Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Illinois considers letting bikers ride through red lights [w/poll]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/04/illinois-considers-letting-bikers-ride-through-red-lights-w-pol/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/04/illinois-considers-letting-bikers-ride-through-red-lights-w-pol/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/04/illinois-considers-letting-bikers-ride-through-red-lights-w-pol/#commentsFiled under: ,

Motorcycle Police

If you've ever ridden on two wheels, the following scenario might sound familiar: You pull up to a red light on your motorbike, scooter, bicycle, what-have-you, and you wait for it to change. And you wait, and wait and wait. The problem is likely that your wheels haven't triggered the sensor embedded in the pavement. So what do you do? Sit and wait some more, knowing that the light won't change? Or go through the red light and risk getting a ticket?

Well, a law under consideration in the state of Illinois could rectify the problem. While some municipalities are working at installing other types of sensors to accommodate two-wheelers, the state legislature is also debating a bill that would allow riders to simply go through the red light in question.

The proposal has been amended to include only cities with less than two million inhabitants, and appears to leave the matter of how long is a "reasonable" amount of time to have waited at the light before proceeding up to interpretation. Of course, traffic conditions would have to allow it as well, but as far as the law's concerned, well... that could be about to change for bikers in the Prairie State.

So what do you think - good idea or bad idea? Cast your vote in the poll below.

View Poll

Illinois considers letting bikers ride through red lights [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billillinoislawmotorcyclered lightstatestate legislaturetraffic lightThu, 04 Aug 2011 15:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20008746/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/04/illinois-considers-letting-bikers-ride-through-red-lights-w-pol/20008746/article-detail.xml 20008746 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/bike-cop-lights_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/bike-cop-lights.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Washington to require that 'quiet' cars get alert sounds]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/19/report-washington-to-require-that-quiet-cars-get-alert-sounds/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/19/report-washington-to-require-that-quiet-cars-get-alert-sounds/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/19/report-washington-to-require-that-quiet-cars-get-alert-sounds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Brabus High Voltage EV concept - click above for high-res image gallery

Hands down, one of the few pleasures of driving a hybrid is cruising around in all-electric mode. There's just something that's undeniably cool about silently whisking along, but if a new auto safety bill makes its way into law, we can kiss even that one pleasure goodbye. A coalition of automotive manufacturers and advocacy groups for the blind have joined forces to make sure that silent-running vehicles will make more noise in the future. The logic is that the blind and other pedestrians are at risk of being struck by quiet hybrids and EVs. We can't really argue with that one.

If passed, the bill would have the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration propose regulations for an "alert sound" within a year and a half, and finalize the rules within three years. Drivers would not be able to turn off the noise. So far, there's no word as to how loud the noise would be or what it will sound like, but the technology already exists to make that sound signature variable - concept cars like the Brabus Smart High Voltage EV shown above can simulate the sound of everything from a buzzing bee to a good ol' American V8 with hidden speakers inside and outside of the vehicle, with the sound varying according to engine speed. If we absolutely have to be making a racket while we drive on all-electric power, we vote for sounding like George Jetson's daily commuter, but we're not exactly crazy about user-selectable EV 'ringtones,' lest one's daily commute become an auditory assalt of Star Wars Tie Fighters and clydesdales.


Gallery: Brabus Smart High Voltage


[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Washington to require that 'quiet' cars get alert sounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 May 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alert SoundAlertSoundBillbrabusBrabus smartbrabus smart high voltageBrabusSmartBrabusSmartHighVoltageEVEV Alert SoundEvAlertSoundevsgeorge jetsonGeorgeJetsonhigh voltageHighVoltageHybridHybrid Alert SoundHybridAlertSoundjetsonjetsonsLegislationNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministrationNHTSAsmart high voltageSmartHighVoltagesound effectsound effectsSoundEffectSoundEffectsWed, 19 May 2010 16:41:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19483662/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/05/19/report-washington-to-require-that-quiet-cars-get-alert-sounds/19483662/article-detail.xml 19483662 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/brabus-high-voltage_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/brabus-high-voltage.jpg <![CDATA[Worse or Worser: Automakers consider new mpg standard to prevent Senate bill]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/31/worse-or-worser-automakers-consider-new-mpg-standard-to-prevent/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/31/worse-or-worser-automakers-consider-new-mpg-standard-to-prevent/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/31/worse-or-worser-automakers-consider-new-mpg-standard-to-prevent/#commentsFiled under: ,

In the Wild West, the order would have been "Cut them off at the pass!" For carmakers today battling with wildly fluctuating forecasts for mpg, CO2, and CAFE standards, the mission is to cut them off at the Capital. Taking matters upon themselves, some manufacturers are considering a proposal that would require 36 mpg for cars and 30 mpg for light trucks.

That proposal is being offered in an attempt to derail the fuel economy measure being taken up by the Senate in a couple of weeks. That's the one that calls for a CAFE standard of 35 mpg fleetwide by 2020 and a 4% increase every year for ten years, to which the automakers have unanimously replied, 'never gonna happen.' Environmentalists are trying to make that bill even stronger, seeing that is has a provision allowing the government to reduce the standard if it is found to be too technologically or financially difficult for automakers to achieve. Senator Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who's a friend of the industry, is proposing an alternative that mandates 36 mpg for cars by 2022, and a 30 mpg for trucks by 2025. Let's see -- that would give a 33 mpg average for cars and trucks in a maker's fleet by 2025, which is 2 mpg and 5 years shy of the CAFE standard requested in the bill the carmakers don't like. Is it us, or is this really just about timing?

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Worse or Worser: Automakers consider new mpg standard to prevent Senate bill originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 May 2007 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billcafecapitalcarllevinsenateThu, 31 May 2007 19:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/907715/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/05/31/worse-or-worser-automakers-consider-new-mpg-standard-to-prevent/907715/article-detail.xml 907715 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/capital_36mpg_cars_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/capital_36mpg_cars.jpg <![CDATA[Senate panel approves plan for 35mpg by 2020]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/09/senate-panel-approves-plan-for-35mpg-by-2020/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/09/senate-panel-approves-plan-for-35mpg-by-2020/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/09/senate-panel-approves-plan-for-35mpg-by-2020/#commentsFiled under:

A Senate panel has approved a plan to increase CAFE standards to 35 mpg by 2020, with a 4% increase every year until 2030. That's almost 40% higher than today's standard for cars, which is 27.5 mpg . Currently, vans and trucks must get at least 22.2 mpg.

This bill, however, has a long, long, long way to go before any of its components are agreed upon. With this bill, work trucks and semis would have to meet CAFE standards for the first time -- but requirements can't be changed for those vehicles without first conducting a federal study. Senator Carl Levin of Michigan said he'll filibuster this kind of legislation since it's unfair to the Big Three. Senators Ted Stevens (AK) and Trent Lott (MS) wonder if it's fair and how it will affect trucking. Senator Bill Nelson (FL) wants the 2020 standard to be 40 mpg. John Kerry (MA) wants 31 mpg by 2015 and 35 by 2020. The Big Three and Toyota don't like it because they think it's unattainable. The UAW doesn't like it because they say it will cause closures and job losses -- even though those have been rampant with the standards we already have. Environmentalists don't like it because it's weaker than President Bush's proposal and there aren't more alternative energy provisions. David Friedman of the Union of Concerned Scientists likens the bill to Swiss cheese because of its loopholes, while Senator Daniel Inouye (HI) thinks it's fair as is.

The bill will go before the full Senate in June. Democrats expect it to pass. Our Magic 8-ball seems to think otherwise. . . .

[Source: Autoblog Green via AP]

Senate panel approves plan for 35mpg by 2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 May 2007 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billcafeeconomyfuelgassenateWed, 09 May 2007 11:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/891922/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/05/09/senate-panel-approves-plan-for-35mpg-by-2020/891922/article-detail.xml 891922 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/cafe_standard_35_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/05/cafe_standard_35.jpg <![CDATA[California to ban smoking in cars with kids]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/california-to-ban-smoking-in-cars-with-kids/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/california-to-ban-smoking-in-cars-with-kids/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/california-to-ban-smoking-in-cars-with-kids/#commentsFiled under:

Senators in California are close to passing a bill that would prohibit smoking in vehicles carrying children who are required by law to ride in a child seat. The bill proposed by Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood) recently received a 23-14 vote that sent it back to the Assembly, and with our underdeveloped comprehension of state politics we can't really tell you how close that means the bill is to landing on the Governator's desk, but we think it's pretty close. And to think I was freaked out when I last visited California because I couldn't light up in a bowling alley. A bowling alley!

Proponents argue that the bill is an attempt to "protect the health of children who cannot protect themselves." We'll let that one go because we're sure you'll pick it up in the comments, but we will point out something else from the linked article, which is that on the same day the smoking ban was approved the California Senate shot down an alternative fuel bill. This bill would require that at least half of the vehicles sold in California be classified as clean-running alternative vehicles by 2020.

Why bring up both bills? Well, because it seems like the smoking ban bill is something that can be easily passed and forgotten about until election time, whereas the alternative fuel bill, which would join a host of other strict California emissions laws, would be a logistical nightmare. It would no doubt infuriate the auto industry to no end, which does still have some political clout in this country, as we're sure it's getting tired of the Golden State single-handedly setting this nation's environmental policy when it comes to autos.

Thanks for tip, James!

[Source: Mercury News]

California to ban smoking in cars with kids originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Aug 2006 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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