Car 01 (May 08 - Dec 12)

[winston]

Talking & Driving

I hate to say it, but drivers who talk on their cell phones are a danger to themselves and others.

I hate to say it because I'm one of them. If I'm driving and I've got calls to make, I make the calls. And so far (knock wood), I've avoided smashing into things. But other driver/talkers are not so lucky.

According to a statistical analysis from researchers at The George Institute for International Health, drivers who talk on cell phones are four times more likely to have an accident that results in hospitalization than non-talkers.

Four times. Knock wood.

The study also found that the presence of car passengers increases accident risk.

A driver with a single passenger in the car is nearly 60 percent more likely to have an accident than a driver with no passengers

A driver with two or more passengers has twice the risk of an accident

As you might suspect, younger drivers are more easily distracted, and adding passengers and cell phone calls sharply increases their risk.

I'm sharing this information with you because I think it's important to know. But I confess that it's not going to change my calling habits while I drive – although I'll definitely take extra care to focus on my driving while I'm talking.

Meanwhile, keep an eye out for your fellow driver/talkers. They might be negotiating a deal, getting some bad news, or sharing a good joke as they drift into oncoming lanes or cruise past a stop sign.

Jenny Thompson

[winston]

Open the windows after you enter your car

In brief, the above article says: According to research done by a U.C., the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener will emit Benzene, a cancer causing toxin (carcinogen). In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage.

Acceptable Benezene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benezene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benezene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level. The people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxin.

It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver, and is difficult for your body to expel.

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: Have a Celebrity Give You Directions

GPS navigation systems get even the most direction-challenged drivers where they want to go. Now, with two of those systems - TomTom and Garmin - you can get those directions read to you by a celebrity. Users can choose from voices ranging from Mr. T. to Kim Cattrall to Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, and John Cleese.

[winston]

It's Good to Know: Pareidolia and the Auto Industry

Have you ever seen "the man in the moon"? How about clouds shaped like trees or mermaids or bears? When you see vague forms as specific images, you're experiencing a phenomenon known as "pareidolia."

Because people tend to view the front of cars as face-like, researchers are using pareidolia to come up with more appealing designs. Surprisingly, they've found that people seem to prefer cars with angry faces - especially cars that have features associated with power, like the BMW 5 series.

(Source: livescience.com)

[winston]

Living Rich: Take Your Next Sunday Drive in a Ferrari By Suzanne Richardson

Admit it. You've always fantasized about cruising down the freeway in a Lamborghini. Or a Ferrari. Or maybe a Hum-V.

Well, there's no reason you CAN'T do it. And you don't have to shell out six figures for the thrill.

Michael Masterson has never been an advocate of buying fancy new cars. He's always recommended getting your cars slightly used. Since they depreciate so much the instant they leave the lot, buying used is a smart way to get an almost-new vehicle without losing a lot of money.

But there's another option ...

Rent.

According to Prince & Associates (reported in MSN), over half of millionaires surveyed plan to rent luxury goods over the coming year. That includes exotic cars.

Of course, renting a Ferrari every weekend is going to cost a pretty penny. (And there are better things to spend your money on.) But if you want to enjoy an occasional Sunday drive in a Lamborghini or Bentley, renting could be cost-effective.

Where to find your weekend driving machine? Typing "luxury car rentals" into Google yields millions of results. Or you could join an exotic sports car "time share." Club Sportiva, one such program, offers "driving packages" that begin at $3,500 for 12 days a year.

[iam802]

By Singapore standard, $3,500 for 12 days a year is considered cheap. ...and assuming it is one of those Ferrari, Lambo or Bentley etc.

Dirt cheap.

[Niczach]

COE Category A (1600cc and below) Only $2. today

http://www.onemotoring.com.sg/coeDetail.html

[learn2win]

COE Category A (1600cc and below) Only $2. today

http://www.onemotoring.com.sg/coeDetail.html

Wah lau...cannot believe it!

[kennynah]

buy proton saga lah....drive into JBno need worry about people scratching your car or stealing it...

[winston]

THE STRAITS TIMES - Many potential car buyers are finding it difficult to get car loans as financial institutions tighten their lending criteria. One dealer estimated that up to 40 percent of loan applications are rejected compared with around 15 percent before the onset of the financial crisis.