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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.