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[Canadian man earns second ticket with one finger]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/canadian-man-earns-second-ticket-with-one-finger/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/canadian-man-earns-second-ticket-with-one-finger/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/canadian-man-earns-second-ticket-with-one-finger/#commentsFiled under: ,



Stare at the maple leaf in the center of a Canadian flag long enough and it really starts to look like someone's giving you the bird. Especially if you've been sucking down Mooseheads, eh?

We mention this because a man was pulled over in Port Hope, Ontario, for going about 85 miles per hour (135 km/h) a few weeks back. After constable Bettina Schwarze wrote the motorist up, he flipped her off. Schwarze then pulled the man over a second time and issued him a ticket for an "improper hand signal." We kinda dig cops with senses of humor.

[Source: Toronto Sun]

Canadian man earns second ticket with one finger originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bettina SchwarzeBettinaSchwarzeCanadaOntarioPoliceTicketsWed, 19 Aug 2009 08:29:00 EST<![CDATA[STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/study-despite-insurance-discounts-hybrids-are-driven-more-cos/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/study-despite-insurance-discounts-hybrids-are-driven-more-cos/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/study-despite-insurance-discounts-hybrids-are-driven-more-cos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


2010 Honda Insight EX - Click above for high-res image gallery

Conventional wisdom is that hybrid vehicles reduce our dependence on foreign oil and emit fewer environment hurting CO2 emissions. When comparing a hybrid to a conventional gasoline-powered model on a mile-by-mile basis, there's some logic to this argument provided the pricing disparity between the two models isn't too broad. However, a new study by Quality Planning shows that hybrid owners drive much more than non-hybrid owners, potentially negating the benefits of the added battery pack and electric motor.

Quality Planning studied nearly 360,000 vehicles throughout 2007 and 2008 to analyze driving habits, and some of the study's findings are pretty surprising. According to the survey, hybrid and non-hybrid drivers have statistically similar commutes, but hybrid owners drive their vehicles 25% more (2,000 miles) in non-commuting scenarios.

Dr. Raj Bhat, president of Quality Planning, thinks part of the reason for these findings has something to do with the fact that high mileage drivers are typically more interested in hybrids than infrequent drivers.
"What we don't know is whether owning a hybrid vehicle encourages people to drive more miles each day or take more pleasure trips. High-mileage drivers appear to be attracted to these vehicles, so insurers should take steps to verify the intended use of hybrids and validate actual miles driven wherever possible."
The study also shows that hybrid owners are significantly more likely to receive traffic tickets. According to the survey, Toyota Prius owners received .38 tickets per 100,000 miles driven, versus a non-hybrid average of .23 tickets per 100,000 miles. That's a 65% differential. One possible explanation for the ticket disparity has to do with where hybrid owners live. Quality Planning found that hybrid owners are more likely to live in an urban setting, where tickets are more frequently issued.

If you really want a hybrid and you don't want to hear any more bad news, you should stop reading. QP also found that repair costs are significantly higher for hybrid owners. The Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, costs 31% more to repair than the gasoline-only model, while repairing the Toyota Highlander Hybrid will reportedly add 45% more cost. A recent report by IntelliChoice that found that, in the long-term, hybrids and diesels are actually cheaper than gasoline-only vehicles.

The text below illustrates how much on a per dollar basis hybrid repair costs for collision and comprehensive coverage versus one dollar for a non-hybrid. The disparity is shrinking every year, but according to QP, hybrids still cost more to fix. Hit the jump to view the Quality Planning press release.

Collision Comprehensive
Coverage Coverage
2006 Hybrid Models $1.16 $1.75
2007 Hybrid Models $1.09 $1.35
2008 Hybrid Models $1.13 $1.17


Gallery: Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX


[Source: Quality Planning via Marketwire]

Continue reading STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets

STUDY: Despite insurance breaks, hybrids driven more, cost more to fix, and get more tickets originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cost of ownershipCostOfOwnershipgas-electrichonda insightHondaInsighthybridhybridsmaintenancemaintenance costsMaintenanceCostsquality planningQualityPlanningrepair costsRepairCoststicketstoyota priusToyotaPriusThu, 16 Jul 2009 19:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Do HUMMER drivers get more tickets? A new study thinks so...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/do-hummer-drivers-get-more-tickets-a-new-study-thinks-so/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/do-hummer-drivers-get-more-tickets-a-new-study-thinks-so/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/do-hummer-drivers-get-more-tickets-a-new-study-thinks-so/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above to view gallery of the Most Ticketed Vehicles

I had a yellow Chevrolet Corvette Z06 last summer. When I took it by my parents house, my dad warned me not to break the speed limit because sports cars were a big red flag for law enforcement. His logic made complete sense, but it turns out that sports cars aren't necessarily the the most likely vehicles to get tickets. That honor goes to the HUMMER H2 and H3. ISO Quality and Planning, which does studies for insurance companies, found that HUMMER drivers are four times more likely to get a ticket than the average driver. Nobody has any concrete reason for why this is, but some guesses include a misplaced sense of power or an inability to notice road signs and hazards due to an elevated driving position. Of course, it could also be that due to the brand's subconscious negative baggage, police officers are more likely to give HUMMER drivers a ticket than a warning.

Other vehicles that are more likely to be involved in a road violation include the Scion tC, xA, and xB. Those vehicles often find themselves being driven by younger drivers who typically get more tickets anyway. Surprising, though, is the fact that the Toyota Solara and Subaru Outback also made the list. Not exactly barn burners, there. Interestingly, eight out of the 10 least ticketed vehicles come from General Motors, while six of the 10 most ticketed vehicles come from Toyota. View the galleries below to see the entire lists of the most and least ticketed vehicles from the Quality and Planning study. Thanks for the tip, Droids1!

Gallery: Most Ticketed Vehicles

HUMMER H2, H3Scion tCScion xBMercedes CLK63AMGToyota Solara Coupe

Gallery: Least Ticketed Vehicles

Jaguar XJChevrolet SuburbanChevrolet TahoeChevrolet C/K 2500/3500 pickupBuick Park Avenue

[Source: Newsday]

Do HUMMER drivers get more tickets? A new study thinks so... originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driving violationDrivingViolationhummer h2hummer h3HummerH2HummerH3ticketsTue, 20 Jan 2009 12:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Houston study lauds red light cameras despite uptick in accidents]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/30/houston-study-lauds-red-light-cameras-despite-uptick-in-accident/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/30/houston-study-lauds-red-light-cameras-despite-uptick-in-accident/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/30/houston-study-lauds-red-light-cameras-despite-uptick-in-accident/#commentsFiled under: ,

We all know we shouldn't mess with Texas. And Houston, Texans shouldn't mess around with statistics, because the folks running the show are going to come to any conclusions they want no matter what the statistics say. This is the easy part: a study of red light cameras in the city shows that accidents have actually increased at intersections with the cameras.

These are the parts that are open to interpretation: most intersections only have one camera looking at one (out of four) directions of traffic, but the accident rate went up for traffic in the other three unmonitored directions; and, in the one monitored direction, "accidents remained relatively flat or showed only a slight increase." What do you make of that?

Mayor Bill White and the study authors say the city in general is experiencing a swell in the number of collisions, and claim that collisions at the monitored intersections haven't risen as much as the wider municipal rate. Yet they have no data to back up an increase in citywide collisions, and no year-on-year accident data at intersections (let alone an explanation for the uptick). White said that a 40-percent year-on-year drop in red light citations in the month of October shows the program is working and keeping drivers more safe. Critics say that the program is nothing but a cash register for city government. The study's authors plan to study insurance industry findings to come up with more substantive conclusions.

[Source: Houston Chronicle]

Houston study lauds red light cameras despite uptick in accidents originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>governmenthoustonred lightred light camerasRedLightRedLightCamerasrevenuesafety cameraSafetyCamerastudytexasticketstraffic cameraTrafficCameraTue, 30 Dec 2008 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Six cities busted for shortening yellow light]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/14/six-ities-busted-for-shortening-yellow-light/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/14/six-ities-busted-for-shortening-yellow-light/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/14/six-ities-busted-for-shortening-yellow-light/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Have you ever hit the throttle when a traffic light turns yellow, and then it turns red faster than you thought? We know it's happened to us, and for the most part we thought the problem was our bad timing. In six cities across these United States, missing a yellow light has less to do with bad timing, and more to do with shorter amber signals.

Six cities have been busted recently for having an amber light that lasted less than the minimum timing at an intersection, and millions of dollars in fines have been collected when drivers went through the premature red and got caught on camera. Chattanooga, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; Springfield, Missouri; Lubbock, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Union City, California all cut the timing on their lights, and while some have paid back the fines, others have not. In Dallas, over $700,000 was collected in a matter of eight months, and in Tennessee the light timing was changed at only a few intersections, which just so happen to be the areas where local law enforcement set up traps.

While the millions of dollars in fines collected in these six cities is horrible, what's worse is that shorter amber lights mean more accidents and more injuries on the road. Hit the link below to read more information regarding the cities that were caught cheating, and if you get pulled over for blowing a red, make sure to time the light. The problem may not be you after all. Thanks for the tip, Thunder!

[Source: National Motorists Association]

Six cities busted for shortening yellow light originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amber lightsAmberLightspoliceRed lightsRedLightsticketstraffic finesTrafficFinesMon, 14 Apr 2008 07:57:00 EST<![CDATA[F1 champ Nelson Piquet loses drivers license]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/f1-champ-nelson-piquet-loses-drivers-license/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/f1-champ-nelson-piquet-loses-drivers-license/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/f1-champ-nelson-piquet-loses-drivers-license/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The question of the day is, "If you're tasked with teaching a three-time Formula One champ to drive, what's the curriculum?" Some instructor in Brazil will be forced to answer that very query when he gets Nelson Piquet behind the wheel for a refresher on the rules of the road.

Piquet, who's racked up quite a collection of speeding offenses and parking tickets, is being forced by a Brazilian judge to go back to school for 30 hours over the course of eight days, after which he'll be required to re-take the driving test.

The 54-year old F1 wiz seemed rather jovial when asked to comment on the matter, simply saying that, "I think we have to pay for our mistakes." We're more than interested to see how it turns out, and we'd expect his instructor to come away with a host of intriguing stories and maybe a few new skills of his own.

[Source: Yahoo! News]

F1 champ Nelson Piquet loses drivers license originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 07:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driver educationdriver trainingDriverEducationDriverTrainingf1formula 1formula oneFormula1FormulaOnenelson piquetNelsonPiquetparkingspeedingticketsThu, 02 Aug 2007 07:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Instant revenge on the parking incapable]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/24/instant-revenge-on-the-parking-incapable/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/24/instant-revenge-on-the-parking-incapable/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/24/instant-revenge-on-the-parking-incapable/#commentsFiled under:

You take every precaution to protect your precious vehicle from the people that just don't understand. Still, despite your best efforts, some deranged idiot parks so close that you can't even see daylight between your door and his. The sense of rage builds until you feel that damage and desecration may not only be necessary, but justified. Next time, just reach in to your glove box (if you can get to it!) and extract some revenge without the pesky, time consuming insurance claims and jail time often associated with the destruction of personal property.

Just head over to www.revengeisyellow.com and place an order for a pad of their hilarious parking "notes".

The messages range from...

"This is just a note to say thank you for parking so close to my car. Next time, please leave a tin can opener so I can get my car out. Do society a favor and take the bus next time!"

Or... "Well done! It must of taken years of practice to be that bad. Maybe if you let your guide dog park next time, you might only take up one space, or at least get it straight."

Don't let the parking illiterate cause you undue stress. Just leave them a "note" to let them know just how much you appreciate their efforts.

[Source: PR Newswire]

Instant revenge on the parking incapable originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Nov 2006 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>notesparkingticketstoo closeTooCloseyellow note padsYellowNotePadsFri, 24 Nov 2006 12:51:00 EST