Autoblog

Bay area residents could soon be taxed per mile driven

Chris Tutor — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 09:14:00 EST

As cars get more fuel efficient, they become a less profitable source of tax dollars. So what's a city to do? Raising gas taxes is certain political death. For San Francisco Bay officials, creativity is the key.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments are currently examining a plan to tax drivers by the number of miles driven instead of number of gallons burned. To do that, cars registered in the area would be fitted with a GPS device to track the number of miles traveled.

Drivers could be charged less than a penny or as much as a dime per mile. One estimate puts potential revenue from the system at $15 million a day.

If the thought of your city government knowing your every move sounds frightening, the Commission's spokesman, Randy Rentschler, says not to worry.

"The last thing we're interested in is where you go and what you do," Rentschler tells the Associated Press. "What we're trying to do is get people to figure out a way to raise revenue that they could support."

Still not convinced?Don't get worked up yet - it could take Bay Area governments as long as a decade to implement such an idea. By then we'll surely have flying cars, electric scooters or even molecular transporters.

Bay area residents could soon be taxed per mile driven originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan to fight drunk driving with... talking urinal cakes?! [w/video]

Scott Burgess — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:43:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

"Don't drive drunk." That's the message every government, charity and local organization wants to get out during the Fourth of July holiday. It's sound advice, too, even from a potty mouth.

According to The Detroit News, the state of Michigan has bought 400 talking urinal cakes that will remind men that if they've had a few drinks, they shouldn't drive.

"Listen up. That's right, I'm talking to you. Had a few drinks? Maybe a few too many?" the urinal cake says after being activated by a tiny motion sensor in it. "Then do yourself and everyone else a favor: Call a sober friend or a cab. Oh, and don't forget to wash your hands."

The brainchild of the Maryland-based Wizmark, which has broken new ground with its electronic urinal advertising devices, the $21 talking cake is part of a bigger campaign to promote safe holiday driving.

Scroll down to check out the lecturing urinal cake in action.

Continue reading Michigan to fight drunk driving with... talking urinal cakes?! [w/video]

Michigan to fight drunk driving with... talking urinal cakes?! [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Young motorists driving far less than even 10 years ago

Zach Bowman — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

A new study by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group indicates Americans are driving less than they were a few years ago. That drop is largely thanks to young people. Those between the ages of 16 and 34 drove 23 percent fewer miles in 2009 than they did in 2001. While it's tempting to attribute the decline to the recession, the study suggests the decline may continue even after the economy picks up pace. Factors like steeper fuel prices, more readily available public transportation and a shift in priorities are likely to continue to allow young drivers to cut down on their time behind the wheel.

The study cites one poll that found a full 45 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 34 have moved to replace driving with other modes of transportation. By comparison, only 32 percent of older drivers have done the same.

Is this bad news? Not from our point of view. Our aging highway infrastructure is constantly struggling to keep pace with the volume of cars on the road. With more drivers opting for alternative transportation, there's bound to be less traffic and more room for those of us who actually prefer driving. Throw in decreased demand for gasoline, and we may even see fuel prices stay manageable in the near future. All hail the new generation.

Young motorists driving far less than even 10 years ago originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Jun 2012 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Returning U.S. soldiers have trouble with road rules at home

Chris Tutor — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Middle East

Life can be tough for U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Post traumatic stress disorder must make everyday tasks hell to deal with.

Not the least of which is re-adjusting to American road rules. In Iraq, the goal of the morning commute is to reach the destination alive. The more speed the better, and anything not moving out of the way quickly enough gets plowed into the pavement.

Many returning military personnel find it difficult to forget the lessons they've learned on hostile foreign roads. Over there, smart drivers follow the center line to avoid IEDs on the shoulders. Turn signals only give the enemy advance notice of your next move, and stopping at intersections makes you an easy target. When back in the states, those tactics are still effective for negotiating traffic, but aren't appreciated so much by fellow drivers.

A new study by insurer USAA (which serves members of the military and their families) shows that on average, returning troops had 13 percent more at-fault accidents than before they left. U.S. Army personnel showed the largest change at 23 percent, with Marines showing 12.3 percent increase.

Fortunately, USAA says it has no plans to raise rates in response to the study's results. It's also sharing the data with researchers and traffic safety experts in hopes of finding a solution.

Continue reading Returning U.S. soldiers have trouble with road rules at home

Returning U.S. soldiers have trouble with road rules at home originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Americans driving fewest miles since 2003

Zach Bowman — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

USA Today reports that Americans are driving less today than they were one year ago. According to a new study by the Department of Transportation, travel on U.S. roads has declined by around 1.3 percent through the first eight months of the year compared to the same period in 2010. That equates to around 26 billion vehicle miles, or the lowest figure since 2003.

The report also indicates that travel varied by area somewhat. The Northeast, for example, curtailed its travel by 2.2 percent in August compared to the same month in 2010, while drivers in the West cut back by just 1.2 percent.

There's no clear indication as to the reason behind the decline, though as USA Today points out, higher fuel prices likely played a part. A gallon of regular gasoline cost driver $3.68 in August; up a full dollar from the same period last year.

Americans driving fewest miles since 2003 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Driving can contribute to deadliest cancer, particularly on your left side

Chris Shunk — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

When the weather's right, it feels great to turn off the A/C, roll down the window and just go for a ride. But while the wind feels great, the sun may be killing you. USA Today reports that U.S. drivers are more prone to the potentially deadly melanoma and merkel cell carcinoma skin cancers on the left side of their bodies. The window American drivers hang their arms out of on those great driving days? Also the left side.

The study, conducted by the University of Washington and published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, shows that 55 percent of upper arm skin cancers, 52 percent of U.S. melanoma cases, and 53 percent of merkel cell carcinomas surface on the left side of the body. The driving connection is given further credence thanks to a 1986 study from Australia that showed the majority of male skin cancers surface on the right side of the body. Australian vehicles are right-hand drive.

While the study suggests that driving with the window down can potentially increase your risk of skin cancer (as is the case with any prolonged sun exposure, for that matter), we do know that rolling the window up provides some protection. Vehicle windows block most UVB rays, which helps mitigate sun exposure. That's good to know, but keeping the windows up 365 days a year is an unreasonable expectation. The open-air experience is part of what makes the freedom of driving so rewarding. Might not be a bad idea to keep a tube of sunscreen handy for those sunny, windows-down days, though.

Driving can contribute to deadliest cancer, particularly on your left side originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz to launch teen driving school

Noah Joseph — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Mercedes-Benz

AMG Driving Academy - Presumably not the cars your teenager will be driving

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz". Janice Joplin's words may seem entertaining to some, but strikingly familiar to anyone who's gone through the ordeal of ushering their teenager into the world of driving. While most parents wouldn't consider buying their teen a Mercedes as a first car - at least, not a new one - the automaker is offering the next best thing. And in many ways, it's even better.

Armed with statistics of teenage driving accidents and the success of a similar program in the UK, Mercedes-Benz USA is preparing to launch its own teen driving school right here in the United States. The program is aimed at turning new drivers into safer drivers through an advanced curriculum that goes over and above what's mandated by the state in order to fulfill the basic requirements for a driver's license. Going even further, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is negotiating with local DMVs across the country over integrating its program with the existing mandatory process to create an all-encompassing program.

If it achieves the same goals as it has in the UK, opening an advanced driving school for teens in America strikes us as one of the best safety features Mercedes-Benz has come up with yet. For the company that pioneered ABS brakes, crumple zones, stability control, brake assist and traction control, that's no mean feat. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz to launch teen driving school

Mercedes-Benz to launch teen driving school originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Gamers take more chances behind the wheel, suffer from road rage

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Toys/Games

Fact: Playing video games can help speed up reaction times and make a person more sensitive to the environment around them. A study by researchers at the University of Rochester found that people who play video games are generally better at multi-tasking, reading small print and even driving.

On the flip side of this study is one put together by Continental Tires, which shows that gamers also tend to take more risks behind the wheel. On average, 22 percent of gaming drivers reported being stopped by the police, compared to 13 percent on non-gamers. 31 percent of gamers have run a red light in the last 12 months while just 14 percent of non-gamers make the same claim.

Even more glaring is that 45 percent of the gaming drivers polled said they suffer from road rage while only 22 percent of the non-video game playing respondents stated the same. Honestly, judging from the typical morning commute in some major cities (and from the image above, which was captured while playing Gran Turismo 5), we bet both of those figures are just a wee bit on the low side.

[Source: University of Rochester, Jalopnik]

Study: Gamers take more chances behind the wheel, suffer from road rage originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: 4th of July named most dangerous driving holiday, so be safe out there

Steven J. Ewing — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

On Sunday, the United States of America will celebrate its 234th birthday, and rightfully so, 4th of July festivities will be taking place all around the country - cookouts, camping trips and pool-side relaxation are not out of the question.

But for those of us who will be out on the road, a report from State Farm Insurance brings some interesting information to light: 4th of July averages more collision claims than any other holiday. On average, State Farm policyholders have filed 6,031 claims on July 4th over the past five years. Yikes. We should point out, though, that this is still below the non-holiday average of 7,435 claims made during the same five-year period. It's something to consider nonetheless. These facts and more can be found in State Farm's press release, after the jump.

Drive safely, folks, and from all of us at Autoblog, Happy 4th.

[Source: State Farm Insurance | Image: Corvette Fever]

Continue reading PSA: 4th of July named most dangerous driving holiday, so be safe out there

PSA: 4th of July named most dangerous driving holiday, so be safe out there originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GMC, First Drives

2011 GM HD Trucks - Click above for high-res image gallery

Usually whenever we head out to a new vehicle press launch, we have to sit through exhaustive technical and marketing presentations before we get a chance to climb behind the wheel. However, General Motors put us straight into a dual-rear wheel GMC Sierra 3500 crew-cab diesel upon our arrival in Baltimore. On the docket? A 130-mile trek from Baltimore airport to Rocky Gap Lodge in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland with Vehicle Line Executive Rick Spina sitting shotgun.

We actually appreciated this 'backwards' approach, because it gave us the opportunity to develop some 'gut' impressions of these new trucks even before we got the attendant sales pitch. For a two-hour, mostly highway jaunt, the duallie SLT proved to be a surprisingly amiable companion, but it was just the first of seven different trucks we would drive over the next couple of days. Read on past the jump find out what GM's new heavy duty trucks are like when sampled in a range of real-world conditions.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 GM HD Trucks

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NSC decrees all cell phone driving as dangerous, cites 30 studies

Zach Bowman — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Surprise, surprise. The National Safety Council just released a report saying that all cell phone use while driving - even hands-free - is potentially dangerous and "risky behavior." The study includes some pretty scary figures, including this one: At any time, 11 percent of drivers on the road are on their phones at the same time. Even worse, the NSC estimates that one out of every four automobile accidents occur because the at-fault driver was on the phone. The NSC combed over and referenced 30 scientific studies and reports for its findings.

While you can technically operate a cell phone and a vehicle at the same time, it seems that our brains aren't hardwired to process that much information simultaneously. According to the study, the result is that while we may see everything on the road, our noggins are only making use of around 50 percent of the available information while we're on the phone. Yikes. Want to know more? Click here to visit the NSC's official page.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Report: NSC decrees all cell phone driving as dangerous, cites 30 studies originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New smartphone app automatically cuts usage when driving

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

If you're truly worried about your teenager and what he or she might get into - or plow into - using a cellphone while driving, then perhaps you might find Cell Cease of interest. If your teen's phone runs on Windows Mobile and has GPS, Cell Cease will block the ability to make and receive most phone calls if it detects the phone is moving more than 5 miles per hour. Only 911 calls and an allowed numbers list will be able to get through otherwise.

Once installed, Cell Cease makes changes to the software with with a PIN code. While safety is the intended benefit, there are not-insignificant downsides. Running Cell Cease can reduce your usable battery time by up to 20 percent, for one. Even more importantly, Cell Cease can't tell how you're moving faster than 5 mph. If you're a passenger in a car, riding on a bus or train, cruising in a sailboat, or even just walking pretty quickly, it doesn't matter: your phone is rendered nearly useless. On another note, is there a teen in the world that actually uses a WinMo phone?

[Source: Cell Cease | Image: Ryan Harvey - CC.2.0]

Continue reading New smartphone app automatically cuts usage when driving

New smartphone app automatically cuts usage when driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dung beetles in cow pies helping Toyota create night vision systems? [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toyota

Dung Beetles and your driving will soon have something in common - Click above to watch video

It's called "local adaptive spatiotemporal smoothing," and ~~birds~~ moths do it, bees do it, even ~~educated fleas~~ dung beetles do it. What it means is that when a dung beetle looks at something, it can selectively enhance multiple areas for details or for motion detection simultaneously. What that apparently means for you is, eventually, full-color night vision in your car.

According to New Scientist, Toyota has teamed up with researchers who have been studying insect optics in order to create better driving aids. Mercedes-Benz and BMW use infrared for their night-vision system, but this new system gathers information gathered in the visible spectrum and processes it differently.

It involves a three-part algorithmic, two of which video cameras use right now. When capturing a scene at night, the camera brightens the dark pixels while leaving bright pixels unaltered. The second step is to sharpens the edges within the picture, which it does by changing pixel values where it detects boundaries between light and dark areas. It increases details at the same time as it increases noise. The new and final step that is owed to dung beetles is when the camera compares values of nearby pixels to smooth out the image. The result is reduced noise and enhanced detail.

Now that the scientists have created a camera that can do all this processing on-the-go and at driving speed, Toyota will begin the work of integration. Follow the jump to check out a video on the research. Who would have thought a bug needed such awesome vision to find poop. Hat tip to Ric J!

[Source: New Scientist | Image: Paul Garland - C.C. License 2.0]

Continue reading Dung beetles in cow pies helping Toyota create night vision systems? [w/video]

Dung beetles in cow pies helping Toyota create night vision systems? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Platoon: GPS-based road trains set to test on European roads?

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Technology

GPS-based road train - Click above for gallery

It goes by the name "Sartre," but it has nothing to do with existentialism and just a little bit to do with exits. The Safe Road Trains for the Environment program is a three-year European study centering on the creation of 'platoons' of drivers behind a lead vehicle on the highway. It involves wiring cars to speak to each other, and to a lead vehicle - the platoon commander - behind which up to eight cars could follow in automated bliss.

One of the keys to the study is finding a way to make travel more efficient and lower gas usage without spending the treasury on putting sensors in roads, or creating an entirely new standard of equipment. Also, using a lead vehicle that could take control of the vehicles behind - cars, trucks or buses - makes Sartre much more flexible since it can travel on any highway.

So say you need to get to the Alhambra in a hurry. You see a Sartre platoon on the highway ahead, and if there's room, you signal your wish to join. The lead vehicle takes control of your car, and it is pulled into the formation, leaving you free to do whatever you want to do. When you want to get out, you signal your intention, a gap is made and you get control of your car again. The study will be conducted on test tracks in Spain, Sweden and the UK, with additional trials on public road in Spain. Gentlemen, mount up... Hat tip to Ben!

Gallery: "Sartre" GPS-based road trains

[Source: BBC]

Platoon: GPS-based road trains set to test on European roads? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekend Watching: Modern Marvels: Autobahn on Hulu

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe

There is a road that has taken on the awe of a holy relic, practically the Dead Sea Scrolls of tarmac, and it goes by one simple name: Die Autobahn. There are few, if any, other roads in the world that are as significant for gearheads as those remaining polished stretches of German highway that remain unhindered by speed limits. Even for us jaded hacks, the opportunity to open up the right car in the left lane is, if not rapture, at least an out-of-body experience.

So this is merely a public service announcement for gearheads: if you need something to do this weekend, Hulu has the History Channel's Modern Marvels episode on the story of the Autobahn. Even with Hulu's commercials it's only 46 minutes, which means you can pay your respects quickly. And if there's anything better than the Autobahn, it's the Autobahn with a pillow and popcorn. Thanks for the tip, Jay!

[Source: The History Channel via Hulu]

Weekend Watching: Modern Marvels: Autobahn on Hulu originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Driving like a jerk reportedly helps to reduce traffic jams

Dan Roth — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Drive like a sheep, and you get stuck. Break some rules here and there for the good of traffic flow, and everyone benefits. A new traffic study by physicists at Sweden's Umea University found that while we're all taught to obey the traffic rules no matter what, doing so just makes for bottlenecks. Mix in some maverick drivers, however, and suddenly, logjams begin to ease as the percentage of drivers willing to pass on the right or zip past a pack of trundling cars on a two-lane actually help to keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

While you might take the findings as an endorsement of behind-the-wheel jerkdom, chill out there for a second, Rat Fink. Tailgating, a behavior many impatient motorists exhibit, creates rolling platoons of cars without enough following distance to effectively brake if need be. In other words, while it's occasionally beneficial to sidestep the letter of the law, following too closely creates potential pile-ups. The ideal ratio seems to be 60-percent lemmings, 40-percent speed-addled free thinkers. That sounds like research we can put into practice pretty much immediately, though it's going to be a flimsy argument in traffic court.

[Source: PhysicsBuzz | Photo:biblicone (CC 2.0)]

Driving like a jerk reportedly helps to reduce traffic jams originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senators mulling a nationwide ban on texting while driving

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

Last time we checked in with the issue of texting while driving, the NHTSA practically claimed it was gagged by Congress. Fast forward a week -- after the New York Times report and the results of a Virginia Tech study -- and now a group of Democratic senators is proposing a nationwide ban on texting behind the wheel.

In a study of truckers, VA Tech said the increased risk of an accident was 23-times higher when texting and six-times higher when simply dialing or reaching for "an electronic device." In response to those kinds of numbers, New York Senator Charles Schumer (D) said "The federal government ought to pass a law banning this dangerous and growing practice to protect the millions of Americans on our nation's roads. It is a matter of public safety."

Like the drunk driving or minimum drinking age laws enacted in years past, the proposed legislation would punish states that don't enact the restrictions by reducing federal highway funds by 25%. There's no timeline yet for the legislation to be passed, but if it does get approved, it would become law within six months, and states would be given two years to develop their own laws. Important to note: the law would only apply to texting in moving cars, not stopped cars.

[Source: Yahoo! | Image Source: Bruno Vincent/Getty]

Senators mulling a nationwide ban on texting while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: NHTSA withheld results of studies on cell phone use while driving because of Congress

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

As always, it ain't the crime, it's the cover-up. In what looks to be Congress protecting its turf, a planned study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on driver distraction - specifically, drivers using cell phones - was put on hold. The reason, according to The New York Times, was allegedly a fear of upsetting the Capitol body. The reason, according to an ex-head of NHTSA, was "to avoid antagonizing members of Congress who had warned the agency to stick to its mission of gathering safety data but not to lobby states."

In 2003, NHTSA already had "hundreds of pages" of research on the effects of multitasking while driving. And yes, as many Autoblog commenters have surmised, the research does indeed point to people using their cell phones being "as likely to cause an accident as someone with a .08 blood alcohol content." NHTSA officials also felt that hands-free systems weren't a safe enough solution - drivers were still too distracted.

But when the safety agency drafted a letter to then Transport Secretary Norman Mineta that included policy recommendations, the head of the agency began hearing complaints about NHTSA overstepping its bounds. Congress, it was said, "warned the agency not to use its research to lobby states." As the story goes, the threat to NHTSA was that if it upset Congress, it "could jeopardize billions of dollars of its financing."

So instead of going forward with a focused study of cell phone usage that would include 10,000 drivers, the agency shelved everything and stayed quiet. Due to Freedom of Information Act requests, the research gathered up to now is being revealed. But there is still the issue of Congress holding back information that, frankly, could save lives.

What do you think? Do you use your mobile phone while driving? Do you think doing so should be illegal? Drop your fellow reader a line in 'Comments.'

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty]

REPORT: NHTSA withheld results of studies on cell phone use while driving because of Congress originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Where does your city rank among the road-rageous?

Chris Tutor — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Listen up, all you people in New York, Dallas, Detroit and Atlanta. Settle down. You, too, Minneapolis. There's no excuse for the kinds of things you're doing out there on the road. That's right, we saw you. Well, not us, but your fellow drivers who tattled on a new AutoVantage survey about road rage. Those were the five worst cities for road rage incidents this year, with respondents citing hot-tempered drivers and aggressive speeding and horn honking.

But wait - there are two sides to the road named rage. Something must have set off those finger-waving commuters. And that would have been all the other drivers out there who are talking on their phones, tailgating, eating, emailing and checking Autoblog on their netbooks and iPhones. Those people, the survey says, are the ones getting on the nerves of the short-fused.

So where can a mild-mannered driver go and cruise the roads in peace? AutoVantage's survey lists Portland, Oregon as the most courteous city with Cleveland, Baltimore, Sacramento and Pittsburgh following. While we're at it, we'd like to spotlight Baltimore as a shining example of how a city can make a road-rage u-turn. That city moved up from No. 4 on last year's least courteous list. Now why can't the rest of you behave as well?

Here's a few more interesting numbers the survey offers. St. Louis drivers, 92% of them, reported seeing someone talking on a mobile phone every day. It's also a city where you're more likely to see drivers eating in their cars. A majority of Minneapolis drivers surveyed said they witness tailgating every day, and that city's drivers also reported more incidences of red light running. In Miami, you're less likely to see drivers signaling lane changes but much more likely to get a text message from a fellow driver. Maybe they're just texting their intent to come into your lane. "Can U belev I jst got cutof??? Had 2 run light 2 catch up 2 him at 90mph!!!"

Ironically, 7% of the drivers surveyed said they reacted to displays of bad driving by calling the cops... on their mobile phones, we assume.

Check out the press release after the jump. But you might want to wait until you finish your drive home. It's kinda long.

Continue reading Study: Where does your city rank among the road-rageous?

Study: Where does your city rank among the road-rageous? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Example #4,239 why sat-nav isn't always to be trusted

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:33:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, UK

Anyone who uses a satnav regularly knows the feeling of looking at the directions being given - or actually trying to follow them - and wondering "WTF?" Try an experiment and plug one of your regular destinations into your satnav and see what it spit out; seven times out of ten you'll wonder "Why would it tell me to go that way?"

A driver in England has once again followed the instructions from his car's GPS system as if he were Abraham heeding instructions from The Almighty. Headed to a friend's house, the driver was told by his GPS to go up a steep walking path, and he did so. Luckily the path was lined by a fence, because when the driver crested a hill, he slid down the path and into the fence, which stopped him from going over a 100-foot cliff.

Fortunately, he was unhurt, although charged with careless driving. Never forget: trust your good sense before you trust your satnav...

[Source: The MIrror]

Example #4,239 why sat-nav isn't always to be trusted originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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