Review: Chrysler 300

 

On a recent trip to nova scotia, our family rented a car.

I had asked for a toyota corolla, but we were "upgraded" to the chrysler 300.

I would have rather had the corolla.

The car was a horrible gas guzzler, not especially spacious, and not particularly comfortable.

Sucks.

Old Cadillac

Old Cadillac

Karman ghia

El Camino

Rental van

Old car

Tires

Moss Park ice sculptor

Making a car this time.

Yonge and Dundas

Know your foe, joe / flo.

The real danger on the roads is automotive, regardless of the fact that most drivers are safe an courteous folks.

Many active transportation folks eschew all aspects of car culture. I do. However, it could prove important to be able to identify details about a vehicle that was used as a weapon, for example in a hit-and-run.

All too often the police seem to be willing to do a poor investigation when cars are involved. Not being able to accurately identify vehicles only aids the police to this end. It's not right that this happens, so people in the general public should be able to make more positive identifications. For example, where an automobilophile might be able to make a split-second identification like '97 slate grey Taurus,' someone who didn't know much about cars might only come up with 'dark grey or blue sedan.' It wouldn't carry as much weight.

It's not the most pressing concern in the world, but it's a skill that could prove useful.

A letter to the star

I've been pretty upset with the usage of the term "war on cars." Today I read this opinion in the Star, in an article "Time to stop nutty war on cars":

As I inched my car along Wellesley St. East in morning traffic earlier this week, I watched a lone bicyclist merrily speed by me in his designated bike lane.

For cyclists like him, the recently installed bike lane on Wellesley is a welcome development.

But for fuming motorists like me, the bike lane is an unmitigated disaster because it has narrowed the street, slowing traffic and significantly increasing commuting time. And then there's all the extra pollution caused by having our cars and trucks stuck longer in traffic.

The Wellesley bike lane – used only by that one cyclist as I sat idling in traffic – is just another scrimmage in the rapidly escalating "war on cars" raging these days across Toronto.

This is bullshit! Many have pointed out that the war analogy is offensive; nothing remotely resembling a war is happening in Toronto, least of all traffic-wise. Since they've started using this term, I have noticed that drivers are acting out their frustrations more against cyclists. To me, there seems to be an obvious connection between a group being told that they are at war and an increase in violence from that group.

I sent this letter to the Star:

The phrase "war on cars" is being used frequently in the local media to describe some restrictions on driving. The use of the expression is not only offensively inaccurate, but also dangerous.

This term implies a violence that was not part of this discussion a month ago. Since the term became popular, I've noticed a dramatic increase both in the number and in the severity of incidents of aggressive drivers threatening me with their vehicles.

I used to encounter only one or two aggressive or threatening drivers per week during commutes or other recreational cycling. Now it is more often a daily event. A group of people is repeatedly being told that they are at war; the increase in violence from this group is natural.

Please stop referring to the democratically enacted replanning of a small number of streets and intersections as a war. You are imparting a violence into the discussion that has the potential to harm people.

The image is modified from barn with old car by lapstrake.

Free Parking

The Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman disguised his van as a courier van, then parked wherever he wanted. He was never ticketed.

Maybe this is why the courier companies never took my complaints about their parking in bike lanes seriously.

questioning the power of a logo in public space via

Pig in a Poke

Cars are deleterious in so many ways that it is imperitive that as a society we curb their use. Providing adequate cycling infrastructure is only one small way in which such a positive change can be brought about. Improvements in the pedestrian realm, and regional and inter-regional transit improvements are also important.

It is clear that, while these measures would have a positive impact, more needs to be done to curb automobile use. Cars remain a cheap and convenient way of travelling. Financial disincentives should be applied to motorists, and the resulting funds should be diverted to fund further projects. Usage fees like per mile insurance or road tolls seem attractive to those interested in restructuring the transportation system.

However, there is never the political will to "do the right thing," and there is a reason for this. Any pressure from the government to get people out of cars is met with stiff resistance from the automotive and oil sectors. Large corporations operate within a financial system that sees a shrinking business as a poor investment. Even a modest 1 or 2 percent reduction in car use translates to a 1 or 2 percent reduction in sales, which would be disastrous for car manufacturers and their suppliers. These companies hold considerable political power, both in management, through lobbying, and through labour representatives who speak for large voting blocks.

Crass as it may sound, the current financial crisis provides an opportunity for change. The automotive industry is in a state of flux, and will require significant investment and grants from the government to stay in business (to the tune of billions). Because the government holds more sway than it usually does in this situation, the time to curb automotive use is now.

This could be as simple as allowing one of the big three automakers to fail. If this were to happen, there would be a large production shortfall, accompanied by a weakening of the labour and lobbyist voices. Rather than insure the car companies the government could insure the workers benefits and pensions, and put that money into factories producing environmentally friendly replacements for cars (e.g. trains). Cars companies that stay in business could be given bail-out money on the basis of producing more ecologically sound products (e.g. plug-in hybrids). Doing so would provide employment for the laid off workers.

In the long term, such a plan is definitely worth the short term unpleasantness. To curb aoutomobile use, letting a major automotive manufacturer fail is a small concession. The suffering from this could be minimized with the proper government funding. In the face of peak oil and global warming, there should be no doubt that the ends justify the means.

Car Free Day 2008

Video from today's incredible car free day parade on Queen West. The critical mass ride was smaller than usual, but still a lot of fun. There were lots of newbies.

One Lighted Crazy Man

Critical Mass always starts after dark in December. Fewer people than usual come out, as a large number of cyclists have packed it in for the cold season. Last Friday was relatively warm, and a fairly large crowd came out for the ride (I would guess approximately forty people).

On the way to the ride, I encountered last weeks Worst Car Interaction of the Week. After leaving Big Fat Burrito, I headed up Major (which is a one way street). Running into cars going the wrong way on one way streets is fairly common in the traffic mazes South of the Annex. However, most of these wayward vehicles recognize their mistake and give way to oncoming traffic.

Most certainly don't exceed the speed limit while driving with a headlamp out and not yield to oncoming traffic (on a street narrowed by snowbanks).

Poster

Car Ad in a Gallery

The Edward Day gallery on Queen West seems to have turned itself into a showroom for automobiles. This is poor form for a gallery. They have not only sold away their credibility by displaying the cars, but went so far as having screens playing ads and having marketing materials available.







These are some of the negative comments from the graffiti wall that took the place of a comments booklet. Strangely, most of the comments were either positive, ambiguous, or unrelated.

Air Quality? Not Bloody Likely

So the AQI was at 23 when I got home. Something tells me that they must do these readings a few miles off the end of the Leslie St. Spit. If they had been downtown they would have noticed that the air stank of gas.

I consider driving to be an immoral act in general (see Peak Oil, Global Warming etc), but on days like today it is down right mean.

Bring the Nanny State Noise

I think that left turns for cars should be abolished.

The fuel savings would be astronomical. It is strange to think that going around the block uses less fuel. That probably means going around is faster a lot of the time too.

There should be wide ranging restrictions on the rights that cars are given. I see no reason for the city to offer parking, or allow idling, or allow cars on certain streets. The more that cars are restricted, the less attractive of a transit option that they will be.

I have no problem with the government restricting what cars are allowed to do. I figure if you want freedom, then you should ride a bike or walk. To be the most free, take the TTC.