It's a Van Thing!

I posted a photo of a well-stickered van a few weeks ago and I snapped this even more garishly decorated van this morning. It must be some kind of a van-owner thing I don't get.



Somebody should introduce these people to Twitter or Facebook.

FaceBook on Wheels?

It's nice to share your positions.

The Pepto-mobile

This is my second sighting of this bizarrely painted Toyota Prius, or what I like to refer to as the Pepto-mobile.

Daily Video #11 - Cheap Gas!!!

To the best of my recollection, this is the lowest price for gas locally since I moved here 4 years ago.

Daily Video #4 - Less than Two Bucks

This is a very short clip celebrating the price of gasoline dipping below $2 a gallon for the first time since who knows when!

This is at the GetGo in Logantowne Centre, Altoona, PA

Good Morning Central Pennsylvania

In my tightly budgeted morning routine, I left no time for this frosty surprise ...

Caution: Lunatic at the Wheel

Image via WikipediaYesterday, as I'm driving through a residential area near my home, a lady in a big, white Cadillac sedan pulled out of a side street in front of me. She apparently was going in more or less the same direction as I was traveling so as I continued on I was following her.

At the first red light, she was the second car in line, I was the third. When the light changed, the first car drove off and white Cadillac just sat there. After waiting several seconds, I gave two quick, light taps on the horn. White Cadillac gave me a friendly wave in the mirror! She then realized what was going on and drove off.

At the next red light, the entire routine (minus the wave) was repeated! At the next light, I had to stop for a left turn, but white Cadillac proceeded on into the next block where there are two left-turn lanes. She obviously wanted to turn left (Of course, that's speculation on my part as she used no turn indicator.) She couldn't seem to decide which left-turn lane she wanted so, she straddled both lanes.

100 Fuel Economy Tips from EcoModder.com

The spiraling cost of filling your tank busting your budget? EcoModder.com suggests more than a hundred ways to improve your fuel efficiency. Some examples ...

• Clean out your trunk
• Remove roof racks
• Check tire inflation
• Avoid drive-thrus
• Combine errands
• Close sunroof and windows
• Use cruise control appropriately

See more tips...
Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com

39 Years of Cars in 80 Seconds

I got to thinking that I have really owned a lot of cars in my lifetime. It all started when I inherited my grandfather's white '63 Studebaker Lark in 1969. My average length of ownership has been 1.4 years. I have had 6 Fords, 6 Chevys, 2 Pontiacs, 2 Oldsmobiles, and 2 Kias. Japan is represented four times and Korea three times. There have been two Mustangs and two convertibles. The most bizarre vehicle was a green and white VW bus. My favorite car color has apparently been red, six of those. There have been three pickups.

I collected these pictures from the Web. Most of the cars are accurate in color and model, but I had to take some liberties. I am delighted I could find an accurate '62 Galaxie convertible! Mine didn't have wheel covers though.

Snowy Going

This was one of the worst trips up to school I ever had to make. I snapped this probably a mile, mile and a half before I reached the junction with 453. It was very slow going, like driving in soft butter. That little Aerio gets along OK, though.

You Gotta be Foolin' Me!

How stupid can we be?

Updated 2/25/08: Apparently Amazon thought better of selling this item. It was a book holder that attached to the steering wheel of your car to facilitate reading while driving.

Drivers on Cells

You know it's true. People driving while on the cell phone are becoming an even greater problem. You don't need any professional studies to tell you that. All you need do is look around while you're in traffic.

Now, it seems, they're not only jeopardizing my safety, but they're wasting my time, too.

Study: Drivers on Cells Clog Traffic - TIME

Homemade Windshield Deicer

For many of us, along with winter comes an endless expanse of mornings spent freezing our fingers off scraping ice from our windshields. Rather than walking that chilly road again this winter, the Dollar Stretcher web site suggests several DIY solutions for keeping your windshield ice-free this winter. For example:

To prevent your car's windows/mirrors from icing up... treat the windows before you go to bed each night. The window treatment can be made up of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and placed in a spray bottle... [and] will prevent ice from forming.

From other posts in the thread, it sounds like rubbing alcohol can be substituted for vinegar, and the solution can be applied either before or after the ice has formed.

From Lifehacker

ServiceBeacon for Your Car

ServiceBeacon is a free online service that lets you ...

• Track your car's maintenance schedule
• Receive recall notices by email
• Make service appointments online
• Store your car's service history
• Track multiple vehicles

Take the tour of ServiceBeacon.com

Brit Cars

Last Sunday, 9 September, DelGrosso's Amusement Park in Tipton, PA, hosted an exhibition of British cars. I would estimate approximately 60 cars ranging from a 1933 Rolls up to a current Mini were on display. Most of the cars were Triumph and MG open roadsters, which were first made popular in the US by returning servicemen.

The EDSEL, 50 Years On

September 4, 1957, was "E-Day", the day the much anticipated, highly promoted Edsel appeared in dealer showrooms. The name "Edsel" would become a synonym for failure.

First year sales were projected to be 200,000, but just over 63,000 rolled out of six manufacturing plants in the US. During the entire 3 year run, fewer than 111,000 Edsels were turned out. An estimated 6000 remain.

In a brief promotional scheme to boost sagging sales, new Edsel owners were given a chance to win a pony.

One of the Edsel's many innovations included ignition-transmission interlock which is standard today.


More ...
1958 Edsel Page - Wikipedia: Edsel - E D S E L

Pennsylvania's Bridges

Of 22,291 total bridges in Pennsylvania, 42.9% are either structurally deficient (5,532) or functionally obsolete (4,028). (1)

Definitions -
A structurally deficient bridge is closed or restricted to light vehicles because of its deteriorated structural components. While not necessarily unsafe, these bridges must have limits for speed and weight.
A functionally obsolete bridge has older design features and, while it is not unsafe for all vehicles, it cannot safely accommodate current traffic volumes, and vehicle sizes and weights.

For a county-by-county list of such bridges in the state, see
Deficient major bridges in Pennsylvania - Bridge Collapse - MSNBC.com

The new GM electric car

GM seeks a green jolt with a green Volt - MSNBC.com

"General Motors already has five hybrid vehicles on the road, but it is banking its future on a radical departure onto the green road: By 2010, the automaker hopes to have a plug-in electric passenger car in customers’ driveways."

See my earlier post about the film Who Killed the Electric Car?

We have the technology ...

I just watched a powerful, important movie, Who Killed the Electric Car?, which I would vigorously recommend seeing.

At one time, General Motors, Ford, Honda, and Toyota were manufacturing and leasing all-electric plug-in cars, primarily in response to California's 1990 Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandate. This film tells the history of the electric car in America.

Somewhat in the manner of a murder mystery, this informative, entertaining, and easily watchable film investigates the inception and demise of the electric car almost entirely through interviews with people from the auto industry, the oil industry, environmental organizations, government, and owners of electric vehicles.

For more information about electric plug-in vehicles visit PlugInAmerica.com.

Dozens of Tips to Save Money on Gas

wikiHow offers a pretty comprehensive listing of ways you can reduce your fuel consumption and pay less at the pump.

Some simple, easy to implement tips include -

• Don't drive a car when you don't have to
• Avoid idling
• Get a better air filter
• Slow down and drive at a consistent speed
• Anticipate stop signs and lights
• Accelerate slowly from a stop

How to Save Money on Gas - wikiHow