrespective of what the manufacturer or guarantee tells you. 5 years is out of the ordinary. 6 years is extreme. If you live anywhere with wild temperature swings, expect 2 to 3 years before you need a replacement.

Cars and their tolerance of extremes.

Last summer I would drive home from work in the afternoon and regularly see temperatures in the 39°C to 41°C range. A couple of weeks ago, I drove to work in the morning and it was -15°C. I live in a moderately temperate part of the world but even so, a seasonal temperature swing of 56°C is a torture test for cars. To put it another way, if you shifted that temperature so the bottom end was zero celcius and filled a bath with water at that temperature, you'd freeze to death in a matter of minutes. If you replaced it with water at 56°C, you'd scald or burn within seconds. And yet we drive cars that we expect to deal with the same temperature swings. Ok it's not cold enough here to need to light a fire under the car to keep all the liquids from freezing and gelling - that's northern Alaska territory - but even so - 56°C temperature swing. Think about it. We expect the paint and finish on the outside of the car to tolerate that temperature difference. We expect the engine to start every morning and for the brakes, steering and suspension to work. We expect to be comfortable inside with the air either warmed or cooled from ambient outside temperatures to something like 18°C in the cabin. We expect windows to defrost, wipers to work, and electrical systems to function. We expect to be able to sit in long traffic jams on the hottest days without the engine overheating, and to warm up quickly on the coldest days so as to be usable in a hurry. And for the most part, every modern car can deal with these extremes (and more) without any hesitation. So take a minute next time you're driving in absurd weather, to thank the designers of your vehicle for providing you with a mode of transportation that is convenient, comfortable and reliable. Compared to the 'good old days' modern drivers have never had it quite so good.