More Sunday Travel Funnies

Here’s a travel dilemma for you. After years living on the East Coast you and your spouse are retiring and moving to Arizona, but you have adorable pet cats and wouldn’t dare have them travel cross country in an airliner cargo hold. How do you get to your new home? You could make the 2,400-mile journey by car… but, wait, as life long New Yorkers you don’t have a license. Now what? You do what every other New Yorker does to get around—hail a cab. It’s sounds like a joke, but for Bob and Betty Matas it’s the real deal. … Continue reading →

What Car Thieves Really Want From Your Vehicle

I’ve written about car theft in previous blogs, but have never touched on the fact that some thieves are just as happy stealing parts of your car as they are driving away with the entire set of wheels. Most of us think that the criminals are after our car stereos and other high tech gear, but according to the American Automobile Association, these days car thieves are after certain parts located underneath your vehicle. Experts from the popular auto club say thieves are after your car’s catalytic converter. You may not know what it looks like, but you would certainly … Continue reading →

Vehicle Airbags + Pregnant Women + Short Adults = DANGER

A few weeks ago I took my car into a service center to get a belt replaced. When an employee for the shop called to say my vehicle was ready to be picked up I automatically asked, “Is everything okay?” He replied dryly, “Your car’s fine, but the mechanic who worked on it was impaled by your steering wheel.” I had to laugh. I knew exactly what he was referring to—-my small stature, and the fact that I drive with my seat smack up to the steering wheel to reach the pedals. I chuckled then, but shortly after that exchange … Continue reading →

High Tech Night Driving

A high tech tool once reserved for the military and law enforcement is now a feature on ordinary cars. So what’s the story behind infrared night-vision? I recently learned that the pricey technology, which aids elderly drivers such as my aunt took years to mass market. About seven years ago Cadillac announced it planned to be the first automaker to install infrared night-vision scopes on its vehicles. But, the desire to incorporate the technology began long before that. In fact, Raytheon, a leading military high-tech supplier, had been working with General Motors since the mid-1980s. In the 1990s Cadillac took … Continue reading →

Women and Cars

In a previous blog I shared a recent experience I had with a rental car in Hawaii. I am not a car expert. In fact, I have never attempted to purchase a car without a male companion (either a boyfriend or brother) at my side. Perhaps, I am dealing with the irrational fear of being “taken for a ride” by a male salesperson, regardless I make a general rule never to walk on a car lot without a guy present. The ironic part about this practice is I am more informed about the car I am interested in purchasing than … Continue reading →

How Safe Are America’s Highways?

Blowing snow and icy roads wrecked thousands of couples’ plans for romantic dinners last night. Law enforcement officers reported thousands of accidents on highways stretching from the Midwest to the Northeast yesterday. The Ohio State Highway Patrol alone handled more than 1,200 calls involving weather-related accidents. Sounds bad, and it is (I’ve had my share of weather-related incidents), but believe it or not, according to a new report, sunny skies and open freeways are more common conditions for fatal traffic accidents than snow and ice covered roads. The new driving study, conducted by Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for the Study … Continue reading →

How To Check Your Email While Driving

Have you ever pulled up next to a car at a red light just in time to see the driver lean over to the passengers seat and whack out a few lines on his laptop? I’ve seen it done many times (and I’m not counting the times that the person I witnessed doing so was related to me) and it never fails to make my heart skip a beat. Bottom line: Drivers who don’t keep their eyes on the road make me nervous. Which is why I was very interested in the news that new technology being unveiled at this … Continue reading →

A Car (Trip) To Remember

When we travel to Hawaii we typically don’t rent a car (mainly because we are visiting family and they allow us to use their vehicles). But, during our last trip I ended up renting a car for a few days so I could take my daughter on a few overnight trips to the other side of the island. I reserved an “economy” car and received a 2007 Dodge Caliber. Let me begin by saying that I am not in the market for a new car (not to say that I couldn’t use one, it’s just that it is not currently … Continue reading →

Concept Cars—Are They Too Cool For You?

I’ll never forget the day I caught a ride with my boss to a public appearance. (It happened years ago—prior to getting married and having a family.) He was married, the father of two young children, and had just bought a shiny new black VW Beetle. (You know, the one that barely fits two people, let alone a family of four.) As I squeezed into his new vehicle I was overwhelmed by that new car smell, perhaps, it was the fumes that made me blurt out: “Nice car. But, why would a father of two buy such a small vehicle?” … Continue reading →