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The Case of Sudden Unintended Acceleration Among SUVs

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Nobody wants to get hurt while driving his or her vehicle much more get involved in a road accident. But accidents do happen the reason why drivers must be responsible enough to develop the right driving habits and observe traffic laws at all times.

While negligence is often the cause of road mishaps, the vehicle itself can cause problems. One of the most recent issues that plagued sports utility vehicles (SUVs), particularly in the Philippines, is the sudden unintended acceleration or SUA. Specifically, this problem pertains to the unexpected and uncontrolled acceleration of a vehicle with an apparent loss of braking effectiveness. Possibles causes include mechanical or electrical problems, driver error or a combination of these two. [Read more…]

AB 51 Is Not Favorable to Motorcyclists

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The California State Legislature has made amendments to the state’s Vehicle Code regarding the rights of motorcyclists. If passed, the Assembly Bill (AB 51) will endanger Californiaís bikers and certainly shatter the state’s standing as one of the best places to ride a motorbike. [Read more…]

Gandalf the Vulture No Longer a Threat

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Pilots flying in Scotland last week were treated to a novel warning from air controllers: watch out for a high flying vulture (high flying being a literal description).  Gandalf, a Ruppell’s Vulture “escaped” during an airshow called World of Wings.  The show was being held in Cumbernauld, which is near Glasgow, when Gandalf supposedly caught a warm thermal.  This propelled her high up into the skies, and she was not seen again – for a while.

The “loss” of Gandalf, who has been with World of Wings for six years, prompted civil aviation authorities to warn pilots.  Gandalf is originally from the African continent and has a wingspan of three meters.  This gives the bird lots of flying power.  Believe it or not, this kind of bird can actually fly up to 30,000 feet!  Indeed, this capacity makes the bird a potential threat to airplanes in flight.

There have been many incidents in the past of aircraft colliding with birds.  In many cases, these collisions have caused pilots to opt for an emergency landing.  Remember the commercial airplane that had to land on the Hudson River?

To make things worse, Gandalf’s kind can fly for very long distances, making it difficult to predict where he would end up.  The good news is that the bird has finally been found – at a Falkirk brickworks, interestingly enough.  Experts were worried that the bird might reach as far as the European continent, but their fears were alleviated when Gandalf was spotted.

So if you’re flying anywhere near the area – you’re safe from show vultures now. 😉

Photo credit: Birdfinders

Bad Driving: Blame It On DNA

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dna_rgbDon’t you just hate it when other people on the road drive so badly? I am so bad at parking but I pretty much do a good job while on the road. Still, I haven’t driven in the longest time because of a traumatic “pulling out of the parking lot” experience years ago.

Anyhow, the next time that you find yourself on the brink of being a victim to road rage, bear this in mind: bad driving may be a result of the genetic make up of a person!

No, I am not pulling your leg. A team of researchers from the University of California Irvine conducted a study and found out that there is this gene variant present in people who drive badly as compared to the average person. They made people take a driving test, and those who had the gene variant performed 20% worse! The gene has something to do with proteins affecting memory, which is perhaps why bad drivers “forget” even the most basic of the road rules that everyone should know.

One shortcoming of the study is the fact that the researchers did not look any further than the driving test they used. For example, they did not take a look at other aspects such as car crashes. Also, the results are pretty much inconclusive – another example of potentially impractical information? Then again, if they conclusively identify this gene variant as a reason for bad driving, then perhaps something can be done about it in the future.

Photo courtesy of http://www.csb.yale.edu

Keep Safe On The Road With Chili

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Detail view of a pile of chilis

Have you ever experienced going on a long drive and doing your darnedest best to stay awake and alert? We all know that one of the biggest – if not THE biggest – enemies of a motorist is sleep or fatigue. That is why we always hear of safety admonitions to get some rest before driving, and that if you feel tired while on the road, it would be better to stop and nap rather than to push on.

How about an alternative wake up call? In China, the police have found a way to wake their drivers up and keep them safe on the road while at it. This novel wake up technique does not make use of the traditional caffeine jolt. Neither does it involve encouraging motorists to nap and rest. Instead, the police are serving motorists with raw chili.

Yes, raw chili. According to Reuters, the police in the southwestern part of the country (Chongqing region) have made it their mission to keep drivers awake. Their main strategy is to offer loads of raw chili in highway service stations. This is also in keeping with the Chinese belief that people become sleepier during spring.

And what do the drivers have to say about this? Chen Jun, a van driver plying the southwestern route says that “It’s really good to have some hot peppers when you are tired from driving. They make you alert.”

If the chili is as strong as I think it is, then it would certainly keep you alert for hours.

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