Here's one fuel efficient driving tip that I think is really sensible. Plan your trip, whether you are going across town or across the country. Try to combine several errands in one outing, and plan your route to avoid heavy traffic areas, road construction, hilly trerrain, etc. With a little organization, you can group your "town tasks" into fewer trips, saving you time and … [Read more...]
What Is Drive By Wire?
Drive-by-wire is the common name for electronic throttle control. Traditionally, cars' accelerator pedals are connected by cable to the throttle control on the engine. The relevance of DBW is that it takes the guesswork out of "stepping on it," and calculates the appropriate throttle, based on traction, vehicle speed and engine speed. It's called "drive by wire" because the gas … [Read more...]
Control Your Car In A Skid
Driving in winter is NOT a fun thing to do, as many of you will attest to. One danger is skidding. You may be driving at a reasonable speed and being as careful as you can be, but a stray patch of ice just might throw you out of control. YOU may know how to control a skid, but do your (driving) family members know how to handle it? Here is some information that you can … [Read more...]
Driving Safely With Your Mobile Phone
I don’t mean that you can use your mobile phone to drive. You know what I mean by that – a lot of us have become largely dependent on our mobile phones that we are rarely seen without them. When on the road, the mobile phone is not turned off (not that I am proposing this) and is even used by the person behind the wheel. Many states have already imposed bans on this habit … [Read more...]
DON’T Be Tempted To Drink And Drive
Seriously. I know you’re probably scoffing or chuckling at that title, but it’s Christmas and people tend to forget their senses around this time of the year. In the last two weeks, I have had to go to more Christmas parties than I cared to. I did have fun at most of them, but there was one thing that I noticed: people just didn’t care that much when it came to drinking and … [Read more...]