Roundabouts

A roundabout without vehicles

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When traffic engineers plan the roads that eventually will accommodate traffic in new developments like this, the plans usually involve intersections with stop signs or signal lights. But the barren site of a future intersection might be an opportunity to consider another option for traffic  management, the modern roundabout. These have been built by the tens of thousands worldwide. The main benefits have been to improve traffic flow and reduce injury crashes by as much as 75 Read more . . .

Cellphone Use Increases In Spite Of Danger

Man driving a truck

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Phoning while driving increases year by year, even as evidence of the risk accumulates.  More drivers than ever are talking on cell phones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that at any time of day 6 percent of drivers on U.S. roads in 2005 were using hand-held phones – double the  rate that was observed 5 years ago. The highest phone use rate in 2005 (10 percent) was among drivers 16 to 24 years old. Read more . . .

Chrysler Airflow

When the discussion turns to the Chrysler Airflow, the sum of the  talk  is normally: early attempt at streamlining that the public didn’t like.Classic car Chrysler AirflowIn others words, nice attempt; call us again when you have a winner.

This thumbnail model considerably under-rates the importance of the Airflow because, despite its commercial failure, Chrysler’s brave  trial  at innovation may well have been the most important vehicle of the 1930’s. Not only did the Airflow lead the way in terms of aerodynamics (or “streamlining” as it was then named), it was the first mass-market car in the world to use the “modern” architecture that has now become the benchmark.

Chrysler was great marketer

The man, Walter P. Chrysler was an American “automobile man.” A promoter with a genius for Read more . . .

Volvo P1800

If you ever wondered why the quintessential Brit hero, The Saint, drove a Volvo, there is a particular reason. Classic car Volvo P1800 redThe  P1800 Volvo he drove, was, at least at first, a British car. It was assembled by Jensen,  the renowned English sports car maker,  after Karmann Ghia lost out on the bidding to build the car. And in one of the most productive marketing moves in the car industry, Volvo decided to capitalize on the British connection by supplying vehicles for the British TV show, “The Saint,” which starred Roger Moore as the slightly shady,  free-lance,  womanizing, good guy. Read more . . .

Volkswagen Beetle

If the history of the Volkswagen Beetle were presented as an imaginary tale, no one would believe it was plausible. Classic car Beetle blackWhat is now the most  famous car the world has ever known suffered so many false starts and survived so much hardship, that it is difficult to imagine a harder road to victory. Yet, somehow, the Volkswagen Beetle not only endured but prospered. Read more . . .