Last weekend we went up into the mountains, "leaf peeping" to see the fall colours on all the trees up there. It was a popular weekend to do it so the roads were choked but none more so than the road we were on trying to get down from a popular destination. In front of me was a Porsche, and in front of him was a minivan with the most terrified, inexperienced driver I've come across in years. This wasn't just your typically bad Utah driver - this was a level of bad that was so dangerous this person should have had his license and vehicle taken away. For the 99.99% of the population that don't live where I do, open up Google earth an search for the Alpine Scenic Highway in Utah. It's a fairly narrow mountain road but it's easily wide enough to get two good-sized US vehicles past each other - pickups, minivans etc. From Sundance Resort down to Provo is about 18 miles and typically takes 30 to 40 minutes or so to complete in a car. Last weekend, it took us 90 minutes. The minivan driver would stop as soon as he came to a corner (there's hundreds of them) or whenever he saw a vehicle coming the other way. He properly had no idea how wide (or narrow) his vehicle was and seemed to be in permanent fear of "falling off" the road. When he was moving, we were crawling along at a good 8 to 9 miles per hour. When we got to the downhill stretch, he had his foot on the brake constantly for 40 minutes. The smell of his cooked brake linings penetrated the air in our car even with the a/c set to recycle. Not only did he have zero idea how to drive on a mountain road, but he also had no idea what he'd done to his brakes. Add to that he had no idea about local laws regarding how many vehicles you can tailback before you have to pull over, or even basic common decency to look in the mirror once in a while and realise what he'd done.
This highlighted an interesting point - people who are properly poor drivers are so bad they don't realise it. This guy had no business being on a mountain road - he was a danger to himself, the people in his van with him and everyone else on the road around him. But entitlement, ignorance, stupidity or selfishness put him there and he had no idea he was doing anything wrong. As someone once said - "you can't compensate for stupid".
Monday, October 8, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Google's harbinger of driving doom
Google recently announced with some fanfare that their self-driving cars have covered more than 300,000 accident-free miles, and that "With each breakthrough we feel more optimistic about delivering this technology to people and dramatically improving their driving experience."
Counter argument: I don't want my driving experience to be "improved" by not having to drive my own car. Also, for the record, since I first drove a car in 1991, I've covered probably the same number of miles (if not more) also without a single accident or insurance claim.
It would seem to me that companies like Google are pouring billions of dollars into research simply to alleviate drivers from the responsibility of their actions. I know I've blogged about this before but I really, truly, honestly cannot imagine a worse future for car owners than cars that drive themselves. I don't know why we need them and I don't know why anyone would want them. However I'm equally sure they'll be forced upon us by misguided insurance companies who will start to penalise drivers for NOT having auto-drive cars. This is the ultimate example of attempting to cure the symptoms of a problem rather than the problem itself. Better driving education, more stringent driving tests and annual re-tests are all it would take to get a reduction in accidents. On top of that, fines for using cellphones in cars would have to be proper punishment. Not $50 here or there, but something more permanent like having your car impounded and crushed.
Here's a thought for you: auto-drive cars will have to have manual overrides. Computer technology is not infallible so the human will always have to be in the loop, same as with aircraft. So what happens when the next generation of drivers, equipped with less training, who are wholly reliant on their cars driving themselves, suddenly have to take control? Would you want to be on the road when that happens? I wouldn't.
One thing's for sure though - self-driving motorbikes won't ever happen so if self-driving cars become the norm, I'll just abandon them in favour of motorcycling. It's more fun anyway and the bike never meddles with what I'm doing. Actually, that does bring about an interesting point: will self-driving cars be able to see motorcyclists better than humans? They certainly couldn't be any worse, given that car drivers cause over 90% of motorcycle accidents. Maybe I do want self-driving cars after all.....
Google's press release: Self-driving cars log 300,000 miles
Counter argument: I don't want my driving experience to be "improved" by not having to drive my own car. Also, for the record, since I first drove a car in 1991, I've covered probably the same number of miles (if not more) also without a single accident or insurance claim.
It would seem to me that companies like Google are pouring billions of dollars into research simply to alleviate drivers from the responsibility of their actions. I know I've blogged about this before but I really, truly, honestly cannot imagine a worse future for car owners than cars that drive themselves. I don't know why we need them and I don't know why anyone would want them. However I'm equally sure they'll be forced upon us by misguided insurance companies who will start to penalise drivers for NOT having auto-drive cars. This is the ultimate example of attempting to cure the symptoms of a problem rather than the problem itself. Better driving education, more stringent driving tests and annual re-tests are all it would take to get a reduction in accidents. On top of that, fines for using cellphones in cars would have to be proper punishment. Not $50 here or there, but something more permanent like having your car impounded and crushed.
Here's a thought for you: auto-drive cars will have to have manual overrides. Computer technology is not infallible so the human will always have to be in the loop, same as with aircraft. So what happens when the next generation of drivers, equipped with less training, who are wholly reliant on their cars driving themselves, suddenly have to take control? Would you want to be on the road when that happens? I wouldn't.
One thing's for sure though - self-driving motorbikes won't ever happen so if self-driving cars become the norm, I'll just abandon them in favour of motorcycling. It's more fun anyway and the bike never meddles with what I'm doing. Actually, that does bring about an interesting point: will self-driving cars be able to see motorcyclists better than humans? They certainly couldn't be any worse, given that car drivers cause over 90% of motorcycle accidents. Maybe I do want self-driving cars after all.....
Google's press release: Self-driving cars log 300,000 miles
Monday, September 24, 2012
Win the AXA competition
AXA Insurance’s new prize giveaway will see one lucky person driving away in a brand new 2012 Ford Focus while three runner ups will receive £200 worth of fuel vouchers to be used at petrol stations throughout the country.
The new Ford Focus has proven to be a popular addition to Ford’s range of cars. Beautiful to look at, fun to drive and fuel efficient, the new Ford Focus has walked away with a plethora of awards from multiple car reviewers and car enthusiasts.
AXA Insurance will be giving away a Ford Focus Studio 85 PS S5 in the colour ‘Colorado Red’ with a 113 BHP 1.6L engine under the bonnet. This 5 door hatchback edition is capable of reaching MPGs in excess of 60 during both motorway driving and city driving while delivering a quick sub-10 second 0-60 time that ensures for smooth overtaking and quick getaways at junctions and traffic lights. The Focus will also come with 12 months worth of road tax fully paid and free insurance on the car up to the value of £500; if the insurance premium exceeds £500, the difference will need to be paid by the prize winner.
Winners will be able to arrange for pick up of the Focus from their local Ford dealership. A small prize ceremony will take place when the Ford Focus is picked up with pictures being taken and interviews with the press.
There are three ways to enter the AXA competition; either apply for an insurance quote through AXA’s website, buy a new policy with AXA or renew an existing policy to be entered into the prize draw. It’s important to note, however, that each prize entrant will only have one chance to win. So, an entrant who gets a quote for insurance from AXA and then buys the policy will only get one entry into the prize draw rather than two. It’s important to note that all entrants must be over 18 years old – entries from entrants younger than 18 will be instantly discarded.
The competition starts on the 25th July 2012 and finishes on the 30th October 2012 at 23:59. The prize draw will be held shortly after the finish of the ‘prize draw period’ and the Ford Focus winner and the fuel voucher runner ups will be notified soon after by telephone and email. If AXA is unable to reach the winner within 4 weeks of the draw taking place, the winner will forfeit their prize and a new draw will take place. A list of the winners and the runners up will also be posted on AXA’s website as well as on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
Don’t delay – enter the prize draw today. You might just be the lucky one who gets to drive away with a brand new Ford Focus.
Visit http://www.axainsurance.com/competitions/ for more details.
The new Ford Focus has proven to be a popular addition to Ford’s range of cars. Beautiful to look at, fun to drive and fuel efficient, the new Ford Focus has walked away with a plethora of awards from multiple car reviewers and car enthusiasts.
Winners will be able to arrange for pick up of the Focus from their local Ford dealership. A small prize ceremony will take place when the Ford Focus is picked up with pictures being taken and interviews with the press.
There are three ways to enter the AXA competition; either apply for an insurance quote through AXA’s website, buy a new policy with AXA or renew an existing policy to be entered into the prize draw. It’s important to note, however, that each prize entrant will only have one chance to win. So, an entrant who gets a quote for insurance from AXA and then buys the policy will only get one entry into the prize draw rather than two. It’s important to note that all entrants must be over 18 years old – entries from entrants younger than 18 will be instantly discarded.
The competition starts on the 25th July 2012 and finishes on the 30th October 2012 at 23:59. The prize draw will be held shortly after the finish of the ‘prize draw period’ and the Ford Focus winner and the fuel voucher runner ups will be notified soon after by telephone and email. If AXA is unable to reach the winner within 4 weeks of the draw taking place, the winner will forfeit their prize and a new draw will take place. A list of the winners and the runners up will also be posted on AXA’s website as well as on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
Don’t delay – enter the prize draw today. You might just be the lucky one who gets to drive away with a brand new Ford Focus.
Visit http://www.axainsurance.com/competitions/ for more details.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Stuck accelerator? Really?
This video surfaced a few weeks ago showing a "terrifying" ordeal for a woman in a car with a "stuck accelerator". You know from my blog that I'm not one for being politically correct, so let me just come out and say it: I think the chances of this being the car and not the driver are pretty much zero. My guess is that she had her foot hard on the accelerator all the time - for whatever reason - maybe thinking it was the brake. She only comes to a stop when the 911 operator tells her to step on the brake and the accelerator at the same time. My guess is that this was the first time she moved her feet in the footwell and discovered she actually wasn't using the brake at all, and when she did, the car (and this is a spoiler alert) stopped. When she gets out of the car, it doesn't zoom off either. If the accelerator was stuck open, as soon as she took her foot off the brake to get out, the car would have taken off again. It's also curious how, when asked if she could shift the transmission into neutral, she said it was "stuck". There's no physical gate or interlock in an automatic transmission that prevents a shifter from being pushed from "D" into "N". That's actually a safety feature - to be able to get into neutral without having to push any buttons or go around a gate. If it was a manual gearbox (unlikely), simply pushing the clutch would disengage the engine.
So why do I have this opinion? Because I've seen the state of driving nowadays and have no faith that claims of unexpected acceleration have anything to do with the car, but everything to do with the driver. This is borne out by countless studies that show that in most cases it is the driver at fault - they had their foot hard on the accelerator, not the brake. (ECU and black boxes don't tend to lie.) In over two-thirds of the cases, it was middle-aged women - exactly what we have in this case. That's not me being sexist, that's a simple fact. The politically-correct term for it is "pedal misapplication". The non politically-correct term for it is drivers who haven't got a clue what they're doing. So I'm sorry to seem heartless, callous and acusatory, but I don't think there's any chance - not a single shred - that this case is any different. I think this woman had her foot hard on the accelerator and only when someone told her to brake, did she brake. I could of course be proven to be wrong (I frequently am), in which case I'll apologise. But numerous studies and statistics are on my side here so I'm not holding my breath.
"Safety regulators, human-error experts and auto makers say driver error is the primary cause of sudden accelerations."
Driver error to blame for most incidents
Video of woman with "stuck accelerator":
So why do I have this opinion? Because I've seen the state of driving nowadays and have no faith that claims of unexpected acceleration have anything to do with the car, but everything to do with the driver. This is borne out by countless studies that show that in most cases it is the driver at fault - they had their foot hard on the accelerator, not the brake. (ECU and black boxes don't tend to lie.) In over two-thirds of the cases, it was middle-aged women - exactly what we have in this case. That's not me being sexist, that's a simple fact. The politically-correct term for it is "pedal misapplication". The non politically-correct term for it is drivers who haven't got a clue what they're doing. So I'm sorry to seem heartless, callous and acusatory, but I don't think there's any chance - not a single shred - that this case is any different. I think this woman had her foot hard on the accelerator and only when someone told her to brake, did she brake. I could of course be proven to be wrong (I frequently am), in which case I'll apologise. But numerous studies and statistics are on my side here so I'm not holding my breath.
"Safety regulators, human-error experts and auto makers say driver error is the primary cause of sudden accelerations."
Driver error to blame for most incidents
Video of woman with "stuck accelerator":
Monday, September 10, 2012
Return to the car wash.
How technology has moved on. Last time I visited a car wash was probably 15 years ago - maybe even longer. Back then, you drove in to the wash bay and a gantry moved back and forth over the car doing the cleaning and drying. The main cleaning rotors had those awful plastic bristles on them that look soft but do a great job of scratching the clearcoat on the car, and in the drying cycle, the water dripping off the gantry meant the car was never properly dried and you ended up water spots. I did try one of the "touch-free" washes (brought on by litigious Americans who had mirrors torn off by the brush-style washers) and they were completely useless. Ever since then, I've been either hand washing my car or using a jetwash. The jetwash is pretty useless for actually cleaning - it moves the dirt around but you always end up with a thin layer of scum, so I mostly used it for getting under the car to clear all the crud off underneath (especially in the winter).
Skip forwards to 2012 and a friend of mine had been getting peculiarly enthusiastic about a local car wash place. When he mentioned that the main cleaning mechanism wasn't plastic bristles but a sort of chamois leather type brush, I was intrigued. So I went along to see what all the fuss was about. It's a conveyor washer where you drive a front wheel on to a conveyor system that then drags the car through a tunnel filled with all sorts of washing goodies. I've never used one of these before, let alone seen one - but then like I said, it's been over 15 years since I've been near a car wash. So I was dragged through all sorts of colourful washes, spinning brushes, sprays, rinses, wax waterfalls, underbody sprays and a bloody clever device that applied tyre shine only to the tyres (ie. not the wheels so it wasn't just a circular brush). The very last thing before being spat out into the sunlight was a collection of four jet engine style dryers that were so effective I imagine anything even slightly loose on the outside of the car would just get torn off. The best part of all this was the towel-monkeys though. Local college students earning a bit of extra cash who used super soft towels to give the car a final rub-down to get rid of any final water spots. A combination of buff blokes and hot girls tending to my car was well worth the extra cash tip and the end result was a car that was easily as clean as it is when I've done it by hand but for considerably less effort. I've since checked the clearcoat and there's no signs of the old tell-tale scratches and swirls that you'd get with the old style automatic washers. Colour me impressed.
Cost to me : $14 plus a tip to the towel-monkeys. The place I went to do everything up to a full-service $50 valet which is all the above plus a full inside clean and valet while you sit in an air-conditioned waiting area filled with decent vending machines, comfy sofas and chairs and modern furniture. Think I might be going back there.
Skip forwards to 2012 and a friend of mine had been getting peculiarly enthusiastic about a local car wash place. When he mentioned that the main cleaning mechanism wasn't plastic bristles but a sort of chamois leather type brush, I was intrigued. So I went along to see what all the fuss was about. It's a conveyor washer where you drive a front wheel on to a conveyor system that then drags the car through a tunnel filled with all sorts of washing goodies. I've never used one of these before, let alone seen one - but then like I said, it's been over 15 years since I've been near a car wash. So I was dragged through all sorts of colourful washes, spinning brushes, sprays, rinses, wax waterfalls, underbody sprays and a bloody clever device that applied tyre shine only to the tyres (ie. not the wheels so it wasn't just a circular brush). The very last thing before being spat out into the sunlight was a collection of four jet engine style dryers that were so effective I imagine anything even slightly loose on the outside of the car would just get torn off. The best part of all this was the towel-monkeys though. Local college students earning a bit of extra cash who used super soft towels to give the car a final rub-down to get rid of any final water spots. A combination of buff blokes and hot girls tending to my car was well worth the extra cash tip and the end result was a car that was easily as clean as it is when I've done it by hand but for considerably less effort. I've since checked the clearcoat and there's no signs of the old tell-tale scratches and swirls that you'd get with the old style automatic washers. Colour me impressed.
Cost to me : $14 plus a tip to the towel-monkeys. The place I went to do everything up to a full-service $50 valet which is all the above plus a full inside clean and valet while you sit in an air-conditioned waiting area filled with decent vending machines, comfy sofas and chairs and modern furniture. Think I might be going back there.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Guest post: 5 must-have car accessories
The best car accessories combine efficiency with style, and can make the daily commute and longer drives much more enjoyable. Options range from integrating a number of different accessories through a dock, to more elaborate remote start technology, and including pressure washers, security and air conditioning accessories. When choosing these kinds of accessories, it is important to focus on ones that actually make a car more practical, and that have long lasting uses beyond novelty value. Car dice, and any purely stylistic alterations have consequently been excluded, albeit with the admission that they can be a great way to add personality to a vehicle. In terms of essential value though, these accessories should be considered:
1 - All in One Docks
It is much easier to combine a range of different entertainment and communication features into a single dock, rather than trying to integrate different ports and sensors. An entertainment dock that is either directly attached to a car stereo, or connected to wheel controls, can be used to coordinate Bluetooth devices like GPS, and enhance satellite radio. An all in one dock can similarly be used to act as a mount for a smart phone, which can run many of these features through its own operating system. More advanced docks can also be used to wirelessly connect to satellite television and rear seat DVD players, while also helping with general driving performance.
2 - Remote Start
Buttons that allow you to start up a car while still at a distance can be valuable if you need to heat up the engine before approaching the car. A remote start button can also activate a dock system, and can ensure that the car is ready to go when you get into it. While the device ultimately means that you only save a few minutes of time, this can be a luxury that means you spend less time fiddling around with controls before each journey. A remote start function can also be installed through an iPhone.
3 - Improved Security
Adding more advanced security features through accessories is always going to add value to your car, while providing you with peace of mind. Again, Bluetooth enabled technology can allow you to run a number of different security features through a single dock. Key security options to consider include mobile identification, as well as tracking sensors and deadlocks. Other security systems can monitor for changes in tyre pressure and car weight.
4 - Pressure Washer
A hand held pressure washer represents an excellent accessory if you want to skip a visit to the car wash for a full clean, and want a quicker wash than a bucket and pad. A high quality pressure washer can be used to quickly scrub down and spray your car, and uses a range of detergents and buffers to make sure that you get a high quality wash.
5 - Air Conditioner Features
Air conditioning is regularly ranked as the most important accessory that every car should have. Versatile and able to adjust to changes in temperature and pressure, a good air conditioning system can either be included as standard with a car, or can be added. Cutting edge air conditioners can deal with changes in heat and pressure in more precise ways than older models, and can also help to evaporate moisture and control humidity.
Rob James is a mechanic and kit car enthusiast. His first car project was a used BMW e46 m3 he bought at an auction and renovated back in 2003. Rob likes to blog about kit cars, general maintenance, and enthusiast rallies.
1 - All in One Docks
It is much easier to combine a range of different entertainment and communication features into a single dock, rather than trying to integrate different ports and sensors. An entertainment dock that is either directly attached to a car stereo, or connected to wheel controls, can be used to coordinate Bluetooth devices like GPS, and enhance satellite radio. An all in one dock can similarly be used to act as a mount for a smart phone, which can run many of these features through its own operating system. More advanced docks can also be used to wirelessly connect to satellite television and rear seat DVD players, while also helping with general driving performance.
2 - Remote Start
Buttons that allow you to start up a car while still at a distance can be valuable if you need to heat up the engine before approaching the car. A remote start button can also activate a dock system, and can ensure that the car is ready to go when you get into it. While the device ultimately means that you only save a few minutes of time, this can be a luxury that means you spend less time fiddling around with controls before each journey. A remote start function can also be installed through an iPhone.
3 - Improved Security
Adding more advanced security features through accessories is always going to add value to your car, while providing you with peace of mind. Again, Bluetooth enabled technology can allow you to run a number of different security features through a single dock. Key security options to consider include mobile identification, as well as tracking sensors and deadlocks. Other security systems can monitor for changes in tyre pressure and car weight.
4 - Pressure Washer
A hand held pressure washer represents an excellent accessory if you want to skip a visit to the car wash for a full clean, and want a quicker wash than a bucket and pad. A high quality pressure washer can be used to quickly scrub down and spray your car, and uses a range of detergents and buffers to make sure that you get a high quality wash.
5 - Air Conditioner Features
Air conditioning is regularly ranked as the most important accessory that every car should have. Versatile and able to adjust to changes in temperature and pressure, a good air conditioning system can either be included as standard with a car, or can be added. Cutting edge air conditioners can deal with changes in heat and pressure in more precise ways than older models, and can also help to evaporate moisture and control humidity.
Rob James is a mechanic and kit car enthusiast. His first car project was a used BMW e46 m3 he bought at an auction and renovated back in 2003. Rob likes to blog about kit cars, general maintenance, and enthusiast rallies.
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