Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Washington county may ban car washing at home]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/23/washington-county-may-ban-car-washing-at-home/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/23/washington-county-may-ban-car-washing-at-home/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/23/washington-county-may-ban-car-washing-at-home/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If residents in several cities in Clark County, Washington want to get their cars clean, they could soon be forced to do it at retail car washes. According to an employee at the Washington state Department of Ecology, the state wants "people to make the connection of 'what goes on the street goes into the creek.'" And soapy car wash residue is something they don't want in the creek.

The state wants the cities to come up with a way to keep any water that isn't rain water from getting into the environment without being treated. The cities, about a dozen in all, say that's crazy, and have threatened to sue the state for trying to enact measures that exceed federal Clean Water Act.

The state suggests that if people still want to clean their cars, that they don't use soap with phosphorus, and wash their cars on gravel or grass where the water will be filtered by the soil. That's ironic, because part of the state's measure also requires sprinkler water to be captured and treated. Residents could always try the state's other option: don't use soap at all.

[Source: Next Autos, Photo CC | Credit: Koop]

Washington county may ban car washing at home originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car washcar washingCarWashCarWashingclark county washingtonClarkCountyWashingtonenvironmentenvironmentally friendlyEnvironmentallyFriendlygovernmentgreenlegallegislationwashingtonwashington stateWashingtonStateTue, 23 Sep 2008 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[OMG! Washington first state to ban text messaging while driving]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/14/omg-washington-first-state-to-ban-text-messaging-while-driving/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/14/omg-washington-first-state-to-ban-text-messaging-while-driving/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/14/omg-washington-first-state-to-ban-text-messaging-while-driving/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're travelling down I-90 in Washington State and texting your BFF on a CrackBerry, then you might want to put it down. Washington has become the first U.S. state in the union to ban text messaging while driving. The legislation against driving while texting (henceforth to be known as the dreaded DWT) was rolled into a similar measure against talking on one's cell phone without using a hands-free device, a regulation many cities and states have already adopted.

Washington Gov. Christine Gegoire signed the measures into Washington state law last Friday (she was reportedly flanked by children injured from car accidents involving cell phone distractions). Like many laws of this sort, the po-po can't pull you over if they spot you Twittering away in the driver's seat. You need to be caught doing something worse, like swerving across the center line, to get pulled over. If Officer Roscoe P. Coltrain spots a warm Qwerty riding shotgun though, you'll likely be nailed with a $124 fine. If that happens, you won't be LOL.

[Source: Seattle Times]

OMG! Washington first state to ban text messaging while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 May 2007 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris gegoireChrisGegoireDWTfinelawmeasuresmstext messagingtextingTextMessagingwashington statewashington statesWashingtonStateWashingtonStatesMon, 14 May 2007 15:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Bill Gates' Porsche 959 to become enemy of the state]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/18/bill-gates-porsche-959-to-become-enemy-of-the-state/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/18/bill-gates-porsche-959-to-become-enemy-of-the-state/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/18/bill-gates-porsche-959-to-become-enemy-of-the-state/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The "Show or Display" exemption that was enacted under Bill Clinton's tenure as president has been a godsend for collectors and enthusiasts who love certain European and Asian vehicles that were never officially certified for U.S. road use, cars like the McLaren F1, Bugatti EB110, Jaguar XJ220, Maserati MC12, Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM and GTR, and the Porsche 959. These are incredible cars that were never designed for American roads, and in turn needed some official "help" to get to these shores.

Some wealthy owners had taken it upon themselves to import these cars for their own collections even before the Show or Display legislation went into effect. Jerry Seinfeld was one of the first people to get a Porsche 959. He was joined by Microsoft partners Paul Allen and Bill Gates. Gates, in particular, was glad when the Show or Display went into effect so he didn't have to worry so much about blasting around Seattle in his Porsche supercar. Well, his days of no motoring worries may be over.

As part of an "environmental crackdown" in his home state of Washington, the Show or Display vehicles may lose their exemption. Governor Chris Gregoire is looking at ways to cut pollution and a prime target are catalytic converter-free cars like these exempted vehicles and their "gross emissions." Although Gates had recently joked that, "my Porsche days may be coming to a close," that was due to his wife Melinda's concerns more than any foreseen legislative problems. According to this Australian IT article, Bill's friends seem to think "he will not surrender his right to drive the 959 without a fight." Having seen a few of these in action over the years, we hope that cooler heads prevail and they work out a compromise.

[Source: Australian IT via Digg]

Bill Gates' Porsche 959 to become enemy of the state originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Dec 2006 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bill GatesBillGatesGovernor Chris GregoireGovernorChrisGregoireJery SeinfeldJerySeinfeldMicrosoftPaul AllenPaulAllenPorsche 959Porsche959Show or DisplayShowOrDisplayWashington stateWashingtonStateMon, 18 Dec 2006 16:01:00 EST