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…
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…
There are a host of driving tidbits on my mind, so rather than limit discussion to a single topic this week, I’ll cover a few. Please send me any of your comments regarding this driving miscellany; I love to hear your views! Skid marks I…
When a race car driver achieves success, some say it was because he or she had the best car. While difficult to quantify, the question perpetually looms in racing circles: What’s more important for a winning formula — the car or the driver? For sure,…
As suggested here two weeks ago, drivers can be “schooled” by the errors of others around them. Observing those driver errors provides an effective reminder of “what not to do.” And sadly, such errors abound. At least I’m not the only one spotting those errors,…
The steady addition of features such as radial tires, disc brakes, traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes, air bags, and warning systems for sleep, low tires, lane departure, side impact, et cetera have made our cars safer with each new model year. Advancements like those…
Often, surrounding drivers show me how not to drive. During a trip to the airport last week, those in my periphery supplied many examples of actions that anger and endanger others on the roadway, creating a “school” of poor driving. I encountered the first of…
Every time I discuss Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems lately, I stir up additional debate. When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ruled that service providers would violate the law’s “make inoperative” provision if they installed wheels without TPMS sensors, Tire Industry Association VP Roy Littlefield…
I wrote about Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems two weeks ago, but I’ve received some new information since then. I previously stated that TPMS has appeared in vehicles since late 2007, as part of a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration mandate. True. I wrote that some…
Since 2008, vehicles have been equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems. When things are okay, you don’t even know they’re there, but when the pressure in one or more tires drops by 25 percent, you are warned. That warning will be an illuminated instrument cluster…
