DISTRACTED DRIVING: DON’T DO IT!!!

This blog was initially posted on May 6, 2008. Distracted driving continues in the news on a regular basis. With that in mind, I am reposting it for your review.

Susan Kimball visited the mother of this victim recently. Check out her report at:

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=111215&catid=2

“State Police say a young woman talking on her cell phone is the likely cause of last month's fatal crash on Interstate 295 in Cumberland.”

This was the opening line of the press release from the Maine State Police following their investigation into the cause of a horrific accident that occurred mid-morning on a beautiful, clear spring day here in Maine. This was the crash where a Toyota Corolla crossed the median on the interstate at a high rate of speed, driving into the opposing lane and striking a NEWS CENTER live truck. The driver of the car was killed, two of our coworkers were injured and both vehicles were totaled.

The details of the police investigation confirmed my suspicions from the moment the accident happened, an opinion that I shared with many coworkers and family members. The accident was not caused by a mechanical failure, another driver cutting her off, or the driver dodging wild turkeys, as some had speculated. It was caused by the driver using her cell phone while she was driving. She was a distracted driver.

The victim, Heather Bouchard, made the unfortunate decision to multitask while driving. The cell phone record confirms it. She was talking to a client on her phone. At the time of the crash, Ms. Bouchard was not wearing her seat belt, something her family said that she always wore. This, combined with other evidence, leads police to believe that Ms. Bouchard dropped her phone, released her seat belt to retrieve it and lost control of her vehicle, a decision that ultimately took her life.

We all have our own stories of observing, or even participating as distracted drivers. Basic acts of drinking coffee, tuning the radio, changing a CD, disciplining children, eating a sandwich, applying make-up, texting, and my favorite, knitting while driving. All simple tasks, all potentially deadly. A recent study conducted by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that, “…almost 80% of crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds of the event.” The most common distraction was cell phone use. It only takes once. DON’T DO IT!

Many states now ban cell phone use while driving and require hands-free calling devices. In my opinion, this is still distracted driving and should not be encouraged. This opinion is shared by Ralph Nader’s Center for Auto Safety (CAS), to the point of recently filing a petition with the NHTSA asking the agency, “…to write rules prohibiting the use of interactive systems that allow drivers to have wireless access to e-mails and phone calls.” I agree! Anything that diverts a driver’s attention as he or she pilots a 2,000 pound machine driving 65 mph is potentially deadly. DON’T DO IT!

A landmark case occurred in Rochester, New York where a teenager was texting while driving. Phone records proved it. All five in the car were killed. The New York law was changed. Maybe Maine lawmakers need to consider a similar move. It seems so obvious. Distracted driving, no matter how brief, no matter how innocent, can kill. DON’T DO IT!

RAVE FOR THE RAV4

Nothing bonds a driver to his or her car better than a good old fashioned road trip. Living romance and intrigue, just as the song says:

“Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure…”

You know the rest.

My family and I finally had a chance to put our brand new RAV4 through the paces on its first road trip, during a recent 600 mile visit to Connecticut and back. A genuine road trip provided us the chance to test the car's performance, its cabin’s comfort, and its ability to serve our family’s needs. It was also a chance to verify, did we make the right choice with our purchase?

Now, of course, this review will be somewhat slanted. After all, it is our car, but the facts and observations are all true, or at least in our opinion. Before the trip, we already had a grasp of the RAV around town. Its zippy performance and handling has provided us much more agility and fun than our lumbering Ford Windstar van that it replaced. The RAV’s smaller size has made it much easier to park, not to mention the immediate dollar savings from the improved gas mileage. Thank you Cash for Clunkers.

Although we are all still getting used to a few things here and there, from the beginning we have been impressed with Toyota’s intelligent engineering and solid construction. The dash switches and other interior components are convenient and logically placed. They feel good to the touch, and work the way they should. From the handy auxiliary input for our various i-Pods, to the neat flip-up storage shelf above the traditional glove compartment, everything in the RAV4 makes sense. Sure, we occasionally still find ourselves searching for the clock, which is lower and out of the line of site from the other instrumentation. We are also still trying to figure out the rear wiper, but these are little things that are part of the learning curve for new drivers, in a new vehicle.

Inside and out, the fit and finish for the RAV4 is the best that I have seen. The doors and windows are solid and tight. The design lines of both the interior and the exterior flow nicely, and the vehicle is attractive to the eye, from whatever point of view. The tailgate door takes some getting used to; it swings out instead of flipping up a la the Windstar, but we find the cargo bay much larger than the van, with a low lift over.
Our after market molded cargo liner does a great job protecting the carpet and keeping the luggage under control. There is also plenty of space for the driver and the passengers. Leg room is spacious, headroom is not an issue, and the cabin a just a nice place to be. Throughout the trip, my teenage sons had plenty of room as rear passengers to stay out of each other’s hair. The arm rest/cup holder/divider between the back seats helps to clearly define their turf.

We chose the 4 cylinder engine, and at 179 hp, I have yet to see the need to have spent the extra money for the 6 cylinder, sacrificing fuel economy. The 4 cylinder responds immediately when asked to accelerate, up the ramp, and on to the interstate. It moves quickly up to speed with a pleasing growl of the engine, and then levels off nicely as we engage the cruise control. With four of us, including two sturdy teenagers and a full load of luggage, there was rarely a time that we needed more power. Even climbing steep grades to pass, the RAV4 safely delivered what was needed. At highway speed, there is actually less road and wind noise than I expected for a vehicle of this size, even with its wide 16” tires. Wind buffeting on bridges was never an issue.

No machine is perfect, and neither is the RAV4. On my Base model, there is no illumination for the door mounted controls. When operating at night, the driver must stave around in the dark to find the door lock or window switches on the driver’s armrest. A small pin light for each control would assist the driver to safely access these functions. My Scion TC (also Toyota) has them, why not the RAV4?

As is the case with most small SUVs, rear visibility in the RAV4 is a challenge. The RAV has a small rear window. When backing up, the driver must rely heavily on the two side mirrors to complement the narrow rear view mirror. Further adding to the tunnel vision is the rear mounted full size spare, which obscures the lower edge of the rear window. Also while backing, the driver always wonders about the clearance, as the full size spare protrudes well beyond the tailgate. It’s a luxury that I choose not to afford, but the available back-up camera would be helpful with the RAV.

Buying a new car is a major family event. In our case, everyone was part of the process, from the initial research, to the final delivery. With three drivers, and a fourth soon to follow, we look forward to years of fun and quality service with this well designed and executed vehicle. Regardless of the few quirks here and there, around town and on the highway, the RAV4 is the right choice for our family. Our next test, how will the RAV4’s 4 wheel drive handle the Maine winter?

“Get your motor runnin'…”

I SURVIVED CASH FOR CLUNKERS

Well I did it, and I’m proud of it. I jumped into the fray, and survived the chaos of Cash for Clunkers. On the heels of my previous blog of 7/17/09, IT’S TIME FOR ME TO BUY,

http://maineautomall.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-time-for-me-to-buy.html,

the time was here. My mind was made up, I just needed to make a decision as to what, when, where, how. The why was clear, take advantage of the $3500 or $4500 government rebate now, or keep my 2002 Windstar van for a few more years until it died.

The Windstar was in no way a clunker. It was in perfect condition, with only 92,000, mostly highway miles on it. Its functionality was still valid, proving repeatedly how handy it could be with hockey bags, soccer gear, and too many suitcases for the long family road trips.

(see http://maineautomall.blogspot.com/2008/07/minivan-dead-or-alive.html.)

Toting various battles scars from parking lots around town, the Windstar looked “used”, but it was mechanically flawless. Its tarnished façade provided a perfect vehicle for my 15 year old son to exercise his learner’s permit, as well as provide comfort to his parents knowing that he could do little harm. We did not have to replace it, but $4500 is a lot of money, and the C4Cs program could not to be ignored.

When the criteria of the Cash for Clunkers program was announced in late July, I casually checked our eligibility. The Ford Windstar just qualified with a combined mileage of 18 mpg, so the process began. A car guy like me is always researching his next purchase, whether it’s fantasy or reality years in the future. Our goal was to improve fuel economy (and qualify for the full $4500), without sacrificing the needs of our family. The talent pool was quickly narrowed down to the Toyota RAV 4 and the Ford Edge.

The Edge was eliminated because its mileage rating only qualified for the rebate of $3500. In addition, the purchase price would be $2000 more than the RAV 4, not to mention that the cost of operation for the life of the vehicle would be more. A no brainer, it was all about money. After considering its size, cost, reliability, and glowing reviews from friends who owned the RAV, we made a confident decision that the RAV 4 was best for us.

It was now time for the fun to begin. I was off to my favorite Toyota dealer. Our family was going on a two week vacation, so we would not make a purchase until our return. I still went to the dealer to lay the ground work; to establish a relationship; in preparation for what I hoped would be a real deal, sweetened with 4500 free dollars. But nothing comes easy. The first snag in this grand plan hit as our vacation began, the Cash for Clunkers program was already concluding, as it was nearly out of its initial $1 billion allocation. With no C4Cs, there would be no new car. The deal was off. We enjoyed our vacation with the RAV4 as a distant memory.

Surprise! Upon our return, thanks to the miracle workers in Washington, Cash for Clunkers was still alive and well, reborn with a new lease on life. While we were away, an additional $2 billion had been magically infused into the program. The pursuit of the RAV4 was on again. A test drive of the RAV4 confirmed that our family had made the right choice. Now, it was just a simple matter of closing the deal, and drive away a happy owner. Wrong!

From the beginning, we wanted a new 2009 Base, FWD RAV4; any color as long as it was red. The one and only in the area fitting our criteria had just arrived by truck. After negotiating a fair price, I was ready to close the deal, but then the phone rang. Apparently, the one and only, had just been damaged upon delivery, and was in the body shop being repaired. Damaged? No thank you. The deal was off, again! Encouraged by a friend to consider 4 wheel drive, I was able to negotiate, for a few dollars more, a 4 wheel drive RAV. Deal on, again!

Meanwhile, Phase 2 of the Cash for Clunkers program was a raging success. The additional $2 billion dollars was already nearly gone. Dealers were in fear that they would not be paid by the government for deals already made. It was on a Thursday, and my dealer announced that they would cease participation in the program at 8:00 PM that evening. Coincidentally, we had just come to terms on price, so I informed my sales associate that I would stop by the dealership that evening after work to close the deal.

I arrived at the specified time, only to find total chaos on the sales floor. It was mobbed with frantic buyers. There was not a seat in the room, or a sales person available. My associate was busy with another client. Too busy to even a hello. After waiting way too long, with kids home alone and my frustration mounting, I left the dealership. Regardless of their self-imposed Cash for Clunkers deadline of that evening, I walked. The deal was off, AGAIN!

That was it, the final straw, time to move on. With the RAV4 once again out of my mind, I went about my business the next day, only to receive word that the dealership had extended their participation in C4Cs. Not surprisingly, no dealer is going to pass on a sure sale. Tired of the game of ping pong, with me as the ball, I made it clear that the only way I would close would be if I could be the very first in the showroom as they opened that Saturday. No more waiting for me.

With dew on the grass, and my still sleepy family in tow, the deal was finally closed early that Saturday morning. We all shed a tear for the Windstar, left behind to be scrapped. Years of memories coldly abandoned, but replaced with a shiny new RAV4. A whole new set of memories underway, the most vivid for me, will be the chaos of Cash for Clunkers. The best part of the deal? As we left the dealership in our new RAV, there was a steady, bumper-to-bumper line of cars and trucks heading into the chaos of Cash for Clunkers. We escaped comparatively unscathed, just in time.

IT’S TIME FOR ME TO BUY

It’s time for me to buy. The auto collapse has begun to stabilize, there is the “Cash for Clunkers” incentive of $3500 or $4500, and the stars have aligned properly, so it’s time for me to make my move. But what should I buy? There are hundreds of choices of all shapes and sizes. It has to be the right decision, since we will live with our choice for the next ten years. We need a mid-sized vehicle. We need something that enjoys fuel economy, but can still tote hockey and soccer bags, along with a few players, or family members. But on the other hand, we take long road trips, and we need something that is comfortable and fuel efficient on the highway. Does this mean an SUV, crossover, or a sedan?

We are coming from years of quality service from our 2002 Ford Windstar van. Nothing matches the versatility and flexibility offered by the mini-van
(http://maineautomall.blogspot.com/2008/07/minivan-dead-or-alive.html), but we are ready for something new and little more exciting on the road. On the other hand, we don’t want to step backwards, or lose the utility that we have relied on for years. What to buy?

Since it’s best to start at the top, and then work down, I did just that on a recent vacation. It was a “guy thing”. Five guys in our family of all ages, shapes and sizes, paid a visit to a New York Bentley/Lamborghini/Aston Martin dealership. It was a car guy’s Disney World. Model names like Arnage, Gallardo and Vanquish seemed exotic, but oh so comfortable. When the salesman asked, “Can I help you with anything today, sir?” I responded, “I guess I am just dreaming.” He knew what to say, “Is there anyway that I can turn your dream into reality?” I paused for a second, as I tried to imagine in every conceivable way how I might fit a hockey bag into a nice, new Lamborghini. A nice fantasy, but my search to replace our mini-van was not in this showroom. Besides, nothing on the lot would qualify for the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

So, what should I buy? I am curious of the hype associated with the launch of the new, redesigned Ford Taurus. It’s to be a large, near luxury sedan with decent mileage numbers. Most importantly, it’s to be affordable. The Taurus would be perfect for our long road trips, but cumbersome around town. Yet to be released and site unseen, it too is a fantasy. Also in the Ford stable is the crossover Edge, interesting but probably too expensive. One of the mini-SUVs is a possibility. The Nissan Rogue has an interesting design, but is it too small? A test drive will answer that question. Same with the Ford Escape, the Honda CRV and the Toyota RAV4.

It’s time for me to buy. The incentives will disappear, once the recovery really takes hold. The “Cash for Clunkers” program expires in the fall, or when the allocated funds are used up. The time to move is now, or I will regret the lost savings for years to come. The search goes on…what do you recommend??? It’s time for me to buy.

87.7: GOOD-BYE OLD FRIEND

Along with the auto industry, television is also going through changes. Change is good, or at least that’s what they keep telling me. Change leads to progress, and progress is good. That’s what they say. The changes that are now working their way through the auto industry will make both domestic and foreign manufacturers leaner and meaner, ultimately leading to better cars, sustained profitability and happy customers, or so they say. They say that the revised union contracts, the elimination of product lines and the closing of plants are all changes that will improve the auto industry. Meanwhile, with change comes sacrifice. With these auto changes comes the loss of thousands of jobs, leaving whole communities devastated. These are necessary evils to accomplish change, or so they say.

The television industry is also going through change with its biggest technological shift since the transition from black and white to color. That is, the recent change from analog transmission, to digital. This change is good, or at least that’s what they say. The viewer will benefit with an improved picture and sound, new multiple sub-channels, while the FCC gains valuable frequencies to use for other applications. As with the auto industry though, there is sacrifice. While improved in quality, the digital signal is now either on or off, there is no fuzzy reception somewhere in between. With inadequate signal strength or physical barriers, some viewers will no longer receive off-air the station(s) that they have enjoyed for decades. This change is progress, or so they say.

Another sacrifice of this new digital transmission is the loss of a benefit that we in Portland have enjoyed since cars first introduced FM radios as an option. That is, the ability to listen to Channel 6 in your car. This is change, but not exactly for the better. The audio of analog television was an FM signal. The frequency of 87.7 was the frequency of Channel 6’s sound. As an anomaly of the FM band, this television audio was able to be heard in some markets because it was on the fringe of the FM radio spectrum, and if there were no radio stations transmitting that low to compete with the audio of Channel 6, the listener could hear the television sound. This was the case in Portland, along with some other markets in the US. Auto manufacturers were aware of this benefit to certain customers, sensitive to the point of some modifying their FM tuners to tune lower, to ensure the reception of the television sound.

Throughout the country, drivers in television markets with a Channel 6 have now lost the ability to listen to their favorite television shows for FREE on their vehicle’s FM radio. No longer can we listen as we drive to work, trying to figure out “Where in the World is Matt Lauer”. Fans can no longer grieve over “Days of Our Lives” as they drive to the Mall at lunchtime. Tired workers can no longer catch up with NBC’s Nightly News on their drive home. Gone forever is smiling to Jay Leno, or Conan, as night owls make they way home. No longer will I be able to listen to “The Price Is Right”, as I drive through Albany, NY on the New York State Thruway.

As is the case with several other stations, Channel 6 in Portland anticipated this sacrifice and succeeded in negotiating a contract with two local radio stations to continue the transmission of some of its newscasts on AM radio. The frequencies of 870 and 1470 now air the Morning Report, 5:00 AM-7:00 AM, along with the evening block of newscasts from 5:00 PM-6:30 PM. Contract and copyright restrictions prevent any NBC, or additional content from airing. Not as good as good as 87.7, but it’s better than nothing.

They say that change is good, but it certainly does not come without sacrifice. We have sacrificed an old friend with the loss of 87.7, all in the name of progress. So in the spirit of change, Pontiac is now gone forever, thousands of jobs are lost, along with our ability to listen to television sound on our FM radios. Change is good, they say, but I miss my old friend 87.7.

HOW MANY HORSES DOES IT TAKE?

It’s springtime and it’s the season of the Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby delivered a shocking upset with “Mine That Bird” coming from behind at 50-1 odds, winning an exciting race. At this writing, the Preakness Stakes has just been run with another exciting finish. “Rachel Alexandra” made history as the first filly in 85 years to win that race. The Belmont Stakes is soon to follow with more horses, and more excitement. But being a car guy, my idea of winning horses is more in line with another spring tradition, the Indianapolis 500. Now that’s exciting horse power.

This poses the question, if it only takes one horse to generate so much excitement at a Triple Crown race, how many horses does it take to make a car exciting? How much horsepower is too much, and how much is not enough? My initial response is, there is no such thing as too much horsepower. The shock and awe of a Ferrari is a result of its 400+ horsepower, but when combined with a purchase price of well over $200,000, that takes it out of even the range of fantasy. So that’s probably too much horsepower. On the other hand, the SMART car’s 70 hp and 68 foot pounds of torque is definitely too little. Traveling 0-60 mph in over 13 seconds is not my idea of fun. Mileage of 33 mpg city and 41 highway sounds good on paper, but if you take forever to get there, or if a tractor trailer pastes you to its bumper like a mosquito, that’s too little. So what is the right amount of horsepower?

A friend of mine says that you only need enough to get over a hill. Maybe, but as a guy that thoroughly enjoys driving, surely I need more than that. For me, the bare minimum is to get over a hill. I need more. I need to be able to pass a slow moving truck on a hill, and get out of his way before he careens past me on his way down the other side. I need to have enough horsepower to safely merge into traffic on the interstate, and to zip safely past that erratic driver in front of me. I want enough horsepower so that I can drive on a 500 mile interstate road trip and not have my teeth chattering the whole way because I’m under powered.

Other considerations come to mind when deciding horsepower. Are you towing and need extra oomph (No)? Are you willing to support awful mileage of 10 mpg just for the thrill of driving (No)? Are you willing to sacrifice all driving fun, in order to be green and not feel guilty (well, I do want to be environmentally responsible, but No)? Somewhere in the middle of all of these arguments is the optimum horsepower.

The solution may be in the recent proliferation of the 300 hp engines that actually do come in with decent mileage figures, while retaining impressive performance. The Mustang GT’s 300 hp engine averages 23 mpg highway, along with 0-60 mph in a brisk 4.9 seconds. Even better, the new 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 Camaro delivers 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds, while retaining mileage of 29 mpg. Working undercover with a more conservative façade, but delivering equal excitement, is the new Hyundai Genesis. Save money and fuel with its 3.8-liter, 290-horsepower V6, and take home 0-60 in 6.3 seconds, along with 27 mpg highway. That’s the best of both worlds: fuel economy with performance and the police will never notice you.

With today’s space age engine designs and computer management systems, performance no longer has to be stifled for the sake of fuel economy. Today’s engines optimize fuel use, delivering more power with less consumption. Add on even more technology with the new, weight saving quality plastics and composite materials that are increasingly the norm. Now a driver can enjoy the road without feeling guilty about it.

So back to the original question, how much horsepower is enough? Well, for a Triple Crown race, it takes one good horse. But for me, it still takes as many as I can afford.

I GOT THE FEVER

The same thing happened just about this time last year. The feeling was so strong that I had to vent by writing, GOING TOPLESS.

http://maineautomall.blogspot.com/2008/04/going-topless.html

Sure, it’s a year later, but nothing has changed. Oh, the economy is worse, everyone seems depressed, there is a different president, and there is a new landscape developing in the auto industry. Despite it all, the fever hit again this year. When it hits, it’s strong. The fever makes me want to drive. It’s spring fever!

The fever hit today at lunchtime. Like a penned dog, I had to run out the door and into my car. As soon as I heard the rumble of the engine turning over, I felt a little better. But, it wasn’t until I cranked open the sunroof and accelerated, wind blowing and engine revving, did the fever calm. On a nice warm day like this, there is so much to see. They stay bundled up through the winter, but on this first warm day, they all come out to play.

Everywhere I looked, they were beautiful. I saw the first one just as I turned the corner. It was a Mazda Miata with its top down. Down the hill and through the light, it was a shiny new Lexus LS. It was time for discipline. Focus on the road, and be safe. No good! There, right in front of me was a glistening new Cadillac STS. The fever was everywhere, and in everyone, all ages and sizes.The best was yet to come. Chugging casually along the boulevard, it was a beautiful vintage Buick Roadmaster, out of mothballs to celebrate. Everyone shared the fever.

Despite all of the distractions, I made it back safely to my parking lot. With the fever now somewhat under control, I was able to absorb with polite reserve the new talent in our parking lot: a Scion XA, a Toyota Versa, a Mazda MX-5, a Scion TC, the Hyundai Santa Fe, and a Honda Civic, all of them special in their own way. All of them would be fun to drive. All of them could quell the fever.

I love to drive, especially this time of year. I live vicariously through every car of interest that passes. It’s springtime, and when the fever hits, it makes me want to test drive a BMW Z4, or see if I am up to the challenge of a Dodge Viper. Actually, almost any vehicle will do. I just want to drive. I got the fever!