If it weren’t for the catch fences during the Drive4COPD 300 this weekend it’s likely a number of NASCAR fans could have been killed. On the last lap of the race 12 cars were caught in an accident that sent Kyle Larson’s car air-born and…
According to my abacus, with its 2.6-gallon fuel tank Volkswagen’s XL1 concept has a theoretical range of 700 miles. If Volkswagen’s mileage claim proves to be true the plug-in electric diesel could make it from Seattle to the middle of Montana without stopping for gas.…
We may never know if it’s due to laziness, incompetence or indifference, but many drivers fail to use vehicle “blinkers” to warn others of their intentions to make turns. This has probably been the case since the invention of turn signals, but, after all these…
Rowan Atkinson, better known as Mr. Bean, is a car guy. The thought of him spinning hopelessly out of control in a McLaren F1 while making strange guttural noises sounds like a gag from his show. Unfortunately the accident occurred in real life in 2011.…
Kurt Busch has a temper problem, the sort that makes him threaten to punch people during interviews. As much as celebrity divas are celebrated in the media Bush’s shenanigans seem out of place in the world of NASCAR. He’s a man of fiery distinction. This…
People of any age can be horrible drivers, but advanced age often provides compelling reasons for elderly drivers to quit. Though many 16 to 65 year olds should surrender their licenses, and some are court-ordered to do so, the 65-plus crowd gets more scrutiny. The…
To raise money for the Sandy Hook Special Support Fund Michael Waltrip will drive a speical car in the Daytona 500. Waltrip's number will be changed from his usual No. 30 to No. 26 to honor the 20 children and six adults killed in the…
There’s not a bigger hitter in the United States auto market than the Ford F-150. In addition to being the best-selling pickup in the country for the past 36 years it’s also become the perennial best-selling vehicle of any variety. It is to our domestic…
Electric race cars are trying hard to be taken seriously. Peak torque at zero RPM is hard to argue with from a performance standpoint. Having to make pits stops more often than a waterlogged person with bladder control problems is less impressive. These are the…
It must be nice to be Joe Flacco. In one night at work he won the Super Bowl, MVP of the game and a 2014 Corvette Stingray. He’s also expecting a contract estimated to be worth more than $10 million per year, which if he…
The website “You park like an a**hole” was created by a man who prefers to go by Andy. His noble mission: “to put an end to a**hole parking, or at least to make fun of it.” By definition Andy's website is at least half a…
When a zany stunt goes wrong on Top Gear the results can be fatal. Disturbing footage released Sunday by the BBC shows an accident that occurred during filming for Top Gear Korea. By the looks of it the helicopter pilot is lucky to be alive.
During my travels this winter, I still hear the unmistakable clatter of studded tires grinding our streets away. But thankfully, I am hearing that sound less and less. That’s because drivers here are shunning studded tire use in increasing numbers. Tire shop owners have told…
Car ads were at the forefront of the advertising blitz in the big game this year, but spending $4million for thirty seconds of air time doesn’t guarantee anything more than a highly publicized stinker on the world’s biggest stage. Massive productions that would have been…
As I write of driving topics, express opinions, report poor driving witnessed and provide tips, it’s reassuring to know that readers are on my side. One such validation came from reader B.B in response to my column, “The School of Poor Driving.” He’s a locomotive…
If you got a ticket for distracted driving, was inexplicably reimbursed for an airline fee or found work on a state highway recently, Ray LaHood probably had something to do with it. LaHood announced this week he will not return to serve as Secretary of…
Volkswagen is thumping their clean diesel bible to great success. They’re also on a mission to increase the masculine appeal of the Beetle, which in years past has looked like it might have a tube of lipstick where the cigarette lighter should be. With the…
The Chevrolet Spark is one of roughly three hundred or so vehicles General Motors paid to showcase in the blockbuster Transformers movies. It might not have gotten as much screen time as Shia LeBeouf but it’s shaping up to be much more interesting. The 2014…
Millions of people watched President Barack Obama’s motorcade cruise down Pennsylvania Avenue on the way to his inauguration this month. Anyone who looked closely may have noticed his limo, ‘The Beast’ featured a license plate that reads “Taxation Without Representation.” The plate is a rolling…
Corvette is America’s sports car and for the money is supposed to be the best on the planet. The last time Chevrolet adorned a Vette with the epic Stingray moniker was in 1976; a year Greg Brady could have embarrassed it with the family station…
Any mention of studded tires triggers an onslaught of debate, with opinions ranging from “must have them” to “abhor them.” Reader N.S., a fan of studs, wrote, “You keep beating the drums against studded tires, claiming that Blizzaks and similar ‘ice’ tires are sufficient. I…
If you’re going to pay up to $4million for a 30 second commercial it better make people do spit-takes with their cheese dip. From what’s been revealed of this year’s Super Bowl car ads we can expect more than a couple to grab headlines. In…
Actor Danny Glover might be getting too old for Mel Gibson’s craziness but he’s still down to take a stand for the working man. On the opening day of the Detroit auto show the longtime political activist joined forces with the Mississippi Alliance for Fairness…
Is it possible that Kia has created the best-looking family sedan on the market? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, and all the main contenders have stepped up their games lately (think Fusion, Camry, Accord), so I don’t know that I’m…
What causes driver error? When drivers make mistakes, they often don’t even know it. Those drivers may not possess a working knowledge of the rules of the road, or may be simply oblivious of their actions. Other drivers make mistakes and don’t care, while caring…
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