As promised earlier, here's the list of free car care clinics, organized near you by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, the Maryland Department of the Environment and Precision Tune Auto Care.

The dates below list Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll and Harford county locations. They're working to schedule two more clinics --- one in Baltimore City, as well as Howard County, said Russ Urlich of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. 

The really good news: "after June 1, motorists may go into any Precision Tune location and request the free Clean Cars for Clean Air check-up," Urlich wrote in an e-mail.

He explains that the clinics are "comprehensive yet non-invasive" --- no more probing than checking with a dipstick.

The first one, held in Halethorpe last month, was rained out, so they hope to see plenty of you out there, he said.

For more info, including other "clean commuting tips", check out www.cleancommute.org.

Continue reading "More free car care clinics" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

This morning as I was driving on Falls Road, a woman in a minivan was riding up on my back bumper close enough that I thought she was about to climb right into my passenger seat. Of course, when I looked at her more closely (gosh, I probably could have whispered in her ear she was so close), she was yapping away on her phone.

It almost made me fully support the measure trying to ban cell phone use while driving.

But then I rememberd that Jonathan Adkins from the Governor's Highway Safety Association e-mailed and said, "These bans are popular with the public, but have little impact on safety. If your readers need a resource as to which states ban cell phones while driving, our website is current."

http://ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html

When I mentioned banning texting, he responded by saying: "We don't support the ban on texting either. Very difficult to enforce. That said, it's common sense that drivers shouldn't be texting and driving."

Ah. But see? He makes such a good point. I think he's convinced me. We shouldn't have to legislate common sense, but we sure do try don't we? (cough cough... trans fats anyone?).

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

(photo by Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

In an earlier post about being frugal, I mentioned my father's refusal to fill his gas tank completely to avoid using up more gas to haul that fuel all over town.

Commenter aeb asked on that post about an opposite strategy --- keeping your tank full to avoid losing your gas to evaporation.

This Real Simple article on saving money also says evaporation is a problem, but because of hot weather, and so recommends parking out of the sun, a tip repeated in this interview on Marketplace.

Little did I know that the kind fellows on Car Talk had addressed these very same questions earlier this year!

An amazing coincidence. So what's the deal?  

Continue reading "Debunking gas saving tips and myths" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

The issue has come before the General Assembly before and failed to pass. My colleague Tim reported yesterday that legislation to ban using a cell phone while driving once again ran into a bump in the road. Members of the  House Environmental Matters Committee raised skepticism about the bill that already cleared the Senate last week.

If passed, the measure would outlaw talking on a hand-held cell phone or text-messaging while driving. It would still allow, however, hands-free devices and speakerphones. Also, if you are penalized $50 for a first-time offense, you can have that waived if you purchase hands-free gear.

Will it pass? It's hard to say since it's got plenty of support and opposition. Keep in mind that other legislation introduced this year that would have banned text-messaging or forbidden school bus drivers from using cell phones has died in committee.

Depending on which side you support, there have been a lot of studies on the subject. Check out this Insurance Information Institute fact sheet. Some say banning talking while driving is good. Some challenge the theory that hands-free cell use is safer. Some found that drivers were far less distracted by cell phones than by other common activities like reaching for items on the seat or glove compartment or even just talking to other passengers. 

Continue reading "Texting and talking while driving: Yay or Nay?" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

“Smalltimore” might be a fitting description for this town, but not when you're trying to get somewhere.

When I was commuting from Mount Vernon to Columbia, sometimes it took half the 30-minute trip just to get to the on-ramp for I-95 south. And my legs work perfectly well, so I feel guilty driving to, say, the Landmark Theatre in Harbor East, or the new Superfresh supermarket at Charles and Saratoga streets. Neither destination is in another zip code, but it seems a little far to carry a gallon of milk.

Kirby Fowler, the executive director of the Downtown Partnership, knows what I'm talking about.

He was walking to a meeting when I spoke to him this afternoon and often has to get together with business and civic leaders around the city. These encounters sometimes come at a cost.

"There are many times where I need to go 15 blocks and I end up paying parking twice that day --- once for my office job and once for my visits," he said.

But the Downtown Partnership, city officials and others are working on a plan for a "downtown circulator" to reduce congestion and to help residents, employees and visitors navigate the bustling neighborhoods around downtown, the boundaries of which are rapidly expanding. 

They've sketched out some tentative service areas, from the Convention Center to Penn Station and from Martin Luther King Boulevard to President Street, as well as connecting Harbor East with Johns Hopkins Hospital. They're thinking about a comfortable, attractive bus running every 10 minutes using hybrid or other "green" technology.

Continue reading "Improve your circulation" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
                    

Have I mentioned that I really, really want one of these?! As a city dweller, I fantasize about getting home late from a night out with friends and not worrying about parking because my car can squeeze into the tiniest of spaces. What a wonderful dream that is. My surburban readers won't be able to relate, but seriously, there's nothing I covet more than designated parking or my own private garage.

With one of these babies, I wouldn't need either! You could just fold the thing up and put it in your pocket they're so small. OK, maybe not. But living in the city, you tend to think a lot about parking spaces.

There is a point to all this blathering. A whole bunch of Smart Cars landed in Baltimore recently! Check 'em out. A bunch more arrived today. We'll have more photos in tomorrow's paper I think.

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Get a load of this Smart car. How cool is that? Even cooler, though, is that Hybrid Technologies takes cars like the MINI Cooper and Chrysler Crossfire, rip out the motor and then replacing it with a powerful electric motor under the hood and a stack of lithium batteries where the gas tank used to be.

I still love my American-made gas guzzler, but I wouldn't mind owning one of these bad boys, too. I'm betting those little Smart cars will fit in spaces anywhere!

Save on gas and park anywhere? You can't beat that. Maybe then I can cross off that other thing I've been wanting for Christmas: a garage.

What? Yea Yea, I have garage-envy. It's murder parking in the city, I tell you.

(Photo courtesy of treehugger.com)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

I wrote a column last Sunday about Earl Arnette and his complaint about the problems he had after purchasing a GMC Acadia. If you missed it, check it out here. Judging by the comments received, you'd think I was some sort of pinko-commie jerk who insulted your mom or something.

(photo courtesy of Motor Trend)

For the record, I didn't take potshots at the Acadia. I didn't blame GM entirely and I'm definitely not getting kickbacks from Japanese auto manufacturers. If I am, those bozos are sending my checks to the wrong place.

With that said, here's what commenter Lee Perry Hall had to say:

Continue reading "GM cheers and jeers" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)