A town with 50,000 people, two traffic lights and seemingly 45 roundabouts
Getting from here to there on Roman roads … tailgating as a foreign concept … The yield sign, properly used … bad karma with a scooter …

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According to some German researchers, the answer is red.

No, seriously, I’m not making this up.

OK, that’s a pretty small sample size, but still, just for the sake of discussion, there’s some pretty weird psychoacoustics going on here if the results were to hold in an expanded experiment.

Also, I wonder if this study could be used in a court of law to mitigate against specific kinds of fix-it tickets?

Not to mention that this hits owners of red cars doubly hard, since red cars get more speeding tickets than other colors, it seems that if this study proves correct then red cars could be getting unfairly punished due to color.

(Picture from here)

Happy Fourth of July to all you car buffs out there!

Since the Fourth of July is a celebration of America and all things American (except maybe gas prices), I’ve put together this little Fourth of July Special, an article dedicated to all American cars. I actually got the idea from Car and Driver, and you can see their article here. Anyway, this is compromised of what I believe are the current finest examples of the American automobile. Not all are in production, but those that aren’t will be. I chose these cars because they herald the new “era” of the Big Three, , who are just beginning to make cars that you actually want. So if you’re a car buff and you love your country, this might just make you proud to be an American again, and just in time for the Fourth of July. And if you aren’t American, these cars might just make you wish you were.

You might not agree with all the choices, and if there is a car you disagree with or if there is one you think should be on the list, any and all comments are welcome. Keep in mind that this is just my opinion of cars that have that good ol’ American feel— and make me proud to be an American. Continue Reading…

At least that’s what the NHRA is saying in light of a rash of fatal and near-fatal crashes over the past year & a half.

Drag races are, traditionally, a quarter mile long or 1,320 feet, so, by shortening the race to a 1,000 feet, they get another 320 feet off in the event of an accident. It was this lack of run off that was, in part, responsible for the death of Scott Kalitta less than a month ago.

In short, however, this strikes me as being a real dumb idea.

I know, rules makers and sanctioning bodies always feel driven to “do something” when the course of events throws them something like this, but I still think it’s a stupid move.

I say that where safety is concerned, the tracks should be the last thing to be drastically altered.

Up the sepcs for the cars. Mandate SAFER barriers. Rework the specs for the energy attenuation in the run off area (i.e. re-work the sand trap and the catch netting). And, if push comes to shove, mandate that all NHRA sanctioned tracks have more run off area than they do know.

If the track can’t make those improvements, then there’s no more high level drag racing there.

As truck and SUV sales tank, it’s easy to see why manufacturers are revising or coming out with new CUVs (Crossover Utility Vehicles.) Targeted primarily at small families, CUVs get better fuel economy than their larger, fuel-hungry siblings, while still boasting more space than a family sedan. Think of them as modern-day station wagons, but without the wood paneling.

But don’t think about today’s crossovers in the same light as the station wagons of yore, these are a far cry from your uncle’s Buick Roadmaster. While they may have the same utility, that’s where the similarities end.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is a shining example of a crossover.

Overview

Introduced in 2001 as Hyundai’s first SUV, the Santa Fe was a hit with U.S. consumers, contributing to Hyundai’s success in the United States. In 2007, Hyundai completely redesigned the Santa Fe, which carries over into our 2008 review model. We drove the 2008 Limited AWD Santa Fe - the “top-of-the-line” edition. Although the base GLS model starts at a reasonable $21,150, adding the features you want or need can bring the price into the low $30,000 territory.

The base GLS Santa Fe is a budget option, with the only engine choice being an underpowered 185 horsepower 2.7L V6 with 17/23 (city/hwy) mpg. If you go the GLS route, you have the choice of a 4-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual.

Step up into the SE or Limited model and you receive a more powerful 242 horsepower 3.3L V6 engine and a standard 5-speed automatic tranny with no choice for a manual. This engine actually gets 17/24 mpg - slightly better than the smaller 2.7L V6 in the GLS. A curious choice for Hyundai that makes me wonder why the small engine is even available, other than the relatively small price difference.

All models are available with either a front-wheel or all-wheel drivetrain, which has very little effect on fuel economy. The AWD version only costs you an extra $1,700 for each model - a reasonable choice for those who need to occasionally do some light off-road driving or live in an area with lots of snow and ice. Continue Reading…

Or so sayeth Gizmodo :

“Prince Charles has discovered the perfect use for crappy English wine: He is using it as biofuel for his classic Aston Martin DB6. The Prince converted the 38-year old car to accept ethanol to play … ”

Wait … wait, let me get this straight: The British make WINE?

[23 minutes have elapsed. ed.]

OK. There. That’s better.

I just had to stop laughing so I could think.

Now, what was that you were saying?