Big Brother: Traffic Cameras and How They’re Making Us Paranoid

I know you’ve seen these inconspicuous little buggers on top of stoplights, on street corners, and in your nightmares.  They record your movements through traffic with the flicker of a flash, causing paranoia that could lead to a citation in the mail, with a photo of you disregarding the law.  A smile planted on your face as you cruise through a stoplight is all the evidence they need. 

Red light cameras are made to deter running red lights. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2007, almost 900 were killed and nearly 153,000 were injured in crashes that involved red light running. About half of the deaths are pedestrians and occupants in other vehicles who are hit by the red light runners. The IIHS has reported huge decreases in red light running in several cities in which the cameras were used.  Since they’re working, the cameras have been installed in more major intersections. 

Some drivers ask if this is an invasion of privacy.  Nope. Driving is a regulated activity on public roads.  When you receive a license, you must obey the laws of the road, which contains nothing to prevent local governments from documenting violators.  According to an article appearing in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the city of Lilburn, GA issued about 1,500 citations in January 2008. The citations dropped by 80 percent to around 300 in January 2009, after a new Georgia law mandated a longer yellow light duration. The extra second on the yellow light may have reduced the problem of red light running for the driver, but it almost worked too well for the city. Red light cameras were no longer issuing enough citations to keep them "profitable" and as a result, Lilburn and four other cities in the same county suspended their red light programs.

The red light camera system looks like it’s here to stay, for mow.  For more info on how they work, visit: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/red-light-camera1.htm

How To Efficiently Test-Drive A Vehicle

We have to admit, we love the test drive.  Seeing a potential driver leave our lot, smile intact, back poised, and prepared for the road ahead, makes us feel like an integral part of their life.  Test-driving a car is important because it solidifies your buying decision.  There’s a series of questions potential buyers ask themselves.  At our dealership, we’re here to help.  In today’s blog we’re going to discuss the best ways to test-drive your car and the questions you should ask yourself when you’re driving.  

Most purchasers start their research online.  By checking out our automotive dealership website, you can consider what features you would like your new vehicle to have.  The options are endless, including: color choice, specs, and features.  Also, keep in mind that these are based on your individual preferences and you should never settle for a vehicle you’re not “sold” on.  Once you come into the dealership, it’s time to “feel the wheel.”  You saw what you liked online, and now you want to see if that translates into your true experience.  These are some questions you should ask as you step behind the wheel of your dream car:

Is it easy for me to enter and exit the vehicle without banging my head?

Is the driving position comfortable?  Is my seat positioned too high or low when I’m in the passenger seat?

Are all of the controls easily accessible when I’m in a driving position?

Are the controls easy to use?

Do the gas and brake pedals match my body type and are they adjustable?

Some other tips include checking out the vehicle from a spectator point-of-view.  Listen for the noise level inside the car, as well as the acceleration, braking, cornering, suspension, seat comfort and cargo space.  These are all major factors that can help your buying decision.  Your test-drive is meaningful to us and we want you to enjoy your experience as much as possible.  Happy Shopping!

Navigating a Downpour

Rain is essential.  It helps vegetation flourish, provides nutrients to soil, and is an overall integral part of life here on Earth.  But when it’s hitting your windshield and the pitter-patter of raindrops causes you to clench your teeth, it’s time to take precaution.  Rain can be attributed to thousands of car accidents a year.  Accidents can be preventable by drivers who weather (pun intended) the conditions of the road, using their intuition and defensive driving skills to stay safe during their commute.  When the road is wet, a film is created on the asphalt, causing your tires to lose traction.  Another problem during a downpour is your perception.  You can’t see as far into the distance as normal, so this decreases visibility of other cars and the road itself.

In today’s blog, we discuss some options to driving safely when the roads are wet.

Be careful when it rains after a dry spell.  Engine and oil grease cake up on asphalt over time.  When this is mixed with rainwater, it can cause the road to be extremely slick. 

Allot more time for your commute.  This allows for a steady drive to your destination.  The last thing you want to do is rush, it also compensates for delays, flooding, and unexpected accidents.

No Cruise control!  If you go into a hydroplane, there’s a slight chance your car could accelerate.  Reaction time is crucial and you’ll need your foot close to the pedal at all times.

Turn on your headlights.  This helps you see the road, and also lets motorists see you.  Blasting your high beams however can prove detrimental.  It can obscure your view further, reflecting water droplets in the air. 

Hydroplaning.  The first rule to avoiding the dreaded hydroplane is to avoid braking suddenly or turning the wheel, which can cause your car to spin or skid off of the road.  According to Edmunds: “Release the gas pedal slowly and steer straight until the car regains traction. If you must brake, tap the brake pedal (unless you have antilock brakes, in which case you can put your foot down).”

Defog your windows.  Rain causes your windshield to fog up fairly quickly.  Turn on your defrosters and make sure you're A/C is turned on.  Most vehicles climate control systems will automatically engage the A/C when the windshields defrost is selected. 

The Kookiest Auto Races…EVER

We love speed.  The exhilaration we feel when we’re driving with the top down and the landscape is whizzing by is an American pastime, almost a tradition in our culture.  We pack Nascar Speedways to watch speed demons circle a track, drive fast in the HOV lane, and mount up a ridiculous amount of speeding violations on a daily basis.  We’re a speed-based country bent on getting to the next objective…quickly.  As fans of the racing dynamic and the sense of adrenaline we get from it, I’ve decided to pull 3 crazy races into a list (Courtesy of HowStuffWorks.com) on our Blog.  Check them out below:

Red Bull Soapbox Race

It’s all about gravity with this one.  The objective is to create a makeshift vessel that can be propelled with only standard wheels.  The vehicle is engineless, and zooming downhill in this derby and winning could warrant a prize.  The derby oozes creativity, with past entrants being in the shape of a piano, a giant corn on the cob, and…the Golden Gate Bridge.  Now that’s awesome!

24 Hours of LeMons

According to HowStuffWorks.com “While the actual 24 Hours of LeMans sports car race, held annually in the eponymous French city, features real racing cars that have been tuned and engineered within an inch of their lives, the 24 Hours of LeMons race features real, well, lemons.”  If you paid more than $500 for your car, including modifications you won’t be allowed on the track.  Our first car out of high school would have worked perfectly.

Gumball 3000

The Gumball 3000 is a high-end car rally that runs annually between locations since 1999.  The tradition began in London, making its way through Europe, ending in New York City.  Other Gumballs have gone from New York to the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles and from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France -- not a very long trip until you consider that the route crossed the Mediterranean and passed through North Africa on its way to the finish line.  Have any you would like to add?

The Dangers of Texting and Driving (2013 Edition)

You’ve heard it all before.  Texting and driving should not mix.  We’ve all been ridiculed and yelled at for checking our phones in the HOV lane, dashing passed a red light while flicking our phone and having full blown conversations via MMS.  Texting and driving is DEADLY.  This isn’t a filtered blog with soft-spoken words, it’s a PSA for those who drive while browsing and texting on their phones.  We’re providing some scary facts on WHY LOL can lead to RIP.  Please be safe out there, fans! We care about ‘ya!

·      In 2011, at least 23% of auto collisions involved cellphones.  That’s 1.3 million crashes.

·      Five seconds is the average amount of time your attention is taken away from the road.  So, if you’re traveling at 55 mph, this equals driving the length of a football field without looking at the road.

·      77% of young adults are very or somewhat confident that they can safely text while driving.

·      55% of young adults claim it’s easy to text while they drive.

·      Teens who text while driving spend 10% of their driving time outside of their lane

·      48% of young drivers have seen their parents drive while talking on a cell phone.

·      1 in 5 drivers of all ages confess to surfing the web while driving.

·      Texting while driving increases the risk of accident 23.2 times over unimpaired driving.

·      Texting while driving results in longer response times than even drunken driving. While an unimpaired driver can respond quickly to changes in traffic and begin braking within half a second, a legally drunk driver needs four additional feet to begin braking—and a driver who’s texting needs 70.

Drive safely!

“What in the World is “Hypermiling”?

The focal point of personal funding woes begins at the pump.  Our recent blogs have discussed what precautions you can take to avoid high gas prices In lieu of rising gas prices; a select few have decided to go the distance.  Literally.  Some individuals have been getting above 65 mpg. Is this a typo?  With LASIK eye surgery I can honestly say it’s not.  Hypermiling has become the newest craze and in today’s blog, we delve into what it is and how it’s done.  Oh, and as a precaution: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

Hypermiling is an unorthodox technique for increasing your mpg.  These techniques include coasting for blocks with the car engine tuned off, driving at or below the speed limit, pumping up tire pressure far beyond recommendations and carefully manipulating the gas pedal to avoid fuel-burning excess.  Options also include keeping the air-condition turned off, and the window cracked slightly.  Hypermilers also carry a journal that records their daily commute, gas consumption and mileage.  All in an effort to avoid the ever increasing price of gas. 

Hypermiling has become a niche, with websites dedicated to the cause.  Driving Safety advocates forbid some of their habits, but applaud others.  Some Hypermiling habits are very dangerous.  “Turning the engine off while coasting can, in some cars, leave the driver without power steering or brakes and allow the possibility that the steering wheel will lock up. Drivers can endanger themselves and others if they go too slow for the pace of traffic.” The list goes on.   

However, some Hypermilers ARE safe.  They obey all traffic laws and mix city and highway driving in a combination of strategic and gas saving options.  Using a truck for a windbreak is dangerous, but safer Hypermilers stay the recommended distance while still maintaining a saving of mpg by putting safety before mileage. 

Drive Safely!