Wednesday, June 1, 2011

TUMBLING DICE

I know, I know, you’re here to read about cars; but sometimes we need to drift from the hardware, to the habits. People express themselves through their vehicles. Stereotypes abound: rednecks drive pick-ups, blondes cruise in convertibles, and soccer moms haul it all in the mini-van. Drivers can be who they want to be through their wheels. To each their own! However, there is one area that I just plain do not understand. What’s up with the dangling debris hanging from rear view mirrors?

My exhaustive research has turned up everything from the traditional air fresheners, to the clichéd tumbling dice. The list includes prayer beads and Mardi Gras beads, St. Christopher medals, Hawaiian leis, security badges, graduation tassels, plastic skulls, key chains of all shapes and sizes, good luck rabbit’s feet, and even a wayward G-string (no kidding).

In my case, I have no choice. My work requires that I display a parking tag from my mirror. It’s small, tight to the mirror’s stem, but it’s there nevertheless. In my defense, at least it’s not hitting me in the face every time the car makes a move.

Honestly, don’t the dangling distractions drive their owners crazy? Isn’t it annoying to take a mouthful of Mardi Gras beads at every turn? The rattling noise alone would aggravate me. Isn’t it dangerous to have your attention diverted by a dangling rabbit’s foot, especially if it pokes you in the eye? Rolling dice obscures the driver’s visibility and could be illegal. What you choose to dangle could also be embarrassing. Think about it, how do you explain to the police officer that you caused an accident because you were distracted by a G-string?

I’m all for freedom of expression, as long as you drive safely while you do it. Consider demonstrating your personality through your Mini, your Maxima, or the color that you choose for your car, instead of dangling debris. It might make the roads a whole lot safer.

MaineAutoMall.com Auto Blog

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Friday, April 29, 2011

BAD MANNERS, BAD HABITS, ANNOYING DRIVERS

Have you noticed how good manners are hard to find these days? With the kinetic pace of this electronic age, there seems to be little time, patience or interest in basic niceties. The “Please” and “Thank You” that were so ingrained growing up just aren’t there anymore. Maybe I’m being overly sensitive, but this callous disregard for common courtesies annoys me, especially when it comes to drivers’ habits.

Rarely does a day go by that I don’t witness a rude move by another driver. A little thing like a car cutting in front of me without using a turn signal is annoying to me. It’s a seemingly minor thing, but it’s discourteous and potentially dangerous. What’s so hard about placing a finger on the stalk and engaging a turn signal for a few quick flashes? Is the other driver too busy talking on his cell phone or texting to drive properly?

It doesn’t take long to make a list. Here’s what I’ve seen just recently:

- I am already driving 5 mph over the speed limit, and someone feels they have to tailgate behind me because I’m just not going fast enough. Pass me, or leave me alone.

- There is the driver that knows there is a red light ahead. They either feel that they have to tailgate, or worse yet, they floor it to pass me, then cut me off and slam on their brakes, stopping just in time for the red light. These are the same drivers that have to pass, and then cut in to make an immediate turn. They just can’t wait a few seconds.

- If someone in front of me is going too slow, I turn on my turn signal to begin to pass, and they speed up to prevent it. It’s not a race!

- What about the driver that stays in the passing lane, with his right hand turn signal permanently left flashing, but never returns to the travel lane? It’s illegal and unsafe for me to pass on the right, but what choice do I have? If anything happens, I’m to blame.


- I find the driver with the hand on the horn aggravating. It’s unnecessary to
blow the horn for every move; when making a turn, rounding a bend or whenever another car is in sight. It’s jarring and rude to other drivers.

- Then there is the uncaring shopper in the parking lot of the grocery store.
Don’t place your bags on my car while you open your door, don’t rest your shopping cart against my door, and don’t use my car’s door as a door stop as you swing yours open. It’s selfish and inconsiderate, not to mention that it’s downright destructive.

This is just a partial list, I’m sure that you have your own. There’s no need to be rude behind the wheel. A little courtesy while driving makes the highways a more pleasant place, not to mention a much safer place to travel. Please and thank you!

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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

HOW’S YOUR PRESSURE?

I’m a car guy! I enjoy the drive, the mechanics and everything to do with cars. But like most other owners and drivers, I sometimes fall short when it comes to the more tedious aspects of cars, namely maintenance. I am diligent when it comes to the important things like oil changes, tire rotations and the latest recalls. On the other hand, when it comes to checking tire pressure, I tend to drop the ball.

I have no excuse for this failure. It’s not that it’s a hard thing to do; just take the cap off of the stem, apply the gauge and read the pressure. You don’t even have to dig out the owner’s manual. Manufacturers make it easy and convenient to get the pressure right by posting the figures on the door saddle. The driver just needs to take the time and do it.

The experts say to check your tire pressure monthly. I imagine few people are that conscientious. Quarterly seems much more realistic, but I have been guilty of only checking mine with the change of the seasons. After several days of sub-zero temperatures, it occurred to me that maybe I should check my cars’ tire pressure. After all, it’s been awhile. All eight tires (two cars) were under inflated by 7 lbs. each, that’s 20% lower than spec. Yikes, that’s not good for a car guy, or for the tires.

I am well aware of the negatives. Everyone knows that the friction caused by under inflated tires increases tire wear, decreasing a tire’s life by as much as 25%. I know that their increased drag can cut down my fuel economy by 5%, and that low tires affect the car’s driving performance, impacting steering, stability and responsiveness. I also know better than to rely on the vehicle’s low pressure sensors. By the time they notify me of a problem, hundreds of miles may have already been driven on low and unsafe tires. And what are the chances that my friendly neighborhood shop checked my tires’ pressure when they rotated them? Most likely they didn’t, and if they did, do I trust them to do it properly? I need to check my tire pressure more often.

The fact is that in cold weather, tires lose pressure. The air in a tire is a gas, when heated it expands, when cooled it contracts. For every 10 degree change in temperature, up or down, tire pressure rises or falls 1 psi. In my case it makes perfect sense. My tires were underinflated by 7 psi, a result of Maine’s 70 degree drop from summer to winter temperatures.

This car guy has been reminded to check his tire pressure often, and maybe once a month is not such a bad idea. At below zero temperatures and blizzard conditions, the last thing I want is a tire “issue”, due to underinflated tires. So, how’s your pressure?

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