Celebrities and Their Taste in Vehicles – Their Choices may Surprise You

Celebrities have an affinity for luxury vehicles and many top-name personas have impressive, world-class collections. Some choose to cruise in the Aston Martin Vanquish while others prefer something more rugged like the Ford Bronco. It is fun to examine and ponder some of the more unusual car choices and collections.

Toyota Prius

For instance, Leonardo DiCaprio values the environmentally friendly Toyota Prius and is seen driving it quite often. Given the stature of his finances this choice may seem odd. However, there is nothing wrong with social responsibility even if it is contrary to the status quo. Celebrities and their cars often surprise those that assume flamboyant vehicle choices.

Bugatti Veyron

Simon Cowell sports around town in a $1 million Bugatti Veyron. This impressive machine is two-tone and has sleek features that make for a flashy ride. This X Factor judge knows quality and has not skimped on his transportation. One can view 50 Celebrities and their Cars to get a look at this luxury vehicle and those of other celebrities.

Tango 600

Though George Clooney is an A-list celebrity and has the money to drive whatever he wants, he’s decided to ride in the eco-friendly Tango 600. This electric two seat car is eye-catching to say the least. It makes defensive driving a little difficult given its reduced size. However, it modest features and benefits speak volumes about Clooney’s concern for the environment.

Leno’s Car Obsession

The Bentley Speed Six, Jaguar XK120M and Ariel Atom all have a home in Jay Leno’s collection. He has a variety of high-end luxury sports cars and vintage autos that make most collectors envious. It is fun to image driving down the road in the Stutz Bearcat or any of his exotic roadsters. Celebrity car collections are the stuff dreams are made of.



For the well-to-do, getting from point A to point B in a stylish ride is a must. Celebrities have the funds to travel the roadways in the best auto manufacturers have to offer, and their tastes tend to be exotic in nature. Keep on the lookout for socialites driving extravagant rides.
 By Myimprov.com

A Spooky Halloween Evening

It was a late October night. Rob and Molly were driving down a dark road on their way home from a Halloween celebration at their friends' house in the desolate rural countryside. Normally a beautiful drive during the daylight, nighttime proved to be a bit scarier...

>> Read The Whole Story >>

Car Stars: 5 Memorable Vehicles from the Movies

Automobiles play a big part in our lives. They not only can take us to the movies, the have played a large role in many films. Here is a list of five memorable automobiles that have had a starring role in cinema.

Christine. Stephen King has made a very lucrative career out of creating monsters everywhere. In his 1983 book and movie adaptation “Christine”, King turns his sights on a 1958 red and white Plymouth Fury. Arnie Cunningham buys the decrepit auto from a strange man who seems all too eager to sell the teen the car. Rusty, smoking, and barely running, Arnie begins to lovingly restore the car. Soon, the car begins to come to life in more ways than one. Christine and Arnie develop a relationship only the two of them fully understand and nothing will keep them apart. This includes family, friends and even a group of bullies. The movie proves that there is no Fury like a Plymouth scorned.



The Love Bug. The Love Bug was a 1968 movie that starred Herbie, a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. Once you get past the premise that this Volkswagen is a race-car, it is relatively easy to believe it has a mind of its own. The cinematic adventures that Herbie experiences in the movie include the VW beating up on a Lamborghini, going on a destructive romp of Chinatown and his attempted suicide off of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is a Disney film? Dean Jones, Michelle Lee and Buddy Hackett star in the film along with Herbie, who (spoiler alert!) finishes first AND third in the movies climactic race after splitting in two.



The DeLorean in Back to the Future. Before it became a popular choice for major appliances, stainless steel was the material chosen by John DeLorean for building his innovative but short-lived vehicles of the early 80’s. A 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 with its shiny body and gull-wing doors starred in this sci-fi/comedy with a young Michael J. Fox. Unlike some cars who have had large roles in movies, this DeLorean didn’t have a personality or come to life. All it could do was transport its occupants back and forth in time. An early scene in the 1985 movie features Libyan terrorists long before most of us ever heard about Libyan terrorists. Hmmm. Maybe there was something to that time travel thing.



The Family Truckster in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Producers did nearly the impossible. They took a boxy, Ford LTD station wagon and made it even uglier. The putrid green vehicle not only sported fake wood paneling on its sides, but also on its hood. The front featured four sets of double headlights adding to its gaudy appearance. The car didn’t actually star in the comedy but it played a large role, serving as the Griswolds mode of transportation from their home in Chicago to California’s “Wally World”. The film was also the motion picture debut of Christie Brinkley. Vroom, vroom.



The Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit. A memorable cast of Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason add to the fun of this comedic classic with a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am serving as the Bandit’s vehicle of choice. In it, he races through the South, leading the way for a truck full of beer in an effort to win a bet. It was during the height of the CB (citizens band) radio craze. Makes you wonder how the movie would change if the bandit had a smartphone.



How important are cars in movies? With the exception of Christine, all of the films listed above had multiple sequels. What is your favorite vehicle from a movie?

The Astonishing History of Gas Prices

Have you ever gone to the gas station and felt like you’ve just been held up? You stand there, pumping the gas yourself, watching the numbers click away. Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty dollars…all getting sucked down the throat of your fuel tank in mere minutes.

Pumping gas is kind of like being in an elevator. Nobody talks or makes eye contact. Maybe we are too embarrassed watching each other handing over large pieces of our paychecks in public...voluntarily. Oh, the shame.

It got me thinking about a time when gas was not such a significant part of a family’s budget. If you look back to the early 1970s, gasoline was 35 cents a gallon. THIRTY-FIVE CENTS a gallon! That means a 15 gallon tank could be filled up for a $5 bill and you would still get change. Now, think about this. For less than $5, an attendant would pump the gas for you, check your oil, wash your windshield AND often times would give you a promotional item like a drinking glass, blow up dinosaur or trading stamps. Here's something even crazier. They offered free air for your tires.

What were they thinking?

Today, all we get is a smaller debit card balance and a $2 pack of gum. Of course today’s service stations DO offer fine dining options like roller hot dogs, enchiladas and frozen drinks bigger than your head. What the heck happened? Even as late as 1980, gas averaged just 86 cents a gallon.

A big part of the explanation lies in the embargo of Iran in the early 1980s. While gas stayed below a dollar from 1929 until 1980 (a period of 51 years) it doubled in the four years from 1979 to 1983. I guess we showed them.

To be fair it did go back down slightly in the late 1980’s, but after that, a dollar a gallon gas was just a fond memory. Even the next ten years remained fairly stable, with gas bouncing between about $1.10 to $1.25 per gallon through the nineties.

In the year 2000 gas began its truly meteoric rise. That year it cost an average of $1.51 a gallon and we had already been trained to pump it ourselves. No oil checking, no windshield washing, no free air. The roller dogs had taken over.

Gas in the 2000’s went from $1.51 to $2.79 per gallon. Today, we have now likely seen the last of fuel for under $3 per gallon. We have however, not likely seen the last of roller dogs.

You can review the entire history of gas prices from the government here. We have no resources for the future of roller dogs.

 

A Real Life "Radiator Springs" in North Dakota

In 2006, Disney and Pixar teamed up to release the animated film “Cars”. Essentially created for a younger audience, the film became an instant classic for all ages. Vehicles serve as all the main characters in the story.

The film follows the adventures of young Lightning McQueen, an up and coming race car whose speed on the track is exceeded only by his ego. There is not a lot of defensive driving that goes on in the film, in fact, just the opposite. On his way to the biggest race of his life, a series of events finds him in an off the beaten path little town called Radiator Springs. The town had seen better days, especially since the construction of a highway has all but dried up traffic through the little community. Lightning gets into a bit of trouble in the town, the kind that traffic school won’t resolve, and find himself in a bit of a jam.

In the town Lightning eventually finds humility, a few friends, and discovers that some things are more important that winning. He eventually helps put Radiator Springs back on the map.

There is a real life “Radiator Springs” and a 32-mile stretch of roadway in southwestern North Dakota that reflects a similar tale. It is here, back in 1989 that a local artist named Gary Greff acted on an idea. The interstate highways were siphoning off traffic from rural roads like the one that went through his hometown of Regent, North Dakota. His vision was to give people a reason to travel off of the beaten path. He then began to create “The Enchanted Highway”.

He put his talent together with tons of scrap metal, and began to build giant sculptures along the two-lane roadway that went from Regent to Interstate 94.

In 1991 he put together some telephone poles, augers and barb wire to create a “Tin Family”, with a 45 foot tall dad, a 44 foot tall mom and a 23 foot tall kid.

In 1993 he erected “Teddy Roosevelt Rides Again” using well pipe. Other creations included “Pheasants in the Prairie”, “Deer Crossing”, “Grasshoppers in the Field” and his fabulous “Geese in Flight”. The latter holds the Guinness record as the World’s Largest Scrap Metal Sculpture. It stands at 154 feet long and 110 feet tall, and uses some 80 tons of metal.

  The sculptures have their own pull-off areas to allow for the obligatory family photographs. Greff does the maintenance on the sculptures, and in 2012 the artist opened up his Enchanted Castle motel. There is also a gift shop where, among other things, one can purchase miniature sculptures.

Should you ever head to that part of the country, perhaps to see the Black Hills, Badlands or Mt. Rushmore, you may consider a short side trip on the Enchanted Highway. You may not find Lightning McQueen, Sally, Mater or Doc Hudson there, but you will certainly find some other remarkable creations. 

by My Improv

DWI Arrests are Not Limited to Alcohol or Civilians

Notice that nothing in those three words necessitates driving while drunk. Notice that it's not "Driving a Car While Using Illegal Drugs." It does not say "Civilian Driving While Intoxicated." In short, it doesn't put anybody in the clear. It's a fairly broad law that encompasses every reasonable definition of driving, every reasonable definition of intoxication, and every reasonable definition of driver. A police officer who is driving his tractor while intoxicated with prescription drugs is just as liable as a private citizen driving his Honda after having a few too many beers.

The best way to deal with DWI laws is to never drive while intoxicated. Of course, if you've already had one or two DWI arrests, then it's a little too late for that. You can insist that your DWI was "different" because you were on a scooter and you had only had a few too many codine pills for your sprained foot, but legally, on job applications, on your criminal record, it's not much different from driving a truck while high on illegal drugs.

Unfortunately, traffic school or a defensive driving course will not make your DWI disappear, but it's a little green mark on your record, and after the black mark of a DWI charge, you need every little green mark you can get.

The bottom line on DWI arrests is this: anyone can be arrested and charged with a DWI, not just civilians, any and all forms of intoxication can get you hit with a DWI charge, and recovering from a DWI charge can take a lot of time and effort.

Uncanny Ways Cars Are Like Humans...or Vice-Versa

Have you ever noticed how much the front of an automobile has the elements of a human face? The headlights, the front grill, and hood all add to the facial similarities. On some vehicles the side mirrors can even look like ears. The next time you are on the road, take a look. Some cars look friendly, some look angry and some appear to be aggressive. Some actually look smart, while others look a little dim. I don’t know if it is done by design or not but it can sometimes be uncanny, and maybe even a bit unnerving. Some car owners go so far as to name their vehicles. If that seems crazy, I can’t tell you the number of times I whispered “Come on baby” as I turned the ignition key on a cold morning. Thank goodness there were no cameras around.It got me to thinking about other similarities between vehicles and humans. There are more than you may think! Take a look:

• There are times when we both need to back-up to be able to move forward.
• We both need to have our batteries recharged once in a while.
• Some of us need a good scrubbing.
• We both have belts that sometimes need tightening.
• Some can be fast while others can be, well, a little slow.
• We both have the ability to just cruise along if we choose.
• We both experience the occasional bumps in the road.
• We both can have squeaky wheels that get attention.
• Some certainly stay in better shape than others
• There are days when it can be tough to get started.
• Some of us have really nice bodies while others are a little rusty.
• We can both get on a roll but sometimes it’s smarter to put on the brakes.
• While both of us have back seats, some have ones that are more ample than others.
• Neither of us can operate very well on an empty tank, and sometimes we both get gas.
• The older we get the less likely we are able to run well.
• We both can get jacked up.
• Some of both of them smoke, but when they do, they are likely to have problems.
• Some are loud just to gain attention.
• We can both have short fuses.

The next time you walk through a parking lot, think about the things we have in common with our mechanical friends. We each have our own quirks, personalities and style. The question is, how much does your car reflect you? Anytime someone doesn’t practice defensive driving or speeds too fast, gets a ticket and has pay the price both in fines and sitting at the computer taking online traffic school, it has nothing in common with the vehicle in which the person was driving.  All driving errors are behavioral and can and should be controlled by the driver.

Driving America's Most Interesting Highways Infographic

Driving America’s Most Interesting Highways – An infographic by the team at MyImprov.com

Driving Comics by Improv

Check out funny driving comics @

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Tesla Too Hot to Handle?

The owner of the Tesla S that caught fire last week (video below) probably doesn't need to go to traffic school or back to driving school- but he maybe could use some financial advice.

Most of the online commentary has fretted about the Tesla's batteries - that maybe they are an accident waiting to happen. Not likely. This is the first case of a Tesla going up in smoke - and the batteries it uses are not fundamentally different from the batteries that have been in use in other-brand electric (and hybrid-electric) cars for many years. The hot-selling Toyota Prius, for example, hasn't given anyone the hot foot yet - and it's been on the market for a decade, with hundreds of thousands of them sold.

The Prius - and all other current hybrids (and electric cars) use either nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or lithium-ion batteries. So does the Tesla. They're no more dangerous - as such - than driving around with 15 gallons of highly volatile gasoline sloshing around underneath you. So long as the batteries - and the gasoline tank - are designed properly (and not handled irresponsibly) the risk of a fire is pretty low.

That wasn't the case with Ford's hot battery.

Back in the '90s, Ford built an experimental electric vehicle called the Ecostar. It had a sodium-sulfur battery that had to be maintained at several hundred degrees for proper operation - and to prevent it from becoming a mobile Chernobyl.

Luckily, it was just an experiment.

A failed one.

Now, this Tesla.

I just don't get it. Maybe you do - and can explain it to me.

It costs $70,000 - to start. Yes, I know. It is luxurious. But isn't that kind of beside the point? I thought electric cars were - chiefly - about saving people money. Giving them a way to get around paying through the nose for gas. But if they're paying through the nose for the car... ?

Well, you tell me.

Ah, but it is very quick. True. But only briefly. If you run the Tesla 0-06 at full tilt more than a couple of times - or drive it over 70 MPH for any length of time on the highway - the batteries will also deplete quickly. Then, you're stuck waiting while the car recharges - which takes at least 45 minutes to an hour, if you have access to a special high-voltage charging station. If not, it'll be hours.

Maybe overnight.

So, you've got a really quick car you're more or less forced to drive like a Geo Metro. And you paid $70,000 for it. Maybe you can explain it to me... .

The way I see it, if a person wanted to save money on driving, he'd buy a Prius - and put the $50,000 he just saved (vs. the Tesla) toward gassing it up...

For the next 50 years.

But hey, what do I know... . END

Written by Myimprov

Top Ten Ways Cars are Better Today than they were in the Old Days

If you have ever been to a classic car show, you likely have heard the phrase “they don’t make them like this anymore”. Some have this romantic view of cars from the 50s, 60s and 70s. The fact is however, cars were not built better back then, and they certainly were not built safer. Here are ten ways that cars are better today.

1. Tires. Cars used to routinely have blow-outs and tires would regularly need air. To show you how much better tires have gotten over the years, vehicles used to have full-sized spares in the trunk. As tire technology improved, they were replaced with small “donut” type spares. Today, some vehicles have self-inflating tires and many don’t even include a spare. Now that’s progress!
2. Dashboards. Have you ever seen some of these old metal dashboards? They may have been great to cook eggs on in the summer but safety was not exactly a priority.
3. Fuel Mileage. The fact is most older cars were gas guzzlers. Getting over 20 miles a gallon was the exception, not the rule. Muscle cars of the 70’s were particularly brutal on fuel, getting perhaps 12 miles per gallon. Of course, when gas was 29.9 cents per gallon, mileage wasn’t as big of a concern as it is today.
4. Seats. Plastic vinyl seats used to be common and could be VERY uncomfortable in the heat of the sun. With few exceptions, seats had few contours and stiff bench style seats were common.
5. Windows. Even today’s un-tinted windows keep an interior cooler that the old clear glass ones. Talk about a green-house effect. Plus most of today’s cars have power windows.
6. Infotainment. If your classic car had a radio it was likely just an AM one. Today’s vehicles have USB ports, satellite radios, GPS, internet access and even video players.
7. Rust-Resistance. You see fewer and fewer cars that have rust issues today. In fact, old classified ads in the north would proudly claim a vehicle was a “Florida car”, meaning it was never exposed to road salt, ice and snow.
8. Safety. It is hard to imagine a happy family traveling at 60 miles per hour in some of these older vehicles. Metal dashboards, giant unforgiving steering wheels, and chrome bumpers? No thank you. I’ll take my safety harness, safer bumpers and airbags thank you.
9. Motor Durability. People used to brag about a vehicle that made it to 100,000 miles. With even minimal maintenance, todays vehicles can routinely reach that mark.
10. Size. Many of these older cars were GIANT. They were difficult to steer and taking a driving test in a full size car like that was a real challenge. Most of today’s cars are smaller, can be more easily maneuvered and more are being equipped with a “self-parking” option.

Classic cars may have had more personality and style than today’s cars but to suggest they were “better” is not reality. The next time you hear someone say “they don’t make them like that anymore” you may want to say “thank goodness!”

Written by Myimprov.com

Speed Involved in Most NY Crashes : Results Prove Costly

If you live in the Empire State, you probably know how expensive New York speeding tickets are. New York speeding tickets not only carry stiff fines and fees, but since New York employs a point system it can have other negative effects. It can result in increased auto insurance rates and suspension of your driving privileges.

Are you aware of just how prevalent speed related accidents are? The alarming fact is that excessive speed is involved in most NY crashes. While New York speeding tickets are costly, they pale in comparison to the costs involved with speed related crashes.

Here are some of the facts from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles from 2011.

• There were 28,147 speed related crashes that year involving 43,249 vehicles.
• Amazingly, out of those 28,147 speed related crashes, 58% were single vehicle crashes.
• Of the full total of speed related accidents, 284 involved fatalities.
• In those fatal accidents there were 319 persons killed, 195 of which were speeding drivers.
• Statistics show that 18,843 people were injured in speed related crashes.
• Most speed related crashes occur between 3pm to 6pm.
• Of the 28,147 speed related crashes, 11,934 were investigated by New York State Police, 7,260 were investigated by county police, 3,509 by the New York City Police, and 5,444 from other municipal police departments other than the NYCPD.

Since speed is involved in most NY crashes, you can minimize your chances of being involved by taking two very simple steps.

1. Don’t drive using excessive speed.
2. Practice defensive driving techniques.

Defensive driving teaches you to constantly anticipate another driver’s moves. It prepares you to become aware of what could happen should another person do the unexpected. In short, it teaches you techniques that will help you "watch out for the other guy". Defensive driving may not keep you from getting New York speeding tickets, but it can help you avoid speed related accidents. In some circumstances, taking an online defensive course may mask a speeding violation from your driving record and save you money on your auto insurance. Not even our defensive driving course can prevent you from getting a New York speeding ticket however. That is totally up to you.

Speeding facts show that speeding tickets are big business.

When we get a speeding ticket it is a very personal event. We don’t think about overall speeding facts or statistics. We only think about our particular violation, how unfair it is (or isn’t), and how much it is going to cost us. If you would like to know the facts about speeding and get tips on how to avoid a speed trap, read on.

If misery loves company, speeding facts may make you feel somewhat better if you’ve recently received a ticket for excessive speed.

• In the United States, about 110,000 people are cited every day for speeding.
• Annually, that translates into over 41 million people. Of course some drivers get more than their share.
• Of the total drivers on the road, over 20% will get a speeding ticket in the next year.
• Only 5% of speeding tickets get contested in court.

Speeding is big business. Speeding tickets generate over $6 billion in annual revenues. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) estimates that the economic impact of speeding related crashes is over $40 billion.

Of course all speeding facts aren’t money related. The NHTSA says that in 2011 speeding was at least a factor in approximately 30% of all fatal accidents. In that year almost 10,000 people lost their lives in crashes that were speed related.

How to Avoid Speed Traps

Speeding facts show that the top three states that issue speeding tickets are Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Some tickets are the result of “speed traps”. Speed traps are areas where the speed limit suddenly is reduced for a relatively short period for no apparent reason. If you want to know how to avoid a speed trap, we have some tips for you.

• There are a variety of apps that compile speed trap information. One such app is Trapster. Trapster compiles information from users throughout the world and there are plenty of them…over 20 million in fact. The app will warn you if you are traveling in an area known for one of its nearly 7 million reported speed traps.
• A website from the National Association of Motorists called Speed Trap compiles information from users and posts it for the public. If you don’t have a smartphone, this can be a useful tool.
• Make use of a radar detector if they are legal in your state.
• Be aware that many speed traps are set up at the bottom of hills, around blind corners and in residential areas.

Of course one of the most obvious speeding facts is that you should simply not speed. We encourage you to obey all traffic laws. If however, you do manage to get a speeding ticket, taking a defensive driving course may help.

The facts indicate that speeding costs a lot of money and costs a lot of lives. It is not something to take likely.

Which Gender is the Worse Driver. Infographics.

Which Gender is the Worse Driver, Men or Women? An infographic by the team at MyImprov.com

Real Excuses People Have Given to Police When Stopped

There is no question the heart starts pounding faster when we see those flashing lights in our rearview mirrors when driving. Even we if haven’t done anything wrong, there is still a big sense of relief when a police car passes us with his lights on, apparently in search of bigger prey. If you do get stopped it might be helpful to know that any veteran officer will likely have your excuse for speeding before.

Here are some of the real excuses people have given for speeding. Let’s start in the U.K. where folks have an extraordinary sense of humor. With props to the Daily Mail, here are some excuses from U.K. drivers.

One British driver told police “I was trying to get away from the cops”. Perhaps honesty is not the best policy.

Another male driver said he was speeding “To try and scare my wife into shutting up.” His wife probably got the last laugh.

Yet another driver with a dog in his vehicle attempted to get out of a citation by stating the dog was a police dog. Then he changed his story to say it was a retired police dog. Ultimately he admitted it was just a dog. He was obviously barking up the wrong tree.

Bathroom emergencies are a common excuse for those attempting to get out of a ticket no matter where you drive. The Lincoln Nebraska Journal Star had asked their local police to share most used excuses and some form of bodily malfunction seemed to top the list.

Another excuse given was that the driver had just purchased new boots that were “heavier” than the driver thought. Yet another driver said his speeding was due to road rage and that he was “trying to get away from the other driver.” Some felt privileged by their familiarity with the area by stating “I always go this speed down this street.” One Lincoln driver said they were in a hurry to give blood at a blood bank. The irony is obvious.

If you are courteous and respectful and explain your situation truthfully you may have a better chance at reducing your infraction than if you are resentful, argumentative or if you get too creative. If you get stopped you are best served by rolling down your driver’s side window, placing your hands on the steering wheel (where the officer can see them), and listening to what the officer has to say. Take a breath and realize a ticket is far better than an accident that the officer may have stopped you from getting involved in.

Depending on where you live, a traffic ticket could be minimized by attending online traffic school or defensive driving course.