Tag: Automotive

A hot pursuit with . . . ranch dressing???

  I’d love to know the story behind this report from Kansas. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office said a teen was taken into custody early Saturday morning following an incident at the Petro Deli, north of Topeka. Deputies responded to Petrol Deli around 3:30 a.m. When they arrived, they found a 17-year-old naked and under… Continue reading A hot pursuit with . . . ranch dressing???

Ammonia as an engine fuel?

  I was interested to read that a South Korean shipyard has received approval in principle for a large container ship powered by ammonia.  It’s the most recent use of ammonia as a fuel, but far from the only one.  A Chinese shipyard has also received initial approval for such a design.  However, no operational,… Continue reading Ammonia as an engine fuel?

COVID-19 and car sales – a ripple effect?

As regular readers know, I’ve followed vehicle sales as a major bellwether of the country’s economic health for some years.  Not too long ago, the expectation was that used car prices would show a massive decline, thanks to an oversupply of vehicles coming off lease, accompanied by so great an increase in the price of… Continue reading COVID-19 and car sales – a ripple effect?

“Waggle dance” route planning???

I did a double-take when I read this article yesterday. Solving route planning is among the most important problems in the transportation industry. The dilemma is often framed in context of the so-called traveling salesman problem: What is the fastest way for a salesman to make multiple stops in multiple cities? . . . Routific,… Continue reading “Waggle dance” route planning???

The Dragon Lady comes to earth

Courtesy of The Aviationist, here’s a great video of a Lockheed U-2 spy plane (often referred to as the “Dragon Lady”) landing at RAF Fairford in England a few days ago.  It shows the chase car following the aircraft down the runway at about 140 mph, its driver talking to the pilot on radio to… Continue reading The Dragon Lady comes to earth

Car buyers beware! Is this a new dealer trick?

Mr. B describes a most annoying attempt to extort an additional dealer charge when buying a car recently – including what looks like a deliberate attempt to conceal it, and obtain payment by at best underhanded, at worst dishonest means. We haggle a bit, and agree on a price with the business manager. All good. Paperwork… Continue reading Car buyers beware! Is this a new dealer trick?

How do the Italians achieve the “tactical Ferrari” look?

There’s something about Italian designers that I can’t quite put my finger on, but which shows through in almost everything born in that country.  It’s an élan, a visual zeitgeist, a style that’s very distinctive.  One sees it in Ferrari and Lamborghini automobiles, in Piaggio executive aircraft, in Aermacchi jet trainers, and so on. It’s… Continue reading How do the Italians achieve the “tactical Ferrari” look?

A 235-foot trailer, 14 feet wide, weighing 152 tons

A heavy hauling company was recently asked to deliver a mammoth toll bridge gantry in Florida.  It was quite the effort!  Here’s a video of the proceedings. I wonder how many cops and other specialist personnel were involved in that trip, from start to finish?  I’m betting it ran well into double figures – and… Continue reading A 235-foot trailer, 14 feet wide, weighing 152 tons

Burning questions about vehicle safety

Two recent vehicle safety reports caught my eye.  I thought they might interest readers as well. The first concerns water bottles in vehicles. It turns out that if you keep a plastic bottle of water in your car, you need to be very mindful of where you leave it. Anyone who has watched a survival… Continue reading Burning questions about vehicle safety