Free Republic

The Traffic Guru by Tom VanderbiltIf you were asked to name a famous traffic engineer, in some pub quiz gone horribly wrong, chances are slight you could hazard a good guess. It is true that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran, was trained as a traffic engineer, but his notoriety does not derive from tinkering with the streetlights in Tehran. Bill Gates got his start developing software for a device to count car traffic, but he was a computer boffin more interested in the technology than the traffic. Your memory might flicker in recognition at the names of William Phelps Eno,...

U.S. driving slid for the eighth straight month in June, making the decline more pronounced that the drop that occurred during the 1970s oil shock. The U.S. Department of Transportation said Americans drove 12.2 billion miles less in June than a year earlier. With that, the decline since November is now 53.2 billion miles, topping the 49.3 billion decline three decades ago. Rural travel has fallen 4% since late last year, while urban driving is off just 1.2%. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters used the latest data to again call for a rethinking of how the nation's transportation network is funded....

A new U website will show a disproportionate number of fatal accidents happen outside urban areas.Getting behind the wheel of an automobile has significant consequences, a list that includes death. But how often do people really think about that when they turn the key of their car or truck? The Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota would like people to ponder just what might happen if they are distracted, tired, had a couple too many beers or decide that that seat belt is a pain. That's why the U's center dedicated to rural highway safety...

Just for purposes of curiosity: Do you plan to travel for the July 4th weekend? and why or wny not? Pesonally, i wasn't planning on it, but that's par for the course. It's been years and years since i sought to go anywhere but to the local fireworks celebration, and I think this has saved me much grief. But, if I were one to go to big amusement parks, or going to visit relatives, I still would likely not go this year, not because of panic, or being so short of funds that I could not literally buy the gas...

There is a stretch of North Glebe Road, in Arlington, Virginia, that epitomizes the American approach to road safety. It’s a sloping curve, beginning on a four-lane divided highway and running down to Chain Bridge, on the Potomac River. Most drivers, absent a speed limit, would probably take the curve at 30 or 35 mph in good weather. But it has a 25-mph speed limit, vigorously enforced. As you approach the curve, a sign with flashing lights suggests slowing further, to 15 mph. A little later, another sign makes the same suggestion. Great! the neighborhood’s more cautious residents might think....

Some say the only way to see Mexico is drive through it. With the construction of highway and toll roads by both the government and private individuals, you are now able to complete a trip from the Texas border to Acapulco on a multi-lane thoroughfare. With the addition of modern road and tolls, driving through Mexico along such corridors offers a chance to take a road trip otherwise not considered. This is not to say the trip allows the same regulations as bordering countries since Mexico has very rigid rules when it comes to its traffic laws, especially concerning accidents....

Stop talking and just drive. That's the message from West University Place city council members and police as a cell phone ban for school zones is considered. Those like Lt. Thad Olive say drivers with phones glued to their ears endanger children. "One of the reasons ... the distractions from actually dialing or people text messaging or being on PDAs checking e-mails," Olive said. Not everyone agrees. Resident Debbie Schetler asks: just what else might a ban target? "If you're going to legislate against using a cell phone in a school zone, are you going to legislate against drinking a...

This is driving me nuts. When I go into a specific forum, such as religion, I want to hit the comment button and ONLY see the comments for the religion forum. Not every other forum. I like being able to see what's being talked about the most and being able to see the latest comments from individuals is the best way. Is this going to be fixed or is this it? If this is it, then the site is unusable for the way I've been used to using it for the the last 10 years. Has anyone figured out a...

MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) - Motorists in northern Mexico who are caught dabbing on lipstick, shaving or carrying a pet at the wheel will now face hefty fines as authorities try to cut down on traffic accidents. Putting on make-up or shaving with an electric razor will land drivers fines of up to 346 pesos ($32) in the northern Mexican city of Torreon from this month, Mexican media reported on Saturday. Along with a slew of higher fines for common traffic offenses such as driving while intoxicated, speeding, and talking on a telephone without a headset, Torreon city hall said new...

In the "no kidding?" hall of fame, a special place has been reserved for the just-released Transportation Research Board study that found cell phones (wait for it, now...) addle drivers. "The distracted driver tends to drive slower and have delayed reactions," said University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer, who coauthored this puppy. It's just incredible that we need a National Academy of Sciences-funded research project to belabor what ought to be obvious to anyone who's been out on the roads recently, and who has a smidgen of observational power and a dollop of common sense. How many times have...

Another new year, another list of new laws affecting California motorists. This year's batch includes restrictions on cell phone use, a law making it easier for vehicle owners to replace lost keys, and a prohibition of smoking in vehicles that contain minors. Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, R-Anaheim, voted against two bills that will go into effect this year. "It starts to cross over to a nanny state when law enforcement officials are trying to regulate every aspect of everyone's lives," Spitzer said of the smoking ban. Similarly, Spitzer voted against the cell phone restriction, which will require motorists to use hands-free...

Straight men better driversGAY men and straight women share a poor sense of direction, research has shown. Both are poor at navigating and rely on local landmarks to get around, the study suggests. They are also slower to take in spatial information than heterosexual men. This means driving in a strange environment is likely to be more challenging for gay men and women than for straight male motorists. Psychologists at Queen Mary, University of London, conducted computer-based tests of spatial learning and memory on 140 volunteers recruited through advertisements in newspapers and magazines. They showed that gay men, straight women...

The Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol are joining a new national safe winter driving campaign called, “Ice and Snow: Take it Slow.” “TDOT is ready to work around the clock to keep our roadways clear of ice and snow this winter,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “We also want drivers to remember that winter conditions call for different driving tactics, so when you’re driving in ice and snow, take it slow — slower speed, slower acceleration, slower steering and slower braking.” TDOT and the THP remind motorists to dial *THP from any cellular phone should they...

PAW PAW TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Having live electrical wires fall on her truck and set it on fire wasn't enough to slow a motorist in southwest Michigan. State police say the unnamed woman ran a stop sign Monday night in Van Buren County's Paw Paw Township and hit a cable supporting a utility pole. The pole came down and the wires fell onto the truck, but the woman backed onto the roadway and resumed driving. Trooper Rick Carlson said the driver kept going until flames engulfed the truck and she had to jump out. An ambulance caught up to her...

First she sounded sympathetic to the idea during a televised debate, and within moments had refused to endorse it. Afterwards, she changed her mind and endorsed it. Now today, after Governor Eliot Spitzer shelved a plan to issue New York drivers licenses to illegal aliens, Hillary Clinton shifted her position yet again to oppose the idea entirely: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday came out against granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, after weeks of pressure in the presidential race to take a position on a now-failed ID plan from her home state governor. Clinton has faced criticism from candidates...

Man cited for porn on wheels By DEANNA BOYD dboyd@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH -- This X-rated movie was moving, Fort Worth police say. Literally. Monday morning, a 24-year-old Irving man was cited after a Fort Worth police officer spotted porn playing inside the man’s car. The officer was conducting extra patrol at a club at in the 100 block of S. Main Street, south of downtown, when he saw the car drive by, then park near the club, said Lt. Dean Sullivan, police spokesman. According to a police report, a 10-inch screen pointed toward the rear of the vehicle showed “multiple...

One-Eyed Deaf Driver, 82, Tows Trailer At 88mph Oct 20 2007 By Gordon Currie Oap Faces Road BanA ONE-EYED, deaf 82-year-old was caught pulling a trailer at 88mph on one of Scotland's deadliest roads.Maurice Hollyfield told a court he wasn't paying attention because he had his stereo turned up loud so he could hear the music.He also claimed he thought his car's rev counter was the speedometer.Hollyfield, whose left eye is made of glass, was clocked by a speed camera on the A9 at Waterloo between Perth and Dunkeld. He should only have been doing 50mph.David Holmes, defending, told...

BROOMFIELD, Colo. - A 6-year-old boy was hungry and decided he'd go to Applebees. So he grabbed the car keys, took his booster seat from the back seat of his grandmother's car and placed it in the driver's seat, then made a go of driving himself to the restaurant Tuesday. He made it about 75 feet. Unable to take the car out of reverse, he crossed the street and ran into a transformer and communication box, knocking out electricity and phone service to dozens of townhomes. Nobody was injured and the boy, whose name was not released, got out of...

I was thinking of just taking Expressway 83 all the way. However, Google Earth is unclear on whether it's an expressway all the way. Is it like McAllen to Brownsville? Or, will I run through stop signs and traffic lights. Google Earth said to get off 83 at Rio Grande City, then 9. Turn right at FM-3167 10.4 mi 10 mins 10. Turn right at FM-649 37.3 mi 37 mins 11. Turn left at TX-16/TX-16 S 2.4 mi 3 mins 12. Turn right at FM-649 27.2 mi 28 mins 13. Turn left at TX-359 I need the FASTEST route. Thanks.

Drivers risk two years in jail for using their mobile phonesBy JAMES SLACK - More by this author » Last updated at 22:35pm on 6th September 2007Motorists who use a hand-held mobile phone or fiddle with a satellite-navigation system while driving could be jailed for up to two years.Prosecutors have said they could be charged with dangerous driving in a dramatically tougher approach to such offences. Those caught fiddling with an MP3 music player or texting on a mobile at the wheel could also face the charge. Scroll down for more ...  Prosecutions will be brought whenever it is...

Lafayette - A woman is in jail for allegedly allowing her five-year-old child to drive a car. Neighbors were able to prevent the situation from turning into a tragedy over the weekend. The car speeding around the corner near Wendy Barrett's Lafayette home, its tires screeching, wasn't driven by someone running late before it made a abrupt stop near her driveway. "I saw a toddler at the wheel and another toddler on the console. I said, 'Ma'am, are you letting your toddler drive?' She said, 'Yes. He's a good driver,'" said Barrett. Holly Schnobrich, 24, of Lafayette was also a...

A Tax Break for Driving to Work? The Fair Tax Will Fix This By Herman Cain August 20, 2007 There is a little-known deduction in the tax code that 400,000 people know about, and by which they avoid $150 million dollars in taxes each year. The issue is not that most of us do not know about this little sneak-a-tax, or even the amount that the rest of us are picking up through a higher federal deficit. The issue is that this is another example of how the tax code is used to encourage a desired behavior. The deduction encourages...

The Times is reporting that British teens may have to endure another six-months of practice with instructors and the 'rents before they'll be able to go it alone on UK roads. The proposal would increase the minimum training period to 12 months from six, effectively requiring prospective drivers to wait until they're 18 before they can secure a license. The move comes after recently released studies show that while crash rates have dropped overall, there has been an increase in novice driver crashes over the same period. The reason for the increase in time is to get new drivers more...

There's some potentially troubling and telling news for all you motorists out there who may be taking the Turnpike for the worst crime in marriage: cheating on your significant other. E-ZPass and other electronic toll collection systems are emerging as a powerful means of proving infidelity. That's because when your spouse doesn't know where you've been, E-ZPass does.

Map reading proves tough test for Britons http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL0616568420070806 http://tinyurl.com/yoyfhc Mon Aug 6, 2007 8:51AM BST London (Reuters) - As many as 11 million British motorists are unable to read a basic road map, according to a survey released on Monday. The poll revealed over three quarters of drivers were unable to identify the motorway map symbol, while only one percent of motorists would pass the Cub Scout Map Reader badge test. "It's pretty embarrassing the majority of Cub Scouts have better map-reading skills than the majority of the adult population," said Colin Batabyal, head of underwriting and business development at...

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2007 – What began as a shared love of German cars has morphed through friendship into a passion to honor, educate and entertain servicemembers, Operation Wheels of Freedom’s program director said. Military children receive large-scale Hot Wheels toy cars during an Operation Wheels of Freedom event to honor, entertain and educate servicemembers. Mattel, one of the group’s sponsors, has provided thousands of the toys. Operation Wheels of Freedom courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “We are a group of committed car guys who want to do our part to say thanks to the...

By CHRISTINA CRAPANZANO July 5, 2007 Lawmakers in a dozen states are trying to ban drivers from using video games, computers and fax machines in cars in a new wave of driver-distraction legislation. Since January, states including Texas, New York and Arizona have considered bills that would limit the use of car electronics that go far beyond cellphones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Thou shall not drive under the influence of alcohol. Thou shall respect speed limits. Thou shall not consider a car an object of personal glorification or use it as a place of sin. The Vatican took a break from strictly theological matters on Tuesday to issue its own rules of the road, a compendium of do's and don'ts on the moral aspects of driving and motoring. A 36-page document called "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" contains 10 Commandments covering everything from road rage, respecting pedestrians, keeping a car in good shape and avoiding rude gestures while behind...

...The following morning I hit the ground running and made it to Wichita Falls, TX. The weather had turned foul, and on the north end of town I drove into a raging thunderstorm on US Hwy 287. It was one of those classic North Texas thunder-bangers that just lights up the sky with constant lightning and the thunder is so loud you can feel it down in your bones. The wind was brutal, and visibility was reduced to maybe a tenth of a mile...

A motorist in Helsingborg has been ordered to pay back over a quarter of a million kronor in disability benefits after claiming to be blind for a period of ten years. The person in question was caught driving a car on three separate occasions while at the same time receiving benefits totalling 268,000 kronor ($38,500). The Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) explained its decision to request reimbursement in a letter to the individual concerned: "While investigating your case in the autumn of 2006, we received information suggesting that you cannot be considered sightless.

Thousands of Washington children will be forced back into car and booster seats next month when a change to state law takes effect. On June 1, children will have to stay in the safety seats until they are at least 8 years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall. Violators face a $112 ticket. About half of all children between 6 to 8 years old will be affected by the change, according to safety advocates. "It's going to be a big challenge for those kids who have been out of the booster seat to get back," said Shawneri Guzman...

Mayor Proposes a Fee for Driving Into Manhattan Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg laid out a series of Earth Day proposals on Sunday at the American Museum of Natural History. By MARIA NEWMAN Published: April 22, 2007 Saying that he would not spend his final term in office “pretending that all is fine,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg made a series of Earth Day proposals this afternoon to improve the environment of New York City, including charging a new congestion fee to drivers who come into parts of Manhattan during peak hours during weekdays. The $8 congestion fee was one of 127...

NEW YORK April 20 (UPI) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday he is considering a plan to reduce traffic by charging a fee to drive in the city's central business districts. "Using economics to influence public behavior is something this country is built on -- it's called capitalism," Bloomberg said. His "congestion pricing" plan, modeled after a similar plan in London, would charge motorists at much as $8 to drive in key business areas, The New York Post reported. Taxicabs would be exempt. The plan would need state approval. Bloomberg did not say Friday how the tariff would...

For years people have debated whether violence in video games is responsible for children engaging in violent behavior. But a study recently published by the American Psychological Association showed that people who play car racing video games are more likely to become reckless drivers and get into accidents. The study was conducted by researchers in Germany and involved questioning about 198 men and women about whether they play car racing video games frequently, according to Reuters. The article said the researchers then studied 68 of the men and found that even if they played one racing game, they were more...

House OKs driving plan for illegal immigrants SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Bill Ketron has a warning for Illinois lawmakers: Be careful about letting illegal immigrants drive. The Tennessee state senator sponsored that state’s 2004 law to create special driving “certificates” for illegal immigrants – an idea being considered in Illinois. Now the program has been suspended, and Ketron is sponsoring legislation to kill it entirely. People used forged documents to obtain the certificates, he said, and some came from other states to fraudulently get certificates then go home and exchange them for regular licenses. “It’s been a disaster,” the Murfreesboro Republican...

CLIFTON — The allegedly drunk driver of an SUV made an obscene gesture at Colorado State Patrol troopers as they tried to stop him on Interstate 70 moments before he plowed at 120 mph into the back of a passenger car and killed two college students, authorities said today. Patrick Strawmatt, 42, a former officer with the Lafayette police department, was jailed for investigation of vehicular homicide and DUI. He had to be extricated from the wreckage and during the process, "He resisted and attempted to spit on" firefighters, patrol Trooper Ron Greasley said. Jennifer Kois of Brighton and Jacob...

Are an "Auto-Bahner" or an "Auto-Matic"? Allstate Insurance Co. sponsored a study of 2,500 automobile owners and came up with five distinct driving personalities. If driving itself does not really excite you, but the car that you drive does, you are probably like 23 percent of those surveyed who were dubbed "Auto-Matics." Auto-Matics, while generally safe and confident drivers, also have been guilty of speeding on occasion. Auto-Matics are likely to feel that the car that they drive is "distinctly styled," "attention-getting," "trendy" and "extravagant." The next most common driving personality, representing 21 percent of the drivers surveyed, were the...

A proposed ban on the use of cell phones while driving bit the dust in a House of Delegates committee late last month. Good riddance. While well-intentioned, it's a misguided sledgehammer approach. [snip] To defend that freedom, there are some simple practices cell phone users can follow: • Keep it short. • Don't dial anything longer than 911 while in motion. • For incoming calls, keep the phone where you can reach it easily, without fumbling. • Except in a dire emergency, don't pull to the shoulder of a closed-access highway to make a call. • Move to the right...

AUGUSTA - A trucker who had a lengthy record of driving offenses before causing a fatal crash on the Maine Turnpike has lost his driver’s license for good, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced Wednesday. The state was able to permanently revoke Scott Hewitt’s license because of a finding by investigators that Hewitt was under the influence of marijuana when his tractor-trailer crushed a car on the toll highway in July 2005, Dunlap said. Hewitt, 34, of Caribou, pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter in the crash, which caused the death of Tina Turcotte, 40, of Scarborough. "The death caused...

A controversial new bill would slap smokers with a fine if they light up in cars with kids, an incendiary idea that’s outraged puffers and civil libertarians while gaining speed nationwide. “They are going to come into your home next,” said Gary Nolan, national spokesman for The Smokers Club, Inc. “Will we have the food police issuing tickets if your child’s (weight) is out of wack and you are heading into a Burger King?” Added Dr. Michael Siegel, a Boston University tobacco policy analyst: “This is a disrespect for parental autonomy. We allow parents to let their children play hockey...

Sunday, February 25, 2007I yield to no man in my devotion to multitasking or my aversion to government poking its nanny-state snout into my business, OK? So if I could do something to keep the butt-inski state out of my life, I'd be right there -- especially if I could accomplish another task or two at the same time. But this conservative favors the proposed ban now before the Legislature on using cell phones while driving. I have come to understand the wisdom in Petrula Betsis' definition of multitasking: "screwing up a lot of things all at once." Silly me,...

PHOENIX — People who insist on drinking before they turn 21 could end up walking. Legislation awaiting a House vote would automatically suspend the licenses of minors who are found guilty of possession of alcohol. A first offense would mean 90 days without driving privileges; subsequent violations would require suspension for at least six months — and possibly up to two years. And that's just for having alcohol anywhere. Minors who have been drinking and driving already face a mandatory two-year license loss. Current laws on minors in possession of alcohol cover only those younger than 18. The law allows,...

SANTA FE New Mexico is taking its fight against drunken driving to men's restrooms around the state. The state has ordered 500 talking urinal cakes that will deliver a recorded anti-D-W-I message to bar and restaurant patrons who make one last pit stop before getting behind the wheel. The top of the devices feature the state D-W-I slogan -- "You drink, you drive, you lose." Some Albuquerque bars installed the devices this week. And the state Transportation Department plans to distribute them to Santa Fe bars and restaurants as well as establishments in Farmington, Gallup and Las Cruces. The state...

Scott L. Hanson, 46, a member of the Ridgefield city council, was arrested for drunk driving and hit and run on Dec. 7 at the Ridgefield junction at I-5. A bulletin from the State Patrol said that Hanson was seen by a state commercial vehicle officer at about 4:47 p.m. going past him at a “high rate of speed” on northbound I-205 in the area of NE 134th St. After that, three other citizen reports of Hanson driving erratically on I-5 northbound were called in to dispatch just before Hanson allegedly collided with two other vehicles... Hanson reportedly veered to...

Put down the flute and keep your eyes on the road. And forget about sipping that cup of coffee on the way to work, or smoking a cigarette on the way home. In some states, it could soon be illegal _ if it isn't already. Emboldened by the passage of cell phone bans for drivers in some communities, states are turning their attention to other things that drive motorists to distraction. Vermont lawmakers are considering a measure that would ban eating, drinking, smoking, reading, writing, personal grooming, playing an instrument, "interacting with pets or cargo," talking on a cell phone...

Road warrior specials BY DAVE BARRY (This classic Dave Barry column was originally published Dec. 1, 1996.) Here's the problem: If you stop 100 people at random and ask them to evaluate their driving ability, every single one will say, ``above average.'' It is a scientific fact that all drivers, including those who are going the wrong way on interstate highways, believe they are above average. Obviously, this is impossible: Some drivers have to be below average. Not me, of course. I am currently ranked fourth among the top drivers in world history, between Mario Andretti and Spartacus. But there...

Steven K. Vanbrunt refused a breath test on Oct. 20 after a police officer pulled him over. Many drivers blow into a Breathalyzer rather than risk automatic revocation of their license. But Vanbrunt, 48, had nothing left to lose. Classified as a habitual offender whose driver's license had been revoked, Vanbrunt was not even supposed to be behind the wheel that night. But there he was in his 1987 Ford F-150, driving so erratically in Cascade Park that two drivers reported him to 911. Vancouver police Officer Stephen Capellas took note of Vanbrunt's bloodshot eyes, flushed face and how he...

For all the nonsense about the love affair between Americans and their cars, people seem to spend a whole lot of time and effort to avoid climbing into a car. Super Stop & Shop's Peapod provides home delivery of groceries. That eliminates one's weekly trip to the grocery store. Get the grocery list online, pick the items, and the food appears in the insulated box outside your house. People can go to Match, Jdate, EHarmony and Match.com to start dating without even heading to a bar. What happened to joining the ski club? What happened to taking night classes? Tennis,...

MADD's new strategy against drunk driving includes efforts to require ignition-locking technology for all convicted drunk drivers and research in advanced vehicle technologies that would unobtrusively prevent drunk driving by locking a car down if a sensor detects an illegal blood alcohol content. Under a broad initiative launched by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), efforts to reduce fatalities caused by drunk drivers might soon include technologies that go well beyond breath sensors to include in-vehicle tissue analysis and hand-eye movement evaluation. While there has been a 40 percent decline in alcohol-related traffic fatalities since MADD was founded in 1980, there...

A pay-as-you drive scheme moved a step closer yesterday with the inclusion of plans for pilot road pricing regulations in the Queen's Speech. The Department for Transport refused to rule out the possibility of motorists with gas-guzzlers paying more than those with more environmentally friendly cars. Regional trials will start in five years and the Government hopes to have a national scheme, with drivers possibly paying up to £1.34 a mile to drive on the busiest roads in rush-hour, in place by the middle of the next decade. The reluctance to rule out differential rates was seen by motoring groups...