Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[French continue New Year's arson tradition by torching 1,193 cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/03/french-continue-new-years-arson-tradition-by-torching-1-193-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/03/french-continue-new-years-arson-tradition-by-torching-1-193-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/03/french-continue-new-years-arson-tradition-by-torching-1-193-car/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Torched Fiat sits in French parking lot

Just because the French government stopped divulging the number of cars set on fire during New Year's Eve doesn't mean French youth have stopped enjoying the pastime. In 2009, the year before Nicolas Sarkozy took control of Elysées Palace, there were 1,147 cars burned on NYE. This year, the new government of François Hollande - a proponent of transparency in such matters - reports that there were 1,193 cars flambéed a few nights ago.

Some watchers have criticized the French government for going public with the numbers again, saying it only encourages gangs to compete with one another. It is intriguing that there was a four-fold increase after 2008: In 2007 there were 397 cars burned, in 2008 just 372 were torched. However, with suggested reasons for the pyromania including protest, removing the evidence of crimes and false insurance claims (and with the numbers not having changed much from 2009 during three years of silence), "to tell or not to tell" doesn't really appear to have had that much impact on the situation. And that means the Gauls should probably expect more of the same next year, oui?

French continue New Year's arson tradition by torching 1,193 cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arsonburningcar firesfrancefrench car burningsnew years eveThu, 03 Jan 2013 09:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20415590/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/03/french-continue-new-years-arson-tradition-by-torching-1-193-car/20415590/article-detail.xml 20415590 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/fiat-car-fire-remains_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/fiat-car-fire-remains.jpg <![CDATA[New Year's Day, not St. Patrick's, most deadly on US roads]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/30/new-years-day-not-st-patricks-most-deadly-on-us-roads/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/30/new-years-day-not-st-patricks-most-deadly-on-us-roads/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/30/new-years-day-not-st-patricks-most-deadly-on-us-roads/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2013 parade

Earlier this month, as part of its conclusions to an investigation into wrong-way driving crashes, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommend ignition interlocks for all those convicted of a DUI. That means every first-time offender couldn't start his car until he had satisfied the breathalyzer attached to his ignition. With the nation's deadliest hours for drunk driving approaching, New Year's Day, the American Automobile Association (AAA) has pointed out the dangers of the holiday and voiced support for the NTSB measure.

The AAA says its own study shows that "nearly eight out of ten Americans support requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted DUI offenders, even if it's their first conviction." Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has put the national rate of repeat DUI offenders at 15 percent, but there's a huge variance: in California nearly eight percent of fatal DUI crashes are repeat offenders and DUI recidivism overall was 24 percent in 2007, whereas in New Mexico in 2011 more than 50 percent of fatal DUI crashes are attributed to repeat offenders. Another stat from MADD is that "The average driver drives drunk 87 times before their first arrest."

There are already 17 states that mandate ignition interlock devices for those convicted of DUI, and the NTSB is asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to speed up research into manufacturer-installed interlock devices. It will probably be a while, if ever, before the federal government or the rest of the country follows the lead of those 17 states, but the real point is this: We've made it past the Mayan Apocalypse, so enjoy the new world and be careful behind the wheel come NYE.

Continue reading New Year's Day, not St. Patrick's, most deadly on US roads

New Year's Day, not St. Patrick's, most deadly on US roads originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Dec 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaaaccidentamerican automobile associationcrashDriving Under the Influencedriving while intoxicatedduidwifatalitiesignition interlockNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNational Transportation Safety Boardnew years daynew years evenhtsantsbnyetraffic fatalitiesSun, 30 Dec 2012 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20412478/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/30/new-years-day-not-st-patricks-most-deadly-on-us-roads/20412478/article-detail.xml 20412478 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/2013_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/2013.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Travis Pastrana New Year's jump... does he make it?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/01/video-travis-pastrana-new-years-jump-does-he-make-it/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/01/video-travis-pastrana-new-years-jump-does-he-make-it/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/01/video-travis-pastrana-new-years-jump-does-he-make-it/#commentsFiled under: ,

Travis Pastrana's New Year's Eve jump - Click above to watch video

Travis Pastrana spent New Year's Eve preparing to drive his Red Bull Subaru WRX STI off of a boat-mounted ramp, over 250-or-so feet of water, and onto another ramp floating on a barge. In earlier practices for the jump, at first he didn't stick the landing, then he skipped the landing part entirely. The New Year's event would be for keeps, though.

Follow the jump to watch the jump and see how it ended. Hat tip to Jon C!

[Source: ESPN via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Travis Pastrana New Year's jump... does he make it?

Video: Travis Pastrana New Year's jump... does he make it? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 Subaru2010SubaruESPNNew Yearsnew years 2010new years eveNewYearsNewYears2010NewYearsEvePastranared bullRedBullstuntsSubaruSubietravis pastranatravis pastrana new yearsTravisPastranaTravisPastranaNewYearsvideoWRXWRX STIWrxStiyoutubeFri, 01 Jan 2010 12:10:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19300033/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/01/01/video-travis-pastrana-new-years-jump-does-he-make-it/19300033/article-detail.xml 19300033 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/pastrana_nye_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/pastrana_nye.jpg <![CDATA[VIDEO: Pastrana practice for record New Year's Eve jump goes awry]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/15/video-pastrana-practice-for-record-new-years-eve-jump-goes-awr/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/15/video-pastrana-practice-for-record-new-years-eve-jump-goes-awr/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/15/video-pastrana-practice-for-record-new-years-eve-jump-goes-awr/#commentsFiled under: ,

Travis Pastrana's practice jump - Click above to watch the video after the break

This is what we mean when we say Travis Pastrana is insane. Generally, whenever the world sees a ridiculous freestyle dirtbike or automobile trick, it goes off without a hitch. It almost seems like a foregone conclusion that the rider is going to execute a perfect jump or flip, wave to the cameras and hug his significant others. There's a reason for that...

That reason? In a word: Practice. Yes, just like your first grade teacher drilled into you decades ago, practice makes perfect. Usually. As you'll see in the video after the break, practice sessions are just as dangerous and death-defying as the actual stunts themselves. In fact, sometimes even more so.

For this particular feat of craziness, Pastrana is actually planning to jump off a ramp at the end of a pier over 250 feet of water to a waiting barge as part of a New Year's celebration. Assuming practice sessions indicate that it's possible... which, well, just hit the jump to watch the video.

[Source: YouTube via Auto-Focus.us]

Continue reading VIDEO: Pastrana practice for record New Year's Eve jump goes awry

VIDEO: Pastrana practice for record New Year's Eve jump goes awry originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the same way that just about anything under Sir Richard Branson's "Virgin" umbrella has come to mean hip and edgy, things affixed with the "Red Bull" stamp are coming to mean "That's frickin' crazy!" Last year for New Year's Eve Robbie Maddison took his motorbike and leaped on to the 96-foot Arc de Triomphe replica in Las Vegas, then jumped the 96 feet back down to the ground.

This year for Red Bull's New Year, No Limits stunt, Travis Pastrana wants to break the record for the longest jump in his rallying Subaru. He'll be launching from the Pine Street Pier in Long Beach and hoping to make it onto a landing ramp more than 270 feet away. In between the pier and the ramp: 250 feet of water.

Pastrana's going for an old school jump, opting not to use a specially prepared car for the trick. Pastrana says he wants to drive out of the stunt and get back to the party, but also mentions Spanky Spangler as inspiration. Spangler did a 225-foot jump in a Chevy Nova, but he landed in the water -- on purpose. From 270 feet away, flying through the air, Pastrana's attempt to land on a barge will be like trying to alight on a pencil. If nothing else, it should make some excellent TV, and if he makes it unhurt a great start to the New Year.

[Source: AP | Image credit: TravisPastrana.com]

Travis Pastrana reportedly plans to jump from bridge to barge on New Year's Eve originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>etcholidayjumpnew years eveNewYearsEvenyered bullRedBullstuntsubarutravis pastranaTravisPastranatrickMon, 19 Oct 2009 08:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19200016/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/10/19/report-travis-pastrana-to-jump-from-bridge-to-barge-on-new-year/19200016/article-detail.xml 19200016 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/pastrana_nye_redbull_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/pastrana_nye_redbull.jpg <![CDATA[Sacré bleu! French torch 1000+ cars on New Year's]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/05/sacre-bleu-french-torch-1000-cars-on-new-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/05/sacre-bleu-french-torch-1000-cars-on-new-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/05/sacre-bleu-french-torch-1000-cars-on-new-years/#commentsFiled under: ,

Throughout France on New Year's Eve, 1,147 cars met crispy deaths at the hands of arsonists. That's almost 300 cars more than the previous year.

Lighting cars on fire as a form of protest has been a habit among youth in France since the 70s, but ever since the protests of 2005, after two boys were killed in an electrical station while hiding from police, burning cars has become a go-to political statement.

But if you think 1,147 cars in one night is bad -- and as car lovers, we're not saying it isn't -- in 2007, 43,000 cars were burned, and through November of 2008, 36,700 cars were burned. That's more than 100 cars getting flambeed every single day. French president Nicolas Sarkozy has told police to show the youth no mercy, but they apparently only make up 80% of the offenders. The other 20% of arsonists is suspected to be owners committing insurance fraud on a night that provides a great alibi.

[Source: France 24]

Sacré bleu! French torch 1000+ cars on New Year's originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automobile flambé is a familiar dish in France, where rioters, protesters and revelers seemingly use any occasion involving large congregations of people to torch whatever cars happen to be in the vicinity. Apparently, New Year's Eve is always good for a spike in car-burning incidents, but this year authorities were prepared. "Only" 372 cars were transformed into funeral pyres compared to last year when 397 rides met their makers. In some regions, the sale of fuel canisters was actually halted during the runup to New Year's Eve. Who wins here? We'd say it's salesmen for Peugeot, Renault, and Citroën. After all, as of Tuesday, there were at least 372 people who had to go car shopping this week. Bummer for them, bully for the French auto industry!

[Source: Reuters]

French revelers take it easy, torch only 372 cars New Year's Eve originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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