Cranky Driver – Page 7 – Trying to Make the Driving World a Little Less Annoying

SAULT STE MARIE, MI — Bertha Benz, the wife of Karl Benz, was the first person to take a road trip. Without telling her husband (or the authorities), she took a Patent Motorwagen and drove with her children Eugen and Richard (fifteen and thirteen years old respectively) 66 miles, from Mannheim to Pforzheim. She left at dawn on August 5, 1888 and arrived at her mother’s home at dusk. They returned the next day.

The Manual Transmission Rant

By EMan

On February 10, 2014

In Rants

Listen to a child (or adult) playing with a toy car. Chances are the child will not only make vrooming engine noises, but also shifting noises, with the engine rpms rising and falling rhythmically. That’s because even a child knows that for optimal acceleration, you should shift when the next higher gear produces more torque than the current gear you’re in. It’s innate in all of us.

Grodor, Eater of Tires

By EMan

On February 3, 2014

In Rants

So there I was, driving my family home in my wife’s car. We were just a couple of miles from our house when suddenly this demon-spawned monster sprang from the bowels of Hell itself and devoured the tires from our car, gorging itself on vulcanized rubber, its maw stuffed with steel-belted sinews and its razor-sharp teeth shredding our sidewalls.

2014 Detroit Auto Show

By EMan

On January 18, 2014

In Road Trips and Events

I wrote back in 2007 that the attendance for the Detroit auto show (North American International Auto Show—NAIAS) was down for the fourth consecutive year. The downward trend continued until 2009. Since then, it’s steadily grown again, hitting 795,416 attendees in 2013. That’s close to the all-time record of 808,833 in 2003^[1].

Wheel on the Subaru Goes Round and Round

By EMan

On January 10, 2014

In Random

So there I was, just a mile from my house when I felt the vibrations. After a few seconds, I decided to pull over and see if I had a flat tire. I went around the car, but all four tires seemed normal. As a precaution, I walked around again and checked the lug nuts by hand. As far as I could tell, those were okay, too.

Car Flies Off Bridge

By EMan

On January 8, 2014

In Random

One of my driving nightmares is flying off a bridge. Minnesota’s Department of Transportation (MnDOT) posted this traffic video of exactly that nightmare. It occurred on January 7, 2014 on I-694 in St. Paul. According to MnDOT’s post of the video, the driver walked away without serious injuries.

Snowpocalygeddon

By EMan

On January 5, 2014

In Random

[updated April 15, 2014]

After shoveling snow all day, I don’t want to hear about all the snow in the 1970s and 1980s in Michigan. I came back to Michigan at the end of 2004, and after various snow-pocaly-geddons, four of the winters since then are in the top ten for snowiest winters in Detroit.

Fiat To Take Over Chrysler for $4.35 Billion

By EMan

On January 3, 2014

In Recent News

AUBURN HILLS — At a late holiday fancy pants party at Fiat’s home, it was announced that Fiat was taking Chrysler in. After some time in a government orphanage and debtor’s prison, Chrysler has finally found a home.

“Blimey! I’m so chuffed ter live in a noice ‘ome with a warm fire, guv’nor. Lots of coal makin’ lots of heat. Isn’t it loverly?”

Italian Rubber

By EMan

On December 30, 2013

In Reviews

[see update below]

I’m an idiot. I think I’ve done a good job proving this in the past, but I seem to like driving the point home. My most recent proof was particularly annoying. I damaged my car’s fender and a wheel. Once I remove all of the stupid and embarrassment off my face, I’ll probably write about it. My mistake cost me a significant amount of money, but luckily no one was hurt.

GM Has a New Sheriff in Town

By EMan

On December 13, 2013

In Recent News

General Motors (GM) announced that effective January 2014, Mary Barra will be replacing Dan Akerson as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Motors. Mr. Akerson is stepping down for personal reasons.