WINTER DRIVING, AND LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT

Our recent series of winter storms proved the obvious once again: snow and ice makes for tricky driving. On my short drive home during the storm the other night, I saw a tractor trailer jack knifed into a snow bank, a car down an embankment and another car stuck in a snow drift. These drivers proved that snow and ice are slippery, and driving on them requires special driving techniques. Obviously! If it’s so obvious, then why do drivers feel the need to test these physical limits regularly, much to the delight of tow trucks and body shops throughout the area? Winter driving is not impossible. It just requires some discipline and a little common sense.

The first rule: SLOW DOWN! Obvious, but how many tractor trailers or SUVs have whizzed by you on the Turnpike, only to end up off the road a few miles later? Think about it, tires are rubber and so are hockey pucks. The difference between your car navigating safely and sliding across a winter road like a puck is the traction gained from the tread of the tire. The slower the vehicle travels, the more chance the tire has to disperse snow or moisture out of its tread, and grab for more. If the tread does not clear whatever form of moisture, it’s just rubber floating on the surface. Your tire is now a hockey puck with no traction. Slow down and let the tread work for you.

As you start out on a winter’s day, begin slowly to get a feel of the road conditions; to learn what the appropriate, safe speed may be. Winter driving experts advise drivers to double their distance to other cars, as compared to dry conditions; that’s two car lengths for each 10 mph. Also, keep alert, looking ahead for changes in road surfaces and conditions. Always look for an out in case of a collision or a slide. If you do need to stop quickly, remember not to pump your ABS brakes. Allow them to work as designed by applying steady, firm pressure. While ABS brakes and stability control are handy inventions, they don’t replace common sense when things get slick. Slow down and stay alert.

When driving in the winter, beware of the false confidence of 4 wheel drive. 4x4 can help you get out of a jam, but it can also put you in one. 4 wheel drive only helps if a drive wheel is slipping, like if you are stuck in a drift. Once your vehicle is underway, traction is a factor of tires, not how the wheels are being driven. A state trooper was interviewed during our last storm, and he said that nearly all of the rescues for that storm were a result of SUVs going too fast. His comment, the braking ability and stopping distance of vehicles are the same, regardless of rear wheel drive, front wheel dive or 4x4. Need proof? A friend’s 4x4 SUV slid through a red light during that storm because the tires were on ice. 4x4 did nothing to help him. The fact that he was driving slowly is what saved him.

Final bit of advice: prepare your car properly for driving. Clean the snow and ice off of the entire vehicle, not just a peep hole through the windshield. You don’t need a chunk of snow sliding from your roof to your windshield, obscuring your vision as you brake to a stop. Meanwhile, the car behind you doesn’t need a huge boulder of snow flying off your car and into his. Defrost your windshield and windows fully before your drive, to ensure that you can see around all 360 degrees of the vehicle. It’s hard enough to see when driving in rain, sleet and/or snow; you don’t need to add to the danger by peering through a peephole.

As proud Mainers, we know that snow is a fact of life. With a little common sense and discipline, drivers can stay safe all winter long.

AUTO HISTORY: Gone, but Not Forgotten

I was reading entries on autoblog.com the other day, a resource I check regularly to keep up on everything auto, and I came across a posting that I found odd. In fact, I initially found it to be somewhat disturbing. According to the post, Ford’s launch of its much anticipated Fiesta this summer will include “tap for three blinks” turn signals. Other Ford models will soon follow. Apparently, this is common on European vehicles, and has been available domestically on some VW, Audi, Chrysler, and recently, GM models. It took me several readings, to first understand what it was, and then why it would be necessary.

The argument is that there are too many drivers that turn on their turn signals and leave them on, making for dangerous driving. We have all come up behind a driver with their blinker left on, wondering if it was safe to pass, or would they pull out in front of you. In my experience, the inattentive flasher is only an occasional annoyance. Regardless, “tap for three blinks” allows the driver to engage the turn signal, the blinker flashes three times and turns off automatically. The argument is that it frees the driver to concentrate on the road, and ensures that turn signals are properly extinguished. Maybe so, but I view it as yet another intrusion on the fun of driving.

I really enjoy driving. I enjoy the physical process of operating the vehicle. Whether it’s driving a challenging mountain road, or cruising the open highway, I enjoy the feel of the road as I operate the car’s various components. It’s fun! When it comes to turn signals, I enjoy the decision making process of evaluating the traffic; turning on, then off my turn signals. I don’t need “tap for three blinks”. In fact, I prefer not to have the fun taken away. But, like so many other changes, “three blinks” will become standard, and the price of a new car will increase to pay for it. Naturally, a few years from now I will look back on this and say, “What was I thinking? How did I live with out it?”

With “tap for three blinks” on the horizon, it got me to thinking about some of the other changes to cars and driving over the years. Here is my nostalgic list of the “Gone, but Not Forgotten”:

Manual door locks
Crank windows
Floor mounted high beam switches
Standard transmissions
Full sized spares
Bench seats
Cigarette lighters
Carburetors (and their shortcomings)
The ability to service your own car
Tube tires
Rust
Clear visibility (especially backing a vehicle)
Radios: AM, to AM/FM, to 8 track, to cassette, to CD, to iPod/Mp3, to USB drive
Free air for your tires
Full service fill-up

Feel free to add to my list, just don’t take the fun out of driving.

TIRE SAFETY: Don’t Drive Bare

Now that we have survived our first genuine snowstorm of the season, everyone has driven their own road test of sorts. The first storm always exposes imperfections and shortcomings in our vehicles, that once addressed, take us safely through to spring. Our recent storm’s blend of ice, snow and rain tested everyone’s resolve, as well as the condition of their transportation. While it wasn’t particularly cold, a friend of mine’s car already had to be jump started. His winter will start with a new battery. Another friend learned that he needed to add new wipers to his truck, after he could barely see his way home. My purchase for this winter season was new tires.

Tires are often neglected and taken for granted, but nothing is more critical to the safety and performance of any, and all, vehicles. Environmentalists are constantly stressing the importance of proper tire inflation, in order to optimize fuel economy. Ford lost millions in the Explorer rollover debacle. The blame was finally placed on over zealous drivers, combined with improperly inflated tires. As a result, new vehicles now have tire inflation monitoring systems. Owners can brag all they want about their 4 wheel or all-wheel drive, but without tires that are up to the job, the rest is just macho posturing.

In the case of my 2005 Scion TC, I was driving close to the edge. My 5 year old car had 45,000 miles on its 17”, Bridgestone Potenza, Z rated, performance tires. I could tell even last winter that they were feeling their age. There were several storms that, even though I was driving slowly, I could feel the tires float on top of the slush and snow. I had little traction, and it felt dangerous. Performance tires are not made for a Maine winter anyway. They are too wide to bite through the snow, and the rubber is too brittle in the cold winter temperatures to adhere to cold surfaces. My 215/45ZR17 Potenzas were made to grip around a corner during a hot summer day, not to climb the hills and valleys of the Portland Peninsula during a Northeaster.

Summer came and my aging tires continued onward. An occasional rain storm was not a problem. If there was a hint of hydroplaning, just slow down, right? After all, the wear bars were not showing. My attitude changed though, recently. Driving along innocently, I took a corner at regular speed, on dry pavement, and I could feel the Scion lose traction. If I was having trouble navigating a simple turn now, I was going to be in for a long, dangerous winter. So it was time to bite the bullet, and spend some money.

The search for THE right tire for my vehicle could have been a pain staking, time consuming process, or as simple as picking up the phone and buying whatever the local tire shop might have available. I chose somewhere in between the two. First step? I decided that I did not want to hassle with changing in and out of snow tires each time the seasons changed, so I compromised by deciding on all season radials. I wanted a name brand that would deliver reliability and safety, but I did not want to bankrupt myself in the process.

Research and shopping for tires is actually easy, thanks to the Internet. Through various Web sites, all you have to do is enter your vehicle and model, your preferred criteria and price range, then a variety of recommendations are magically laid before you. I did my initial research across every site that I could imagine, including tirerack.com, Sears and Sam’s Club, just to name a few. There are many more available. Regardless of which you surf, most sites are comprehensive, and will steer you in the right direction, based on driving style, usage, and most importantly, price. An added benefit with some, are the user reviews; comments and criticisms from those that are already driving your potential tire of choice.

In my case, there seemed to be hundreds of choices. I had to do something to narrow the field. Since I was impressed with the look and feel of the BF Goodrich tires that we had on our Windstar van, I thought that I would look at their choices. I know, that’s comparing apples to oranges, but I did not want to return to the factory Bridgestone Potenzas, and I didn’t want to pay the top price for Michelins. Research came up with the highly recommended BFGoodrich G-Force™ Super Sport All Season radials. At $125 each, they were right in my price ceiling of $500, and the owner reviews were favorable.

The purchase was made. For nearly $600 (tax and mounting), I now have four new tires, free roadside assistance, along with lifetime tire rotation and balancing. Man, what a difference! These tires are fearless. I can feel them aggressively grab every type of road surface, under any driving condition. Dry or wet, they confidently handle anything Mother Nature has to offer. While they are not snow tires, they do provide a genuine feeling of confidence when the snow flies. No longer am I tip-toeing to the next stop sign. I can now drive with the, “Power of the G-Force” under me.

So, while wear bars are a guide to tire wear, and the Maine State Inspection is the final gatekeeper for tire safety, don’t wait too long. I was almost guilty of driving bare this winter. While it cost me money for four new tires, the cost of an accident would certainly have been more. Like the saying goes, “The life you save may be you own.”

Holiday Safety

If you have any doubts of the impact of distracted driving or driving under the influence, the following video summary will change your mind.

Have a happy holiday. Drive safely!



VIDEO: Australian Transport Accident Commission celebrates 20 years of disturbing commercials — Autoblog

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.