This will come in handy for your next road trip, be it cross country or hammering it out on the morning commute. 

Have you ever wondered what cars were really in the Mel Gibson movie Mad Max?  No?  Okay, maybe I'm the only one.  Well, me and this guy, who took the time to catalogue and research the automobiles that were used in the movie.  I hope you enjoy your foray into the post apocalyptic wastelands!  Remember, Master Blaster run Bartertown! 

 

Keep your blood pressure down, save gas, and be kind to the environment, all by watching this overly obvious video on How to Avoid Traffic Jams. 

 

With the barrage of crummy news coming from the auto industry, lawmakers and the Obama administration are hungry to provide something positive to the American people. Enter the “cash for clunkers” bill, proposed legislation designed to provide an incentive for consumers to buy more fuel-efficient automobiles.

The idea, patterned after European programs, is that the government will provide vouchers for up to $4,500 toward the purchase price of a vehicle that gets at least four MPG better than the car a consumer is trading in. Qualifying consumers in the market for a new vehicle can use the voucher as part of a down payment if they want financing (RoadLoans would accept the voucher as cash down, for example), or to reduce the overall purchase price of the vehicle.

Like most government programs, there is a list of requirements that must be met – both from the consumer and with the vehicles in mind (and there are different rules for cars and trucks), but the concept is certainly interesting. As proposed, there are many positives – a customer with an inefficient, less reliable car gets a new ride, the environment gets a break, and the dealer makes a sale. USA Today has put together an FAQ page about the program that covers consumers’ hot topics concerning the issue.

Of course all this depends on the legislation passing. If the bill is part of proposed law that requires a lot of debate, it could take a while. If it’s “fast-tracked” it could be sooner – possibly by the end of the summer. Either way, if it passes, the program will only be good for one year. When and if it passes, RoadLoans will support the program by accepting the vouchers as part or all of a down payment toward the purchase of a vehicle.

Road trips have an allure about them, at least in my possibly distorted view of things, that put me in the same frame of mind as the snow day.  Snow days and road trips, while existing in this dimension, seem to exist far enough outside of the reality that is my day to day schedule that not only is a break from the norm a fair possibility, but is downright expected!  This is particularly the case with food.  On a snow day (I live in Texas, so they happen twice a year: once when it actually ices over, and another when everyone thinks its going to ice over but because no one wants to work, they shut down the entire state), all bets are off when it comes to any scheduled meals.  We simply fire up the dvd player and eat popcorn, poptarts, and sugar pops all day long.  Road trips are no different.  The temptation for us is to stop every 2-3 hours and let the kids out of the cage to run around, which inevitably includes a small "snack," while at meal times engaging in the favorite American pastime of gorging on fast food.  This is not good.  Of course its a wee bit convenient, but the drawbacks bury any positives deep into the shady truckstop/fast food restaurant trashcan.  Sure the road trip needs to be fun, but that doesn't have to mean being unhealthy the entire way.  Here are two articles with suggestions for eating healthy when on the road.  We actually implemented some of these last summer when we drove cross-country, and not only did we eat better, but we saved some dough in the process.  And when we did plan on stopping at a fast food joint, we were able to treat it like a big event, which went a long way in keeping the kids in line.  Now if we can only work on being healthy on the snow days...

Here are the articles: article 1, article 2

As it turns out, Americans are interested in buying hybrid cars, but environment isn't the main reason why.  In fact, according to this article, "reducing our impact on the environment comes third among reasons why the US should be a leader in hybrid cars (with 64%). First is "reducing the nation's reliance on foreign oil (81%)" and second is "creating jobs (67%)".  This is not surprising.  Americans are pragmatic, and I would say that the idea of "healing Mother Earth" is a bit foreign to most us.  In our way of thinking, if we can immediately see the benefit, then its the right thing to do.  Most don't understand the philosophical underpinnings of environmentalism.  For those who see the environment through moral or ethical lenses, such pragmatism, while maybe not as noble sounding as they might prefer, actually moves the agenda along in some way.  Just not as far and for the same reasons as they want.  Either way the air is cleaner and we increase in peace and prosperity.  Not a bad gig! 

In 2012 Hyundai will be releasing their own version of the Prius, according to this article from Top Gear U.S.A.  The car is at best decent looking, provided that it actually looks like the picture shows (without the streaking lights coming off the back), but it still has that horrid Hybrid design stench...that is really the best way I know how to describe it.  All in all I'm confused as to why carmakers have to make their green vehicles look so outrageous.  Take a look at the Prius and Honda Insight, for example.  Why do they have to look so...so...ridiculous?!?!?!  Is there a necessary connection between the design and the hybrid concept?  If so I stand corrected but I seriously doubt it.  I'm reminded of the cheesy science fiction movie where the filmmakers overdo their prediction of what the future will look like, like on Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure when they visit a future society where the people are floating.  There is nothing about the future that says humans will be floating, and there is nothing about green automobiles that calls for designs that alienate regular folks.  Its sad to say, but most people would rather see a giant hole in the ozone layer than drive the hybrids that are out there.  Car makers need to take note of that. 

In these crazy economic times, its nice to have some help looking for good deals.  Top Gear, UK has put together a nice little feature titled Bargain of the Week, where the latest and greatest new car deals are featured.  

Ian Douglas writes in the Telegraph this article about the Peapod, the latest offering from GEM, a subsidiary of Chrysler.  Just when I thought the Mac/iphone world couldn't get any more bizarre, along comes a car with an iPhone key.  Not keys that look like miniature iPhones.  Not a cute little iPhone keyring.  No, its an actual iPhone that starts the bloomin ignition!  I'm trying to work this out in my mind.  Other than a gratuitous cool factor, what are the practical benefits of this?  Are regular car keys becoming so obtrusive and offputting?  This suspicious attitude was of course was my first reaction upon reading the article, as is usually the case with all new fangledness, because I like to sit in self righteous judgment over new inventions or innovations out of sheer jealousy.  But then I started thinking.  This could be really cool! 

Well, hold on a sec.  Its not a real car, for as Douglas says from the article, "They haven't been crash tested by Ncap so I have no idea how dead you'd be if you hit something, the seats are made of gauze and from the photographs the whole thing has more than just a whiff of Playmobil about it," and elsewhere, "Canada and the USA have refused to allow it on the open roads so it can only be used in gated communities, campuses and the like."  But still.  For me this would be cool because the following could happen:

- I could actually own an iPhone. 
- I could store my phone, car keys and car stereo in my pocket. 
- I could have that arrogant, "why aren't you driving a car that goes 25mph" air about me, putting the SUV drivers (including myself) to open shame.
- I could actually own an iPhone.

And maybe thats it.  Having an iPhone for a key is bizarre enough, but it only makes any kind of sense in the equally bizarre world where souped up golf carts pass as cars.  That, my friends, is a world that I just don't understand, and I'm afraid I never will.  

Man I wish I would have watched this video before driving cross country with a van load of squidlings.  Great tips for those about to launch out this summer.