Cars were once useful. But now there's just so many of them, that they get in the way of each other. And our way also. And the environment... Once a key to the future, the car is now a menace to it. Freedom has given way to gridlock, pleasure to road rage. Even the best - fastest - car journeys are a guilt trip, now we've learned what carbon ... Read full entry

While there's a certain romance in owning and driving a classic car, the reality of the experience does not always match the dream. Not that I'm trying to deter you or anything. The fact I won't be joining the classic car owners club anytime soon also has nothing to do with me posting this link. In 30 years the automotive landscape has changed dramatically. In a modern driving environment, with ... Read full entry

Residents of the US state of North Carolina have the option to exchange "potentially offensive" license plates bearing the letters WTF, after learning what the initialism generally means. Thanks to some text message-savvy grandchildren, North Carolina drivers whose license plates have the potentially offensive "WTF" letter combination can replace the tags for free. What's a bet the "text message-savvy grandchildren" want ... Read full entry

Spot the aggressive driver... Look out for cars adorned with bumper stickers, window decals, and even personalised number plates, which, according to a study by social psychologist William Szlemko, are used to demarcate the driver's "territory" on the road. And it doesn't matter how altruistic in nature the bumper stickers may be... a monster waiting-to-be-unleashed lurks just beneath the surface... It does not seem to matter whether the messages on ... Read full entry

A car security system based on a wireless network could see groups of parked cars looking out for each other, and raising the alarm if one of them is stolen. "Multiple sensors hidden within the car would make it difficult, if not impossible, for a car thief to disable the system in a short period of time," says Hui Song from Frostburg State University, Maryland, US, who designed the ... Read full entry

Study finds that red light cameras cause crashes Does this surprise anyone? Researchers at the University of South Florida found that cameras increased crashes and related injuries because drivers were slamming on their brakes to avoid fines, causing rear-end accidents. They also claim that some red light camera operators in the US have shortened the time that a light flashes orange in an attempt to increase revenue. I've witnessed a number potential ... Read full entry

The Jack Johnson concert, held in Sydney's Centennial Park last Saturday, was judging by the cheering we could hear almost two kilometres away in Randwick, an unqualified success. At least so far as Jack Johnson and his fans were concerned. Not so enthralled were local residents who are apparently growing ever more irate by both the increasing frequency at which outdoor concerts are held in the park, and the ... Read full entry

Engines of Progress: The Great Green Auto Race. Interesting chart posted at Good Magazine which compares the environmental credentials (fuel efficiency, exhaust emissions, etc) of eight car manufacturers in the US. Even as the world's automakers try to outdo each others' environmental claims, their dealerships remain stocked with smoke-spewing internal-combustion engines. Marketing and research, it seems, are pointing toward a gas-free automotive future, but inventory remains mired in the fossil-fuel ... Read full entry

As I don't own a car (don't really have the on-going need for one at the moment) it often means I am hiring them several times a year. It also means I don't listen to anyone who says "you've seen one car, you've seem them all", because that just isn't so. This weekend I have a Hyundai Accent. It's a nice enough car ... Read full entry