With the rising cost of gas prices, people are beginning to look into other alternative fuel sources to help them save some money. One of those fuel sources is ethanol. Ethanol, according to Wikipedia, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound. It is a type of alcohol that can often be found in alcoholic beverages as well as in thermometers. However, ethanol’s primary use is as a motor fuel or as a fuel additive.

A Little Background

Today, Brazil houses the largest ethanol industry, with their gasoline containing at least 20% ethanol. When the first mass-produced vehicle (Model T Ford) was designed by Henry Ford, it ran on anhydrous (aka: ethanol) alcohol. Ford even declared back then that ethanol would be the “fuel of the future.” However, years later, ethanol has not yet been approved as a motor vehicle fuel in the United States despite the fact that compared to gasoline, ethanol cuts back significantly on a vehicle’s emissions and produces fewer greenhouse gases.

The Future of Ethanol

Just because we’re not using 100% ethanol as our primary motor vehicle fuel doesn’t mean that other countries can’t either. In fact, Brazilian vehicles are able to use 100% ethanol and also have “flex-fuel” engines. These flex fuel engines are ideal because they allow a driver to fill up with ethanol only, gasoline only, or a mixture of the two. The United States currently has flex-fuel vehicles; however, they are only allowed to run on 0-85% ethanol (15% gasoline) since higher concentrations of ethanol are not allowed.

So, what gives? If using ethanol as an alternative fuel source is supposed to be better for the environment, then why isn’t the United States jumping up to embrace it with open arms- especially if it will save a little money?

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Tags: Auto Transportation // Add Comment »

It seems like wherever you go, someone always brings up the issue/crisis with increasing gas prices. It is an issue that just seems to never get old! That being said, as I filled my Jeep Liberty up with $67 worth of gas for the 2nd time within a week, I couldn’t help but ponder what the future held in store for fuel economy and gas prices. Do gas prices really need to be that high? Perhaps we should be getting charged almost four bucks a gallon. After all, it is polluting the environment.

Future Prices

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a proposal on the average fuel economy standards for 2011-2015 states that susbstantial increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) would help to conserve energy. They went on to state:

Since the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the tailpipes of new motor vehicles is the natural byproduct of the combustion fuel, the increased standard would also address climate change by by-product emission.

The results of this proposal showed that 97% of the total greenhouse are represented by bad emissions. So, what can people do about it? Start looking into hybrid vehicles. Drive less. Hang out with friends and make sure you are dieting and exercising the right way. There are many little things you can do to avoid road rage. Additionally, if you are going to drive, make sure that it is with a licensed instructor whether is be with your gradmother or your mom. They’ll thank you in the end.

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Tags: Auto Transportation // 2 Comments »

As we all know, males typically have higher insurance rates than women when it comes to driving, but why is this?  Simply put, males have been assessed as being more risky.  Risky males, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), range in age from 15 to 18 and usually have been driving anywhere between 4-42 months.

The NHTSA conducted a study where they assessed risky versus safe male drivers for Minneapolis, Minnesota and Atlanta.  Of the 27 “risky” drivers interviewed,  ten of them admitted to being involved in a crash of some kind.  These crashes included anything from being rear-ended from someone to backing into a fixed object.  Additionally, twelve of the “risky” males admitted to receiving traffic citations for various safety violations such as speeding, following too closely, not wearing a seat belt, reckless driving, driving without a license, and running a red light.

What’s Behind the Risk?

The NHTSA made the following statement regarding its study of risky male drivers versus those males who were deemed safer drivers:

A recurring contrast between the risky and safer drivers is how they perceive and react to high-risk situations, such as driving while impaired or speeding.  The risky drivers experience the risky situation as a thrill that should be pursued again and again, while the safer drivers perceive exactly the same situation as terrifying, and they decided to avoid it in the future.  The physical sensation of the adrenaline surge is probably the same for both types of drivers, but safer drivers do not experience any pleasure as a result while risky drivers claim they become addicted to the sensation.

What Do You Think?

Do you think male drivers are more risky than female drivers?  Voice your opinions!

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Tags: Saftey, auto // 2 Comments »

If you’ve ever been pulled over by a police officer, usually it’s not a good feeling because there’s a good chance that you’ll end up having to pay a heft fine. Most people who are pulled over by police officers know why they are being pulled over. Whether it’s for a seat belt violation, speeding, running a red light, running a stop sign or changing lanes without signaling, most violations are pretty clear cut. However, there are those of us who occasionally sit back in the driver’s seat muttering unspeakables under our breath, wondering why we are being pulled over. That’s where the stereotypes come in.

It’s the Law!

There are a lot of people who know that they’ve violated some traffic law and yet, in an effort to get out of a ticket, try to play the “stereotype” game: “Oh, you’re just pulling me over because of the type of car I’m driving,” they’ll exclaim. The truth is that police officers are not supposed to discriminate against other people. However, this doesn’t necessarily apply to your vehicle. For example, you may be stopped simply because the care you are driving fits the description of a car that was seen fleeing the scene of a crime just minutes earlier. A broken down vehicle with expired registration and no inspection may, to a police officer, look like the perfect car to search for drugs in. This does not mean that the police officer is singling you out to harass you; but, rather, he/she is simply doing their job.

When you feel yourself getting frustrated at the fact that you were pulled over, remember that most stereotypes tend to be true. If you are driving a red corvette down the road, you had better make sure you are doing the speed limit. If your vehicle looks broken down, make sure that your registration and inspection are both up-to-date. Make sure you always have a valid license on your person and that your address and other contact information is correct on your license and registration. Keep in mind that police officers are supposed to be proactive and look for crime. Therefore, if you can avoid looking suspicious, it will greatly benefit you as well as those around you.

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Tags: Motorcycles, Saftey, auto // 2 Comments »

My brother just bought his third motorcycle, so does that mean that he is young and likes to drive fast, that he perhaps has a tattoo or two? Well, actually it’s true; my brother is 24 years old, has one tattoo and likes to drive his motorcycle fast. What’s the point of this? The point is that most stereotypes that people form about the types of people who operate other vehicles is true.

To take another example, if you see a black Cadillac Escalade driving down the street with rap music blaring and rims that spin, chances are that you would’ve already formed your own opinion about who is behind the wheel of that vehicle. Nine times out of ten, you’d probably guess right with your answer. So, what do cars say about people? The type of vehicle that you’re initially attracted to and that you usually end up buying has a lot to do with your personality. In my last blog, I discussed how personalized license plates allow people to claim a sort of added ownership over their vehicles while allowing them to express their personalities to others. Well, the same thing applies to the actual vehicle.

If I purchase a giant SUV, like a Hummer, chances are very good that I have a substantial amount of money to spend not only on the vehicle but on all of the gas that it’s going to take to constantly fill that thing up. Additionally, if I’m going to be the only person who typically drives it, perhaps I’m not the most environmentally conscious person. So, when you’re driving down the street behind someone with a VW van or next to someone with a brand new Ferrari, keep in mind the fact that the type of car you drive doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a bad person; it’s simply an extension of your personality.

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Tags: Auto Transportation, auto // 2 Comments »

What is with people’s fascination with getting personalized license plates? It’s almost as if personalized license plates are like bumper stickers. In some states, such as North Carolina, personalize license plates are really popular. Perhaps the reason for the high number of personalized plates in North Carolina is because the state only requires one license plate to be affixed to the rear of each vehicle. Is it cheaper? Is that the reason why personalized license plates are so popular?

What Does It Cost & Where Does it Go?

In North Carolina, for example, the fee for creating a personalized license plate is an additional $30. Part of this money goes towards the North Carolina Parks and Recreation while the other portion goes towards other things. This may or may not be the case for other states. There are also other types of “specialized” plates that you can purchase, which (in North Carolina) costs $10 additional.

A Personalized Touch

Perhaps people get personalized license plates as a way of expressing their individuality while on the roadway. It’s a claim to fame and demonstrates ownership, which is what Americans love. If you choose to personalize your license plate, there are some things you should be aware of. For example, personalizing your license plate with “I love NY” may make you a target for people who don’t like New York. As a result, your car may be vandalized. The same thing applies for those people who personalize their license plates with their favorite sports teams. Be careful how you personalize your license plate as it may come back to haunt you.

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Tags: auto // 4 Comments »

Oh, how times have changed! Can you think back to a time (pre-historic perhaps) when nothing in a car was automatic? Can you think back to a time when windows didn’t roll up or down on their own, when there was no power steering, power locks or that cool feature where you could click a button and have your trunk automatically pop open? It wasn’t all that long ago really. It is absolutely amazing how things have changed over the years. Now, we get annoyed if we have even adjust our seats ourselves!

Stuff for Your Car

Ever since modern technology has taken over, there seems to be no end in sight when it comes to all sorts of gadgets and gizmos for your car. One of my friends just purchased the new Cadillac CTS and apparently, her vehicle comes with a built-in GPS navigation that has voice recognition and talks to you. Also,you can adjust your seats, mirrors and volume and somehow program it into the car’s mainframe so that whenever you turn the car off, or if someone else uses your vehicle and moves things around, you can press a button to have your settings instantly restored. There’s also a feature in her vehicle that allows her to program her ipod into her radio system without those pesky chords, etc. But, that’s just her car. There are actually a lot of cars out there with similar features and more!

In terms of gadgets, it isn’t unusual to see people driving around with dvd players that plug into cigarette lighters or who simply have them installed in the backs of their headrests for the kids. I am even guilty of purchasing an attachment for my ipod that plugs into the cigarette lighter and allows me to tune my ipod to any radio frequency that isn’t being used so that I can listen to hours upon hours worth of music. I was driving with someone once who had a “car cooler”. This was an actual mini cooler that plugged into the cigarette lighter (It really is amazing what cigarette lighters can do) in order to generate cold air to keep beverages and snacks cool. It definitely was “cool”! There are so many other gadgets that are out there. It makes you wonder if and when it will ever end!

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Tags: auto // 2 Comments »

If you haven’t seen the infamous commercial that was made for Honda some time ago, then I highly recommend it. Most people think of commercials as that annoying filler in between their favorite movies or shows where they can jump up and get a snack or use the bathroom. However, there are a lot of clever car commercials out there, such as the Honda car commercial, that are doing a fantastic job keeping people’s attention.

But Do They Work?

You know a car commercial is good when, at first, you don’t even know what the commercial is advertising-only that you’re somehow mesmerized by it. For instance, a lot of people will remember the car commercial for Mitsubishi that showed the people in the Mitsubishi Eclipse dancing to some techno music. A lot of car commercials seem to be banking their success on music lately. For example, there is a foreign car commercial that is set to the music of the Renault Ballet- quite captivating really. But the bigger question here is, “Does it work?” Are these clever car commercials actually getting people to buy the vehicles?

It seems like the car commercials are working if people even remember what they were about. Think about it. Whoever is in charge of directing and producing the car commercials (or any commercial for that matter) only has a finite amount of time in which to capture that viewer’s attention. Incorporating catchy music into commercials is a clever move because even if you happen to start walking out of the room, the music will get your attention to come back in and see whatever it is on the television.

I don’t know about you, but after I saw that Mitsubishi commercial with the techno music and everyone having a good time, I felt as if I couldn’t have my father contact some sort of auto transportation service to ship it to me fast enough!

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Tags: auto // 2 Comments »

And you thought that passing your road test was hard! In America, people are fascinated by people driving cars really fast. If you think about it, fast cars are a part of our culture. Can you count all of the movies, commercials and TV shows you have seen in just the past month alone that had some sort of fast driving theme to it? I bet you will surprise yourself. You don’t have to sit through the latest James Bond movie to see someone drive a car really fast, however; all you have to do is drive from your workplace to your home during rush hour to see some fast driving action!

Not Everyone’s a Professional…

If you’ve always had a predilection for driving above the speed limit, you’re not alone. We all love watching the cool driving stunts on TV as cars turn corners on two wheels, flip over a dozen times and narrowly escape collisions- all with the driver emerging seemingly unscathed. However, passing your road test doesn’t suddenly transform you into a professional driver overnight. In fact, after passing your road test, you might be a worse driver than before because you no longer pay attention to all of those silly rules of the road. Being a professional stunt driver isn’t easy.

Typically, stunt drivers attend a nationally recognized stunt driving school. While some stunt drivers can actually make a pretty hefty salary, most start out at the bottom. The key to being a successful stunt driver is to start when you’re young and then build up experience. A lot of times, stunt drivers will be doubling for young actors, so they need to sort of look the part. The peak working age for stunt drivers is when you hit your 30s because by then, you would’ve built up a nice little reputation for yourself among your peers.

Driving is dangerous enough as it is, and let’s not forget that the reason we have stunt drivers is because we don’t want our precious actors and actresses actually getting hurt. If you ask any of the stunt drivers if it is worth the money to put their lives on the line for the sake of a two minute driving sequence that keeps movie-goers on the edges of their seats, they’ll probably answer, “yeah, it’s worth it.” Just make sure you don’t try it at home!

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Tags: Auto Transportation, Driving, auto // 6 Comments »

For most people, boat safety isn’t too much of a big deal. After all, there are a lot less boats in the water than there are vehicles on the roadways, right? But still, just like driving a car, operating a boat on the water is a privilege (not a right) and it should be treated as such.

Rules to Live By

1. Obey the Speed Limits! According to an accident report issued by the United States Coast Guard in 2006, there were approximately 710 fatalities, 3,474 injuries and nearly $44 million in property damage all from boating-related accidents! A lot of people naturally assume that because there’s less traffic on the water that they can pretty much do whatever they want. However, breaking the posted speed limits can be dangerous for a variety of reasons. First of all, you can wind up hitting a shallow patch of water or a sandbar, which if hit at a high speed can throw passengers out of the boat or worse. The same thing can happen if you hit a wave at the wrong angle, slow down!
2. Wear Your Life Vest! Even if you know how to swim, always wear a life jacket. If, for some reason, your boat capsizes or you fall overboard, even the best swimmers can get tired very quickly. The United States Coast Guard reported that over 90% of people who drowned in 2006 were NOT wearing a life jacket. People may speculate that life vests look stupid and are bulky, but it may save your life.
3. Don’t Drink & Drive! While some of the rules may be different when you are on the water, it is never a good idea to drink and drive. Drinking alcohol impairs one’s ability to think clearly and make logical decisions. Alcohol is the primary factor in many boating fatalities. Do not put yourself in the position of becoming one of those statistics.
4. Maintain a Safe Distance! The most frequent type of boating accident that is reported is collision with another boat. In the boating world, collision with another boat can be avoided fairly easily simply by maintaining a safe distance at all times.
5. Educate Yourself & Your Crew! If you are planning on purchasing a boat, make sure (if it’s not already mandated) that you attend a school or class on boat safety. There are plenty of boat owners out there who get behind the wheel of a boat with no concern for the general rules of the water and safety. Make sure that everyone on the boat has their life vests on and make sure that you go over the rules prior to your departure. The vast majority of boat accidents are preventable if you just take time out for safety.

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Tags: boats // 3 Comments »