Autoblog

Mass. turnpike authority removes violent video games from rest stops [w/poll]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Toys/Games

The Boston Globe reports the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has removed violent video games from state-owned travel centers following last month's mass shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

As the story goes, Andrew and Tracey Hyams were traveling with their 12-year-old son on Christmas Eve from Boston to New York when they took a break from their road trip at a rest area. When they did, they were jarred by the sounds of virtual gunfire as someone played a video game inside. The Hyams, relatives of one of the victims of the Newtown shooting, complained to the Department of Transportation. The agency's decision makers agreed the games were inappropriate, and promptly pulled them from the rest areas in Charlton, Ludlow, Lee and Beverly. Nine such arcade games were removed in all.

Transportation Secretary Richard Davey was quoted as saying a video game in a public space could be used by children of any age, noting that everyone can agree that there's too much violence in our society. While Davey says he didn't make the decision to pull the games, he supported the move.

Do you believe this was the right decision? Take part in our survey below and feel free to leave your thoughts in Comments.

View Poll

Mass. turnpike authority removes violent video games from rest stops [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Transportation Dept. gives $550k to study texting-ban enforcement

George Kennedy — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

So far, 39 states have some form of law against texting while driving, but it is a hard thing to enforce. Many drivers continue to text on the road, confident that the local smokies won't spot their sins.

That time might be over for Massachusetts and Connecticut, as the National highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded $550,000 in order to develop methods to better spot texters in the act. Each state will receive $275,000 to conduct "high visibility anti-texting enforcement programs."

According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, "We have come a long way in our fight against distracted driving, but there is still much more work to be done." He continued, "Texting behind the wheel is especially dangerous, which is why we're working with states like Connecticut and Massachusetts to address this important safety issue."

While laws are in effect across the country, it is more difficult to detect texting than it is a driver placing a call on a cell phone. This initiative from NHTSA would develop techniques, such as spotters on overpasses and roving patrols, to determine the effectiveness of these practices. The program will be conducted over a two-year period, and the results will be made available to other states that are encountering texting and driving issues. Read more in the press release below.

Continue reading Transportation Dept. gives $550k to study texting-ban enforcement

Transportation Dept. gives $550k to study texting-ban enforcement originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texting Mass teen found guilty of vehicular homicide [w/video]

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

If for some reason you still don't think that texting while driving is a bad idea, here's a story for you. Aaron Deveau, age 17, was allegedly composing a text message when his car crossed the center line of a Massachusetts street, hitting a car head-on. In that car was Daniel Bowley, Jr. and his girlfriend, Luz Roman. Bowley Jr. suffered massive injuries in the crash, and after spending 18 days in a Boston hospital, died as a result of the injuries.

According to Boston.com, a Haverhill, Massachusetts judge sentenced Deveau to "concurrent sentences of two and a half years on a charge of motor vehicle homicide and two years for a charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle causing serious injury while texting" earlier this week.

After noting Deveau's age and lack of any criminal record, the judge later ordered the 17-year-old to serve one year in the Essex County House of Corrections, suspending the other sentences. Deveau was originally arrested in 2011, following the crash that took place in February of that year.

"If I could take it back, I would take it back. I just want to apologize to the family," Deveau stated during the trial. During his testimony, Deveau reportedly claimed that he was not texting during the time of the crash and could not recall texting while driving.

Luz Roman (pictured above), who survived the crash, spoke out during the hearings, and spoke to Boston.com after the sentencing, which you can see in the video below. "This has been giving me a lot of pain, there are no words to describe," Roman told Boston.com. Scroll down for the rest of her commentary, as well as some thoughts from Bowley's son.

Continue reading Texting Mass teen found guilty of vehicular homicide [w/video]

Texting Mass teen found guilty of vehicular homicide [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massachusetts Supreme Court upholds policy of charging $70 fee to innocent motorists

Chris Shunk — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

Getting a ticket can ruin even the best of days, but at least American motorists have the ability to fight moving violations in court. Challenging a ticket at least gives drivers a shot at avoiding or reducing fines and/or points charged to their records.

In Massachusetts, however, a new state Supreme Court ruling means drivers have to pay, win or lose. The Newspaper details the case of Ralph Sullivan, who was charged $70 in non-refundable fees even after he successfully fought a lane violation ticket ($20 for appealing the summons to a clerk, then another $50 to get the case in front of a district court judge). Sullivan argued to the Massachusetts Supreme Court that the policy violates the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution, as motorists are saddled with fees that offenders in more serious cases are not required to pay. The court disagreed and ruled against Sullivan.

In the ruling, Justice Ralph D. Gants writes, "Where the legislature provides greater process that imposes greater demands on the resources of the District Court, it is rational for the legislature to impose filing fees, waivable where a litigant is indigent, to offset part of the additional cost of these judicial proceedings."

Yeah, we get it. The courts are busy and they're expensive to run, so the $3,678,620 Massachusetts courts received as a result of fines in 2010 is needed to keep the doors open. We're of the opinion that anyone found not guilty should never have been pulled over in the first place, so the fine is levied as punishment for no crime committed. Isn't wasting half a day in court punishment enough?

Massachusetts Supreme Court upholds policy of charging $70 fee to innocent motorists originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kevin Youkilis, Herb Chambers and Biz Markie walk into a car commercial...

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Humor

Being from the Boston area means you learn handful of facts specific to The Hub. One of them is that Kevin Youkilis (A.K.A. "The Greek God of Walks," "Youk") is a great pro baseball player with a few years left in the tank (despite his 2011 woes). Another fact is that you can't throw a stone in New England without hitting a Herb Chambers dealership. As a former resident of the great state of Massachusetts, your author is an Escalade-sized Red Sox fan and also worked a summer shuttling rental cars between two of Chambers' dealerships.

It seems Chambers and Youk are working together now, but their approach is... unique. Sitting at a piano, the duet attempts to warble out a version of Biz Markie's classic Just A Friend. Predictably, it's not exactly Grammy worthy. Hell, it's not even worthy to make the first round of American Idol auditions. Luckily, Mr. Markie isn't far away and steps in to help the pair get the song just right.

The message? Herb Chambers has got what you need, thanks to his 48 dealerships located around New England. Click past the jump for the clip.

Continue reading Kevin Youkilis, Herb Chambers and Biz Markie walk into a car commercial...

Kevin Youkilis, Herb Chambers and Biz Markie walk into a car commercial... originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Terrafugia flying car to start production by end of year

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Specialty

Terrafugia Transition flying car - Click above for high-res image gallery

Terrafugia, the Massachusetts-based flying car company, has announced that it is one step closer to putting a road-and-air-going flying car in your driveway. A suitable production facility has been located in Woburn, MA, just down the road from the company's headquarters. A story posted on USAToday.com states that production could begin within three months, and that Terrafugia plans to hire 50 skilled workers over a period of three years. Extensive testing will begin on two prototypes - one will focus on flight behavior while the other will stick to the ground. If that's the case, three months seems pretty optimistic.

Regardless, we are getting closer to realizing many a young person's dream. A flying car evokes romantic visions of picking up a date then soaring through the clouds. Sure, the styling of the Terrafugia Transition is a cross between a PT Cruiser and a Paul Walker Pep Boys special, and yes, we are also aware that the skies will eventually become clogged with traffic and flying down the Air-405 will be a nightmare. Still, it's not often you get to see a childhood fantasy come to life.

Gallery: Terrafugia Transition - First Flight

[Source: USA Today]

Report: Terrafugia flying car to start production by end of year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GMC Canyon sales rise in MA thanks to senator's win (w/video)

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, GMC

Scott Brown and his 2005 GMC Canyon pickup - Click above to watch the video after the break

Never underestimate the power of a celebrity endorsement. Or, for that matter, a political one. Massachusetts senator-elect Scott Brown (R) won an unprecedented victory Tuesday in the state's special election to replace Ted Kennedy, and he reportedly earned extra brownie points from voters for promising to keep his staid 2005 GMC Canyon pickup truck with over 200,000 miles on the clock as his daily driver in office.

"I'm Scott Brown, I'm from Wrentham, and I drive a truck," the candidate had been known to say. This was especially true after President Obama quipped that voters should "look under the hood" in reference to Brown's candidacy. Apparently, that nice, average guy persona sat well with the state's population - so much so that area dealerships are reportedly noting an increased level of interest in the oft-overlooked pickup truck from The General.

Al Cerrone, owner of a local GMC dealership, claims, "We've gotten eight to 12 phone calls from people asking, 'Do you sell trucks like that?''' To which we can only imagine he responded with, "Yes we can!" Click past the break to watch a video from Scott Brown's campaign featuring his GMC Canyon pickup truck. Thanks for the tip, Phil!

[Source: Boston.com]

Continue reading Report: GMC Canyon sales rise in MA thanks to senator's win (w/video)

Report: GMC Canyon sales rise in MA thanks to senator's win (w/video) originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cars and Coffee roadshow headed for New England this weekend

Dan Roth — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Event Alert

Cars and Coffee, the informal and inclusive wheeled hootenanny originated in Irvine, California has been spreading across the country faster than swine flu. There's no stage with bad cover bands, not a trophy in sight, but you're always likely to see some astounding vehicles.

Herb Chambers, New England dealership juggernaut, has thrown his support behind a New England gathering. "Herb himself is a super car enthusiast," says John Covell, Director of Marketing for the Herb Chambers Companies, "He thought that others would enjoy it." A new BMW dealership in Sudbury, MA, where the event is being held this Saturday, October 10th, is a supporting cast member.

Cynics may dismiss this as another ploy akin to inflatable dinosaurs, but when was the last time you were invited out by a car dealership to drink free coffee and ogle a McLaren F1 on a Saturday morning? Running from 7-10 AM, the inaugural event will be over before many people's days get under way. "Herb is passionate about cars and he's passionate about this business. If our customers understand that we share their passion, that's a good thing," sums up Covell. Hey, if he doesn't mind us drooling all over his McLaren, we'll agree.

Cars and Coffee roadshow headed for New England this weekend originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mass. governor pondering so-called "Hummer Tax"

Michael Harley — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Truck, Government/Legal, Green, Hummer

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Hummer H2

The Governor of Massachusetts is backing a new state proposal to tax larger gas-guzzling vehicles each year when drivers register them. The so-called "Hummer Tax" would be the first in the nation, and it is designed to directly discourage ownership of SUVs and pickups. To further chill ownership of larger and more inefficient vehicles and steer buyers towards the small cars, the plan includes provisions to discount fees for owners with lighter and more miserly cars.

"It's a penalty for driving an SUV, which currently is not the popular choice. Or you're being penalized for a lifestyle choice, or maybe the fact that you have a large family and you need that size vehicle to put them in and it just doesn't seem fair," said Tim Lerchenfeldt, general manager of Cadillac Hummer Saab Village in Norwwood. He argues that now is not the time for additional fees, especially when the industry is struggling and sales across the board are down.

The transportation system in Massachusetts is suffering from more than a decade of neglect, according to Democratic Governor Deval Patrick, and the tax would be just one of the ways to raise the funds to foot the repair bill (the plan also includes a controversial 19 cent increase in the state's gas tax). While the "Hummer Tax" benefits from a lightning rod of a nickname, the premise of hitting select consumers who already pay more at the pump with yet another fee doesn't exactly sound universally welcomed.

Gallery: 2008 HUMMER H2

[Source: Foxnews]

Mass. governor pondering so-called "Hummer Tax" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Class warfare: Exotic car owners in MA got massive tax break

Chris Shunk — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:37:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Supercars

Owning a high-end car? Fun. Paying the hefty vehicle tax on it? Not so much -- that is, unless you live in the state of Massachusetts. From the late 1990s to 2007, the state's Registry of Motor Vehicles missed collecting $32 million a year in annual taxes because it used the NADA database to calculate them for some 131,000 exotics or otherwise premium vehicles. Unfortunately for the RMV, NADA's database excludes high-end luxury vehicles, so there was no proper way to tax those cars in the state. If, for instance, you purchased a Bugatti Veyron, instead of paying many thousands of dollars, you could have wound up paying no more than the owner of a Ford Focus.

This is going to suck for owners of affected cars, as the taxman comes to collect what he missed the first time around, right? Wrong. Folks who purchased an affected vehicle through 2007 are completely off the hook. The commonwealth has decided that trying to collect the over $300 million it missed over all those years would be an administrative and legal nightmare. That's a win-win situation for premium car owners in Mass. that's sure to torque off the regular guy, whom the government had no trouble finding and collecting from, as usual. What's scandalous is that no one at the RMV figured this out until now. Bay Staters, that's you're local government (and those tax dollars it collects) at work.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Class warfare: Exotic car owners in MA got massive tax break originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the 2008 Honda Accord Motor Trend's COTY?

Dan Roth — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:07:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Honda

Has Ernie Boch Jr. let the cat out of the bag? Autoblog reader Jason tipped us that he heard a fleeting mention of the 2008 Honda Accord being Motor Trend's Car Of The Year during a commercial for a seasonal promotion at the national sales champ dealership. Could it be that Jason's sharp ear has uncovered Motor Trend's announcement traditionally made in November? Boch Honda's website mirrors the statement that Jason heard, as well, offering a "newly redesigned 2008 Honda Accord LX, Motor Trend's Car Of The Year" for a $198/month lease. Motor Trend, on the other hand, remains mum so far on its pick. The press always blows the automaker's embargoes, how meta is it that a dealer appears to have deflated the COTY balloon? We'll be giving Ernie a ring on Monday, stay tuned.

Thanks for the tip, Jason!

Is the 2008 Honda Accord Motor Trend's COTY? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massachusetts introduces bill to ban modified exhausts

Chris Shunk — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Government/Legal

Legislators in Massachusetts are set to introduce a bill in October that will ban modified exhausts in the land of a certain tea party and the world's best baked beans. The pious patriots over at SEMA have been fighting this day for years, but the politicians have decided they've had enough with the Flowmasters, already. The proposed law doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as Massachusetts already has a noise ordinance in place, and the bill doesn't even have any clear standard for the law to enforce. Lawmakers want to specifically ban any "exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust." While we're not all that excited about annoying exhausts that can wake a trauma victim out of a coma, we'd like to see this proposal go the way of the Boston Braves.

[Source: SEMA via Jalopnik]

Massachusetts introduces bill to ban modified exhausts originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Gullwings aplenty - 2007 Bricklin Owner's meet and a chat with Malcom Bricklin

Dan Roth — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Etc., Misc. Auto Shows

Bricklin owners have got it good. What other group of enthusiasts can have the founder and chief designer of their cars come and hang out with them for a weekend? Bricklin owners can, and did. From July 18th through the 22nd, the central Massachusetts city of Leominster played host to a flock of these mid-seventies gullwing GTs, and they were joined by Herb Grasse, who designed the wedgy sports car, as well as Malcolm Bricklin himself. Thirty-some cars eventually rumbled around the region and even drew some curious Deloreans out of the woodwork.

Bricklin owners are an exceptionally enthusiastic and knowedgeable group. Given the relative rarity of these sportsters, you'd assume that owners would have to be better with a wrench than your average Corvette owner. While we certainly found the owners we spoke with to have 93-octane blood, the cars themselves are based on stout, reliable and common components. Power units are AMC or Ford V8s, so big power is possible, and there were certainly several SV-1s sporting breathed-on drivetrains.

Check the jump for more and an interview with Malcolm Bricklin

Gallery: 2007 Bricklin international owner's gathering

Continue reading VIDEO: Gullwings aplenty - 2007 Bricklin Owner's meet and a chat with Malcom Bricklin

VIDEO: Gullwings aplenty - 2007 Bricklin Owner's meet and a chat with Malcom Bricklin originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The most Bricklins we've ever seen in one place

Dan Roth — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 10:04:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Etc.

click on the picture above to see a gallery of 15 shots

No, we're not talking about what happens when Malcolm gets together with the rest of the clan, but it is a family gathering of sorts. The Bricklin SV-1, Bricklin's 1970s stab at a safety GT, of course has a cult following. How could you deny the coolness of these low-slung, gullwing-door, V8 coupes? This weekend, in the North Central Massachusetts hamlet of Leominster, about 40 SV-1s are expected, along with Malcolm Bricklin and the man responsible for the styling, Herb Grasse, for the Bricklin International Owner's Club's 2007 Bricklin International Gathering East. The cars have been trickling in to town all day, and we managed to snap a few shots at the hotel this evening. We'll be going back, armed with more photo and video gear on Saturday, so these quick shots are just to whet your appetite. There will be more SV-1s present, and likely several DeLoreans when we go back, and next year, both marques are teaming up to have an extravaganza in Gettysburg, PA. If you like your iconoclastic GTs shaped like doorstops, don't miss it!

Thanks for the heads up, Toby!

Gallery: Bricklin Meet 1

The most Bricklins we've ever seen in one place originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jul 2007 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Accord junket set for Boston, on decaying pile of garbage

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:03:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Honda

Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor has a name it has truly earned. During a hundred-year-span, a list of its illustrious tenants includes a brothel, a horse rendering plant, a grease reclamation plant, and then tons and tons of Boston garbage dumped there over thirty years. The dumping ended when an entire bulldozer disappeared into the muck. When the city decided to stop dumping, the only thing that happened on the island was the seepage of "thousands of gallons of eroding material into the surrounding water..." A long way from the Tea Party, eh?

That's good enough for Honda, though. The company is hosting its 2008 Accord junket in Boston and on the island. It's a novel choice -- for the obvious reason -- but also because, as the invited NY Times writer mentions, Boston is so ... pedestrian, shall we say ... compared to the usual locales that host such events, which usually feature far more pina coladas than potholes. Good on you, Honda, and good luck to you, Mr. Dyer.

(FYI, Spectacle looks all right for what was recently a rotting heap of compost. After spending what must have been entire landmasses of money, Spectacle now houses "a 120-acre park, with a new pier, marina, a visitor center, two public beaches, and five miles of walking trails.")

[Source: New York Times]

Honda Accord junket set for Boston, on decaying pile of garbage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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