gdp's Comments

National Motorists Association Blog : Honda MPG Lawsuit: Well, She Won

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:46:38 +0000

In a hybrid, the car company DOES have quite a bit of control over what mileage you get -- much more than in a normal car. The lawsuit was over a recall in which Honda reprogrammed the cars to make their batteries last longer -- which resulted in significantly worse fuel economy, not just for Ms. Peters, but for enough other drivers to warrant a class action suit. The firmware update in question fundamentally changed how the car worked, making it use the batteries less and the engine more than the original programming. That doesn't fall under the YMMV clause. At first, I, too, couldn't believe that Ms. Peters won. Instead of just blowing it off as a short-sighted legal decision, I did research into what the claims were. Lo and behold, I learned that Honda did something dishonest and fraudulent and essentially returned to Ms. Peters a car that was different than the one she had purchased and the one that was tested by the EPA. It's a shame, really. I'm used to seeing high-quality writing on this site. This, however, is just a shoddy editorial piece with no research done into the back story. Please, go back to writing intelligently.

National Motorists Association Blog : What States Are Drivers Most Likely To Be Ticketed In?

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 00:42:11 +0000

You guys must be doing something right, then. Around here, construction slows down traffic to the point where the limit signs aren't even needed most of the day. I remember people rejoicing when we got electronic tolling and the because it meant that stopping every 12 miles to pay was a thing of the past. I much preferred the states that understood what limited access truly meant.

National Motorists Association Blog : What States Are Drivers Most Likely To Be Ticketed In?

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 20:28:07 +0000

Maybe no one gets a ticket there because they can't even reach the speed limit, what with all the tolls and construction and whatnot....

National Motorists Association Blog : California Considering License Plate Ads

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:47:47 +0000

How long until this is hacked? Imagine the black market for on-demand changeable plates--and not just for criminals, either. I wouldn't mind having a plate that changed to "$#!% OFF" if I were being tailgated.

National Motorists Association Blog : Courts Flooded With Ticket Camera Appeals

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:16:13 +0000

If you read the national news stories (in the right-hand column), you'd have read about the ruling that RLC "evidence" is closer to hearsay than anything that a conviction should be based upon. They are like the old snitches that provided "evidence" in criminal investigations before forensics became an accepted field. And hopefully, they'll go the same way and that one day, we'll look back at this with the same incredulity that we look back on what police work was in the 17th century.

National Motorists Association Blog : Guilty in Ohio: Speeding Convictions by the Art of Observation

Wed, 9 Jun 2010 20:58:10 +0000

What this ruling means is that, at least in Ohio, there is NO way to avoid getting a ticket. It won't matter if your speedometer is accurate to +/- 1 mph and that you're doing 2 under according to that gauge. If the cop says you're X mph over, then you're X mph over--even if he knows you weren't speeding. I see this as the end of law enforcement even being able to pretend to be about safety.

National Motorists Association Blog : New Auto Safety Bill Could Triple Cost Of Black Boxes

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 22:54:28 +0000

The question of ownership of the black box data IS why subpoenas are needed. What can be done with it, and under what circumstances it can be done, rests entirely on the answer to that question. If I, as the owner of the vehicle, also own the black box data, then a subpoena (or warrant) is absolutely required to access it. It is testimony (evidence) that can only be surrendered with a valid court order. Supposedly, this court order is the result of a carefully thought out process that weighs the pros and cons of issuing such an order. Other than that, no one else has the right to so much as think about peeking at the data stored in the box. On the other hand, if I, as the owner of the vehicle, do not own the data, then who is it owned by? The car manufacturer? The insurance company? The local police? How will that data be used against me? When (not if) will that happen? Can you even answer these questions? Assuming that tampering with these devices will be illegal, the only way to minimize the possibility of my black box data being used against me is for me to be the owner. Either that, or I don't buy a new car--okay by me, since I've never wanted a new car.

National Motorists Association Blog : Florida Governor Crist, Are You Paying Attention?

Fri, 28 May 2010 21:43:52 +0000

They'll pull out the answer to all of driving's other woes: <Problem> Enforcement Zones. There's police departments that would have no problem funneling all area traffic through two or three enforcement zones. Impose a mandatory jail term on those who don't hang their plates; 90 days is more than enough time behind bars to ruin someone's life. Technically, you don't have to drive through these zones, but don't let the cops catch you turning around to avoid them. And if there's no alternate routes open, you've got no choice. Just playing devil's advocate here.

National Motorists Association Blog : Florida Governor Crist, Are You Paying Attention?

Fri, 28 May 2010 16:34:48 +0000

That would guarantee legal troubles, and they would come a lot quicker than playing camera roulette at red lights. On the other hand, I can see a nice market for stealth anti-camera technologies--or monkey masks....

National Motorists Association Blog : Hot Under The Collar Over HOT Lanes

Fri, 21 May 2010 16:58:13 +0000

You forgot about emissions and noise checks (for motorcycles).

National Motorists Association Blog : Illinois Considering Raising Ticket Prices To Save State Police Jobs

Thu, 20 May 2010 16:45:22 +0000

Also the same theory by which my parents had their credit limit cut because they paid off their mortgage! But that's besides the point... I'd call myself anti-tax, but not because I dislike paying taxes (which I do). I'm anti-tax because of all the tax money that is wasted. Illinois does not have to be in the position that it's in. Our "leaders" could have shown restraint in their spending, but chose not to. They could have saved some of the money that was flowing in when times were good, but chose not to. Every politician at local, state, and federal level is guilty of the same thing. If they weren't, they wouldn't get elected to begin with. That's why I'm anti-tax--because the people who, by force of law, can separate me from my money insist on wasting it. That's how we get to the point Illinois is in right now--with other states soon to follow.

National Motorists Association Blog : Illinois Considering Raising Ticket Prices To Save State Police Jobs

Tue, 18 May 2010 23:25:46 +0000

Sick. Just sick. Illinois has now become this/close to official quotas. The consequences for not writing enough tickets won't be limited to career stagnation. Instead, we'll have a "write X tickets or we won't have enough money to pay you" situation. I'm waiting for someone will be accusing me of not doing my part to fund the state because I don't get tickets--and be able to say it with a straight face!

National Motorists Association Blog : Making Functional Laws Dysfunctional

Wed, 12 May 2010 17:42:52 +0000

Right now, I think that just every state has a budget crisis--of the government's own making. I won't get into sides of the aisle, because everyone who draws his paycheck from tax dollars is responsible for creating this situation. And I have no problems naming cities, counties, states, etc. that have screwed up. The driving public deserves to know if they need to bring extra lube where they're going. As an aside, don't give Chicago Mayor Daley any ideas. Air is the only thing he hasn't taxed yet!

National Motorists Association Blog : Michigan Cities Break The Law To Generate More Speeding Tickets

Wed, 5 May 2010 22:03:47 +0000

Given that Michigan's economy is amongst the worst in this country, I'm impressed that there are any cops in the state who have chosen not to enforce improper laws. That they are willing to give up parts of their paychecks, or even their jobs (one of which will happen), for what is right makes them some of the few who actually deserve the job of law enforcement. Sadly, they will be the first to go in a time when their kind is needed most.

National Motorists Association Blog : 58% Of People Who Fought Traffic Tickets In Washington D.C. Won

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:11:33 +0000

Haven't heard of the "Geico Gun" until now. But now that I have, the commercial with the money watching people makes a whole different sense!

National Motorists Association Blog : 58% Of People Who Fought Traffic Tickets In Washington D.C. Won

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:50:19 +0000

Insurance companies have nothing to gain from people breaking laws and not suffering the consequences, one of which is having to pay increased premiums. Given that some of the most commonly enforced laws are the most poorly conceived ones, there's quite a hefty profit to be made for jacking up the rates of these "unsafe" drivers. That's not to say that the increased premiums are never earned, but rather that $20 bucks extra per month (or whatever it is) for 5 MPH over the limit is obscene.

National Motorists Association Blog : The Return of the Blue Light Special

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:06:24 +0000

I agree that the Polo is a great little car. However, history isn't always kind to award winners: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q1/dishono...

National Motorists Association Blog : The Return of the Blue Light Special

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:31:40 +0000

I wouldn't want to purchase Gen I of some of these cars. Historically, the first release of any complex machine (cars, computers, etc.) have interesting problems just from being new. Over time, the lessons learned from the shortcomings of Gen I get applied to Gen II and beyond. The process has been repeated over and over, and I see no reason why it won't happen here. I'm sure that Tata and Mahindra will eventually find their place, just like Hyundai/Kia has. I'd just rather not be an active part of the growing process.

National Motorists Association Blog : Why Did It Take Nearly 30 Years To Fix A Simple Speed Limit Sign?

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:36:53 +0000

Who here agrees that what Randy100 thinks is irrelevant? A show of hands, please.... In all seriousness now, it's quite possible that 25 MPH is the appropriate speed limit for the stretch of road in question. However, that does not change the fact that the state, NOT the city, was responsible for posting and evaluating the limit. That is what makes the limit improperly posted. Once again, for those whose English comprehension skills are in need of an refinement, the CITY had no authority to set the speed limit on the stretch of road in question. As such, it doesn't matter what the city (or any of us, either) thinks what the speed limit should be. The STATE has the say, and anything posted other than what the STATE says is the proper limit is wrong. End. Of. Story.