Monday, March 8, 2010
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// posted by Chris @ 10:14 0 Comments Links to this post 
Lost your car when you parked?
I don't mean to sound mean, but I had no idea there was even a market for this. Eddie Kim created a dead simple Android app for locating your car. Not when it's stolen mind you - simply for when you forgot where you parked. When you park, you tell the app to remember the current GPS location, then it can guide you back there later on.
I'm baffled by this though. Surely if people can't remember where they parked, then how are they going to remember to tell the app where they parked in the first place? I can drop my car in an airport long-term parking lot (you know the type - miles of asphalt with tens of thousands of cars in it) and walk straight back to it a month later. It's not difficult.
Fair play to Mr Kim for making money off his app - that's a great success story - but equally it's a terrible indictment of the human condition that there's even a need for this app. I suppose it goes hand-in-hand with the general malaise that surrounds driving nowadays. People treat driving as right instead of a privilege so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that they forget where they parked their cars.
Android Car Locator app.
I'm baffled by this though. Surely if people can't remember where they parked, then how are they going to remember to tell the app where they parked in the first place? I can drop my car in an airport long-term parking lot (you know the type - miles of asphalt with tens of thousands of cars in it) and walk straight back to it a month later. It's not difficult.
Fair play to Mr Kim for making money off his app - that's a great success story - but equally it's a terrible indictment of the human condition that there's even a need for this app. I suppose it goes hand-in-hand with the general malaise that surrounds driving nowadays. People treat driving as right instead of a privilege so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that they forget where they parked their cars.
Android Car Locator app.
// posted by Chris @ 08:05 0 Comments Links to this post
Monday, March 1, 2010
Traffic light etiquette
There's a curious affliction that affects some drivers - they slow down when they see a green traffic light. More often than not this means you end up missing the green light because by the time you get there, it's gone red. I know some might argue that they're slowing down in case the light goes red, but that's not really a valid argument. That's like saying that it's OK to start driving through a red light in case it's about to go green. The same people also seem to have a problem when the lights do go red though - they begin to slow down way too early. I had this happen to me a couple of weeks ago. We must have been a good 100m from the lights doing all of 20mph (a dawdler) and they changed to red. Instantly, the brake lights on the car in front came on. Ok I expect people to slow down and stop when they see a red light, but not when they're two blocks away from it traveling at a snail's pace. I wondered if he might have read my blog some months ago where I talked about traffic flowing - about being able to modulate your speed on the approach to a junction but then I remembered that I did not write "jam on the brakes as hard as possible the instant the lights go red".
I think part of the problem is that around here (Utah), a great many people actually drive with their left foot on the brake pedal all the time. It's led to a 'cry wolf' driving situation where a lot of drivers just don't respond to brake lights any more because in a lot of cases they don't mean anything. I've followed people down residential streets and along motorways with their brake lights going on and off at random intervals whilst they weren't slowing down. It's because the brake light switch responds to the slightest pressure on the pedal - the weight of the driver's foot is enough to do it, even though it's not enough to apply the brakes. Now I know from talking to a few drivers who do this that they are under the impression that it makes them a safer driver. Far from it - in fact it makes them one of the most dangerous drivers on the road. They're uncoordinated because they're using two feet, and they create a situation where the traffic behind them is left unable to determine what it is they're trying to do. The brake lights are on but he's accelerating? Once again - learn to drive, and drive predictably. It makes the roads a far safer and less stressful place for the rest of us.
I think part of the problem is that around here (Utah), a great many people actually drive with their left foot on the brake pedal all the time. It's led to a 'cry wolf' driving situation where a lot of drivers just don't respond to brake lights any more because in a lot of cases they don't mean anything. I've followed people down residential streets and along motorways with their brake lights going on and off at random intervals whilst they weren't slowing down. It's because the brake light switch responds to the slightest pressure on the pedal - the weight of the driver's foot is enough to do it, even though it's not enough to apply the brakes. Now I know from talking to a few drivers who do this that they are under the impression that it makes them a safer driver. Far from it - in fact it makes them one of the most dangerous drivers on the road. They're uncoordinated because they're using two feet, and they create a situation where the traffic behind them is left unable to determine what it is they're trying to do. The brake lights are on but he's accelerating? Once again - learn to drive, and drive predictably. It makes the roads a far safer and less stressful place for the rest of us.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Making a bad junction worse
In a conversation with a friend of mine in the UK this week, I was reminded of an issue which plagues the road system over there - traffic lights on roundabouts. Roundabouts (traffic circles to the Americans) are a very clever intersection design that prevents traffic clogs by allowing the traffic to keep flowing (remember my series of driving mantra - traffic is like a flowing river?). Except that in too many cases now, local councils have littered roundabouts with traffic lights. This negates the whole purpose of the roundabout in the first place, and actually makes the whole junction far worse than it would be just to have traffic lights. Why? Because traffic backs up on the roundabout - stopped by the lights - which blocks the entire junction for those trying to get on or off. Worse - when the lights controlling the flow of traffic on to the roundabout are synchronised with those controlling the flow of traffic off, all it does is result in a constantly moving blockage. Nobody ever gets the chance to get on at the non-light-controlled entries because the roundabout is permanently blocked. This in turn results in huge tailbacks and traffic jams on all the roads leading up to the junction. I remember one on my daily commute when I used to live in England. It was in Bracknell at the end of the A329(M). It was a bloody nightmare because it was always blocked. Even on the motorbike it was hard to thread my way through the traffic. Councils need to learn that they need either traffic lights, or a roundabout, not both.
// posted by Chris @ 04:04 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Stop/start engines
One of the current trends in hybrids and fuel efficient cars are stop/start engines. These are engines that stop automatically when you idle for more than a few seconds, then restart when you step on the accelerator. VW pioneered this in the 1990s with one of their Golf models - I can't remember the name - Ecomotion maybe? The problem at the time was the additional stress on the engine and starter motor resulted in much less longevity for those components. Starters failed after 15,000 miles, engines had excessive wear and various other issues cropped up, all related to the constant stopping and starting of the engine. I'm left wondering if it's really worth it. Are the newer generation stop/start systems that much better? What about all the additional complexity that is required? For example when you stop the engine, you can't stop everything else - heated windows, radios, electric components - windscreen wipers and headlights etc. So you need a hugely uprated electrical system and battery (or batteries). Then there's the heater / air conditioner which run off the coolant fluid or a/c compressor respectively. To compensate for stop/start, you'd need electric a/c and electric heating too. Can all the added weight and complexity really be good for the consumer? Is it reliable?
In Hybrids, it's not an issue - they've been designed from the start to have all these systems running on electric-only if the engine is off. But on non hybrid vehicles it does seem like a lot of complexity for not very much return.
In Hybrids, it's not an issue - they've been designed from the start to have all these systems running on electric-only if the engine is off. But on non hybrid vehicles it does seem like a lot of complexity for not very much return.
Monday, February 15, 2010
I liked it so much I bought the company.
Well not quite, but nearly. A while back I reviewed the ScanGauge II in-car computer. It hooks up to the OBD-II port on any post-1996 car and gives you all manner of readouts that your car might not otherwise be able to display. (See the Scangauge II review for more info.)
It's taken a while but I finally caved and bought one of these for myself. The original unit was given away in a competition, but I always regretted that. That being said, I make a point of never keeping any of the demo units I get for review. So a couple of weeks ago I parted with my own cold hard cash and bought my own ScanGauge II. It's been doing hard duty in my Honda Element ever since. I'm really glad I bought it. I've got mine reading out water temperature, instantaneous BHP, average MPG and instantaneous MPG. The MPG readouts are particularly interesting. In the same way that Prius owners unwittingly enter into competitions with themselves to get better gas mileage, I've done the same with the Element. The difference is, of course, the info is available to me now where it wasn't before. I'm proud to say I've added 1mpg to my average because of the ScanGauge II readout. Doesn't sound like much but in my boxy Element, that's a 5% improvement.
If you're a car nerd, or just like geeky, techy things, pop over to the review and decide for yourself if it's worth buying one. I would. And did.
It's taken a while but I finally caved and bought one of these for myself. The original unit was given away in a competition, but I always regretted that. That being said, I make a point of never keeping any of the demo units I get for review. So a couple of weeks ago I parted with my own cold hard cash and bought my own ScanGauge II. It's been doing hard duty in my Honda Element ever since. I'm really glad I bought it. I've got mine reading out water temperature, instantaneous BHP, average MPG and instantaneous MPG. The MPG readouts are particularly interesting. In the same way that Prius owners unwittingly enter into competitions with themselves to get better gas mileage, I've done the same with the Element. The difference is, of course, the info is available to me now where it wasn't before. I'm proud to say I've added 1mpg to my average because of the ScanGauge II readout. Doesn't sound like much but in my boxy Element, that's a 5% improvement.
If you're a car nerd, or just like geeky, techy things, pop over to the review and decide for yourself if it's worth buying one. I would. And did.
// posted by Chris @ 19:23 0 Comments Links to this post
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
A bad year for Toyota
The naysayers have been harking on recently about how the three vehicle recalls for Toyota spell the end for the Japanese manufacturer in America, and how Ford and GM will profit as a result. I doubt it. Have you seen the crap GM are producing? Ford isn't much better and their lot will only improve when the new Focus and Fiesta go on sale.
From Toyota's perspective, rather than letting lawyers and class action suits force them into it, the have (albeit late) acknowledged the problems and done the right thing. The floor mat issue was just silly. The sticky accelerator could be worrisome, but isn't especially dangerous - after all, we all have clutches and neutral positions in the gearbox. The software issue with the brakes on the Prius is more problematic but the scenario where you'd notice it is so remote you could probably own twenty Prius's and never have a hint of a problem.
The real issue here is when transportation ministers go on TV with comments like "if you own a Toyota, don't drive it". The general public seem to need little excuse to panic and reach for the lawyer they have on speed dial as it is. Making a sweeping and clearly false statement like that is known as pouring fuel on the fire. That alone could cause people to stop buying Toyotas and go for other brands. Sadly, that's how knee-jerk the public have become though. If Ford and GM benefit from this, it's not because they have a better product (they clearly don't). It would be because of panicking sheeple acting en-masse.
We need to have a level head here. Is your accelerator pedal sticky or juddery? If you've not noticed and now have to go and consciously go and check, then I guarantee you don't have a problem. Same with the brakes on the Prius - have you had a problem whilst braking on an icy washboard road surface? If you even have to think about an answer, again you're not affected.
Common sense dictates that if you own a Toyota, book it in for the recall, but continue to use it as you always have done in the mean time. If you want to see how this fits into the grand scheme of things, especially compared to the sheer volume of recalls for Ford and GM, check out a vehicle recall list (for example Ohio Lemon Law Recall List).
From Toyota's perspective, rather than letting lawyers and class action suits force them into it, the have (albeit late) acknowledged the problems and done the right thing. The floor mat issue was just silly. The sticky accelerator could be worrisome, but isn't especially dangerous - after all, we all have clutches and neutral positions in the gearbox. The software issue with the brakes on the Prius is more problematic but the scenario where you'd notice it is so remote you could probably own twenty Prius's and never have a hint of a problem.
The real issue here is when transportation ministers go on TV with comments like "if you own a Toyota, don't drive it". The general public seem to need little excuse to panic and reach for the lawyer they have on speed dial as it is. Making a sweeping and clearly false statement like that is known as pouring fuel on the fire. That alone could cause people to stop buying Toyotas and go for other brands. Sadly, that's how knee-jerk the public have become though. If Ford and GM benefit from this, it's not because they have a better product (they clearly don't). It would be because of panicking sheeple acting en-masse.
We need to have a level head here. Is your accelerator pedal sticky or juddery? If you've not noticed and now have to go and consciously go and check, then I guarantee you don't have a problem. Same with the brakes on the Prius - have you had a problem whilst braking on an icy washboard road surface? If you even have to think about an answer, again you're not affected.
Common sense dictates that if you own a Toyota, book it in for the recall, but continue to use it as you always have done in the mean time. If you want to see how this fits into the grand scheme of things, especially compared to the sheer volume of recalls for Ford and GM, check out a vehicle recall list (for example Ohio Lemon Law Recall List).
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