Your Money, Your Life, or Your Seat Belt

A seat belt is one of those things in life that just doesn't make sense to about 40,000,000 people in the United States. After all, freedom of choice is the Free World cornerstone and when it comes to our automobiles, we want to ride them any way we choose.

“Liberty or death!” shouts a protestor on the nightly news. He values his God-given Freedoms to drive without fear of an illegal search and seizure. “The people,” he contends, “aren’t idiots and can govern their own safety.” Courts determine whether driving without a seat belt is a Right or a Privilege, but “by God we will defend our freedoms ‘till our dying breath.”

Unfortunately, that’s just what happens each year.

What these people don’t realize is just what choice they are making when they drive without a seat belt wrapped around everyone in the car.

Government and industry have sponsored multi-million dollar safety seat belt awareness campaigns for decades. Usage has climbed, but only slowly through the years until recently.

It’s easy to recognize at least one popular national slogan:

• Buckle Up For Safety
  

• Seat Belts Save Lives
  

• Buckle Up America
  

Officer Friendly would appear in class to teach all about car safety. He didn’t come into every room, so some of us were indoctrinated with second hand playground news.

State sponsored campaigns are less well known.

Missouri had the lowest state seat belt usage as the year 2000 approached according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA). Only 60% of Missourians wore seat belts, so in a $300,000 concerted research effort, the State of Missouri studied advertising strategies that would appeal to all age groups. Radio stations received Public Service Announcements, 64 local newspapers printed press releases while two carefully selected slogans were printed on 26 billboards that read:

• It takes 3 seconds to buckle up. Dead is Forever
  

• You think a zit is bad? Try a windshield.
  

Did the State of Missouri reach the target audience?

Results: Seat belt usage among all age groups …

• Escalated to nearly 68% about equal to the national average at the time.
  

What was the real success?

Hundreds of lives were saved yearly and serious injuries were avoided.

“Click It…Or Ticket” kicked off in May of 2003 as the latest national seat belt campaign with a starting advertising budget of $25 million paid for by the US Government. That’s a lot of money to begin an advertising campaign about seat belt usage. Was the purpose to really save lives, build up local treasuries, or just advertise? The results easily speak for themselves…

Safety belt use in the United States rose to almost 80% in 2004(the highest single year increase) up from 58% in 1994. An additional 10% rise in safety seat belt use could save an estimated 8,000 more lives per year and prevent more than 100,000 traffic related accident injuries.

It’s estimated that more than 14,000 lives had been saved with seat belt use in data compiled by the NHTSA for 2002. And of the almost 33,000 passenger vehicle occupants who were killed during the same period 59% weren’t wearing a safety seat belt. (NHTSA).

This isn’t a near 50:50 chance that you’ll be killed with or without a seat belt. Serious injuries far exceed deaths. There are almost 7,000,000 car accidents in the USA alone each year. Almost 3 million people are injured. Thousands of those injuries are preventable with proper seat belts. See statistics: www.car-accident-advice.com

The NHTSA estimates that had all vehicle occupants over the age of 4 been wearing safety seat belts,

7153 more people would be alive.

Those are brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers.

Statistics are people.

Does it really sound that simple?

Wear a seat belt to significantly increase the chance of surviving a car accident.

People are creatures of reminded habits who participate when threatened with economic loss. The Click It…Or Ticket campaign primarily advertised an aggressive ticketing effort by local police departments.

The campaign doesn’t include shocking video footage showing ejected car accident victims. There aren’t many hard-hitting statistics such as:

In 2002, 73 percent of passenger car occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed.

-NHTSA

The primary cause of death for people aged 4 to 34 is car accidents.

-National Center for Health Statistics

In 2000 total economic cost of motor vehicle accidents in the US is equal to 2.3% of Gross Domestic Product or almost $820 per US resident.

-NHTSA

We all pay.

Yet the “shock & awe” techniques have been used over and over in previous education campaigns.

The choice a person has to wear a seat belt without threat of economic loss is a luxury because statistics bear it out. The chances of receiving major injuries during a serious impact without a seat belt increase twenty-five times.

There must be other reasons why a person would gamble life and money over the use of a seat belt. Most adults have heard all this before.

“Seat Belts are uncomfortable” - Complaint 1

Today’s seat belts are adjustable. Read your car documentation to make sure you’re wearing them properly. The shoulder belt should never be worn under the arm or behind the head. That position almost guarantees injury in an accident. Seat belts are positioned to give you a range of useful movement and then to hold you in place should you exceed that range. However, a person still has freedom of choice: Wear a seat belt or become 1 of the 73% who is ejected. Comfort vs Risk.

“I’m a careful driver and have never been in an accident.” – Complaint 2

Eight out of ten drivers will be in a car accident within the next 10 years.

Choosing to wear a seatbelt makes a lot of sense, because the facts explain the risk to your own life. Playing the odds in Vegas is better than playing the odds with your life.

“I have air bags all around my car. Why do I need a seat belt.”

Air bags cushion impact. It’s better to strike the deflating air bag than the immovable dashboard. However, a seat belt protects you from the air bag.

Airbags explode in front of you at 200mph.

An airbag deploys so fast that it seems to inflate and deflate before the explosive sound is over. When you move abruptly forward in a car accident, the safety seat belt stops you quickly as the air bag approaches your chest. Even with the seat belt on you may feel like someone punched you hard in the sternum a day or two after the accident. However, without the seat belt on, you risk serious injury from the air bag alone.

I was wearing my seat belt in a car accident when the air bag exploded into my chest. It took a dozen X-Rays to prove my sternum wasn’t fractured, but the pain lasted for a month. Without the seat belt…

I’ll let you use your imagination, but without the seat belt and the air bag?

I wouldn’t be here. The car accident story is at www.car-accident-advice.com

'I don’t drive far.' – Complaint 3

80% of traffic fatalities occur within 25 miles of home and under 40mph

'I just can’t be bothered.' - Complaint 4

'I can’t tell other people in my car to wear them.' - Complaint 5

'Seat belts rumple my clothes.' - Complaint 6

The list of complaints could fill this page, because a person’s ability to rationalize what not to do has no bounds.

For those who don’t wear seat belts, look to see if it’s simply because you don’t want to be told what to do by a police officer who is writing a ticket or by statistics that have been shouting the same message for decades.

Statistics in the use of safety seat belts, injury prevention, and lives lost are as clear as day.

1. You have a high chance of being in a car accident.
   

2. A seat belt provides tremendous protection.
   

People don’t want to lose freedoms, so some create lawsuits to rescind primary enforcement laws. There is definitely merit to protecting the loss of the simplest freedoms and merit in getting the word out about preserve our lives with simple changes.

While we talk about it, 1000’s of people die each year because they don’t wear a seat belt. Those people don’t need to worry about losing any of their freedoms.

I love freedom, but I don’t want to lose a loved one either.

Learn the right lessons from Buckle Up America

That sounds a lot easier than being forced to Click It…or Ticket.

It’s a choice: Your money, your life, or your seat belt.

Young Drivers Need Winter Practice

(NC)—One of the more nerve-wrecking experiences of parenthood occurs when your teenager first earns his or her license to drive. While many parts of Canada have ensured that new drivers be accompanied with a more experienced driver in the vehicle, it's important that parents take some time to share safety tips with their teenagers.

Learning to drive is challenging enough. When you throw snow, ice and slush into the driving mix, it can catch new drivers off guard. Therefore, passing along winter driving wisdom to your teens is especially crucial.

"Since you probably own the car your teenager is driving, you should ensure that it is prepared for winter-weather," says Tony Mougios, Michelin Brand Manager in Canada. "Part of that preparation involves installing four winter tires on the vehicle. Winter tires will enhance the safety and performance of your vehicle and allow whoever is driving to maintain greater control in winter conditions."

For those parents whose teens are about to take to the road for the first time this winter, Michelin offers these tips for teaching young drivers to prepare for and cope with winter's challenges.

• Winter weather puts your vehicle's mechanical systems and performance to the ultimate test, and demands that your vehicle is in excellent condition. Make sure that your tires and all mechanical systems, including your brakes, are in top working order.
  

• Take your new driver to a vacant, snow or ice covered parking lot where you can safely practice slow-speed manoeuvres.
  

• A novice driver's first on-the-road experience with winter-weather driving should not be during a major blizzard. Ensure he/she waits until conditions are less severe.
  

• If possible, have your teenager practice driving on slippery roads in daylight only. Exposure to slippery roads at night should be limited until beginners have gained more experience driving in various types of winter weather. • Maintain a safe driving distance from the vehicle in front of you.
  

• Make sure the speed limit is observed and respected.
  

• Transform the trunk of your vehicle into a winter survival kit by filling it with essential emergency equipment including a flashlight, blankets, jumper cables, sand and a small shovel or ice scraper.

Winter Tire Myths Revealed

(NC) —True or false – your vehicle is only as good as the tires it sits on? While you may have your own opinion on this, Michelin believes that tires are an essential part of your vehicle's safety, handling and performance.

Tire manufacturers like Michelin, as well as associations like Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada, are working to increase awareness of the importance of tires as well as dispelling some common tire myths.

"The biggest tire myth is that they are a low-tech commodity," explains Tony Mougios, Michelin Brand Manager in Canada. "The reality is that advancements in tire technology have improved the quality and performance of today's tires. Few people seem to realize the additional safety obtained from installing four winter tires on their vehicles."

The following is a basic example of a common winter tire myth.

Myth: All-season tires are so good that winter tires are never needed.

Reality: In some parts of the world, where temperatures and snowfalls are moderate, this may be true. But this is Canada – our winter weather is unpredictable and can be harsh. Just ask anyone from Halifax who endured the city's record snowfalls last winter.

The reality is that harsh winter conditions can appear anywhere in Canada, and when they do, the traction and added safety provided by winter tires cannot be beat. Winter tires reign supreme in rural areas where snow can remain on the road for extended periods of time. They provide 25 per cent improved traction over all-season tires.

To learn more about the advantages of winter tires and other advancements in tire technology, visit a local authorized Michelin dealer or visit www.michelin.ca.

Why Highways Are So Important

(NC)—Transportation is fundamental to the prosperity and quality of life of all Canadians. Much of Canada's domestic and international freight is hauled on Canada's 24,400-kilometre National Highway System, the backbone of Canadian trade. In fact, the Canadian transportation system carries more than $1 trillion worth of goods every year.

If our transportation system isn't running smoothly, it affects our quality of life — from how much time we spend commuting, to what is available on store shelves and how much it costs.

While every province and territory is responsible for highway safety by enforcing laws and maintaining highway infrastructure, Transport Canada is investing $600 million under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) to improve Canada's highways over five years. It's working with the provinces and territories to identify those parts of the national highway system that — because of growing traffic and increased trade — need immediate attention.

In addition, SHIP includes $100 million to fund initiatives to better integrate our national transportation system. This includes funding to deploy intelligent transportation systems across Canada to improve things such as traffic and cargo flow, traveller information, toll collecting and public transit, and resources to improve traffic flows at border crossings.

Improving the efficiency of border crossings is important to Canada's economic development. For example, the Lacolle-Champlain border crossing forms the most important trade corridor between Quebec and New York State. More than $15 billion worth of exported goods travel through this border crossing annually, with a daily volume of more than 2,000 trucks. A SHIP project is now underway that will improve the flow of people and goods at this vital crossing, as well as enhance safety and security. Similar projects are in place at border crossings in Windsor, Ontario, and in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

The Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) supports trade, tourism and investment in Canada; sustains strategic investments in all parts of the country to reflect regional needs; makes the Canadian highway transportation system more reliable, efficient, and technologically advanced; and improves the quality of life of Canadians by promoting safer and more environmentally sustainable transportation.

For more information on SHIP, and Government of Canada highway improvement programs in your area, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca.

What is Road Hazard Warranty? Do You Really Need It?

 by: Gene Grant

You are prepared to spend an average of $300 - $500 for new sneakers for you vehicle. It's a maintenance item that is not optional and then the salesperson asks you if you want to purchase the Road Hazard warranty.

"It's ONLY an additional $10 - $20 for each tire," he or she says. So, you're thinking, "Don't my tires come with a warranty already?"

Great question! Most tires come with a warranty which covers workmanship and materials. In other words, the tire maufacterer covers things which are in their control, like defects. They are not interested in warranting the condition of the roads or your inability to hit debris.

This is where a Road Hazard warranty can save you money and aggravation. Road Hazard warranties are one of the best values, yet one of the most misunderstood benefits. Let's start off by expalining exactly what is a Road Hazard warranties and how does it save me money?

Most Road Hazard warranties are set up to protect you, from paying full price, even if you happen to get a flat or even destroy a tire beyond repair. If you are fortunate enough to have purchased the warranty, you will only pay for the amount of tread that you used prior to the needed replacement. (This is called pro-rated).

Here is an example. Let's say your tire is 1/2 way worn at the time of the flat. With tires averaging $100 each, your replacement cost would only be $50.00. Much better than full price, yes? Definitely - great value.

Typically, Road Hazard warranties will cover things like nails, glass, metal, stones etc. and almost anything else that could puncture or damage a tire. Some Road Hazrd packages provide a nationwide coverage, which are great for people who are traveling, or vacationing, because you now have peace of mind knowing that you are protected while away from your local area.

In addition, many Road Hazard warranties offer other benefits like free rotations and free balancing (check where you purchase your tires for all the details). Regular maintenance is the best way to extend the life of your tire and get as many miles as possible for your investment.

Next time you are ready to purchase tires, ask your tire dealer for the road hazard warranty. You'll be glad you did.

What Is An Intelligent Transportation System?

(NC)—Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are technologies designed to make transportation safer, more efficient, more reliable and more environmentally friendly, without necessarily having to physically alter existing infrastructure.

ITS technologies include sensor and control systems, advanced communications methods, and computer informatics. These technologies are already benefiting businesses and the travelling public. For example, in Saskatoon an advanced traffic management system is minimizing traffic congestion, alerting crews to accidents and providing drivers with up-to-date road information. In Vancouver, new software has enhanced monitoring of the movement of dangerous goods in and out of port jurisdictions, enabling authorities to locate these goods more quickly.

ITS is just one of a number of areas in which the Government of Canada's Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) is investing. SHIP is a $600 million program that has the Government of Canada working with the provinces and territories to identify those parts of our national transportation system which — because of growing traffic and increasing trade — need immediate attention. The goal of this program is to develop and maintain a safer, more efficient transportation system for all Canadians.

For more information on SHIP and intelligent transportation systems, visit http://www.its-sti.gc.ca.

Tunes To Go: Music From Your Computer to Your Car

(ARA) - The digital audio revolution is in full swing as music lovers worldwide are using their computers as high-tech jukeboxes.

But you're not just limited to listening to songs on your PC while you check your e-mail. It's easier than ever to manage your collection and listen to it in your car, whatever your destination.

"It's great to hit the road and hear hours of the songs you want, when you want them. You're no longer confined to hearing only the radio, or swapping CDs on the front seat," said Dan Hodgson, senior vice president of Merchandising at Crutchfield Corporation, the leading Internet and catalog retailer of consumer electronics.

Several innovative and easy-to-use products help you move music from your PC to your car's sound system. Here are some quick pointers for getting your "tunes to go."

First, get the music you want to your PC. You can download files from the Internet, most commonly in the MP3 format, or copy tracks from your current CDs, using widely-available music management software.

Once you've got your music library, it's time to make it portable. Popular options include using a CD recorder in your computer to "burn" a disc of MP3-encoded songs, or storing your files on memory card devices that link to your computer through a docking station.

• Replacing your car stereo receiver with one that plays MP3-encoded CDs is a popular way to listen to your PC music on the go. Since an MP3-encoded CD holds about 10 hours of music, you won't have to be flipping through endless CD cases in your car.
  

Many receivers, especially older ones, don't understand the MP3 code. But almost every manufacturer now makes one or more receivers for MP3 CD playback. With these, you can record a CD at home and simply slip it into your car receiver. Most receivers will even flash the titles for you.

• If you have a portable MP3 player (or an MP3-compatible CD player), you don't need a special in-dash receiver. Just look for one that has an "aux in" -- an auxiliary input where you can plug your player directly into the head unit using a mini-jack. You'll hear your music played from your player through your car's sound system, though most systems aren't set up to scroll through song titles.
  

• For users who prefer even more songs and higher-tech equipment, Sony and Pioneer offer mobile hard drive devices. These products store massive amounts of music on their hard drives, like a computer. To move files from computer to car, they use a cartridge or other removable memory devices.
  

Another option is to use "mini-computers" that link to your receiver and your PC. For example, the Kenwood Music Keg (KHD-CX910) has a 10 gigabyte storage cartridge that can store and play back roughly 2,500 MP3-encoded songs through Kenwood car receivers. Blaupunkt has a compact MP3 drive (MDP01) that will hold about 18 hours of music. You'll be able to drive halfway across the country and never hear the same tune twice.

Consumers can find complete information on mobile audio at www.crutchfield.com/infolib.

Traffic Zoology

 by: Matthew Frederick Davis Hemming

There is a secret zoo that runs encaged along the roads.

They are liquid, semi-visible goliaths that rage through the streams and chunks of ordinary traffic, with the effervescent tendrils of mile-long tales whipping behind them like Chinese dragons. Though composed of hundreds of pounds of steel, glass and plastic, they are able to pass through solid objects. They are bound by the laws of the highway, but not by any conventional notion of time or space.

They are Aggregate Traffic Animals: a menagerie of emergent beasts drawn from the interacting behaviours of many individual human beings driving many individual cars with many individual goals, their collective activity giving rise to something with greater presence, power and purpose than the sum of its constituents. They take on a host of different forms, each to serve a different end.

They are real, and they drive among us.

Preamble

In his introduction to The Extended Phenotype (Oxford University Press, 1982) enthusiastic evolutionary biology cheerleader and Commodore-hacking pop-science guru Richard Dawkins invites us to consider the Necker Cube Illusion: a two-dimensional image representing two interlocked three-dimensional blocks in which the foreground and background can seem to flip back and forth as the brain fruitlessly seeks the "true" interpretation of the depicted space. This is Dawkins' starting point for a thought experiment in which he blurs the lines between species, their genes and the environment, calling into question the traditional boundaries drawn through biological systems to identify the relevant level of study. To wit, to wank:

We look at life and begin by seeing a collection of interacting individual organisms. We know that they contain smaller units, and we know that they are, in turn, parts of larger composite units, but we fix our gaze on the whole organisms. Then suddenly the image flips. The individual bodies are still there; they have not moved, but they seem to have gone transparent...

In other words, if you are able to de-emphasise the organism itself you are free to appreciate the idea of beaver ponds as artificial lakes generated by beaver genes, or to see a spider's web as an arrangement of silk drawn by DNA. By extending the lines with which we bound the traditional phenotype, we define new organisms, merging technology and individuals into communities the same way that ancient micro-organisms interacting inside bilipid membranes fell into symbiotic lockstep dances to found the first stable cells.

Organelles, cells, bodies, herds: at which level we discern the animal is purely a matter of focus.

This idea of the emergent animal or "super-organism" is hardly particular to Dawkins: William Morton Wheeler remarked on the idea in his 1911 paper "The Ant Colony as an Organism" in a treatment that is every bit as cogent but with considerably less otaku chic than Kevin Kelly's printed-soundbyte manifesto on hive complexity, Out of Control (Perseus Books, 1994). In the words of Kelly:

There is nothing to be found in a beehive that is not submerged in a bee. And yet you can search a bee forever with cyclotron and fluoroscope, and you will never find a hive.

So too can you examine a driver in a car and know nothing about the greater animal in which they both participate when the circumstances are right. Some of the applicable forces can be seen most clearly in the rarified environment of the professional race course, as explored by David Ronfeldt, a senior social scientist at RAND, in his 2002 paper Social Science at 190 MPH on NASCAR's Biggest Superspeedways, where fleeting moments of co-operation between rivals are necessary in order to win. Ronfeldt focuses in particular on the phenomenon of draft line formation, which is similar to the way flocking birds can share aerodynamic advantage. Like iron filings in a magnetic field, the large-scale distribution of opportunistically partnering cars are drawn into predictable macro-scale patterns across the speedway:

Once the racers sort themselves out - after ten to twenty laps - it is common to see a single draft line of four to seven cars running in front, pursued a hundred or so yards back by a second line of cars, all another hundred or so yards ahead of a large pack of cars that may still be running in parallel lines but are doing more dicing than drafting...Cars that run alone, often stuck dangerously between two draft lines, will appear to drift irrevocably backward.

Freed of the bonds of racing's formalism, the Aggregate Traffic Animals are born, rooted in transient symbioses between individual patches of drivers that will crystalise into the organs of the beast. But the circumstances have to be just right for one to emerge. The unholy Hieronymus Bosch-style concert of homicidal applied-shadenfreude that may characterise your urban, intra-urban or sub-urban driving experience is not ripe ground for ATA growth: too frothy.

The sociological and scatological dances of the megalopolis rushhour, too, are beyond the scope of this article, and are at any rate most likely best explored with deep computer simulations using high-tech cellular automata tools with average driver profiles linked to real-world statistics of roadway usage coupled with an army of ten thousand angry ax-wielding orcs battling an equal number of obedient clonetroopers.

Rather, this field is perfect fodder for the amateur ethologist, observing phenomena with a keen eye, an open mind and a sharp pencil. And while much has been written about manipulating traffic waves, the dynamics of traffic jams and phase-transitions in traffic density, very little time has been devoted to the observation and cataloguing of persistent multi-car zoomorphia.

Early Observations

The author first became aware of the existence of ATAs while making his way through the hinterland of Canada on a long, mid-winter solo drive in a decrepit Dodge Charger with no functioning radio. Due to his dangerous penchant for immersive daydreaming in the absence of external stimuli, he began to parasite his driving decisions by locking in behind another car with comparable speed ambitions. By reserving a sliver of awareness for tracking the red brake lights of the "lead" car for changes in speed or direction, the author was able to comfortably enjoy his trance while a hefty burden of road awareness was outsourced to the other driver, causing the front car to function as a sort of early warning mechanism for changing conditions (including the Mounties' speed-traps).

The notion resurfaced while the author was wrestling a dented Volkswagen Rabbit rental down a twisting, pot-holed two-lane jungle highway through the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. As the journey began he found himself hedged inside a short parade of other tourists, all driving their rental cars out of the airport at around the same time at a hesitant pace, breaking frequently to process the unfamiliar leafy darkness ahead. Fearing injury, the author laterally-leapfrogged the indecisive parade and drove on into the murk alone. Remembering his success in the far north, he latched onto the back of a local vehicle (a home-modded convertible Beetle carrying ten people, standing room only), using its varying speed as an indicator of road conditions. Unexpectedly, this move was noticed by several of the other tourists, who began to fight to separate themselves from the melee and join the newer, more surefooted pack that was rapidly pulling ahead...

By the time the author had reached his exit the impromptu fleet of vehicles had become a persistent, homeostatic phenomenon. The fleet had quickly learned to manipulate the spacing between its components in order to remain permeable to faster moving local traffic while defending its integrity against more disruptive external vehicles. Pulses of communication signifying when the passing lane was clear rippled down the chain through a conscientious leaning into the gravel shoulder, assisting in the process of expectorating invaders. Several of the original tourist vehicles ended up being swapped out for other vehicles without rocking the boat. Later on, even the leader was swapped out for another experienced local car.

It was a fetching game, contributing to the welfare of all of its players in an interesting way, but it was not a true ATA. It was too conscious a contrivance to be anything more than a delightful spontaneous social event.

You see, a distributed animal with human components can be very sensitive to perturbations from within. It is only when the conflicting threads of goals, reasoning and competition between individual human minds are quietened into the background noise that the soil can truly be ripe to raise a complex beast. When drivers can fall into a semi-hypnotic state and their herd instincts take over, the seeds are laid for something greater.

Habitat

While there are thousands of traffic animal breeding grounds along the paved networks of the world, only one driving region has been extensively explored at this time, largely due to budgetary considerations.

The TransCanada Highway is a nearly ideal environment for the production of large-scale ATA phenomena, due in great part to the simplicity of its shape: all cars are moving either westbound or eastbound, streamlining the goals of the drivers in much the same way as the shape of the Daytona superspeedway encourages drafting partnerships (see above). Also, because there are long stretches through lonely wilderness and semi-tundra, nascent traffic animals have a long period in which to mature before coming against obstacles like influxes of new cars or navigating around towns; and because the highway wends its way directly through most of Canada's major cities, it provides a handy litmus test for the homeostatic integrity of a given specimen simply by observing whether or not it makes it through to the other side of the urban area intact.

While daytime ATA formation is not rare, it is under the cover of darkness that development can proceed in a comparatively unfettered fashion. This is due in large part to the more abstract, disconnected experience of interacting with other vehicles merely as points of coloured light. Familiar prejudices and stereotypes -- potential sources of destructive competition -- are smoothed out by the shadows. At least on the basis of visual impressions, a Volvo and a Camaro can enter a system as peers.

Diminished visibility resulting from mild to moderate weather conditions can have a similar equalising effect, but when conditions become too severe drivers tend to clump into packs for safety, leading to pseudo-ATA fleets that are all too conscious social events (as in the Quintana Roo experience).

Show me an autumn stretch of prairie transcontinental highway at twilight, and I will show you the secret zoo of the road.

Typical Morphologies

The most basic form of multi-car life is the Asipetal Caterpillar, also known as a worm. Worms begin when a stable solo vehicle spawns a linear, single-lane chain of vehicles composed of loose monomers joining at the rear (a closely related, but dysfunctional, construct known as an Acropetal Caterpillar grows by adding vehicles to the front of the chain, generally leading to destructive diffusion or autolysis). Short, lithe worms are the fundamental building blocks of healthy ATA tissue. Perverse, long-form worms are the seeds of congestion and death.

The second atomic element of ATA tissue stands in stark contrast to the worm, for it is a fleeting thing, and when it takes concrete form at all it is often manifested as a single car. The Apparent Coxswain is a vehicle that appears, to the conscious or semi-conscious mind of one or more drivers, to be a leader of the worm. When the Apparent Coxswain changes lanes, there is a higher probability that a majority of the worm will follow suit than if the change were initiated by a less trusted vehicle. In many cases each car in a worm perceives the car immediately ahead of it to be the Apparent Coxswain, leading to domino-effect lane-transitions; such formations have high homeostatic integrity because of the worm's ability to "find a new head" should one Apparent Coxswain be lost to the currents. (Please note: the Apparent Coxswain should not be confused with the Virtual Coxswain or the Napoleonic Coxswain, discussed below.)

Formations that achieve such integration become Cholingers: Asipetal Caterpillars with tightly-integrated internal feedback systems of Apparent Coxswains, capable of transmitting information from tip to tail with high fidelity. Cholingers can slither to avoid torn tyres on the road, twitch around slow-moving vehicles, and even slip through packs of alien worms, wild axenes and other traffic froth to arrive on the other side intact.

Of course, not all Cholingers slip through the strangers: sometimes they interact.

Every Cholinger is either benthic or pelagic. Benthic Cholingers travel at a similar rate to the currents of the road, while Pelagic Cholingers travel at a dissimilar rate when compared to other traffic (typically a faster rate). It is possible, however, for a benthic line to be picked up and carried along by a pelagic cousin, leading to a coupled form. This is the first real Aggregate Traffic Animal we will meet tonight: a bilaterally asymmetrical diageotrope known as the Epiphysian Cyclosalp.

Within the body of the Cyclosalp the individual Cholingers are transmuted into a pair of Librigenates -- stretchy, free-flowing tissue that is bounded in space by the relationship with its partner, the accelerating pelagic lobe sliding forward and the steady benthic lobe catching up in a slow-motion slingshot, compressing and expanding between the loose, senseless clumps of other cars. This accordion-like effect might initially seem to be a force tearing the animal apart, rending pelagic from benthic -- and this is indeed what might happen in too rarified an atmosphere -- but when presented with obstacles of any kind, the Librigenates that comprise the Cyclosalp fall back on their Cholinger heritage of local integrity, crystallising en masse to navigate the hazard.

Unfettered, the Epiphysian Cyclosalp is like half a butterfly, its riparian body gilded by a slowly flapping wing of accelerating, gliding Librigenates ebbing and flowing in a stately round. Its insides whorl as partners switch places, benthic turning briefly pelagic, pacer cars joining a rippling pulse of local inertia forward, headlights cross-sweeping.

It is beyond the scope of this article to detail the myriad circumstances that provide seed for the profitable entanglement of multiple Cyclosalpic streams. So diverse are the possibilities that we could fill a Biblical tome without scratching the surface, without revealing the common thread of simplicity upon which the complexity hinges. Suffice to say the larger clade includes such varied forms as the whiplashing Epinastic Tricyclosalp, the many-fingered Dicyclosalp Fimbriatum, and the diaphanous, fleeting wonder of the mile-long Merosporangic Super-Cyclosalp...

Of course, not all Asipetal Caterpillars grow up to become stately Cholingers; instead, they lock into Lego-like bricks of uniform properties called Pycnoblastoids. While short-lived Apiculate Pycnoblastoids (in which the Apparent Coxswain is always the most forward car) are more common, it is the more flexible Laxiflorous Pycnoblastoid (in which the Apparent Coxswain is any car except that most forward) that lives a more fruitful life.

For instance, consider the case of a typical composite entity like a Tripycnoblastic Oomycotum, in which independent pycnoblasts jockey for position internally directly or by proxy through one or more Napoleonic Coxswains (that is, drivers who suffer from the delusion that they are single-handedly responsible for steering/leading their local sub-structure). The domino-line behaviour of an Apiculate Pycnoblastoid makes it too brittle to survive the stresses of being permeated by a competing pycnoblast, whereas the comparatively elastic structure of the Laxifloroid -- imparted due to the inherent time delay involved in co-ordinating with a mid-fleet Apparent Coxswain -- retains a perfect balance of rigidity and looseness, riding a line between orchestration and dissolution that makes composite forms like Oomycota possible.

Pycnoblastic tissue is unusual in that it makes use of some level of awareness on the part of the driver that they are participating in a formation (though drivers are only likely to be aware of the local level of structure). When this awareness reaches a certain level the composite entity is usually destroyed by internal stresses, but occasionally a dissolving multi-pycnoblast will emit a stream of highly energised vehicles -- the Apheresoid Lirellate, a concentrated apiculatoid pycnoblast flung free from the miasma of death to rocket away, using for a coxswain the abandoned carcass itself.

...These are but the fringes of the zoo, the tip of the iceberg.

We have not even touched on the sensitive antennae of the Stipitate Phototaxites fringed with Virtual Coxswains, pseudo-lead cars ready to be sacrificed to trip any trap, the chaotic wrath of the Biflagellate Ableptic Figmo and the fate of the cystidial flotsam locked within them; the weird rhythms of the Cacospysic Super-Barbicanoids and their elaborate dance of shifting coxswains, the majesty of the motorcycle-based Raging Fallaxoid; the menagerie of endless cancers that can grow from unexpectorated papillic granulomae, from cataracts of geriatric nektons, or from service-stations with badly planned driveways.

Further Study

The study of a new order of life is not without its risks, both professional (in terms of reputation) and practical (in terms of being maimed by mis-navigated vehicles). The amateur automotive ethologist must not only have keen skills of observation, but also the fortitude to persevere despite the slings and arrows of dubious dissenters. Like Leeuwenhoek's controversial animalcules and Pasteur's superstition-defying microbes, there will always exist a certain testudinal resistance to new ideas among older quarters. There will be those who doubt the very existence of aggregate vehicular life, or who insist that the zoo of the road dwells in metaphor alone.

The opinions of such sceptics could be changed by a single night spent on a grassy hill overlooking a well-travelled country highway, watching the streams of red and silver lights merge and split, compress and attenuate, roil and interact, fatten and reproduce...

Watch the roads, and see the zoo for yourself. There is no denying its patterns of insectile purpose, its myriad variations in anatomy and configuration, or the orchestrated madness of the low-cost petroleum feeding frenzy. Your own mind, honed by thousands of generations of natural selection to recognise life from non-life, will tell you it is true; the disciplines of careful observation and meticulous classification will tell you how, and why.

Open your eyes, and witness an untapped world.

Tire Retreads Save Money and Resources for Many Industries

(ARA) - Retreaded truck tires represent a savings of more than $2 billion annually for truckers and trucking companies in North America.

For most fleets, tires represent the third largest item in their operating budget, right after labor and fuel costs. The lowest possible cost-per-mile is achieved with a good tire management program that includes the use of quality retreads.

Retreads are the replacement tire of choice for most truckers. Of the nearly 33.8 million replacement tires purchased by fleets in 2000, over 18.1 million were retreads and only about 15.6 million were new replacement tires.

Retreads are not only cost effective, but they are also dependable, reliable and safe. Truckers with scheduled delivery times, small package delivery companies with guaranteed delivery times, commercial and military jets and most school bus operators use retreads.

Retreads are also environmentally friendly. Tires are made of petro-chemical products. It takes 22 gallons of oil to manufacture one new truck tire. Most of the oil is found in the casing, which is reused in the retreading process. As a result, only seven gallons of oil are used to produce a retread.

Retreaders, like trucking companies, have experienced considerable consolidation. Today, the most successful retreaders are those with the highest quality products, delivering the best possible return on the investment to the fleets. Because of the competitive nature of the retreading industry, truckers can expect to see continuous improvement in the quality, durability and reliability, as the major retread suppliers annually invest millions of dollars in research and development.

Imagine a world without retreads:

* Groceries would cost more, since virtually all grocery delivery trucks use retreads.

* Our dependence on oil would rise. Since tires contain a very high percentage of synthetic rubber, which is petroleum based, we would have to import huge additional amounts of oil.

* New tire prices would probably rise significantly. Retreads act as a brake on tire price increases.

* Airline tickets would cost more. Virtually all commercial airlines use retreads. Surprised?

* Scrap tire piles in landfills would skyrocket with about 30 million additional tires every year. Every time a tire is retreaded there is one less tire for our already overloaded landfills.

* Construction costs for roads, bridges, factories, housing, etc., would rise dramatically if the large tires used on earthmoving vehicles were not retreaded.

In fact, just about everything we buy would cost more since practically everything we eat, wear, use at home or at work is delivered on trucks using retreads.

For more information about the many economic and environmental benefits of retreaded tires, contact the Tire Retread Information Bureau toll free, at (888) 473-8732 or by e-mail at info@retread.org.

Tips On Safe Highway Driving

(NC)—The number of large commercial vehicles — such as tractor trailers — on our roads has increased dramatically during the past few years. One of the best things you can do to stay safe on the highway is to learn as much as you can about how these vehicles operate. Here are some tips from Transport Canada on how to share the road safely with commercial vehicles:

• While drivers of commercial vehicles enjoy a better forward view and have larger side mirrors than most passenger-vehicle drivers, they also have more and larger blind spots. Avoid lingering in the blind spots of commercial vehicles; if you can't see the driver in their side mirror, then the driver probably can't see you.

• Trucks and buses need more time and distance than cars do to manoeuvre and stop. When driving in front of a large commercial vehicle, signal your intentions well in advance so that the driver behind has enough time to react properly.

• Truck wheels create a lot of spray in rain, slush and snow. Turn on your windshield wipers before passing commercial vehicles — you need to see clearly at all times.

• Weather conditions and even the time of day can also affect visibility — assuming that other drivers on the road can see you can be dangerous. Signal well in advance, avoid braking abruptly and leave lots of room for passing.

• Commercial vehicles need a lot of space, so watch their turn signals and give them room when they manoeuvre. Never squeeze between a turning truck and the side of the road; large commercial vehicles must sometimes swing wide to make turns, and your car might be crushed as the truck turns.

In addition to encouraging Canadians to learn safer driving habits, Transport Canada, along with the provinces and territories, is funding improvements to those parts of our national highway system that need immediate attention because of growing traffic and increased trade. These improvements, delivered through the $600 million dollar Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), will result in a safer and more efficient highway system for all Canadians.

For more information on SHIP, and Government of Canada highway improvement programs in your area, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca.

Think Your Car is Safe from Thieves? Think Again

 by: ARA Content

(ARA) - Every time you park your car, you're taking a risk.

Just ask David J. of Stanford, Conn., whose 1998 high-performance Acura Integra Type R was stolen right under his nose just one month after he installed a top-of-the-line security system for $1,500.

Mother's Day is a long-held tradition of revering the woman who gives the gift of life.

"Mothering Sunday" is another early Mother's Day tradition that has shaped the way we celebrate our mothers today. This English holiday dates back to the 1600s, and involved young servants who pampered their mothers with fine delicacies. While we continue to celebrate the mother figure in modern America, it is most often with traditional gifts of flowers and cards. But if Mother's Day is indeed about the most personal sentiment and respect for a mother, a gift of gratitude should warm their hearts forever.

car was tire tracks in the newly fallen snow.

"They found it three weeks later, stripped clean," he added.

David's experience is not unusual, says James Cooper, CEO of Ultimate Security Systems Corporation of Irvine, Calif. Despite manufacturers' claims to the contrary, most security systems are easy to overpower and hardly even slow down a professional thief, said Cooper, whose firm created and markets the PowerLock anti-theft system.

Every 25 seconds

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (www.nicb.org) reports that 1.1 million vehicles are stolen nationwide each year. That's one vehicle every 25 seconds in what has become a $7.5 billion-a-year-industry, according to the Insurance Information Institute (www.iii.org), a trade organization. It's an industry, moreover, dominated by organized auto-theft rings that steal cars to fill contract orders. And no wonder: A $20,000 stolen vehicle can be stripped and sold into $30,000 worth of parts, insurers say.

Your car doesn't have to be a high-performance vehicle like David J's to be an attractive target for a thief with a list of parts, or with orders for a particular make and model of a car. Different models of the popular Toyota Camry and Honda Accord swept eight of the top 10 list of cars reported stolen in 2000, according to an annual study conducted by CCC Information Services Inc., a Chicago-based supplier of software and communications systems to auto insurers. Chevrolet and Ford pickups captured the other two slots.

Brett Ploumen didn't have a security system on his 1992 Chevrolet Astrovan. But he thought he was taking appropriate precautions by parking in well-lighted, high-traffic areas and locking his vehicle's doors and windows.

Ploumen found out differently when he went to dinner with friends at a busy neighborhood strip mall in Santa Ana, Calif. "When we returned, the Astrovan wasn't there. There was broken glass on the ground and another vehicle in the parking place," Ploumen recalled.

"Three days later they found it, wrapped in a tarp on a side street," he said. The entire front end of the car was gone - it had essentially been turned into a trailer, and a beat-up trailer at that. When he saw it, "I was sick to my stomach instantly," Ploumen said.

Some popular devices

Cooper describes some of the most popular auto security devices, and the drawbacks that allow thieves to get around them:

1. Bar or wheel locks: Steering wheel bars lock up the steering wheel; wheel locks prevent the theft of wheels and tires.

How to get around them: All it takes is a pair of bolt cutters or a hacksaw. "They saw through the steering wheel, slide off the bar lock and hot-wire the car. It takes anywhere from 15-30 seconds," Cooper said.

2. Audible alarms: Known in the industry as "nuisance alarms," these alerts are intended to scare thieves away.

How to get around them: Audible alarms are almost universally ignored. Additionally, a professional thief can cut a wire and silence the alarm in seconds.

3. Pedal locks: This device locks the brakes.

How to get around them: They can be bridged or cut in 15-60 seconds.

4. Electronic immobilizing devices: These devices are designed to disconnect all power from the starter, preventing thieves from bypassing the ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. They can be installed at the factory or purchased as an aftermarket item.

How to get around them: Seasoned thieves dismantle these systems or wire around them in seconds, usually by cutting two wires. Additionally, thieves easily find override or valet switches used by owners to disarm the systems.

5. Tracking systems: These devices transmit a radio signal to locate the car.

How to get around them: Tracking devices can be removed at a chop shop before a theft is reported. Or the car can be stripped and dumped before the owner finds out it's been stolen.

6. Solenoid immobilizer systems: Although categorized as an immobilizer, this kind of system is based on a different principle than most electronic security systems. PowerLock is one example. It attaches permanently to the vehicle's starter motor, where it effectively prevents hot-wiring. Once installed, such a system is impossible to remove, bypass or disable.

How to get around them: It can't be hot-wired, says Cooper. "A system like this is virtually impossible to circumvent," he says. The only way to steal a car protected by such a system is to tow it away.

Personal Security

Cooper also warns consumers to be aware of the capacity of their security system. "A lot of so-called security systems consist of remote entry and flashing lights. A lot of people think of that as automobile security, and it really isn't: It's a convenience feature. Some manufacturers are beginning to recognize that, and label it as 'personal security.'"

After his nightmare experience, Ploumen is an evangelist for adding a security system to your car. "Look into some kind of aftermarket security system," he advises consumers. "Find something you feel comfortable with - and that's proven."

Ploumen has researched the security field thoroughly since his van was stolen. He briefly considered a brake lock, but decided it wasn't practical. He chose Ultimate Security Systems' Powerlock after a friend told him about it.

David J. also purchased a Powerlock system after replacing his Acura Integra Type R. "I came across it on the Internet. It was not expensive, so I thought, 'Why not give it a try?'" He added three additional layers of security with brake and pedal locks, plus a tracking system.

David became a would-be victim again a few months later. This time, though, his story has a happy ending. The thieves pried the door open with a "Slim Jim," bent the clutch pedal sideways to circumvent the AutoLock, then broke the ignition switch in an attempt to hot wire the car. When PowerLock circumvented that effort, they tried rolling the car down a nearby hill to pop the clutch. That didn't work, either, so they abandoned the car. The tracking system helped authorities recover the car a short time later.

For more information, contact USSC, 17173 Gillette Avenue, Suite 5, Irvine, Calif. 92614; (800) 231-7131, or visit www.powerlock.com.

The True Cost of a Speeding Ticket

by: Wayne Patterson

Have you noticed more autos on the side of the road with an officer issuing the driver a speeding ticket? Have you seen more trucks surrounded by DOT transport police? I sure have. There are several reasons for this increased activity.

One is that after 9/11 many departments have increased patrols. The additional police presence is to assure the public that efforts are being taken to prevent terrorist attacks like the recent sniper killings. The other reason is that cities and states are faced with budget deficits in these tough economic times. Since traffic tickets are a politically correct form of taxation, many jurisdictions are increasing fines as a means of balancing the books.

A traffic officer will cost his department the average of $75,000 per year while he can be expected to issue between $150,000 to $200,000 in speeding ticket citations. There are few businesses that can equal that rate of return. Some towns like New Rome, Ohio and Waldo, Florida take in over 70% of their entire town budget through speeding tickets.

What does this mean to you, the safe driver who has not received a traffic citation in years? It means that you are now more likely than ever to see those dreaded blue lights flashing in your rear view. If that does happen you need to know that the true cost of a speeding ticket has changed drastically in the last few years.

Consider Mary, a successful sales representative who enjoys the perk of a company car. She travels extensively and has received four speeding tickets in the last three years. She considers herself a safe driver and in each instance was traveling with the flow of traffic on the interstate. She has 9 out of the 12 points on her driver’s license. Imagine her surprise when her company’s insurance carrier refused to allow Mary to drive a company car. The company obtained supplemental insurance but Mary had to pay the extra $1600.

Then there is Jeffrey, a CDL truck driver from Ohio who is an independent operator and owns his own truck. He drives 150,000 miles per year and has five tickets on his record, none a serious violation. He is unable to obtain insurance that he can afford. He is in the process of losing his truck to the finance company and does not know how he will support his family.

Families with teenagers may face an economic disaster if the teen driver receives a citation. One traffic ticket for rolling through a stop sign could cost as much as $3000 in increased premiums over the three years it remains on their record. The insurance industry considers young adults as teenagers until the age of 23.

The purpose of relating Mary and Jeffrey’s stories is not for you to feel sorry for them. It is to impress upon you the severe consequences that may result from a traffic ticket. It is important to obey all traffic laws, not just for your physical protection but also for the health of your pocketbook. I have found that many people are more concerned about their pocketbook than their personal safety.

What should you do if you receive a citation? Never just pay a speeding ticket. Check with the clerk of court to see if you are eligible for traffic school, even if it is an out-of-state citation. Many states now accept online traffic school. Check to see if this is available in your state at http://www.trafficschoolonline.com/?lcode=4013

If traffic school is not available then you or your attorney need to appear in court to contest the speeding ticket. Hiring an attorney may be your cheapest option when you consider the additional cost of you insurance. Check with your insurance agent to find out the consequences of the original charge being entered on your driving record. The American Bar Association says: "The best way for the majority of Americans to be able to assure themselves of legal assistance when they need it... is through a prepaid legal plan." For nationwide legal services contact http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/carolynpatterson

Drive safe and stay out of the "No Zone." Remember if you got it a truck brought it.

The author is not an attorney and this is not legal advice.

If you need legal assistance consult an attorney.

Rules of the Road

by: Kevin Schappell

With road rage being so common these days, we should all take a step back and review a few rules of the road. While not taught in most driver education classes or state driver's manuals, these rules will help you be a better driver.

The left lane is for passing. If you are going to pass, do it quickly and safely. Some states have laws that prohibit "driving" in the left lane, leaving it open for passing only.

If someone is trying to merge onto the highway and you have room, get into the left lane. This can help avoid an accident or at the least make someone's day a little brighter.

Be aware of large trucks and their driving styles. Tractor trailers, dump trucks, and other large vehicles can not stop as fast as you can. Keep that in mind the next time you squeeze in front of a truck at the stop light.

Also, heavy trucks while on the highway will slow down while going up large hills but pick up speed on the downhill side. This can lead to a game of leap frog which will frustrate you and the truck driver. If possible get far enough ahead of the truck to avoid excessive passing!

Use your turn signals. I swear they were an option in some cars, considering most people do not use them. They are there as a signal to inform your fellow drivers where you plan to go.
I guess this has been a list of my pet peeves, but I hope it will help you have a safer trip down the road. Remember, we all share the road and together we can make it safer.
Take care and safe driving,

The Eye Witness To Your Getting Creamed

 by: Dan Baldyga

Thirty four years ago, in a book I wrote and was published, entitled, How To Settle Your Own Insurance Claim, I stated: “An eye witness can make or break your case. If you’ve been able to keep your wits about you the first thing you should do, immediately after impact has occurred, is to find somebody who observed it. After having spotted such a person, don’t be bashful. Go right over to them and ask if they saw the accident ? If they did, jot down their name, address and telephone number. Should they drive away before you can zero in on them, make note of their motor vehicle’s registration number so you can later obtain their name through the department of motor vehicle office.”

What I wrote, over thirty years ago, remains true today. (As a matter of fact, when it comes to insurance claims, little has changed over he past sixty years)! Companies like Rock Solid Insurance Corporation are still raising rates into the stratosphere while crying in their suds about all the money claims are costing them and those employed by them are still taking advantage of every motor vehicle accident victim they can sink their claws into.

A WITNESS CAN BE CRUCIAL: When you've been smashed into one of the most important sources of help - - when it comes to digging up information and assembling a record of the accident - - is the eye witness to that impact, with their accounts and recollections as to what happened. Try to secure a detailed written statement (or tape recorded or maybe even a video statement) from them. That “witness person” could be a passenger in your own or other vehicles, pedestrians, onlookers and bystanders at the scene of the accident, and/or driver’s of other motor vehicle’s who were not directly involve in the accident.

UTILIZING THE WITNESS: How do you actually go about the task of securing the relevant witnesses, testimonies and cooperation? To begin with, know this: It’s important that you get to a witness first - - before that a fast talking adjuster corners them and uses his expertise to twist the facts. By moving quickly you stand a good chance of getting the witness committed to your account of the events and/or to come down on your side of the case. If they do that’s money in the bank!

You should contact each witness of the accident (identified from the list of persons you compiled at the time of the accident - - or perhaps even discovered in the police report) and talk to them about what they saw, or know, concerning the accident. The ideal procedure is to get them to write out, in detail, what they observed, in their own words. If they’re not willing (or able) to do this, then write their statement yourself (or merely jot down on a pad) what each witness tells you, then have them sign and date it. Try to capture their recollections, impressions and observations of what happened.

Upon completing the interview of each witness, and taking his (or her) statement, ask that individual to read it. When they’re finished have them sign and date it, with their home address and phone number included. (If the statement is more than one page have them initial and date the bottom of each page, then ask them to apply their full and complete signature at the very end.)

You should make a copy of what they signed and send it to them. That’s so they’ll know exactly what they told you - - if, later on down the road, when the adjuster try’s to hustle and con them into stating something differently - - they’ll be able to stick to their guns because they’ll have written proof to show that adjuster exactly what they told you.

LOCATING A MISSING WITNESS: You may be unable to directly contact or locate the whereabouts of a witness whose name, home address or phone number you have obtained. (The witness may have moved). Here are two helpful steps you can take to locate a witness:

1. Send a “Certified” or “Registered” letter to that witness, addressed to his (or her) last known address with the “Return Receipt Requested” plus the “Address Only” box checked off. This way, if you receive back from the post office the return receipt signed by the witness, or executed by the post office, you should find, fully entered therein, the current address of the witness.

2. If you have their full name and address and you’re comfortable surfing through cyber-space there are dozens of ways to locate a person via your computer. Should you not be wise to the ways of the internet find somebody to help you who is.

IN SUMMARY: I spent most of my life investigating motor vehicle accidents. First as I worked my way through college as a Private Investigator, specifically assigned to motor vehicle accidents, next as a Special Investigator in the United States Navy, covering major military motor vehicle accidents in the mid-west, and then, after my naval daze, over thirty years as a Claims Adjuster, Supervisor, Manager and Trial Assistant. I know, from personal experience, a witness to a motor vehicle accident can be invaluable when it comes to making your case. Witnesses may be able to describe things in an accident that confirm what you know happened, thus backing up your side of the story. They may also provide you with information you were not aware of, which indicates how the other operator was at fault. A witness may have heard a verbal remark that someone other than you was at fault. Even a witness, who did not actually see your motor vehicle get crashed into, may have observed you, soon after impact, and confirm the pain and discomfort you were experiencing. A signed statement handed to Adjuster Hard-Nose, taken from somebody who did not know you personally, detailing the suffering you were enduring at the scene, right after you were bashed into, is even more money in the bank!

On that same subject of “Pain and Suffering” the adjuster might try to convince you that what a witness says is less important if what is being stated is coming from a friend or relative. Don’t you believe it! There are hundreds of thousands of motor vehicle insurance accident claims on record that prove this contention to be false. If a friend or relative actually saw the accident and what they observed proves you’re not at fault in any way, shape, manner or form (and/or can detail how much physical discomfort you displayed at the scene after impact) their value as a witness (on either issue) is worth its weight in gold. How much the "Pain and Suffering" you endured is worth can be discovered via THE BASE FORMULA contained within my latest book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) found at either http://www.caraccidentclaims.com or http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com.

Copyright (c) 2004 By Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this article THE EYEWITNESS TO YOUR GETTING CREAMED is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor ARTICLECITY.Com make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster. or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.

Taking the Guesswork Out of Finding a Good Auto Technician

 by: ARA Content

(ARA) - Finding a competent auto technician need not be a matter of chance. Much of the guesswork has been eliminated, thanks to the national program conducted by the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

ASE tests and certifies automotive professionals in all major technical areas of repair and service. With more than 430,000 currently certified professionals, the ASE program has industry-wide acceptance and recognition. ASE-certified technicians and parts specialists can be found across the nation at every type of repair facility, from dealerships, service stations and franchises to parts stores, independent garages and even municipal fleets.

Certification Benefits Motorists

ASE certifies the technical competence of individual technicians, not repair facilities. Before taking ASE certification tests, many technicians attend training classes or study on their own to brush up on technical information. By passing difficult, national tests, ASE-certified technicians prove their technical competence to themselves, to their employers and to their customers.

What's more, because the ASE program is primarily voluntary, ASE-certification becomes a self-selecting credential that weeds out those who may be incompetent. And while ASE does not certify repair shops or police individual business practices, it stands to reason that those shop owners and managers who support their service employees' efforts to become technically certified will be concerned about other aspects of their business as well.

How Certification Works

About 100,000 technicians take ASE tests each May and November at more than 700 locations. Technicians who pass at least one exam and fulfill the two-year work experience requirement become ASE-certified. Those who pass a battery of exams and fulfill the experience requirement earn Master Technician status.

The tests, developed by industry experts with oversight from ASE's in-house pros, are administered by ACT, the same group known for its college entrance exams.

There are specialty exams covering all major areas of repair. There are eight tests for auto technicians alone: engine repair, engine performance, electrical/electronic systems, brakes, heating and air conditioning, suspension and steering, manual drive train and axles, and automatic transmissions. (There are also exams for collision repair technicians, damage estimators, parts specialists and others.)

ASE certification is not for life. ASE requires technicians to re-test every five years to keep up with technology and to remain certified. All ASE credentials have expiration dates.

Finding ASE-Certified Technicians

Repair establishments with at least one ASE technician are permitted to display the ASE sign. Each ASE professional is issued personalized credentials listing his or her exact area(s) of certification and appropriate shoulder insignia. Technicians also are issued certificates that employers often post in the customer-service area. And employers often display the blue and white ASE sign as well.

Businesses with a high level of commitment to the ASE program (75 percent of service personnel certified) are entitled to a special "Blue Seal of Excellence" recognition from ASE. These elite facilities are among the best in the nation. More than 1,500 businesses participate in this growing program.

Choosing the Right Technician

As with other professionals, such as physicians, automotive technicians often specialize. So it's wise to ask the shop owner or service manager for a technician who is certified in the appropriate area, for example, brakes, engine repair or air conditioning.

For More Information

For a free brochure with information about the ASE program, send a self-addressed, stamped long envelope to: ASE Consumer Brochure, Dept. ARA-3, 101 Blue Seal Dr., S.E., Suite 101, Leesburg, Va., 20175, or visit www.asecert.org for more information.

Sharing The Road Safely With Commercial Vehicles

 by: News Canada

(NC) — Since the 1970s, the number of vehicles on Canada's roads has increased by 80 per cent. Despite this dramatic increase in traffic, the number of road fatalities has been cut by more than half.

While every province and territory is responsible for highway safety by enforcing laws and maintaining highway infrastructure, Transport Canada is improving the safety of our roads by funding upgrades to parts of the national highway system. But better roads are not the only answer to our road safety challenges. Smarter driving is needed to keep our road safety records improving. Awareness of commercial vehicles is an important part of this.

In 1999, crashes involving commercial vehicles resulted in 556 fatalities and 11,591 injuries. According to Transport Canada, drivers of passenger vehicles need to be aware that commercial vehicles often manoeuvre much differently than cars or light trucks.

Learning about how different types of commercial vehicles operate can help drivers to better anticipate the time and distance commercial vehicles require for turning, changing lanes, speeding up, slowing down, and stopping — and this can prevent accidents.

For example, large commercial vehicles — such as tractor trailers — might have two or three times more power than passenger vehicles, but they must also pull thirty to forty times more weight. Commercial vehicles may need to accelerate through as many as ten gears to reach the speed limit, and take more than twice as much time and distance as a car to stop.

Large trucks and buses also make wide turns, and may first have to move in the opposite direction (left for a right-hand turn, right for a left-hand turn) in order to negotiate some corners safely. In addition, these vehicles have large blind spots, and passenger vehicles that get too close to a turning large truck or bus may not be visible.

To make Canadian highways safer, all drivers need to exercise skill, understanding and patience. In addition to encouraging Canadians to learn safer

driving habits, Transport Canada, along with the provinces and territories, is funding improvements to those parts of our national highway system that need immediate attention because of growing traffic and increased trade. These improvements, delivered through the $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), will result in a safer and more efficient highway system for all Canadians.

For more information on SHIP, and Government of Canada highway improvement programs in your area, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca.

Retreads: The Highest and Best Use for a Worn Tire

(ARA) - Although they may look round and black, retreaded tires are one of the greenest, environmentally friendly products a fleet can buy. Retreaded tires have one of the highest post-consumer contents of all recycled products, and are responsible for saving North Americans more than 400 million gallons of oil every year.

Most people don't know that tires contain a very large percentage of synthetic rubber, which is petroleum based. Every time a truck tire is retreaded there is a savings of approximately 15 gallons of oil. In addition, every tire that is retreaded is one less tire for our overcrowded landfills.

"I don't know of any other recycled product that saves as much money for the end user as a retreaded tire. When you add these savings into the natural resources that are saved and the positive impact this has on the environment, using retreads is a win, win solution for both the transportation industry and the environment," said Martin Bozarth, executive director of the International Tire & Rubber Association.

"Tire retreading makes an important contribution to the reduction in the number of tires requiring annual disposal by insuring that tires, especially medium truck tires, provide the fullest possible service life. Retreadable casings should always be directed to the retread market," says John Serumgard of the Scrap Tire Management Council

For more information about the environmental and economic benefits of retreaded tires, visit www.retread.org, or contact the Tire Retread Information Bureau toll free at (888) 473-8732, or by e-mail: info@retread.org.

Putting Your Palace To Bed

(NC) —If you're a sailor, there are few things as precious as your boat. Power or sail, whatever the size, your boat is your escape, your refuge, your palace. Below are a few tips on protecting that refuge from old man winter.

Boat In the Water

• Fill fuel tanks, add stabilizer.
  

• Change engine oil and filters, always using brand name products from known marine specialists, like Castrol.
  

• Winterize head, holding tank and fresh water system by draining or filling with non-toxic anti-freeze.
  

• Winterize any other water using equipment.
  

• Remove electronics, antennas and couplers. Spray and tape exposed cables.
  

• Service cradle if necessary.
  

Boat On Dry Land

• Lubricate or grease all systems requiring such.
  

• Pump bilges completely dry, rinse with cleaner, empty again.
  

• Charge batteries fully. Disconnect if leaving on boat.
  

• Winterize engine and cooling system. Drain all water from engine block and any stern drives. Replace with storage antifreeze.
  

• Clean fridge and/or ice box thoroughly.
  

• Use mildewcide or anti-fungus products liberally.
  

• Leave lockers and hatches open where possible. Leave bilge access open.
  

• Be sure the entire boat has access to plenty of fresh air.
  

• And if you're really gung-ho, you can do all that important exterior stuff like varnishing and washing the hull.
  

A wealth of interesting and valuable information on motor oils and lubricants can be found at www.castrolcanada.com or other well known petroleum web sites.

Putting The Brakes On Road Rage

Research project drives anger to the curb

(NC)—Has the driver in front of you ever slammed on the breaks for no apparent reason? Why do slowpokes always land in the fast lane? Is signaling to change lanes a thing of the past?
It is easy to predict what can make people angry behind the wheel. The real value is in figuring out what calms people back down.

"Understanding the anger cycle is going to benefit those who plan public road safety campaigns and driver education programs," says Wolfgang Linden, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. His research, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), looks at what makes people angry, how they respond to it and how they recover from it.

Provoking anger in the real world in order to study it is dangerous and unethical, so Linden and his research team turn to virtual-reality driving simulators—the same as those used for head-injury patients who prepare to return to open-road driving. The simulated environment is not only safe, but also cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

"People react to stressful situations in different ways," Linden continues. "By provoking people in a controlled environment, we can watch how they react in response. Then we can start to make the links between anger, stress and disease."

You'll find more information about projects supported by SSRHC on the Council's Web site at www.sshrc.ca.

Prepare Young Drivers For Safe Winter Travel

(NC)—Many young drivers will venture onto the roads this winter season, some for the first time. In fact, there are almost 3 million drivers in Canada between the ages of 16 and 24.2 That's why it's important for parents to prepare teenagers and young drivers for the difficult winter months, by making sure their vehicles are properly maintained and they've been given helpful instructions and well-stocked emergency kits.

First and foremost, have their vehicles checked thoroughly. Belts, hoses, water pumps, batteries and spark plugs need to be properly maintained. Winter tends to magnify any problems a vehicle might have. One simple routine that helps maintain fuel efficiency and engine performance is spark plug maintenance. "Too many people underestimate the power and importance of a spark plug, but it's exposed to more severe stress than any other part of the engine," says Peg Campbelton, Brand Manager for Autolite.

A spark plug must deliver a high voltage spark within split second timing, thousands of times a minute and under extremely varying, always hostile, operating conditions. Campbelton suggests having the vehicle's spark plugs changed every 48,000 kilometers, or in accordance with the owner's manual. Using premium, platinum-tipped plugs, such as Autolite® Double Platinum spark plugs, is also a good idea.

Once a thorough under-the-hood inspection is complete, make sure your new driver checks their tire tread and windshield wipers as well as fluid levels like washer solvent and antifreeze/ coolant. Many motorists are under the impression that antifreeze/coolant is only needed in the warmer season to avoid overheating, but the proper mixture is necessary to avoid engine freeze-ups in frigid temperatures. A recommended concentration of 50% Prestone solution protects your vehicle down to –36.8C. Prestone antifreeze can be adjusted to give protection down to –64.4C if it is required.

Windshield wipers and washer fluid are also vital. It's a good idea to switch to a winter wiper blade. They are more durable and designed to handle the snow and ice better than a regular blade. If wipers aren't working properly or if there's a lack of fluid in the reservoir, the combination of salt, ice and sleet may reduce the driver's ability to see other vehicles or objects in the road. Use a concentrated washer fluid additive designed specifically for cold weather driving, such as Prestone‚ Windshield Heat' De-Icer Concentrate Additive. Unlike many "blue" washer fluids that aren't as effective in extreme cold, this concentrated deicer melts frost and light ice and boosts the freeze protection of your regular washer fluid. It also guards against re-freeze on windshields. "For those who park outside, a concentrated windshield washer additive with a deicer product makes a lot of sense for those early morning drives to school in the late fall and into the winter months," states Megan Currie, Prestone Brand Manager.

Remind new drivers to turn on their headlights any time they use their windshield wipers. It will help improve visibility and allow them to be seen better by other drivers. Emphasize the importance of clearing off the entire car, not just a portion. If the entire vehicle hasn't been cleared properly, it creates hazardous situations for your child when they are driving, and for other motorists on the road. It is also a good safety precaution to keep more than a half tank of gas in the vehicle during the cold weather season. It'll be the only source of heat if somebody is stranded.

Although these preventative maintenance tips do help, they by no means serve as a complete deterrent to potential problems. Prepare for a roadside emergency with a special winter kit that includes:

• A cell phone – for calling you in case of emergency
  

• A portable jump starter – in case of a dead battery, they won't be stranded alone in the cold
  

• A flashlight and extra batteries
  

• Emergency flares – so other motorists can see their vehicle
  

• Sand bags – highly recommended for vehicles with rear-wheel drive
  

• A tire inflator and sealer
  

• Warm clothes and blankets
  

• Extra de-icer washer fluid and a spray de-icer
  

• Ice scraper with a snow brush
  

• Tire traction product
  

• Shovel
  

Even though young people today are always on the go, emphasize the significance of these safety tips. It may change what could be a disastrous situation into a simple inconvenience.

2 Source: Statistics Canada, Transportation Division 2000

Online Towing Company Mission: Piece of Mind

by: David Moceri

News from Secure Towing

Millions of Americans are frequently unprepared for the inevitable car mishaps or breakdowns that are bound to eventually happen.

As a result, many motorists have taken steps to ensure that roadside assistance is available when dreaded breakdowns and repair problems occur.

Secure Towing.Com is an online service that operates through a network of contracted service providers who have arrangements with the company's dispatch to perform road and towing service for SecureTowing.com members. The result is an affordable service that provides peace of mind, comfort and a feeling of security to millions of motorists.

Secure Towing.Com has been very successful, offering a valuable service that appeals to its 16 million motorists across America who recognize the value and convenience of an emergency road and auto service. When on the road, Secure Towing.Com customers know they are covered and protected by an organization that exhibits great customer care and has been providing these services for motorists since 1962!

The dispatch center provides benefits to over 16 million people a year and helps 100,000 stranded motorist each month. Secure Towing.Com is the number one rated dispatch service for on-time arrival and customer satisfaction, according to a global marketing international consumer center.

The company now has over 45,000 tow truck companies contracted nationwide to better serve its members.

Never Get Lost Again - Map Reading is a Thing of the Past

Do you spend lots of time planning routes and checking maps on the road. You don't have any more with a Magellan RoadMate.

I work in the film industry, scouting locations for possible shooting. These can be in built-up urban areas and remote locations all over California.

I often had problems finding my way, even with detailed instructions. I spent as much time parked and reading maps than I did driving.

Then I bought a RoadMate and within hours I felt I would never get lost again. The RoadMate works right out the box, no complicated set-up and no downloading information - perfect for a technophobe like me!

Now I don't waste time scribbling instructions. I switch the unit on when I get into the car and within seconds it has a fix on my position (even in the car port).

I have my contact give me the address or even a landmark close by, and type it into the RoadMate. Just like that, it finds my destination. And if I'm going to be going to that destination again I can save it in the memory for future use.

It offers 4 modes - the first time I tested it out I chose "shortest route" from home to office, and it displayed almost exactly the route I'd have chosen.

You get yard by yard voice instructions (so you don't have to look at the screen as you drive) and it corrects directions immediately if you take a wrong turning, and there's a handy "Repeat" button to get an instant repeat if you didn't hear an instruction.

If you need a visual representation of where you are, there is a useful "3-d" view, down to lamp-posts and garbage cans. The screen is easy to read, with views designed for use in both light and dark conditions.

The helpful voice will even give you a countdown of yards before you reach your destination, even if that destination is a remote dirt-track.

I can guarantee that the RoadMate has saved me countless hours and frustration from reading maps and getting lost.

When I'm returning home, I choose my address from those stored in the memory, and off I go. If I've noticed any roads I want to avoid on the way, traffic jams for instance, I can specify avoiding them, and the RoadMate has new directions for me right away.

All in all, it's a tool I wouldn't want to be without.

Low Speed Impact "Injury" Facts

Low Speed impacts are those that take pace at speeds under 10 MPH. There’s often little (if any) visible Property Damage done to the rear of ones motor vehicle. However, those who are struck (especially in the rear) often have injuries, especially neck injuries. The most common of them are identified as “Whiplash”.

The most contributing factors to “Low Back Injuries” is that the occupants cannot brace themselves nor force their back and neck against the seat or headrest. Most bumpers are built to withstand a low impact (with limited visible damage) but while there may be very minor property damage the body gets snapped around and the body sustains “Soft Tissue” injuries - - including bruises, plus chest and rib injuries.

It’s been proved that while seat belts save lives they can also cause injuries! Since the introduction of Seat Belt Legislation the incidence of “Soft Tissue” injury has increased an astonishing 21% !

If one were to refer to the “Institute For Highway Safety (regarding their alleged Inside-Information - - conducted via their “Crash Test Dummy” tests) they would read, “Whiplash is fairly rare.” This is absolutely incorrect ! Why? Because their “Crash Test Dummies” are seated comfortably and erect, with all the proper equipment, seat backs, seat belts, head restraints, etc. However, it’s highly improbable that any of us are ever in the “Ideal Model Situation”, when involved in a motor vehicle crash.

Body size plays a role in how severe an individuals injury can be. Tall people are at greater risk of “Whiplash”. This is because they are most likely to have head restraints that are too low to be of any help at impact. Individuals with less muscle mass (i.e. women, children and the elderly) pose a higher level of injury risk because this lowers their own internal protective mechanism. This phenomenon also applies to those with small bone structure!

VEHICLE DAMAGE: Older vehicles often suffer greater impacts but show less damage, than new cars. Just because a vehicle shows little or no damage to the bumper does not mean the driver or other occupants did not suffer an injury.

Even though there’s little, if any, Property Damage to be visually observed, and becomes a problem for (regarding your Personal Injury Claim with the insurance company you’re dealing with - - because there’s no Property Damage to be seen) there are 3 crucial factors one ought to double-check, by hiring a “Professional” to supply you with a written report on. As follows: #1. Are there damages to the Bumper Mounts or Absorbers? #2. A “Professional” (by studying the marks on the Bumper Pistons) can estimate the amount of force received at impact. #3. Also, that “Professional” must determine if the striking vehicle’s bumper slid over or under your cars bumper! (If so, even though there may have been little or no damage to your car, this proves you did indeed absorb a substantial crash)!

Too often the insurance adjuster (and/or their Superiors) will attempt to deny the possibility of an injury sustained at a low speed impact. However, recent 2003 & 2004 in-dept research substantiates, just the opposite!

Although many times the motor vehicle shows little damage, the velocity and accompanying force had to be transferred somewhere and that’s to the unlucky occupant of the motor vehicle that’s been crashed into.

NEVER FORGET: Motor vehicles are built to withstand these impacts. Your body is not !

Copyright (c) 2004 By Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved

If You Drive - Consider A Greener Fuel As Smog Season Begins

by: News Canada

(NC)-As the first smog alert warnings of the season approach, Canadians are being urged to use ethanol-blended fuel to alleviate the urban smog problems plaguing many parts of the country. Many regions such Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and most parts of Ontario have experienced a significant increase in the number of "smog days" in recent years and the problem is getting worse according the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association.

Mr. Bliss Baker, President of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA), suggests commuters and other motorists fill-up with ethanol-blended gasoline. "This is one way of addressing the issue of air pollution - since ethanol produces 30% less smog forming carbon monoxide than standard gasoline," said Mr. Baker.

The most commonly available ethanol-blended fuel is called E-10 - a mixture of 10% ethanol with 90% gasoline. This product, in addition to substantially reducing carbon monoxide, can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 6 percent and all vehicles have warrantees for the use of E10. Using ethanol blends rather than standard gasoline also results in an overall decrease in ozone formation - the main culprit in the creation of smog.

"This is no longer an urban problem," said Mr. Baker. Many rural parts of the country are now experiencing poor air quality. The good news is there is something we can do about it," concluded Mr. Baker.

All ethanol sold in Canada is produced from agricultural products such as corn and wheat. The corn producing areas of southwestern Ontario such as the Counties of Essex and Chatham-Kent produce the majority of Ontario's ethanol while ethanol production in western Canada is produced from wheat grown throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

There are currently over 1,100 gas stations in Canada that sell ethanol- blended fuel, across the country from Alberta to Quebec. To find a station near you simply visit the Canadian Renewable Fuels website at www.greenfuels.org and search retail directory for a station near you.

How To Finance Your Dream Car?

Have you thought about getting a better car? Ever thought of driving your own sports car? Want to purchase the latest car model?

Why wait when you can do so now! Most people do not realise that they have capital locked up in their property which could be used for buying that special car of their dreams.

Release the capital tied up in your home with a home owner loan. The loan can be used for any purpose, and is available to anyone who owns their home. Home loans can be used for any purpose such as, new car, home improvements, pay of store card or credit card debt and debt consolidation.

Home owner loans are available for practically any reason. One of the most common types of home owner loans on offer are debt consolidation loans where the objective is to reduce monthly outgoings to a more manageable amount.

A UK Home Owner Loan is great if you want to raise a large amount; are having problems getting an unsecured loan; or have a poor credit history. Many lenders look more favourably on people who are home owners as this demonstrates a commitment to repay a large amount of money over a long period.

A UK Home Owner Loan is a cheap, low cost, loan secured on your UK home. It frees up the equity in your home for you to use on whatever you want.

You may freely reprint this information on your website provided the following caption remains intact.

“This information courtesy of http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk ”

How To Escape a Speeding Ticket By Getting Away With A Warning

Learn the tips on how to act when stopped by a police officer and what to say to increase your chances of getting away with a warning and not being ticketed. If you want to save yourself from the worries and expenses of dealing with a speeding ticket then after reading this article you'll know what to do when stopped by an officer.

If a police patrol car pulls up behind you with lights flashing, the key to the next few minutes is keeping things safe for you and the police officer. Slow down and carefully pull over to the right shoulder, making sure to use your turn signal.

If you are uncomfortable stopping in a relatively unpopulated or unlighted area, slow down, turn on your hazard lights and indicate by a hand signal that you are going up ahead. Then pull over as soon as you get to a more populated area. Police officers understand this concern.

If it's nighttime, turn on your dome light once you have stopped. Stay in the car, unless you are told to get out. It's a challenge to the officer when you get out since officers are very cautious because of the high rate of attacks in these situations.

Roll down the window and keep your hands in view on the steering wheel. If you have to get your driver's license, registration or insurance card from the glove box, a purse or other enclosed area, tell the officer before you do it.

The key is to play it cool and keep it safe. The easier and safer you make the process for the officer to approach you the more likely the officer will let you go just with a warning and not assign you a speeding ticket.

Now what to say to the police officer?

Of course the process of keeping it safe for the officer is only half of the game. Next you have to persuade officer to let you go with a warning.

The first thing the police officer will ask you after stopping your car will probably be whether you know why you have been stopped.

Police officer will want you to admit that you were speeding and that is what most drivers do - they admit that they did actually speed and they receive a speeding ticket for it. A speeding ticket not only costs them $150 but you are also dealing with your insurance premiums.

Most people get pretty nervous when they got stopped by an officer. The secret is to stay calm, speak to the officer in respectable tone and politely ask whether the officer can let you go with a warning.

The first question the officer will probably ask is whether you know why you have been stopped. You basically have 3 things to say:

1) Admit that you were speeding. The good side is that you are being honest and the officer appreciates it. You may have a chance that the officer will let you go with a warning.

The bad side is that if you get assigned a ticket and you had admitted that you were indeed speeding then it will be used against you at court. Officers usually take notes on what you say. So if you feel that you will get assigned a speeding ticket then you really shouldn't directly admit that you were speeding.

2) Deny that you were speeding. This approach usually creates tension between you and the police officer. If you don't have a reasonable argument to convince the officer that you weren't speeding then you will get assigned a ticket.

The good side for this approach is that you will have more chance to beating your speeding ticket at court, since you didn't admit that you were speeding.

3) Don't admit that you were speeding but neither deny it. This approach may actually be the best one. When the officer says that you were stopped for speeding you can say: "Oh, I see…" and then you can, in a respectful voice, give an excuse to an officer that you didn't notice your speed bar or was too tired after work or any other excuse that doesn't sound right downright lies.

You can learn a lot more of effective tactics to on how to persuade a police officer to let you go with a warning and successfully beat the speeding ticket at court from:

Proven Legal Strategies to Fight and Beat Speeding Tickets

How to Choose a Good Car Tint Shop

Most metropolitan areas have an abundance of tint shop choices. In the San Francisco, CA area alone, there are 30 different tint shops within a 25 mile radius. How does a consumer choose the tint shop that does quality work? What is the difference between a "Dr. Tint" and a "Quality Window Tinting"?

We at TintCenter suggest that you do a little research. First compile a list of 5 potential tint shops that are likely to do good work. Ask your friends an co-workers who have tinted their cars which tint shops they chose, look in the Yellow Pages and mark down the tint shops with large professional advertisements, or come to TintCenter.com and get price quotes from a local tint shops.

Once you have this list in-hand, its time to interview each dealer:

- How long have you been in business at this location? Do you have other shops in the area?

Good tint shops prosper despite other local competition by offering good service at reasonable prices. You should find a tint shop that has been in business for 5 or more years at the same location, this shows a stable business that will be there years down the road if somehow the tint goes bad.

Often times successful tint shops also open car tinting branches in neighboring cities. Although the installers may not be the of the highest quality since opening new shops means training new employees; however, branches are a sure sign of a successful tinting business.

- What types of films do you carry? What warranty do you offer on your work?

Quality tint shops carry complete lines of window film from one or multiple window film manufacturers. They should carry dyed, hybrid, and metallic window films in a variety of colors and darknesses. Beware of tint shops that only carry one or two types of film, and sells them aggressively. They may have acquired this film on sale, and may not be thinking of your unique requirements and concerns.

The warranty on the car tint varies depending on the window film you choose. TintCenter recommends that you install only window film backed with a lifetime warranty for materials and labor. Most films don't guarantee color and fading, it is recommended that you also choose one that does.

For the warranty to take effect, remember to get only legal window tint for your car. Illegal tint automatically nullifies any manufacturer's warranty. Make sure you get a manufacturer's warranty card from the dealer with the date, the window film used on each window, and the total cost of installation.

- Can I visit your tint shop? Can you show me a sample of your work when I'm there?

Tint shops can sound like the best shop on the phone, but 15 minutes on-site should tell you all you need to know.

Good dealers pay attention to customer service. They should be happy and willing to spend the time to talk to you and explain how their shops work. Remember, if they don't spend time with you know, will they spend time with you when there is something wrong with your tint job?

A tint shop's work area should be indoors and clean. Their tools and window films are organized in a professional manner. If the tint shop is outdoors or in a parking lot, this is a negative since it is critical to remove all dust and dirt from the windows before applying window film.

Now take a look at a car they have already tinted. Pay attention to side-windows. The window film should be applied to the inside and be completely flush against all 4 edges of the window. Now look at the window film itself. Don't worry if the film itself looks slightly streaky and discolored, window film takes a couple weeks to dry out and become completely clear. If there are bubbles of air under the film or the film itself is not complete flat against the window, this is a sure sign of sloppy tinting.

Finally, take a look at the rear window. Is the window film applied in a single piece or is it cut into strips that surround the defroster lines? The most skilled tint shops always apply film in a single piece. Now look at the borders of the rear window, in many cars there is a black 'frit' edge on the window, Make sure the window film looks securely attached to the frit as well.

Finally, get price quotes from each dealer for the exact darkness, color, and type of window film you want. Never compromise because there are plenty of other dealers out there that will offer your perfect tint. With these price quotes and your research on each tint shop, make the decision. Refer to the cost of car tint article to help you rank the dealers.

After you make your decision, remember to always make an appointment with the tint shop before you tint your car. Even if they say "drop-ins accepted" or "bring it over any time", you want you tinter to be calm and prepared for you when you arrive and not rushed. Tinting may take a couple hours to half a day, so either arrange a ride or go to a nearby coffee shop with a good book. Enjoy!

Hard Economic Times, Expensive Gas & Oil Prices -- No Problem

Scooters Offer A New Inexpensive, Ecologically Friendly Way to Travel

(ARA) - People of all ages are zipping around towns and cities on scooters these days. Back in the early 1960's, scooters were considered merely a toy for boys to get around their immediate neighborhoods before they had a license. Yet today, scooters have transcended the sexual divide and are now being used as a serious form of transportation. With reasonable pricing, members of all economic classes -- from school children to ecologically minded commuters to Wall Street types who don't have time to wave down a cab at rush hour -- are new scooter converts. There have even been reports of companies purchasing scooters for their workforce to cut down on the time it takes to walk between departments!

As some people are not content with using their own muscle for propulsion, a whole new motorized scooter breed has materialized. One company has capitalized on this trend and has been selling an electric powered scooter called the Zappy in the U.S. and abroad. Able to reach cruising speeds of 13 miles per hour for up to 20 miles -- the scooter has reached a new level as a worthy contender among transportation choices.

But are they a fad? Good question. Considering recent research performed by Business Communications Co. reveals that the U.S. electric vehicle market will grow at a rate of 27 percent through 2005, when it is estimated to become a $7 billion dollar industry -- it's doubtful. ZapWorld, a Nasdaq publicly traded company (ticker ZAPP) and the maker of Zappy, has seen their sales of electric vehicles in 1999 reach $6.5 million and the company's 2000 sales doubled, coming close to $13 million.

ZAP, which stands for "Zero Air Pollution," has created a complete line of electric and inline scooters, bicycles, motorcycles and electric-powered water propulsion products. Contributing to hot sales is the fact that towns in Colorado and California offer $250 rebates to buyers of electric powered vehicles, which makes the total cost of owning your own electric scooter quite reasonable.

The best thing about electric-powered products is that they provide personal transportation without the noise and pollution of gasoline-powered vehicles. They are not going to completely replace cars, of course, but they are starting to change the way people get around in cities, in suburbs and rural areas.

Scooters continue to sell briskly worldwide, not only for use by school children, but also for high school and college students, young adults, ecologically minded commuters and executives. Seniors, too, are a growing segment that wants an inexpensive, safe, ecologically friendly, fun way to go further faster.

For more information, or to order your EV today, visit www.ZapWorld.com.

Getting An Edge On Wet Roads

(NC)—There's probably no worse feeling. You're driving on a wet stretch of road and all of a sudden it feels as though your vehicle has a mind of its own. Of course, your vehicle isn't possessed; it has "caught a wave." You're hydroplaning – your tires are no longer in direct contact with the road as they are riding on top of the water that has pooled on the road.

Hydroplaning can occur when a combination of speed, tire wear, tire inflation or the depth of water on the pavement causes the tires to lose traction. Essentially, a layer of water creates a barrier between the road and your tires. This barrier can cause you to lose traction and glide or hydroplane across the water's surface.

In wet weather, the tires that have been properly maintained and are in good running condition can cut through the water and maintain contact with the pavement at speeds less than 50 km/h. In cases where the tires are excessively worn (bald tires) or underinflated, or the water is very deep, you may still hydroplane at slower speeds.

At higher speeds (70 km/h and higher), the wedge of water in front of the tires may pass under the tires and the tires will ride on a cushion of water – resulting in a possible complete loss of traction.

Tire manufacturers are continually working to produce tires that give you an edge in wet conditions. HydroEdge™, Michelin's latest ultra-premium (mass-market) tire offers superior performance on dry or wet surfaces as well as exceptional hydroplaning resistance.

"The all-season tire HydroEdge features dual center grooves that are not exposed to the sipes or other water execution mechanisms," explains Tony Mougios, Michelin Brand Manager for Canada. "This means that these tires can evacuate water very quickly. Specially angled HydroChutes also reduce the water flow turbulence for excellent overall wet weather performance."

Along with purchasing tires that offer hydroplaning resistance like HydroEdge, Michelin offers the following tips for preventing and/or dealing with hydroplaning.

To prevent hydroplaning:

• Check your tires and tire inflation regularly

• Reduce your speed even more when approaching still water and puddles

• Drive in the tracks of preceding vehicles

Should your vehicle hydroplane:

1. Shift to neutral (on a standard transmission, depress the clutch)

2. Activate the hazard lights

3. Grip the steering wheel firmly and steer where you want to go

4. Avoid braking or accelerating

5. Check your rear view mirror

- News Canada

From Mower To Thrower

By: News Canada

(NC)—The days are getting shorter. The nights cooler. And finally, your grass has stopped growing. Looks like it's time to store your lawn tractor or mower for the winter. And get that trusty snow thrower ready for use.

The key thing to know about outdoor power equipment is that their number one enemy is dirt. And their number two enemy is condensation. So start off by cleaning that lawn tractor or mower. Remove any surface grunge with a hose, then get underneath and scrape out any matted grass or cuttings with a paint scraper and screwdriver. Then clean the exterior with soapy water or a quality cleaner like Castrol Super clean.

Now you are ready to replace or clean the air filter and grease any cables or fittings that need attention. Next, either fill it right up, or drain it completely of gas, depending on the manufacturer's instructions. Finally, and most important, change the engine oil, always using a quality product from a well known company like Castrol.

Remove the wheels and store your tractor off the ground on blocks if possible, preventing any air filled tires from going square. Finishing off, protect the tractor or mower with a covering that breathes. Something like a painter's drop sheet or heavy burlap is good. This allows any condensation to evaporate naturally, minimizing the possibility of rust. And always try to store your equipment in a clean and dry place.

As far as getting that blower or thrower ready for use, the same basic rules apply. Give it a good cleaning. Check for debris stuck in the blades. Lubricate any cables and fittings. Then replace the air filter and be sure to change the oil. And it's also a good idea to use new gas or gas/oil mixture. Outside of a new spark plug, you should now be ready for winter.

A wealth of interesting and valuable information on motor oils and lubricants can be found at www.castrolcanada.com or other well known petroleum web sites.
- News Canada

Explore Less-Traveled Paths in Camping Comfort

 by: ARA Content

Innovations provide the power to enjoy RV amenities miles beyond the last electrical hookup.

(ARA) - If you've already experienced the serenity and fun of camping with your towable recreational vehicle (RV), you know the freedom of getting away. Now you can travel even farther and discover your own quiet haven in nature. Without leaving every convenience behind, your family can dine amidst tall pines, identify constellations in clear night skies and then flip on the lights to enjoy a favorite novel before turning in. New products such as quiet, dependable power sources can make comfort and security part of your travels, wherever the trail may lead.

"The U.S. Forest Service includes 192 million diverse acres across the nation that are waiting to be enjoyed," says Jim Miller, dispersed recreation program manager, USDA Forest Service. "Most campsites in our system do not have electrical hookups and many forests offer even more primitive or 'dispersed' camping opportunities. Depending on local forest regulations, campers can travel off main roads and pick out their own sites along less-developed routes, as long as they do so responsibly, with respect for other visitors and as little environmental disruption as possible."

Miller notes that dispersed sites tend to appeal to experienced campers who are looking for their own quiet spot. What they often find are breathtaking vistas, colorful sunrises and close-up looks of surrounding nature. "Many choosing dispersed sites stay near favorite hunting or fishing spots," Miller notes. "Mountain bikers or hikers also prefer to camp close to favorite trails for easy access."

Camping -- Not Roughing It

Even without electrical hookups, piped water or toilets, campers can enjoy many comforts from home when they travel in a camper carrying its own power source. Onan's new compact generator, Camp Power, provides big-RV power for smaller trailers, folding camping trailers and truck campers. The generator's fully enclosed design is quiet enough to operate in many national parks, although park authorities should always be consulted regarding local regulations.

"Towable RVs can be compatible with rustic or dispersed campsites, where it's highly important to tread lightly on the land," says Joyce Drinnin, marketing manager, RV marketing, Onan. "Since most toilet and cooking facilities are available in towables, it's easier to leave natural surroundings undisturbed. With an unobtrusive power source, campers can enjoy a hot cup of coffee and a hearty meal without building a fire. Plus, in some camper units, you can even cool down in air-conditioned comfort after a long, hot day on the trail."

For other benefits, Drinnin points to added security from dependable campsite lighting and communication systems that provide advance warning when stormy weather is on the horizon. "Today's active families build strong ties when they spend time together camping," she adds. "These extra safety features can reduce stress and enhance the time busy families enjoy together."

Be Prepared

Preparation for remote camping experiences is key to ensuring a pleasant camping experience, says Miller. His recommendations for campers are:

• Contact the U.S. Forest Service in the area you plan to visit for current campsite information, since rules and regulations vary around the country. Motorized equipment is not allowed in designated wilderness areas.
  

• Pack water filters or purification tablets for purifying lake or stream water, in case you need more water than you've brought along.
  

• Follow local campfire regulations. If fires are permitted, build only small ones, never leave them unattended and always put fires dead out, especially when retiring for the night.
  

• Use the portable toilet facilities in your towable. Other options are to bury human waste in decomposable layers of soil, normally at least 6 to 8 inches deep and 200 feet away from water, paths and campsites, or use toilet devices that allow you to sanitize waste for safe disposal when you return from camping.
  

• Pack out everything you bring in. Always leave campsites the way you would like to find them.
  

For more information about U.S. Forest Service camping, visit www.fs.fed.us or www.recreation.gov. The U.S. Forest Service is listed under the U.S. Department of Agriculture in phone directories. For additional information about Camp Power, visit www.funroads.com.

SIDEBAR

Remote Camping Adventures

Pack your camper and experience nature in U.S. forests across the nation. Here's just a sampling of the adventures that await.

• White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire and Maine. Spectacular foliage is a key fall attraction for visitors. The forest includes Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast, and a variety of wildlife, ranging from moose and black bears to peregrine falcons. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r9/white or call 603-528-8721.
  

• Superior National Forest, Minnesota. Nearly 2,000 lakes and streams offer unmatched canoeing, boating and fishing in northeastern Minnesota's north woods. Trails for novice through advanced hikers meander through 3 million scenic acres and include access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Visit www.superiornationalforest.org or call 218-626-4300, ext. 2.
  

• Dakota Prairie Grasslands, North Dakota and South Dakota. Four separate grasslands, including the Maah Daah Hey Trail, offer rare views of wildlife and opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, hunting and backpacking. These diverse sites range from tallgrass prairie on rolling hills to stark badlands. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r1/dakotaprairie or call 701-250-4443.
  

• Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado. Located on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies, these three forests offer some of the most spectacular scenery in the mountain range. Sites include Bridal Veil, the tallest waterfall in Colorado; Grand Mesa, the world's largest flattop mountain; and Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry, home of the world's largest dinosaur bone fossils. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug or call 970-874-6600, ext. 6676.
  

• Custer National Forest, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. This ecologically diverse area includes elevation ranges of less than 1,000 feet up to the 12,799-foot Granite Peak in Montana. Other highlights include ancient sand dunes covered with grasslands, rugged badlands and fields of alpine wildflowers. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r1/custer or call 406-446-2103.
  

• Angeles National Forest, California. Not far from bustling Los Angeles, Angeles National Forest offers diverse topography, ranging from 10,000-foot mountain peaks to 1,200-foot canyon bottoms. Forest trails wind through 800 miles of rugged backcountry, scenic ridges and tree-lined canyons. Visit www.r5.fs.fed.us/angeles or call 626-574-5200.
  

• Willamette National Forest, Oregon. This 1.6 million-acre forest stretches 110 miles along the western slopes of the Cascades. Trails, roads, campgrounds and viewpoints allow visitors to enjoy the forest's abundant rivers, streams and lakes. Seven major volcanic peaks are part of the Willamette, along with the forested Cascade Range of mountains. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette or call 541-465-6521.
  

Etanol Fights Smog: CRFA

by: News Canada




(NC)-As the first smog alert warnings of the season approach, Canadians are being urged to use ethanol-blended fuel to alleviate the urban smog problems plaguing many parts of the country. Many regions such Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and most parts of Ontario have experienced a significant increase in the number of "smog days" in recent years and the problem is getting worse according the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association.


Mr. Bliss Baker, President of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA), suggests motorists fill-up with ethanol-blended gasoline. "All vehicles can use ethanol blends and this is one way of addressing the issue of air pollution," said Mr. Baker.


An ethanol blend of only 10% produces 30% less smog forming carbon monoxide than standard gasoline and is a proven smog fighter.


"This is no longer an urban problem," said Mr. Baker. Many rural parts of the country are now experiencing poor air quality particularly in the spring and summer months. The good news is there is something we can do about it," concluded Mr. Baker.


There are currently over 1,100 gas stations in Canada that sell ethanol- blended fuel across the country from Alberta to Quebec. To find a station near you simply visit the Canadian Renewable Fuels website at www.greenfuels.org and search retail directory for a station near you.

Buyers of SUVs Saving Big Money with Diesel Engines

 by: ARA Content

(ARA) - Half of all American vacationers on the road this year are driving gas guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks, according to a new survey on driving habits from research firm MarketFacts. These bigger vehicles burn high amounts of fuel, which not only puts a dent in drivers' wallets, but also increases the country's dependence on foreign oil. Ironically, the MarketFacts study shows that fuel economy is an important issue for SUV and pickup drivers.

According to automotive experts, standard gasoline engines can't efficiently handle the weight of the larger -- and very popular -- SUVs and pickup trucks. There is an alternative, however, for drivers of big vehicles to consider: diesel engines.

Diesel engines like the Power Stroke Diesel in Ford F-Series Super Duty pickups are specifically made to provide better mileage -- 30 percent in most cases -- and have more pulling power than gas engines, which is why they are especially popular among those hauling camping gear or towing boats, RVs and horse trailers.

"People love big trucks for a lot of great reasons, but running a gas engine in them is like trying to heat a hotel with a small home furnace. You're going to burn way too much fuel and you still won't get the power you really need," said Patrick Charbonneau, chief technical officer, Engine Group, International Truck and Engine Corporation. "Diesel engines produce more power than gasoline engines because diesel fuel itself has more energy. And today's diesel engines are electronically controlled to boost performance and fuel efficiency."

However, the study found that despite diesel's known benefits, many Americans are resistant because they still have a negative perception of these engines, recalling the noisy and odorous diesel engines of the '70s. Industry experts dispel these myths saying today's diesel engines are greatly improved -- running quietly and not producing odors or smoke.

Major automakers in the United States have taken an interest in diesel power predominantly because of the success of diesels in Europe. "Over 30 percent of the passenger cars in Europe are now diesel, and the main reason is fuel economy," said Charbonneau. "The Big Three know fuel economy is keenly important here in North America."

Currently in the United States, diesel engines are an option over the standard gasoline engines, adding a few thousand dollars to the cost of a new vehicle. Although buying a diesel engine is a higher monetary investment initially, automakers say diesel engines make up this cost difference within just three years from fuel savings alone. Diesel engines also add greater resale value to pickups and SUVs due to their longevity.

Industry insiders believe that in 20 years, 30 percent of the passenger cars, sport utilities and pickups in America will use diesel engines because of fuel efficiency and near zero emissions capabilities. According to the Department of Energy, if diesels reach even a percent of their potential penetration by 2020, the country could conserve as much as 700,000 barrels of fuel per day -- half the energy used daily by the state of California.

For more information, visit www.GreenDieselTechnology.com.

Did You Mount Your Cold Weather Tires Yet?

 by: News Canada

(NC)—Every year there is this dilemma: should you mount winter tires or should you stay with your all season tires? We always question is it going to snow a lot or is it just going to be cold and will our all- season tires be good enough. Well here is some news for you, winter tires are not only designed to work better in snow, slush and ice but also when it simply gets cold.

Bruce Bridgman, National Marketing Manager Toyo Tire Canada Inc. says that among other things the tire's tread rubber needs to remain flexible to do the job it was designed to do. "Good winter tires are designed to handle every aspect of winter driving."

In a study done by the Quebec Ministry of Transport comparing all season vs winter tires, results showed that you can get up to 25 percent better breaking and 38 percent better collision avoidance by using a proper winter tire. The ministry summary concluded: "Winter tires perform better than the All Season tires, particularly in very cold temperatures. Furthermore, during braking, a crucial component of road safety, winter tires do provide superior results when compared to All Season tires.

Consequently, any driver concerned with vehicle safety will have good winter tires installed on their vehicle" during the cold weather season.

Toyo Tire Canada designs Cold Weather Tires for Canadian winters. This is probably why they are considered one of the top winter tire manufacturers. "We design our tires for varied and severe Canadian winters,"says Bridgman, "and as a result we are able to provide a superior performing and unique product for Canadian drivers. Using award- winning state of the art super computer design technology we have an edge on competitor's products".

Many summer and all season tires start to lose their tread compound flexibility as the ambient temperature drops. Bridgman states that with the current increasing trend for vehicles to come equipped with performance tires right from the factory, it is even more important to consider "Cold Weather Tires" for winter driving.

One of the primary design criteria for a performance tire is to provide improved handling through better braking, cornering and acceleration capabilities in dry or rainy conditions. Although it's virtually impossible to achieve the same results in winter conditions, to enhance the cold weather driving experience of your performance vehicle you need a dedicated winter tire.

"We have been led to believe that all season tires are suitable for all conditions," says Bridgman. "However your best option for those cold, icy, slushy, wet winter days is a full set of four Cold Weather Tires and a dose of common sense driving. For more information on Toyo "Cold Weather Tires" got to www.toyocanada.com.

Confidence is King of the Road

Confidence is more than just sexy. It can save you a ton of money on your next car or truck.

Lots of people hate buying cars. When you get right down to it, the root causes of this fear and loathing aren't hard to pin down.

Fear of the unknown.

Buying a car is a confrontational situation.

It's a huge commitment of time and money.

Well, okay, that's great, but how does that help you? Patience, grasshopper.

While there's no magical silver bullet to cure all of the above ills, a little confidence can go a long way. If you act uncertain and unsure, chances are you will get taken for a ride. This applies to every step of the process, not just when you're checking out cars on the showroom floor.

So what do you do? I mean, great, be confident. But what does that mean?

Be decisive. Know exactly what kind of car you want and exactly what you want to pay. Do your homework first and research everything you can find. The Internet is the most powerful research tool ever devised by man. Use it.

Show, don't tell. Print copies of everything you find. Don't just tell a dealer that you got a better price quote online. Show them. Don't just say that you thought your credit was good enough to qualify for a better rate. Show them.

Know thyself. Not everyone handles every situation well. If you know you're going to have a hard time negotiating and haggling over the price (which you will) then find someone who can. Even if you don't have a friend or loved one skilled in the art of car buying, you can usually find car buying services listed in the Yellow Pages major cities than can help you out for a small fee.

A little confidence does indeed go a long, long way.

Cheating Your Engine’s Planned Obsolence That Was Created By Its Manufacturer

 by: Robert Riley

I’m sure by now you’ve heard the term “Extended Drain Interval” for your vehicle’s oil change. If you’ve ever been to a place like Jiffy Lube or other quick lube shop, you’ve probably seen some big sign outside telling you to come back every 3,000 miles for an oil change – quite the opposite of the “extended drain interval”. Jiffy Lube promotes the short, 3,000 mile oil drain interval. Did you know that according to Marc Graham, the president of Jiffy Lube, if they could convince you to change your oil at 2,900 miles instead of 3,000, Jiffy Lube could earn an extra $20 million dollars per year? And if they could get one more oil change per year out of every customer, that would pocket them a whopping $294 million per year?

All the quick lubes and dealers tell me to change it every 3,000.

Well, let’s look at some numbers. For example, let’s say a married couple with a coule kids have two vehicles in their family. Both of them drive an average of about 18,000 miles per year each commuting back and forth to work, running errands, taking their kids to events and all the normal stuff a family does.

For our example, let’s say each vehicle takes 5 quarts to fill, plus the oil filter. With 18,000 miles per year, that’s 6 oil changes per year per vehicle based on the 3,000 mile returns. So every year, both vehicles are going through 60 quarts of oil per year and 12 oil filters. In 5 years each vehicle has driven approximately 90,000 miles (which some of you probably know quite a few people who’ve driven this far in only 3 years!) That’s 60 quarts x 5 years = 300 quarts of oil and 60 oil filters for both vehicles. In 5 years, both cars have been to the quick lube about 60 times. I’ve seen the price of an oil change go anywhere between $19.00 and $28.50 at various Jiffy Lubes around the country. Let’s say an average of $25 per oil change. Over 5 years for this couple, they’ve spent about $1,500 or so in oil changes for average quality, NON-PREMIUM, NON-SYNTHETIC oil. For the $25 they are spending on each vehicle, they are getting plain old mineral oil or in other words, dead dinosoar juice taken from pertrolium, most likely imported from outside of the country.

What other choice do you have? Everyone has told you to change your oil at 3,000 miles. So paying all that money and taking all that time to drive down and have the oil changed is just part of life? Right?

Well, not really. You have a much better alternative. You have the option to perform extended drain intervals and save yourself a lot of money to boot!

So what’s the story with an extended drain interval?

Change your oil every 25,000 to 35,000 miles?

WHAT?! Are you crazy?

Well, if you tried doing this with the current oil you’re using now, yes, you would be crazy. The oil mineral oil you’re using is not designed to be driven that long. Not long after you start driving, the conventional mineral oil and it’s own low-cost additives break down fairly quickly. Remember, it’s in the Quick Lube’s best interest for it to break down so that way you can hurry up and GET BACK THERE FOR ANOTHER OIL CHANGE! Remember how much the oil companies make from your repeat business… especially if you come in an extra 100 miles earlier.

Okay, so what’s all of this information on extended drain intervals and how do you do it?

Well first, you cannot perform extended drain intervals on your current mineral oil. If you want to be able to SAFELY and RELIABLY drive up to 25,000 or 35,000 miles on the same oil without changing it, then you need an oil which is DESIGNED to be run for this extended period of time and distance. Just like they make tires which only last 20,000 miles and some last up to 80,000 miles depending on the rubber compounds, oil also works in a somewhat similar way.

For an oil to last for such a long period of time, it needs to be fully synthetic and only use the best base stocks in order for it to not break down. The first company to come out with fully synthetic oil for an automobile is the AMSOIL Corporation. They started making synthetic oil for cars way back in 1972, many, many years before Mobil, Castrol, Shell, Exxon, Havoline, Redline, Royal Purple or any other popular American oil company started doing it. Being that they were the first ones to start out with it, they obviously have the most experience with creating a quality synthetic oil.

Remember that same couple who used 300 quarts of oil on mineral oil and 60 filters over the 5 years, if they used AMSOIL instead they could have driven the exact same mileage on ONLY about 60 quarts of oil and 10 oil filters. That would have saved them about 240 quarts of oil and 50 oil filters. And on top of that, have a much cleaner engine with a lot less wear and tear and added anywhere between 3 and 8% on top of their fuel economy.

Wow! Drive 35,000 miles (or even more with oil analysis)… isn’t that a little far to go? You’ve got to be pulling my leg. Won’t that stuff cook my engine? I don’t want to void the warranty on my car!

Absolutely not! There are tons of testimonies of people driving beyond 35,000 miles on the same oil.

For example, read about a trucker who went over 400,000 miles on the SAME OIL – YES! He drove with NO OIL CHANGES on the SAME OIL in the crankcase:

http://www.authorized-amsoil-dealer-for-synthetic-motor-oil.com/amsoil_testimonies/satisfied_customers_trucks/amsoil-diesel-oil-going-409000-miles-without-oil-change.html

How was this accomplished? Is this some kind of magic trick? Can you just put this oil in and forget about it? No! Absolutely not! You cannot do that or you would certainly have engine problems. The AMSOIL oil stays in, but in order to go as far as the trucker did with 400,000 miles, he had to use an optional dual-filtration kit. The dual-filters are so powerful, they can filter out dirt at about the size of 1 micron (that’s about the size of a blood cell in your body… very, very tiny!)

And not only can you drive farther on the same oil, you also get much, much less wear and tear on your engine’s internal components due to the high performing PAO base stocks, anti-foaming and anti-sludge and other incredible properties. It keeps your oil almost like new. To see this a diagram of how this dual-oil filter connects on your car, look at this web site: http://www.searchforparts.com/filtration_products.html

Worried about my vehicle manufacturer’s warranty? Not to fret! It’s been covered! http://www.authorized-amsoil-dealer-for-synthetic-motor-oil.com/amsoil_articles/warranty-information/

Does this mean I have to install these special dual-filters if I want to drive that 25,000 or 35,000 miles?

No. AMSOIL also makes a filter called a “SUPER DUTY FILTER” which is designed to last up to 12,500 miles before needing changing (and lasts about 4 times longer than what you find at the auto parts store.). From the outside, it looks just like the oil filter you’re using now. So if you used AMSOIL 10W30 oil and drove 25,000 miles in one year, you only have to use 2 of these regular-looking screw on filters for the entire year. If you used conventional oil and filters, you’d have to change the filter 8 times for the same amount of miles, easily costing MUCH MORE than using AMSOIL’s products, not to mention the poorer fuel economy you’d be getting from not having that reduced friction from an AMSOIL synthetic.

You’re probably in disbelief. This AMSOIL stuff almost sounds too good to be true.

Okay… Let's say Amsoil didn't deliver as promised. Let's also assume for one minute that it's crazy, a lie... false and deceptive advertising... whatever you want to call it. You’ve already heard and seen every scam on the Internet.

Think about it. Don't you imagine for a minute that Mobil, Royal Purple, Redline, Castrol, Shell Oil or Exxon wouldn't be all over AMSOIL in a court of law sueing for FALSE ADVERTISING if this stuff didn’t really work? All of them would love to see their competition go out of business. Wouldn't you, if you were an competing oil manufacturer?

If the back of the bottle of Amsoil 0W-30 says, "extended drain intervals for up to 35,000 miles or one-year" don't you really think that the oil should be GUARANTEED to last that long? And if not, wouldn't there be a class action law suit against AMSOIL after thousands of people from all over the USA and Canada would complain about problems?

The 0W-30 oil that’s capable of such long, 35,000 mile drain intervals is here: http://www.authorized-amsoil-dealer-for-synthetic-motor-oil.com/amsoil_products/amsoil_series_2000_synthetic-0W-30_motor_oil-product-code-tso.html

For certain, one could visit http://www.ftc.gov/ (Federal Trade Commission for Consumer Protection) and type in: AMSOIL

If AMSOIL didn’t work as stated, you would see law suits from the FTC for false advertising and AMSOIL would be fined some big hefty fines for making such claims and pretty much go out of business.

Don't believe me? Visit the FTC's web site right now and search on these WELL-KNOWN companies that you’ve probably heard of or used yourself (or may be using right now) over the last several years and see the kinds of trouble you can get into:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/slick.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/09/shellcastrol.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1995/12/stp.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/os/2000/01/shellcmp.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/05/duralub2.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/09/prolong.htm

http://search.ftc.gov/query.html?qt=mobil&col=hsr&col=news&col=full

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/04/motorup5.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/09/exxon1.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/02/amoco.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1997/10/valve.htm

Now search on Federal Trade Commission’s web site for AMSOIL and see what comes up: http://search.ftc.gov/query.html?qt=Amsoil&col=hsr&col=news&col=full

Wow... funny how there is not ONE single FTC charge for deceptive or misleading advertising for AMSOIL.

See... if you print a claim on the back of a bottle or package of a product, IT BETTER PERFORM AS DESCRIBED or the whole world will know you are a deceiving the public and class action law suits will clearly be found on the Internet.

Remember, AMSOIL has been making synthetic oil since 1972 for automobiles, LONG BEFORE any other major competing oil company, hence their trademark, "FIRST IN SYNTHETICS".

Pick up any bottle of any competing brand of oil and read the back. Notice that they don't make any claims that can't be verified. If Mobil was formulated that good where it could last up to 35,000 miles, don't you think for a minute that they would advertise that all over the place? Of course it doesn't last that long, so they can't make that kind of claim, otherwise AMSOIL, some other motor oil competitor, or consumers would be putting them in court for false, deceptive advertising.

More than likely you've been surfing the web and looking at all kinds of competing brands of oil for your car, motorcycle, RV, snowmobile or what have you. You've probably read all kinds of hype about different oils or additives. One thing you'll notice different about AMSOIL is that the TECHNICAL PROPERTIES are CLEARLY and PROUDLY listed so you can see how well the oil performs.

Don’t you find it strange that the competing oil companies don’t proudly post their performance information on their own motor oil in the same fashion that AMSOIL does? What are they hiding? What do they seem to be embarassed about? Are they are hoping that maybe by spending millions of dollars on repetative advertising so you hear their name over and over, you'll buy it just on being familiar with the name, not necessary for how well it performs.

You'll notice that AMSOIL doesn't spend millions of dollars on advertising. Instead, all of the money is put into the quality of the oil. Their advertising is free when people win championships in racing and AMSOIL’s logo is put in color pictures in various magazines. That’s one of the reasons you haven’t seen full page ads wasted on advertising.

When is the last time you saw Ferrari or Lamborghini running huge campaigns to try to sell their cars? Yet you see full page advertisements for Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Chrysler, Mazda and many other manufacturers in magazines all the time.

Does that mean Toyota, Honda or Hyundai are inferior or low quality just because they spend millions on advertising? Of course not. But on the flip side, that mean Ferrari or Lamborghini are a peace of junk for not advertising or maybe the chance that many people may have never heard or seen a Ferrari or Lamborghini? Do you see my point?

AMSOIL is sort of like Ferrari and Lamborghini. People who know Ferrari or Lamborghini know that they are some of the best performing sports cars in the world and do not need to spend millions on advertising to get the word out. AMSOIL works on a similar philosphy. When you see cars breaking world's records and snowmobiles winning races with AMSOIL logos on them, that's the best advertising money can buy.

http://www.authorized-amsoil-dealer-for-synthetic-motor-oil.com/amsoil_testimonies/satisfied_customers_racing/worlds-fastest-four-cylinder-using-amsoil.html

Another question… If AMSOIL is so great, then why doesn't GM use it instead of Mobil 1 as a factory fill in their Corvettes and other high performing sports cars?

That’s an excellent question. Think about it... If you were General Motors, would it be in your BEST INTEREST to have the cars you sold lasting for hundreds of thousands of miles because of some super, high quality oil you told everyone to use? Wouldn’t you be shooting yourself in the foot? As an auto manufacturer, YOU WANT REPEAT CUSTOMERS to come back every few years, not people who will keep cars for hundreds of thousands of miles because their engines run too well.

We can't go out and say that Mobil or other oil companies make bad oil, but if you look at the comparisons and see the bigger wear scars that Mobil and others put out vs. AMSOIL, you can clearly see that over a long period of time, that Mobil and the rest can wear out your engine quicker than AMSOIL would. Just look at the Four-Ball wear test comparisons to see what I’m talking about. So wouldn’t it be in GM's best interest (or any automobile manufacturer for that matter) to put a lesser quality oil in their vehicles and not recommend the absolute, best oil in the world? Once your engine gets high mileage and you hear the "Clack clack clack" sound of the lifters making noise and other strange sounds, that's usually the BIG RED FLAG that says, "Well, this engine is old, about ready to die... time to trade the car in on a new one before it totally blows and then I only get $300-500 for my car as a trade-in." And believe me, THIS IS EXACTLY what ALL OF THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS WANT It's a little thing they call PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE.

And when you use AMSOIL in your engine, transmission and/or rear-end differential, you are essentially CHEATING the manufacturers' planned obsolecense. This is why automobile manufacturers would prefer that you do NOT LEARN ABOUT AMSOIL. For every person who drives their car an extra 5 to 10 years, that could cost an automobile manufacturer maybe $20,000 to $40,000. Looking on page 72 in the January 2004 copy of “Popular Mechanics” magazine they have pickup trucks selling for a whopping $28,000 to $42,000. Wow! And you want to spend this kind of outrageous money on a vehicle and then put the cheapest oil you can find in it? Just so you can spend another $40,000+ on another vehicle a few short years later?

So, once again, if you were an auto manufacturer and knew how good AMSOIL performed, would you want people learning about it if you stood to not be selling those $20,000 to $40,000 vehicles every year?

See... it's all about the big picture that most people never think about... but the bean counters at the automanufacturers certainly thing about it! Believe me, they smile all the way to the bank everytime you hand out your hard earned dollars on a depreciating asset only to replace it in a short time period later.

And after seeing the law suits above with the FTC against all of the well-known oil companies, why would you NOT BE SKEPTICAL OF THEM instead of AMSOIL? People should be FLOCKING to put AMSOIL in their vehicles, especially with the OUTRAGEOUS price tags of new cars today. What happened to the day of buying a brand new Ford F-150 for $13,000-16,000? Wow… that’s a pipe dream now. AMSOIL is an oil that's proven time and time again that beats all of the competition, hands down, with tons of testimonies to back it up.

When you're using a competing oil, not only are you putting an inferior oil in your car, you are paying MORE MONEY TO DO SO than you would to use AMSOIL since you have to change it more frequently (remember the couple above who used 300 quarts of dino oil vs. 60 quarts of AMSOIL.) So why on earth would you pay MORE MONEY to have a LESSER PRODUCT? That clearly does not make sense at all. Especially in something expensive as $36,000 Nissan Titan or GMC Sierra Denali! The benefits of AMSOIL far out weigh anything that you can get at the Discount Auto Parts store or from the regular Quick Lube shop. In the long run AMSOIL is cheaper to use, your vehicle’s engine life gets drastically extended, your fuel economy gets improved, your vehicle’s performance increases, and your starter and spark plugs last longer from running at cooler temperatures due to less friction. After reading and learning everything on this site, EVERYONE SHOULD BE USING AMSOIL. It just makes sense and costs you MORE MONEY *NOT* TO USE IT! The only time you WOULD NOT use this kind of oil is in a brand new vehicle than has less than 2,000 to 5,000 miles on it. The engine should have adequate time to break in using the dino oil to give time for the parts to settle in.

Imagine the millions taxpayers could save if all our local government branches implemented AMSOIL into all of the motor vehicles that they have… police cars, fire engines, maintenance trucks, generators, lawn care equipment… you name it. And as far as privately owned companies, think of the savings the owners and operators of limosines, taxi cabs, diesel trucks or even jitney’s could pocket! A lot of taxi cabs drive 1,000 miles per week! That’s 52,000 miles per year or about 17 oil and filter changes using some inferior oil when they could use AMSOIL and maybe change the oil only once or twice per year and on top of that, have their engines last a few hundred thousand extra miles more than they expected which enables them to get more PROFIT out of their vehicles transporting passengers. Just imagine if you owned a taxi cab and was able to put 750,000 miles on it WITHOUT AN ENGINE REBUILD! This is not unusual for people using AMSOIL to do!

If they can fly a man to the moon, don’t you think they can make an oil that will last more than a measly 3,000 miles? OF COURSE THEY CAN AND DO!

Avoid Getting Stranded This Winter

 by: News Canada

(NC)—You can never take winter driving conditions for granted. Take for example the Minnesota man who, in January 2001, drove a few kilometres to the grocery store and ended up getting stranded in a winter storm for 36 hours!

While you should always try to avoid driving in winter storm conditions, it is sometimes unavoidable. Since the weather is often unpredictable, Michelin advises drivers to be prepared for the unexpected.

"Installing four winter tires on your vehicle will help keep you on the road and can prevent drivers from becoming stranded in severe weather conditions," advises Tony Mougios, Brand Manager for Michelin in Canada. "Michelin has incorporated new technologies and rubber compounds into our winter tire lines to give drivers extra control and performance in winter conditions."

In the event you find yourself stranded on the highway or a secondary road this winter, Michelin offers the following tips:

• Move your vehicle as far off the road as possible to avoid being hit
  

• Turn on your hazard lights to attract help
  

• Keep additional clothing in your vehicle and put it on to keep warm
  

• Use a cellular phone to call for help
  

• Do not drift away from the car and run the engine periodically, but not continuously
  

• Move your arms and legs to improve your circulation and to keep warm
  

• Consider the outside temperature and wind chill before leaving your vehicle
  

The most important tip to remember is not to run your engine continuously, especially if snow is accumulating rapidly. Internal combustion engines produce exhaust fumes known as carbon monoxide – a colourless, odourless gas that, if inhaled in sufficient quantities, can cause drowsiness, unconsciousness, coma and even death. If snow accumulates and blocks your exhaust pipe, you are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Take the time to have your vehicle checked before venturing out on the roads this winter because a little preparation and prevention can go a long way. Just as you never expect to get stranded, you can never tell what old man winter will have in store.

Accident Collecting For Your Lost Wages

A couple months ago you were toolin' on down the avenue, minding your own business, when out of nowhere, this fumbling, stumbling man by the name of Freddie Fuddle flew through a Stop Sign and plowed into you with a gigantic, rip-roaring, screeching broadside. You were wearing your seat belt but it was still a thundering crash that wrenched and whipped you around the inside of your motor vehicle something fierce!

Now, after a long recovery period, Fuddle’s carrier, Granite Mountain Insurance is clamoring to close the case and they've assigned Claims Adjuster I. M. Strong, to handle your case. You and Strong are sitting at your kitchen table talking about your settlement dollars. It turns out he’s got some hang-up’s regarding your lost income. Well, here are some things you need to know:

Lost wages are one of the most important element's of your damages. Listen to me carefully when I say, "You should not think about the days you missed from work as Lost Time and Earnings. It's not Lost Time and Earnings - - it’s Lost Earning Capacity“

You ask, “What‘s Lost Earning Capacity all about? I thought I could only collect for my Lost Income?” The answer to that is, “In many situations you can claim lost income EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T LOST ONE SINGLE PENNY “. For example, this can happen when your salary is paid because you've elected to apply for the sick leave that‘s due you, or because of an Accident and Health Policy available for you to take advantage of, or some other such arrangement.

In most instances - - even if you were paid while out of work - - you should still get that money routinely identified as Lost Wages. Why? Because that's your Lost Earning Capacity. Your Lost Earning Capacity is what’s called a Compensatory Damage. Don't let Strong swindle you out of that Compensatory Damage. Even if you’ve received an income, in some other way, you're still entitled to it. Strong will do everything he can to take advantage of you, especially when it comes to getting paid for your Lost Earning Capacity. During the course of every settlement negotiation he gets involved in, he‘ll try that tactic on for size, and it’s mind-boggling how often he gets away with it.

The typical statement made at that point, by the unsuspecting claimant is, “Hey, I understand I’m to be paid for my lost wages.”

Strong answers, “You collected $200.00 a week from your Accident and Health Policy didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but my average weekly income last year was $275.00 a week.”

“Okay”, I. M. Strong flashes a well practiced, winning smile, that tells you he’s a fair insurance claim adjuster, when in his black heart, he knows he's not! “We’ll pay you that $75.00 a week difference. Let’s see, you were laid up and unable to work for 5 weeks. 5 times $75.00 is $375.00. Don’t worry my friend, I’ll see to it you’re paid that $375.00.”

“Wow!” you think, “that’s terrific !.” You’re thrilled to death with this great turn of events. But what you don’t know is that the $200.00 a week you’ve received from your Accident and Health Policy has absolutely nothing to do with your lost income. The bottom line is that Smart has just cheated you out of one thousand dollars! And, worse than that, the $275.00 a week income you lost (for a total of $1,375.00) would have (in a court of law) given your case $4,000.00 to $5,000.00 more value in settlement dollars.

DOCUMENTING LOST INCOME: Ask the company you work for to write a letter on their official stationary declaring your gross salary income and the days you lost from work.

GROSS PAY VS. NET PAY: You should collect the "gross" wage's you lost, not the "net".

TOTAL DISABILITY and/or PARTIAL DISABILITY: For every week of Total Disability (a fact which must be stated in your doctors Final Medical Report) you should use your gross weekly income - - even if you were paid! (For every week of Partial Disability your doctor states in that Final Medical Report, you have the right to claim a substantial percentage of your income, during that period, even if you didn't lose any).

Because the following five points give value to your claim be ready to talk with Smart about and, wherever possible, prove:

(1) If your work demands heavy labor and/or lifting. (2) If you lost any vacation time or sick leave. (3) If there was any possible loss of money you could have earned in the future - - either with your company or maybe other income you've got bubbling and boiling on the side. (4) If you had to forgo any bonuses. (5) If you lost an opportunity that would have led to a better job.

If any of the above five points are true than your claim is worth more money!

THE CRUCIAL MEDICAL REPORT: The Granite Mountain Insurance Company and Adjuster I. M. Strong know that the longer your recovery period, the greater your "pain and suffering", therefore the higher the settlement value of your bodily injury claim. Your Chiropractor or Attending Physician must also note this in his Final Medical Report. Tell him to state exactly how long it will be, before you can get back to routine activities like golf, hunting, fishing and/or rockin' and rollin' with your lady friends.

As long as you have problems keep right on going back to see your doctor, again and again, even if it drives the poor bugger nuts! Do this because the fact that your records show a visit to him, four, eight, or twelve weeks after the accident, proves your injury needed constant attention, therefore you were unable to work. Also because, when you visit your doctor and tell him there's no let-up of your pain, discomfort, stiffness or immobility - - those continuing problems must be written into the Medical Report he'll provide for you when you've finished treatment. That's the one you'll hand to Adjuster Smart when the two of you begin to talk turkey. As he reads it you’ll watch him frown, then blanch as that cocky smile disappears from his face. When you see him do that you‘ll know, "ya got him"!

DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this claim tip is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Dan Baldyga makes no guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR does he purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.

A Ship For Canadian Highways?

by: News Canada

(NC)—Say the word "ship," and the first thing that comes to mind is an image of a boat. But say the acronym "SHIP," and now you're talking about improving our national highways, making border crossings more efficient, upgrading intersections, refitting bridges and making our national road system safer and more efficient.

The Government of Canada Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program — or SHIP — is a $600 million program working with the provinces and territories to identify those parts of our national highway system which — because of growing traffic and increasing trade — need immediate attention.

Highway improvements from coast to coast represent a big part of SHIP expenditures. For example, a new 23 metre long single-span bridge will replace the existing one crossing the Pinette River near Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. A five-kilometre stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway from Woodstock to Pokiok in New Brunswick will be "twinned," from two into four lanes during the coming year. A similar project will also twin 50 kilometres of Alberta's Highway 43 from Greencourt to Glenevis.

SHIP is also responsive to the infrastructure needs of individual communities. For example, because there are few highways in Nunavut, SHIP projects in the territory are focused on air transportation. Construction of new air terminal buildings in Gjoa Haven and Pond Inlet will help these communities handle the growth and increased travel demands both have experienced.

Improvements delivered through the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) will result in a safer and more efficient highway system for all Canadians.

For more information on SHIP, and Government of Canada highway improvement programs in your area, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca.

- News Canada

Tips for Saving Money on Gasoline

 by: Fisher Swanson

Gas prices are on the rise again! Here are some tips to help you conserve gas and save money as we approach summer gas prices.

1. Keep your car tuned up. Cars in poor running condition use more gasoline.

2. Plan trips well to avoid unnecessary driving.

3. When you run your air conditioner you get much worse gas mileage. Use your air conditioner sparingly. If you have a lower setting, use it. Turn it on until the car gets cool, then turn it off and let the fan circulate the cool air. Never run your air conditioner with your windows open!

4. Keep your windows closed when traveling at high speeds. Open windows cause additional drag and lower your gas mileage. At high speeds, an open window can use more gas than many air conditioners (especially if they are on a low setting).

5. Check your tire pressure. Over-inflated tires can actually reduce your fuel efficiency, so don't overfill.

6. If at all possible, change your work start time to avoid gridlock. Stop and go traffic hurts your gas mileage.

7. Take unneeded items out of the car. You don't need to carry snow chains around with you in the summertime. Just make sure to put them back in when winter comes around.

8. Try not to idle your engine for long periods of time. If you are stuck in traffic and you don't think you are going to go anywhere in the next five minutes, you may want to turn your car off.

9. You no longer need to warm your car up for long periods of time, especially new cars. New cars are made to run when cold.

10. Don't travel at fast speeds in low gears unless you need the compression to slow down.

11. Try to drive the speed limit.

12. Try to accelerate slowly when leaving the stop light. It's not a competition with the driver in the lane next to you. The fastest person through the intersection just gets to spend more on gas.

13. No need to buy the highest priced gasoline. Most cars are built to run on regular unleaded. Check you owners manual or consult a mechanic. I have had many tell me that the more expensive gas is a waste of money.

14. Revving the engine needlessly wastes gas. There is no need to rev before you turn your vehicle off.

15. If at all possible, try to arrange car pools with co-workers to share the cost of commuting to work.

16. Walk, bike or run to your intended location whenever possible.

17. When the price is sky high, don't fill up. Wait for the price to go down before you fill up your tank. Filling up your tank when the price is peaking lets gas companies know that you are willing to pay ridiculous prices for gasoline.

18. And last, the biggest and most important step towards saving money on gas is always try to purchase vehicles that get good gas mileage. The difference between 20 miles-per-gallon and 40 miles-per-gallon is huge.