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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Autos Bill Love

MONDAY, JAN. 16, 2017

Driver distraction persists

I’ve written columns devoted to driver distraction many times over the course of a decade or so. And writing about it can evidently only raise awareness, since it has remained rampant despite reporting by me and countless others. While drivers have always been distracted by…

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MONDAY, JAN. 9, 2017

What self-driving cars won't do

I pondered erratic driver behavior during a recent drive on a two-lane Washington highway. It could have been in any state or on any highway, since certain ill-advised, unexplained driver actions seem to surface everywhere. The crazy act I endured for over ten miles was…

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MONDAY, JAN. 2, 2017

More readers weigh in

I received much communication in response to my column making a plea for additional lanes on US Highway 195. One of those emails came from M.D. who drives 195 every day. But instead of the section south of Spangle, he drives the northerly four-lane stretch…

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MONDAY, DEC. 26, 2016

Winter driving considerations

Hopefully, we’ve honed our winter driving skills during the December appearance of snow-covered roads. The basics of slowing according to conditions, effecting gentle input to steering, throttle and brakes, and leaving extra space around your vehicle should be habit by now. But there are other…

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MONDAY, DEC. 19, 2016

Dubious road to autonomy

The availability of self-driving cars is imminent, but the route leading to them is still somewhat dubious. Much of the confusion stems from the current approach by automakers. Given corporate competition and secrecy, each manufacturer is on a different page as to the how, what,…

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MONDAY, DEC. 12, 2016

Fans of full-time headlights 

My column, “Seeing the light,” elicited many responses, answering my query of where readers stand on full-time vehicle lighting. The column was meant to open debate on the merits or faults of daytime headlight use. But while nearly 20 drivers responded, the debate was non-existent,…

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MONDAY, DEC. 5, 2016

195: A four-lane plea

I think we’ve all heard of frequent fatalities occurring on U S Highway 195, which is better known around here as the Pullman Highway. There are serious mishaps on just about every bit of that 95-mile stretch of mainly two-lane roadway on a regular basis.…

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MONDAY, NOV. 28, 2016

Motoring miscellany

I always appreciate reader input. The comments and questions you send provide a real-world glimpse of items on drivers’ minds. Here’s a sample of those communications. A common query came in from L.H., who wrote, “What is the passing rule for passing a school bus…

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MONDAY, NOV. 21, 2016

Seeing the light

After returning to standard time, there’s an earlier advent of evening darkness. As we adjust our biological clocks to our physical ones, the reality is that it now gets dark an hour earlier than it did during daylight savings time. Judging by their behavior at…

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MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2016

Curbing road rage

Perpetually, news reports remind us that road rage is an impetus for collisions, fights and even death. Stress can escalate during the holiday season; don’t exacerbate it with road rage. Remember, other drivers may be as angry with you as you are with them. The…

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MONDAY, NOV. 7, 2016

What happened to EVs?

A few years back, during a big gas price spike, electric vehicles (EVs) were all the talk. Now, in the midst of a gasoline price rollback, much of that talk has subsided. Nevertheless, automotive engineers are quietly working on advancing the technology. For most consumers,…

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MONDAY, OCT. 31, 2016

The need for speed

When the first car was built, I’ll bet its builder wanted to see how fast it would go. As soon as a second car was assembled, I suspect it raced the first car. Since their inception, an exhibition of speed has always been associated with…

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MONDAY, OCT. 24, 2016

It doesn't make sense

Conclusions derived from analyzing driving topics are not always definitive. In fact, there is sometimes only one conclusion on a topic: It doesn’t make sense. One of those instances regards the non-existence of school bus seat belts. On an airplane? Yes. In a car or...

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MONDAY, OCT. 17, 2016

Global love affair

It’s evident that Americans love their automobiles. First, we keep buying them in spite of ever-growing “sticker shock.” Despite an initial cost, operating expense and depreciation that few consumer goods rival, the love affair (maybe love/hate at times) continues. The ubiquitous array of clubs, collector…

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MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2016

Look out for the little guy

For many, the bicycling and motorcycling season is coming to a close. But for others, who ride two-wheelers all year, a possibly more perilous period may be coming. Automobile drivers often have a difficult time recognizing bikes and cycles in the summer when they are…

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MONDAY, SEPT. 26, 2016

The driving end game

The time to quit driving arrives for everyone. The decision to hang up the keys does not come as readily, however, as the symptoms indicating that the time has come. For starters, drivers with an advanced age or medical condition impairing their ability to safely…

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MONDAY, SEPT. 19, 2016

Local drivers' questions

The intersection at Wellesley and Freya is closed for the construction of a roundabout there. Just as I read about that, an email from reader T.R. arrived, asking, “Can you comment on the proper rules when using the traffic circles at intersections, where each direction…

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MONDAY, SEPT. 12, 2016

Auto technology defined

With the advent of driver assist and driver warning systems, pairings with technologies not previously associated with automobiles are emerging. The tech elements of those once uncommon systems will be ever more integrated with the development of self-driving vehicles. For example, cameras, besides becoming a…

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TUESDAY, SEPT. 6, 2016

Roads to autonomy differ

Automotive journals, including this one, are wrought with news of imminent autonomous automobile arrival. But the various players attempting this achievement are exhibiting divergent paths to their goals. Last week, Ford Motor Company announced that it would make driverless cars available to the public for…

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MONDAY, AUG. 29, 2016

Pet peeves persevere

In spite of the irritation they cause, there seems to be a continuous proliferation of pet peeves when it comes to irksome driving habits. Every driver seems to have certain behavior that annoys them, but we probably all do things, while driving or not, that…

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MONDAY, AUG. 22, 2016

When making turns...

Drivers sometimes have uncertainties when making turns. A couple of those quandaries are of concern to reader S.K., who wrote, “I have learned over the years to always be on the lookout when making left turns, but there are two ‘dilemmas’ that I have never…

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MONDAY, AUG. 15, 2016

Reducing road rage

The road rage phenomenon is an interesting topic. What’s amazing and somewhat unbelievable to me is how full-blown fracases can escalate from essentially innocuous events. Bicyclists are regularly victims of driver rage simply for exercising their rights to the roadway. Sure, bicycles are slower than…

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TUESDAY, AUG. 9, 2016

Lead by example

Worried about your teenage son or daughter texting or calling friends via cellphone while driving? It seems that many adult drivers should consider setting a better example. The Pemco Insurance Company recently conducted a poll of northwest drivers. Sadly, those results showed that nearly half…

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MONDAY, AUG. 1, 2016

What cars can do

Self-driving automobiles will incorporate numerous systems to help them navigate roadways and react to ever-changing conditions. But the hubbub over their future overshadows the many features that are already available. These features, mainly safety-oriented, are so plentiful that many franchised dealerships actually employ computer technicians…

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MONDAY, JULY 25, 2016

Voltage jump overdue

While 12-volt batteries have been the automotive industry standard for years, some drivers may recall a time when 6-volt batteries were the norm. Before that, when drivers started their vehicles with a hand crank, horns had a squeeze-bulb and headlamps were gas powered, cars had…

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