The National Motorists Association (NMA) yesterday rated all fifty states based on their friendliness toward the motoring public. By analyzing laws and speed trap patterns, the group measured each state’s dependence on the motoring public as a source of state and local revenue. “It is not exactly a well kept secret that many traffic laws, enforcement practices and traffic courts are more about generating revenue and political posturing than they are about traffic safety,” NMA President Jim Baxter said in a statement. “During holidays, like the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, we’re bombarded with messages about intensified enforcement, ‘click it or ticket,’ and horrendous fines when in fact most vacation-related traffic accidents are caused my inattention, distraction and fatigue. However, these are accident causes that don’t generate much in the way of government revenue, so instead our highways are overrun with unmarked police cars and ticket cameras.” The following were the top-ten worst states from the motorist’s perspective:

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Nathan writes:

I have a 1999 Dodge Stratus. Lately, after I drive and get out of the car, I go around the back of the car and notice my brake lights are still on. They start to turn off with a tap of the brake pedal. After this started occurring more often, I changed the fuses as well as the battery. Unfortunately this problem is still coming back. Any advice?

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High suspense in the bidding for Opel. On Wednesday evening at 6 p.m., the deadline for bids had run out. However, only one bid—by Fiat—was in. But where was Magna? Minutes before the clock struck 6—or 18:00 in Berlin—the German government declared a stay of, well, execution.Then, finally . . .

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Yuasa is a well-known Japanese supplier of batteries. They just started to target the burgeoning market for automotive lithium cells. They commemorated this occasion with an electric car imported from the U.S.—in 1917.
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“Congress already made sure corn ethanol was protected from any scientific assessment of its impact on the environment when it passed the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. Buried in the law are provisions that exempt every gallon of corn ethanol from the requirement to reduce greenhouse gases that all other biofuels have to meet to qualify as a ‘renewable fuel.'” So reporteth Minnesota’s Startribune.com, while ripping hometown pol House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Collin Peterson, a new you-know-what. The paper’s plenty pissed at Petersen’s threat to torpedo Obama’s climate change legislation—unless the EPA gives ethanol a “get out of jail free” card for its tendency to increase global warming. Careful readers will now note the quote that initiated this blog and notice that Petersen’s asking for a free pass that the industry already enjoys. Never mind. Hell hath no fury like a legislator protecting his sponsors.

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RLS1400 recently bought a used Mazda from Ramsey Chrysler Dodge. The sales manager just sent him this e-mail:

Hello, My name is Regis J. Larkin Jr. and I am a sales manager with Ramsey Chrysler Dodge and Jeep. I would like to take the time to tell you why you should buy your next domestic product from us. Contrary to all the negative propaganda in the media let me be the one to assure you we are going nowhere. The fact alone that the PRESIDENT of these UNITED STATES BECAME DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN OUR RESTRUCTURING SHOULD SAY A LOT. THINK ABOUT THAT. THEY ARE SO SURE ABOUT US AND OUR PRODUCT THEY ARE GUARANTEEING OUR LIFE TIME WARRANTIES. Thats pretty aggressive don’t you think. In the coming weeks a lot of smaller dealers will be closing. However RAMSEY CHRYSLER DODGE AND JEEP will be going nowhere. In fact we are in the process of redoing our showroom for your comfort and convenience. During times like these we must stand together AS AMERICANS.

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Automotive News [sub] reports that former Borden Chemical Inc and Duracell International Inc Chairman C. Robert Kidder (interactive relationship map available at Muckety.com) will replace Robert Nardelli as Chrysler’s chairman.

A joint EPA-DOT document (PDF) explaining the updated national CAFE/emissions standards reveals a number of the new loopholes that will help automakers slip under the seemingly high standard. To kick things off, the EPA/DOT remind the reader that new standards were assembled using “the art of the possible.” to wit:

“There is a wide range of technologies available for manufacturers to consider in upgrading vehicles to reduce GHG emissions and improve fuel economy.7 These include improvements to the engines such as use of gasoline direct injection and downsized engines that use turbochargers to provide performance similar to that of larger engines, the use of advanced transmissions, increased use of start-stop technology, improvements in tire performance, reductions in vehicle weight, increased use of hybrid and other advanced technologies, and the initial commercialization of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Although many of these technologies are available today, the emissions reductions and fuel economy improvements under consideration for the proposal would be expected to involve more widespread use of these technologies across the fleet.”

Unless they don’t feel like it, of course. Loopholes are just as important as technology.

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Despite Obama’s clear support for ethanol, refineries continue to drop like flies. UPI reports that four Pacific Ethanol Inc subisdiary refineries have filed bankruptcy documents in Delaware. High corn prices and low fuel prices continue to kill the market for ethanol (such as it is); apparently the evil grocery lobby is still hard at work. Ethanol refiners are reporting around 30 cent per-gallon losses. (Interactive map of ethanol pumps found here.)

GM’s secured bondholders may not be getting the Chrysler treatment, but anyone still holding onto GM stock has another thing coming. US News & World Report has compiled a list of the 30 investors who stand to lose the most from the GM bankruptcy. They’re all big, evil banks and investment firms (California’s public retiree system being the big exception), so don’t expect anyone to shed a tear for them. Unless of course one of them happens to manage your retirement. Meanwhile, GM stock is still going up. Huh?

Chalk up another reason why Chrysler should have been allowed to fail. The New York Times reports that if Chrysler’s restructuring is approved it would allow the automaker to evade liability for injury-causing defects on its vehicles. An Automotive News [sub] write-up of Chrysler’s creditors reveals that the Ad Hoc Committee of Consumer-Victims of Chrysler LLC consists of 150 members seeking an estimated $650 million in damages allegedly caused by Chrysler vehicle defects. Under current reorganization plans, those creditors would be left with no recourse after Fiat assumes “good Chrysler’s” assets.

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Let us begin with this: it is possible to go much faster on North American public roads than the law allows. Much faster. If you are interested in exploring the upper limits of this possibility, read on. If you find this idea morally, legally, ethically or spiritually repugnant; please return to your regularly scheduled bailout coverage. If you’re a member of law enforcement, please consider this a work of fiction.

In theory, I’ve been driving “too fast” on public roads for more than twenty years. In that time, I may have learned a lot about what works and what does not. I will share this hypothetical knowledge—bought and paid for in terror, twisted steel and sleepless nights—with you. Or not.

Longtime TTAC reader dastanley writes:

As a TTAC reader and sometimes blog participant, I have a question about motor oil in our 2008 Hyundai Tucson with the 2.7L V-6. The owner’s manual recommends Quaker State 5W20, 5W30, and 10W30 in that preferential order. Why Quaker State? Is there an engineering/operational reason for that particular brand or is that a marketing deal where Hyundai gets cheaper oil for their new cars off the assembly lines if they recommend Quaker State?

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Toyota’s Prius will extend its domination of the auto design zeitgeist, according to an Automotive News (via Autoweek) interview with Toyota global design chief Wahei Hirai. The third-generation Prius rocks ToMoCo’s latest “free-form geometrics” design language, an “avant-garde, high-tech look that also screams green.” The new Prius has improved its Cd from .26 to .25, with the help of “aero corners” and a reworked grille that shows Toyota’s way forward. “It’s an anti-traditional grille,” says Simon Humphries, general manager for global design. “It’s one step closer to the ultimate goal, which is going grilleless.” The “bolder” presentation of the hood emblem will also find its way onto other Toyotas as well. Which to my way of thinking is no good thing. Where the outgoing Prius was generic looking to the point of becoming iconic, the new model seems almost like a step backwards to the fussy awkwardness of the first-generation Prius. Although much of the visual discord is a matter of proportion, rather than details, news that this new model will influence Toyotas everywhere is reason to give pause. Think about it, man. No one may ever buy a Toyota based on its looks ever again.