Haymer Drive

Gas prices seem to rise at the blink of an eye. Consumers are feeling the increase in every aspect of their lives. Groceries cost more, commuting costs more and disposable income seems to have vanished completely.

The only thing that is consistent during this time of gasoline crisis is that everyone is pointing a finger. The problem is that they are all pointing in a different direction. The government, the oil companies, the consumers – who is really to blame for the position that our economy is in today?

The real truth is that everyone has a part in the problem. Speculating investors (who only have to put up a small amount of money to do trading) are driving the price of oil up with margin purchases. The government officials and politicians are allowing the speculators to drive prices up and are happy to take their piece of the treasure (through gasoline taxes) and the oil companies are happy to increase the profits for themselves and their investors. The consumers are blindly filling the tank and trying to make it work as best as they possibly can.

As long as the majority is content to live with the situation, nothing will change. If supplies continue to flow then consumers will continue to pay and the cycle will not find an end.

If everyone was willing to compromise a little and take some responsibility then the crisis could be reversed for all the people out there who are hoping for an end to come soon.

My dream car is connected to the road via a laser that allows a computer to direct the path of the car.  Like an airplane, I would be able to set the car on cruise and lay back the seat for the trip.  This is a picture I dreamed up nearly twenty years ago when I was driving back and forth to college.  Now, I see my dreams played out on the big screen and it makes me wonder just how close technology is to http://www.autopartsplace.com/car-technologies.htm.

It is already possible to have cars that will self diagnose, navigate, and even find you a restaurant.  Not too far away are the windshields that can be darkened with a touch of a button, joystick driving, and tires that will morph to fit the terrine.

Not every one is excited about losing control of their driving machines.  Like the Will Smith character in I Robot, some people are worried that the machines can’t be trusted.  It would disconcerting to point the car for the beach and wake up in the desert.  At the same time, it would be nice not to have to worry about falling asleep at the wheel on long trips. 

Machines can do a great number of things more efficiently than human beings.  Even with all the advances to automotive technology, I still don’t think most people are ready to give them the wheel.

Movies show a lot of neat features that are suppose to be in the automobiles of the future.  They’ve shown cars that fill with foam during a crash so that no one gets hurt.  Movies have shown cars that drive themselves.  Some of the ideas portrayed in the movies of yesterday are actually a reality today.  It isn’t the features that depress me.  It is the look of future cars.

I have never been talented at telling one car from another – no matter how distinct the models.  Designers have made it even more difficult for me over the years.  Most all of the cars on the road have the same basic shape and same basic design.  From the look of the future cars that I’ve seen so far, that trend is going to continue.

The “new” cars that catch my attention are the ones that look like old cars.  I want something as distinct as the 1966 Ford Mustang.  My car needs to have a character all its own.

Designers may be concentrated on better performance, better gas mileage, and technical things like that when they develop their cars of tomorrow.  If they want to keep me as a customer, they better create a design that is more than functional.  It needs to stand out in a crowd.

Driving a fuel efficient car is important to our family, but safety tops being green even if it costs more.  Gas alone is a large chunk of our budget because of long commutes.  Even with the money on my mind, I still think that a nice, LARGE, SUV is a better choice for highway travel.  I couldn’t even begin to comprehend traveling on roads with tractor trailers in some of the hybrid cars that look more like fancy dune buggies than actually vehicles.

Just last week, I had to take a trip in the Chevy Metro.  It’s large enough that it will seat four people, but it doesn’t feel very large when you are face to face with the rim of a truck tire going 75 mph.  It feels very small.  Suddenly, gas mileage doesn’t seem all that important. 

I read recently that the automotive industry is working hard to make the energy efficient choices crash test worthy.  The guy that I saw being interviewed made this statement:  “When a little car collides with a big truck then the odds are the truck will win.”  His basic point is that no matter how safe the smaller, more fuel efficient cars might become, they will probably never be as safe as the larger, fuel gobblers.

The automotive industry needs to find a way to combine the safety of the SUV with the fuel efficiency of the hybrids.  The outcome may not be 200 mpg, but if you aren’t around to drive the car does it really matter how far it can go on a gallon of gas?

Cars of the future and cars of the past some times collide in concept or even design.  Sometimes it’s just the retro look that is making a strong comeback.  Other times it is a brilliant idea that was too good for its time that is finally making an appearance in main stream.

A perfect example of a great idea that crashed (literally) before it could even take off was the Dymaxion.  This unique looking automobile managed to get 30 miles per gallon (even back in the 1930’s).  It was aerodynamic and able to take sharp turns because of an unusual steering system (a single, steerable rear wheel). 

Unfortunately, its uniqueness may have been its down fall.  During the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933, one of the prototypes was involved in a fatal accident that was ultimately pinned on the rear steering system.

Rumors still abound about the exact reason the investors pulled out of the automobile set to change the industry.  What ever the reason, it could serve today’s market to take a look at the past’s future car and see what they can learn from its unique and efficient designs.  Sometimes the past has more to offer the future than the present has even begun to imagine.

Cars are expensive.  They can be even more expensive if you have a large family or a long commute.  In our home, the budget for car expenses is second only to the mortgage.  It costs a lot to get us all where we need to be.

Any tips or suggestions for lowering costs are a great benefit.  We tried going with our air conditioning, but only because it was broken.  We live in the southern United States, and no matter what it does to the gas mileage, air conditioning is a must.

I’ve tried to teach my husband that keeping the tank no less than half empty will increase the gas mileage.  He says that would mean stopping for gas every day and he isn’t going to do it.  He won’t take that little hint, so I’m not touching the way he drives.

The one thing I do consistently is not idle the car for long periods.  Not only does is suck up the gas, but it’s really not good for the car.  If I’m going to be awhile, I suggest my husband take the kids for a scenic drive, or else I break down and take everyone inside for the errand.

It is possible to save money on your car expenses by doing small things.   It’s amazing how quick the savings will add up.   If you put the money back, you might be ready to pay cash when it comes time to buy the next car.

It’s hot in Alabama.  Driving around on the asphalt would be completely unbearable (made worse by the complaining kids and nagging spouse).  Texas is just as bad, but I don’t think I would get quite as desperate at the Texas man who rigged his car with a window air conditioning unit.  My pride wouldn’t let me get by with it.  It would be too much like having your broken window covered with a garbage bag and duct tape.

The air on our family car did go out a few weeks ago.  It’s a fairly new vehicle, so the only thing it could be was the Freon – right?  So very wrong.  The mechanic tried to contain his grin when he told me that I needed a new compressor AND that it would cost over $700.

There goes the summer vacation, but since we were going to drive, no air would keep it from being much of a vacation.

I was tempted to grin and bare it for the rest of the summer.  How bad could it get for just two more months?  The next week was paced with 100 degree weather.  Try doing that in a van with no air.  The next morning I had the car at the grinning mechanic’s and he has us ready to go by the end of the day.

Going without air conditioning for that short amount of time makes me wonder how any one could survive without it.  I remember going to Canada a few years back and seeing car lots that advertised “cars with air.”  Is it possible that luxuries become so engrained in our lives that they become necessities? 

My husband has a long commute, so we are always on the look out for a car that will get good gas mileage.  From the first time we ventured onto a car lot, the alternative cars have intrigued him.  The electric car hasn’t gotten even a second look.  It just seems like it would be too much hassle to deal with.  It’s the hybrids that catch his eye.

For a brief moment, we were seriously considering purchasing a new hybrid.  The initial cost would be more, but surely the savings in the long run would make it worth it.  Not being impulse buyers, we decided to sleep on it for a few days (and do some more research).

It was surprising to find out that because of the fairly low gas mileage difference compared to his current compact car (a Chevy Geo).  There was no way the hybrid would ever make up the difference in its additional costs. 

The government must have figured this one out, so they offer a tax break to new hybrid owners - but only for the brand new cars.  If you are trying to be money wise and environmentally friendly, you don’t get a tax break on your used hybrid.

Even with a tax incentive, there is just not enough enticement to bring our family over to the hybrid side.  If the prices find their way down in the future, and if more used models find their way into the market, we might take another look.  For now, we will stick with what we have (and look for a job closer to home).

Finally a green car that is not just energy efficient, but it is out of this world.  If the future of the automobile industry lies in cars that look like this, I think it’s something I can live with now.

For so long, cars were looking all the same.  While the gas mileage may have improved, the character disappeared completely.  Muscle cars of the past were designed to stand out.  Aerodynamics was only considered because of the ability to make the car go even faster.  But the lack of aerodynamics was countered by bigger, stronger, louder engines, instead of stripping the cars of their standout qualities.

Now Toyota is finding a way to combine the muscle character with the modern mileage.  The new hybrid has it all - looks, speed, gas mileage, and even affordability.  Toyota introduced the sleek, sure to be industry defining, FT-HS concept car at the 2007 North American International Car Show. 

This would be the car for our family, without a doubt or hesitation, except that it isn’t a family car.  The two-seater is sports car, 100%.  At least there is hope that if the automotive industry can create something like this, then an affordable hybrid family car (hopefully with some character of its own) can’t be too far behind.

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