Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Oklahoma Speed Trap Town Cheats Motorists, Refuses Refunds
Bernice, Oklahoma trustees voted Monday not to refund illegally collected speeding ticket fines. The notorious Northeast speed trap town of just 500 residents was busted last month by the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector for charging up to $545 for a single traffic ticket when it could only legally collect $50.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tennessee: Federal Lawsuit Takes on Automated Justice
A group of motorists have launched a challenge to the Bluff City, Tennessee speed camera program. The class action suit was transferred to the US District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee earlier this month. It alleges that not only is the ticketing automated but the adjudication process is as well.

Monday, May 14, 2012
Federal Courts Split on Forgiving Police Use of GPS Evidence
The US Supreme Court in January laid down the final verdict that police may not install GPS tracking devices on automobiles without the sanction of a warrant signed by an independent magistrate. The issue remains far from settled, however. Two federal district courts last week issued contradictory rulings over whether police could get away with the results of warrantless GPS surveillance conducted prior to the US v. Jones ruling.

Sunday, May 13, 2012
Italy, Poland: Vigilantes Express Displeasure with Automated Enforcement
Vigilantes spraypainted a newly installed speed cameras in Gallarate, Italy this week. Four cameras located along the Viale Lombardia had lens openings carefully covered in blue paint, Varese News reported.

Friday, May 11, 2012
Arizona Governor Sides with Traffic Camera Companies
Governor Jan Brewer (R) on Wednesday vetoed a measure that would have brought Arizona’s definition of an intersection into compliance with federal law. In her veto message, Brewer said it would be too dangerous to adopt the same legal standard implemented across forty-eight other states.

Thursday, May 10, 2012
State, Feds Bust Cops for Faking Overtime Requests
Police officers around the country are being caught fudging citation statistics in order to boost their take-home pay. On Tuesday, the King County, Washington Prosecuting Attorney filed charges against recently retired Lieutenant William B. Gardiner alleging the 25-year veteran lied about his overtime to pad his salary up to $163,000 in 2010.

• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: January 18, 2012
• Everybody Loves (To Destroy) Ticket Cameras
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: December 14, 2011
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: November 16, 2011
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: December 28, 2011

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

I guess everyone gets to that point in life where they start to say, “I remember when… . ” Here’s some from me:

Economy cars were rear-wheel-drive

Today, only a handful of cars — most of them high-end cars — are rear wheel drive. But back in the day — the ’60s, ’70s and into the ’80s — most cars were rear-wheel-drive and that included most economy cars. Pintos, Vegas, Chevettes — even imports like the Datsun B210 and of course, the old Beetle — were burnout-capable (assuming there was a little black ice on the pavement). Vegas — and even Chevettes — were popular as sleeper hot rod projects and bracket racers, because of their RWD layout. Stuff a big V-8 into a Vega (or a V-6 into a Chevette) and you had an M80 on wheels — and for cheap, too. That’s the other thing about RWD econo-cars: Their mechanicals were the essence of simplicity, which made them genuinely economical in a way that modern economy cars aren’t. No CV joints to fuss with. You had a solid beam axle that would outlast the car instead. A pair of shocks — $40 for the pair — instead of $200 for a set of struts. True, you usually only got a gas gauge and a speedometer and a dial-control one speaker AM/FM radio — but you also didn’t get a $300 a month payment for the next five years. I miss that. And being able to spin the rear tires, too.

White-lettered tires

I just put a set of factory-correct raised white letter tires on one of my old bikes. But you never see white lettered tires on cars anymore. They’ve gone the way of whitewall tires. It’s all blackwall now — and so, tires all look just the same. Which is a shame. Tires used to be a signature element of a given car’s look. Anyone who remembers Firestone Wide Ovals or the BF Goodrich Radial TA will know what I mean. The style of the lettering — and the name of the tire itself, boldy called out — added something to the car that’s absent today. Goodyear Wingfoots with the cool checkered flag. The Eagle GT. Even the el-cheapos they used to sell at places like Pep Boys were fun. I remember buying a set of Revenger HP tires for my old Camaro back in the late ’80s. They were the perfect accessory for the primered rear quarter panels and glass pack’d exhaust.

Air shocks

This one’ll take you back. Well, it takes me back. The leaf-sprung muscle cars of the ’60s and ’70s tended to sag in the tail after ten years or so — which was right around the time my generation (Generation X) got their hands on them as their first/high-school cars in the early ’80s. One of the first things many of us did was to go to local auto parts store and buy a set of Gabriel Hi-Jacker air shocks to give the car the proper nose down, ass up attitude. It looked cool — but transferred too much weight onto the already worn-out, overburdened front end while simultaneously unloading the already too-light rear end. Already marginal handling and braking was thereby rendered downright catastrophic in the event of sudden inputs. You learned to drive carefully — and preferably, in straight lines only. The best part, though, was when the air line to the shocks frayed or came loose and they lost air pressure. Instant low-rider! At least, partially. Now, instead of looking down at the pavement, you looked up at the sky. It made for fun times. If you weren’t there, you’ll never know!

Buying a stereo for your car

I guess people still do this — but it’s not as default standard as it once was. This is good — or bad — depending on your point-of-view. For the past two decades at least, factory stereos have been both pretty good and pretty thoroughly integrated into the dashboard. It’s not like it was once, when radios were all more or less shaped the same and interchangeable — which also made them attractive targets for thievery, incidentally. You don’t see much car stereo theft anymore — because most factory stereos only fit the make/model of car they came in — and removing them is no easy thing, even if you could use the thing in another car. Still, I had some good times going to the car stereo place to window shop — and spent some (mostly) enjoyable hours putting in a new rig in my car or a friend’s car. It was a way to customize your machine — and make it something uniquely yours. We’ve lost that — and I miss it.

Affordable gas

My god, it was not all that long ago that one could fill up the 21 gallon tank of a V-8 muscle car for about $25. Which made it feasible for even a high school kid to own a V-8 muscle car. My high school parking lot was filled with SS Chevelles, cruddy but still running GTOs, 289 Hi Po Mustangs and a plethora of Camaros. The richer kids had new Mustangs and Camaros. IROC-Zs and “5.0″ GTs. A part-time, after-school job at McDonalds at the then-minimum wage of about $3.35 an hour was sufficient to keep the motors running. Gas is still cheap today — but thanks to Fed funny money, it takes more dollars to buy. If you use the current price of regular unleaded — about $4 a gallon — as the measure, we’ve been impoverished by more than 50 percent since the mid-1980s. The same 21 gallons of gas now costs about $84 — too rich for most middle-aged wage slaves, let alone a 17-year-old working part time as a fry chef.

We had some good times. Maybe someday, we will again.

Comments?

www.epautos.com

• If We Really Wanted To Save Gas…
• How To Squeeze Every Penny Out Of Your Car
• 11 Gas Saving Tips You May Not Have Thought Of
• Fuel Economy: Here’s What We’re Missing
• Gas Saving Myths And Truths

New Jersey: ACLU wins court order to block new driver’s license rules
The ACLU has won a court order blocking New Jersey’s stricter new driver’s license requirements, putting into limbo plans requiring 6 million drivers to show additional proof of ID before securing a license.

U.S. traffic deaths fall to lowest level in 62 years
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 32,310 people died last year in traffic accidents, the lowest number since 1949.

U.S. Senate transportation bill mandates black box, more rules
US House and Senate negotiators are currently working out differences in the opposing transportation reauthorization bills passed by the respective chambers. In an alert sent to members yesterday, the National Motorists Association raised an alarm over a Senate-endorsed provision mandating the installation of black box recording devices in all automobiles beginning with the 2015 model year.

New York: Police unions, management face off in ad over traffic tickets
It’s a battle between New York City police unions and management. A full page ad in the Daily News reads: “Don’t blame the cop, blame NYPD management for pressure to write tickets and the pressure to convict motorists.”

Illinois: Chicago residential speed limit could change
The speed limit on Chicago’s residential streets could be changed to 20 miles per hour under a new city plan. Also, pedestrians would get three more seconds to cross the street. Those are some measures in a proposal being considered by the Department of Transportation.

Arizona: Governor preserves camera revenue stream by backing non standard intersection definitions
Governor Jan Brewer on Wednesday vetoed a measure that would have brought Arizona’s definition of an intersection into compliance with federal law. In her veto message, Brewer said it would be too dangerous to adopt the same legal standard implemented across forty-eight other states.

Gov’t unsure on who can establish distracted driving laws
Turns out the federal government’s attempts to create enforceable oversight of cell-phone use in vehicles has hit a snag: It seems there isn’t a government agency specifically empowered with the authority to do so. The legislative boundaries of the Federal Communications Commission end at the phone itself, those of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration end at the vehicle itself. Neither is equipped to address how people combine the two while driving.

To see more stories like the ones above, check out our NMA Driving News site. Each weekday we update the site with news stories that are interesting and/or informative for drivers like you.

• Driving News Roundup: May 4, 2012
• Driving News Roundup: August 26, 2011
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: May 9, 2012
• Driving News Roundup: November 11, 2011
• Driving News Roundup: March 9, 2012

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

It’s amazing they haven’t outlawed the Wrangler.

“They” being the dumbing-everything-down busybodies in DC who operate on the principle that most people are too stupid to deal with any situation on their own and therefore must be protected (for their own good, naturally) against the possible repercussions of any low-IQ move by anyone.

Of course, most people aren’t in need of such condescending coddling. But the low-IQ moves of a few people — such as driving an off-road-intended 4×4 at 90 MPH on road on a 90 degree day on bald and under-inflated tires (with the predictable consequences) give them the excuse to micromanage all of us — and ruin everyone’s fun.

The Wrangler has somehow escaped the noose.

It is built like they used to make ‘em: Body-on-frame, solid axles front and rear. There are no compromises imposed on its off-road capabilities in order to idiot-proof the beast for on-road use by people who expect a 4×4 to corner like a Corvette.

It is a vehicle for people who understand what an off-road vehicle is for.

And also, what it is not for.

If you understand the difference, you’ll appreciate the Wrangler. And if you don’t understand, buy something else.

Please.

WHAT IT IS

The Wrangler is an icon — one of the earliest mass-market 4x4s, its roots extending all the way back to the WWII-era Willys Jeep. Though updated through the years, the 2012 model is obvious kin to Jeeps of 40, 50 even 60 years ago. It is also a time machine — its hard-core mechanical essence having survived the years in addition to its familiar exterior cosmetics. The old Ford Bronco is long gone; so also the International Scout. The Land Rover 110 and Defender 90 are memories.

But the Wrangler soldiers on.

It’s available in two and four door versions, with hard or soft-tops. All versions are 4×4. Real 4×4, with a two-speed transfer case and Low range gearing.

Base price for a two-door Sport is $22,045. An Unlimited Rubicon starts at $33,570.

There really isn’t any direct competition, price-wise or otherwise. The Toyota FJ Cruiser is vaguely similar in theme — but it starts at $26,116 and it’s much more street-minded than the Wrangler. The closest thing is probably a Land Rover Defender 90 — but of course, they don’t sell those here anymore.

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2012

A heart transplant. The Wrangler now comes standard — all trims — with Chrysler’s stout 3.6 liter “Pentastar” V-6 and 285 hp. A five-speed automatic (replacing the old four-speed unit) is also available with the new engine.

A six-speed manual remains standard equipment.

WHAT’S GOOD

Old school. No BS. A 4×4, not an “SUV.”

Lawnmower-tight low-speed turning radius in the short-wheelbase two-door.

Massive power infusion from new 3.6 liter V-6 (83 hp more than previous V-6).

WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD

Arguably too much power — and not enough efficiency. A diesel version would be welcome.

Gets pricey quickly. Jeeps are no longer cheap!

UNDER THE HOOD

The ’12 Wrangler — all trims — comes standard with a 285 hp 3.6 liter V-6, the same “Pentastar” engine used in other Chrysler-Jeep models such as the Grand Cherokee.

It’s 83 hp stronger than the previous V-6 — a roughly 30 percent improvement in power output. And the added power doesn’t come at the cost of MPGs. In fact, the new 3.6 engine returns better mileage (17 city, 21 highway for the two-door) than last year’s model with 83 hp less (15 city, 19 highway).

Acceleration is also much improved. With the standard six-speed manual, the Wrangler two-door can get to 60 in about 7 seconds flat — almost three full seconds quicker than last year’s Wrangler.

A new five-speed automatic is optional — replacing the previous four-speed automatic.

All Wranglers come with 4WD (shift-on-the-fly manual engagement) but Rubicon versions get a beefier transfer case with different (lower) gearing for severe off-roading. In addition, this version of the Wrangler is fitted with very aggressive 32-inch M/S-rated knobbies on 17 inch wheels, heavy-duty Dana axles, locking front and rear differentials and a front sway bar that disconnects to allow greater suspension articulation as when rock crawling.

All models feature a snorkel-style air box, with the intake mounted as high up as possible and tucked underneath a deflector to keep water out.

ON THE ROAD

Most new cars are metronomic — they drive almost effortlessly. That is, they demand very little of the person behind the wheel in terms of skill or even attentiveness. So long as it’s pointed in the general direction, it will usually end up there — and if the driver makes a mistake in a typical late model car, the car is usually so inherently stable that unless there’s outright deliberate recklessness involved, it’s pretty hard to get into serious trouble.

The Wrangler is not like this. It isn’t metronomic. It does require you pay attention. And have respect for what it is.

And for what it isn’t.

A short wheelbase (95.4 inches for the two-door, which is about 7 inches shorter than a current-year economy compact sedan’s — and almost 11 inches less than the Toyota FJ Cruiser’s wheelbase of 105.9 inches) helps make the Wrangler highly maneuverable at low speeds. It has a turning radius as tight as a riding lawnmower’s. Off-road, when you’re negotiating narrow trails or making fine adjustments to your position in order to not hit something — or not tumble over the precipice of something — this is just what you want.

The Wrangler is a billy goat — nimble and tenacious.

It is also stubby and narrow — 1.5 inches more svelte in the hips than an FJ Cruiser and more than two feet shorter, nose to tail. This likewise gives the Wrangler more room to work with off-road.

So, what we have here is not unlike a human powerlifter — a focused, no-compromises machine built to do one thing extremely well. The downside, as with the human powerflifter, is that being so focused on one thing means not being as good at some other things (like, say, running a marathon for the human powerlifter).

For the Jeep, it means remembering what you’re driving when you’re driving on paved roads. It is not unstable or tip-prone in the way that an older Jeep CJ was, but it should be driven with prudence in corners and not too fast on the straights — even though the powerful V-6 has more than enough guts to overcome the two-ton curb weight and wind resistance of the near-vertical windshield/box profile with deceptive ease. The short wheelbase/high center of gravity and a suspension/steering system are optimized for fire trails and low-speed crawling and not set up to deal with high-speed cornering or sudden course corrections at 80-plus.

People who know 4x4s know this, of course. And so drive with respect for the Wrangler’s different abilities.

And — so far — the rougher nature of the Wrangler has kept away the know-nothing “SUV” types — the type who would expect an off-road 4×4 to corner like a sports car or even a regular car and then get mad (and probably sue) when they discovered (the hard way) that it didn’t.

The four-door Wrangler has a larger footprint: 116 inch wheelbase and 173.4 inches long overall vs. 152.8 for the two-door. This makes it slightly less adroit off-road — if you’re off-roading in dense woods or similar — but also makes it a bit less darty-feeling on-road.

In either version, you sit bolt upright and high off the ground. You’ll hear the wind outside — and also the bugs splatting hard against the flat glass in front of you. It’s as different and homey and appealing in its own way as a toasty if a little bit smoky wood stove in a camping cabin on a cold winter night.

Not everyone will get this, of course. But if you’re someone who does get it, you’ll love this thing.

AT THE CURB

There’s no mistaking a Wrangler for any other vehicle. The iconic shape is one of the draws. It marks you as someone who knows what he wants — and doesn’t want what most other people do.

Most people want door air bags. The Wrangler has removable doors. Available with plastic windows.

Most people want a completely fitted out, tightly insulated interior. The Wrangler has exposed metal — and a fitted roll bar Velcro-wrapped with padding.

Sure, you can order amenities such as heated seats, climate control and GPS. But this no more dilutes the essential character of the Wrangler than putting an Ultimate Fighter in a two-grand suit.

The beast is still the beast.

The sectional hard top is a big improvement over the old one-piece deal — which almost required a pulley-lift system to remove and once off — what do you do with the thing? The current model’s removable hard top still comes off all the way, too — but you can also remove just the panels over the driver and front-seat passenger, creating a T-top effect. Or, go with the cloth soft-top. It has its pros and cons. On the pro side, it’s easier to handle because it’s lighter and you can fold it/roll it/stuff it into a corner once off. But it’s no easy thing to take off in the first place — or put back on. The hard top, being made of rigid composite panels, is easier to get into place — but it’s heavier and more awkward to manipulate, especially if you’re just one person or not a strong young man.

I recommend you get the salesman to walk you through the removal/installation process of both top types before you decide which to buy. I mean, have him actually show you how it’s done — not just describe how it’s done.

And if you’re new to Jeeps — take an extended test drive. Again, this is not a vehicle for everyone. It might not be for you.

THE REST

The two-door model is the most personal — and least practical. The back seats are there. That’s about the most you can say about them. You literally have to crawl over and around to get back there — consider it a prelude to your off-roading adventure. And because this is a real-deal 4×4 and not an SUV (much less a “crossover,” god help us) there is no theater-style seating. The floor is close — and so will your knees be. If I bought the two-door, I’d just put the back seats in the garage. Less weight and now there’s a good-sized cargo area (61.2 cubic feet vs. a puny 17.2).

Jeep gives you a locking center console, in addition to the locking glovebox — good to have, especially if you’ve got a Wrangler with the soft top or plastic windows. This “easy access” is another attribute that sets the Wrangler apart from anything new or even remotely new that’s not another Jeep. Be aware that even the engine compartment can be opened, ’70s-style, from the outside. Just pull-off the rubber tie-downs on the top of the hood and then pop the catch.

There are also old-school push-button door pulls — and an exposed gas cap!

The one thing I’ll carp about is no diesel engine on the options list.

Diesels, which produce tremendous low-RPM torque, are the ideal powerplants for off-road 4x4s. They’re also extremely durable and most important of all these days, far more fuel-efficient than a gas burner. The new 3.6 V-6 is admirable for producing 83 more hp than the old 3.8 V-6 while returning slightly better fuel economy, but the fact is that 17 city, 21 highway still sucks in a world of $4 a gallon gas. As impressive as the 283 hp Wrangler is, it’d be even more appealing with a 350 lbs.-ft turbo-diesel under its hood. A turbodiesel capable of 30 MPG on the road.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Very few vehicles make you feel so much a part of the driving experience as this one does.

It has a pulse — and it will raise yours.

Comments?

www.epautos.com

• 2012 Jeep Patriot Review
• 2012 Chevy Camaro SS Review
• Car Review: 2011 Dodge Nitro
• 2012 Honda Civic Review
• 2012 Fiat 500 Review

Wednesday, May 09, 2012
US Traffic Fatalities Continue to Decline
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced last week that road fatalities in the United States are continuing their decline at a record-shattering pace. According to preliminary figures, the number killed on the nation’s highways in 2011 per 100 million miles driven has dropped to an all-time low of 1.09, which is a full 25 percent drop from just six years ago. The total number of people who died on US roads last year dropped by the same percentage to 32,310.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012
US Senate Transportation Bill Mandates Black Box, More Rules
US House and Senate negotiators are currently working out differences in the opposing transportation reauthorization bills passed by the respective chambers. In an alert sent to members yesterday, the National Motorists Association (NMA) raised an alarm over a Senate-endorsed provision mandating the installation of black box recording devices in all automobiles beginning with the 2015 model year.

Monday, May 07, 2012
Maryland Court Rules Against Parking Ticket Frisking
Police were wrong to frisk a motorist over a parking infraction, Maryland’s second highest court ruled last month. A three-judge panel considered case of Bruce Wayne Gilmore, who had backed into a parking spot at the 51 Club liquor store in Temple Hills on February 7, 2008.

Sunday, May 06, 2012
Maryland, France, Latvia, Saudi Arabia, UK: Speed Cameras Under Fire
Fifty drivers of speed camera vans in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia went on strike Saturday against the private company that runs the automated ticketing program, according to Dar Al Hayat. Redflex Traffic Systems has had the contract to issue tickets in Riyadh since 2002, but the locals believe the Australian firm has been forcing them to work under dangerous conditions for minimal wages. Employee Saad Hamoud complained that three bullets struck his “Saher” vehicle, but when management asked him about the incident, they only were interested in the extent of the damage to the radar equipment, not how he was affected. Saher employees went on a five-day strike in November over the company’s failure to protect them from angry motorists.

Friday, May 04, 2012
US Transportation Secretary Disavows Cell Phone Story
US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is distancing himself from reports that he called for a federal law banning all cell phone use behind the wheel. The former Illinois congressman was in San Antonio, Texas speaking at a distracted driving summit. According to a widely cited Reuters report, “LaHood called on Thursday for a federal law to ban talking on a cell phone or texting while driving any type of vehicle on any road in the country.” Not so, said a spokesman for the department.

Thursday, May 03, 2012
Texas: Citizen Activists Target Red Light Camera Expenditures
League City, Texas is violating state law governing the use of proceeds from a red light camera program, according to a local activist who filed an official complaint yesterday. Under state law, a municipality may only use its photo ticketing profit to pay for “traffic safety programs.” League City appears to be using the revenue to create a slush fund for the local police department.

• Driving News Roundup: May 4, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: October 5, 2011
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: March 21, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: April 18, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: February 15, 2012

By Gary Biller, NMA President

He sounds like a man with a strong urge to leave a lasting legacy on his way out of the door.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who is planning to step down from that post at the end of the Obama Administration’s first term, recently called for a federal ban on all cell phone use while driving. He has been quoted as saying that the police should have “the opportunity to write tickets when people are foolishly thinking they can drive safely or use a cell phone and text and drive.”

Give the police opportunities to write more tickets? That “let’s teach them a lesson” attitude has never modified driver behavior long-term, or even near-term. Speed traps and red-light cameras keep cranking out tickets. Command-and-control enforcement measures are efficient at collecting money from motorists, but not at effecting beneficial change.

When confronted with the NMA position that all 50 states already have adequate distracted-driving laws in place making it unnecessary and dangerous to single out just one type of distracting behavior, LaHood doubled down. He expressed less concern about specific activities beyond cell phone usage that cause inattentive driving because “not everyone does [those other things].”

Secretary LaHood’s call for a cell phone ban is politically popular. It is also terribly misguided because such absolute restrictions don’t work. Don’t take my word for it. The insurance industry, usually diehard supporters of increased driver restrictions and penalties, is the surprising source of this revelation.

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, issued a study in late 2010 that showed texting bans to be ineffective. Researchers reviewed crash statistics from several months before and several months after texting bans were imposed in four states: California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Washington. Those data were compared to surrounding states that didn’t outlaw texting during the same time periods.

The title of the HLDI news release that announced the study said it all: “Texting bans don’t reduce crashes; effects are slight crash increases.“ This followed another HLDI report that found banning hand-held cell phone use while driving did not reduce vehicular accident rates either.

If government is to play a role reducing dangerous distracted driving, it should concentrate its efforts and resources on education, not redundant legislation or the isolating of specific activities behind the wheel. Fund the use of driving simulators in driver’s education classes. Let novice drivers experience the danger of distracted driving — in any of its forms — in a learning environment that doesn’t put them or others at risk.

That would be a legacy worth leaving.

• Sign Up For The NMA Email Newsletter
• Tell Me A Fairy Tale
• Total Cell Phone Ban Is A Bad Idea
• How To Objectively Identify Unsafe Drivers
• Guilty in Ohio: Speeding Convictions by the Art of Observation

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

Americans’ love affair with the car may be headed for divorce court. The Pew Research Center did a study recently that says the number of people who still enjoy going for a drive has dropped from eight out of ten back in 1990 to just under seven out of ten today. Inescapable traffic — and over-the-top enforcement of “technical foul” traffic laws — are probably among the reasons why.

Traffic kills the joy of driving. What good is a 400 horsepower car when it’s difficult if not altogether impossible impossible to drive it much faster than 80 MPH?

Traffic enforcement, meanwhile, has made it feloniously illegal to drive it faster than about 80 MPH — even if it’s physically possible to do so. The repercussions are so extreme — “reckless driving” cite, the threat of jail time, loss of license, thousands of dollars in fines and legal bills — that most people quite understandably are hesitant to explore the capabilities of their vehicles. And those who are willing to take the risk inevitably pay the price — and are culled from the herd.

Result: People drive slow in cars built to go very fast — a form of torture unique to our time.

Cars have never been more powerful, capable and safe — even at very high speeds — than they are right now. The lowliest 2012 model economy car is fully capable of well over 100 MPH on top some will do 120. Middle-of-the-road family sedans like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have top speeds around 140 MPH — and will effortlessly cruise all day long at 100-plus MPH.

If you dare.

Anything with a V-8 — or even a V-6 — is grossly over-powered for American driving. Not for American roads, though: The Interstates were designed for very high speeds (70-75 MPH, assuming 1950s-era car technology) and so could surely handle average speeds in the range of 80-90 MPH today, assuming modern cars. But excepting a few rural areas of Texas, anything over 70-75 is illegal “speeding.” Over 80 (just one 1 MPH over) in many states is statutory reckless driving, as discussed above. They can — and sometimes do — arrest you on the spot. At the very least, you’ll be issued a serious ticket with a mandatory court appearance (no just sending in a fine) and the very real possibility of life-altering repercussions such as paying extortionate rates for your mandatory insurance coverage (so called “SR-22″ coverage) that can be as high as $2,000 per year. Over the five years that thing — the record of your conviction for “reckless” driving — will be on your DMV rap sheet, you could be looking at $10,000 in insurance bills for one bust at 81 MPH.

Granted, that doesn’t happen often — but the fact is, under the laws in most states, it absolutely could. Over 90 — and you can bet on it. Which means we might as well be driving cars with the capability of a circa 1985 Ford Taurus.

What we’ve got is a situation not unlike taking a fat guy to a candy store and then telling him he can’t eat anything — or if he does, he’ll be punished. The fat guy has the Hobson’s choice of sticking around to be tortured by temptation — or saying the hell with this and leaving the store.

American drivers appear to be doing more or less the same thing: They’re certainly not in love with their cars as they once were. In particular, the very young. A recent article discussed this development. Teens and young 20-somethings are less interested in cars as other-than-appliances than any generation preceding. Many of them just don’t care. They’ll buy a car, if they absolutely must. But they’re not champing at the bit to — and don’t really care much which car it is, so long as it gets them from A to B.

Further evidence of the Decline is the demographic buying cars like the new Camaro (and also the Mustang GT and Challenger): Mostly, it’s middle-aged guys. This is the first time in the history of this type of car that the typical owner is a Just For Men guy, not a young guy. Part of the reason, arguably, is money. These kinds of cars are more expensive than they have ever been — both to buy and to keep. It’s not easy for most 20-somethings to afford a $30k-something V-8 muscle car that costs $60 to fill-up. Still, the fact is the mid-late ’70s were an equally awful time, economically speaking (high unemployment, high fuel prices, high inflation; obnoxiously high interest rates, etc.) but the youth of that era still loved their cars with obvious passion — and figured out ways to get their hands on V-8 muscle cars regardless of the obstacles. Not so today.

And I can understand why.

Cars — and driving — used to be fun. But what fun is it to be chained to a $500 a month payment for a car you can’t — or don’t dare — use? The youth of today are finding less frustrating (and expensive) things to occupy their time. And their dollars.

Twenty-something years ago, the 55 mph National Maximum Speed Limit was the law of the land. Yet one could violate it with impunity if one had the hardware — a fast car, a CB radio and a radar detector — along with a red white and blue indifference to the authoritay of Roscoe P. Coltrane and his radar gun. Fast driving — and getting away with driving fast — was very possible. It was just a matter of putting your foot down. Sure, there were repercussions then, too. But nothing like the repercussions today. “Reckless driving” meant actually reckless driving — not merely a velocity violation. Many states did not have yet have “points” systems — or reciprocity. If you got a ticket out of state, usually, you could just ignore it. There were no photo radar speed traps. No automated enforcement. No presumption of guilt that forced you to prove your innocence. It was the other way around. And so, it was still fun.

It’s not fun anymore.

And it begins to get on your nerves after awhile. You pay all this money for a car with more built-in capability than some pure race cars had just a few decades ago — and you might as well be driving a primered ’85 Taurus with 457,000 miles. The sole bennie you get for your $30,000 or $50,000 (or more) that you didn’t get in the ’85 Taurus is a better radio, maybe GPS and, of course, your cell phone with Bluetoof hook-up. Electronic soporifics to keep you distracted — to keep your mind off the mobile Skinner Box in which you spend 2-3 hours or more of your life each day. Two to three hours of your life going short distances, very very slowly.

Back in the ’80s, rock crooner Sammy Hagar cut his signature track, “I Can’t Drive 55.” It contained the lament, “What used to take two hours now takes all day… it took me 16 hours to get to LA!”

Sammy may not have realized how prescient he was being — but from an entirely different angle. The Drive 55 crowd may ultimately win the battle for a slow-mo society by dint of sheer numbers. And simple suffocation.

Comments?

www.epautos.com

• Texas May Go To 85… Oh, The Humanity!
• How To Objectively Identify Unsafe Drivers
• Ford’s MyKey System: The Rise Of The Mom Culture
• Life in the Slow Fast Lane
• Traffic Tickets Are Big Business

Connecticut: Red-light cameras are a no go for now
Red-light cameras at busy intersections will likely not become a reality this year. The bill’s chief sponsor said the issue is dead.

Iowa: Traffic camera ban does not get senate approval
Another attempt at banning traffic cameras in Iowa has been scuttled in the Senate. A bill to ban the cameras has passed the House. The Senate on Tuesday declined to take it up.

U.S. Transportation Secretary disavows cell phone story
US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is distancing himself from reports that he called for a federal law banning all cell phone use behind the wheel. The former Illinois congressman was in San Antonio, Texas speaking at a distracted driving summit.

Ohio: “Black box” in your car raising questions
Drivers might want to think twice before telling a police officer they were going the speed limit right before a crash. Their cars might know better.

Google approaching automakers to help build self-driving cars
Google Inc. wants self driving cars on the road sooner rather than later. It knows its autonomous vehicles work. Now, executives are approaching car makers about building the self-driving vehicles, according to The Detroit News.

Ontario: Traffic officers upset with quotas
A leaked memo references a quota imposed on Toronto Police traffic officers and also states their careers may be on the line should they not meet them.

To see more stories like the ones above, check out our NMA Driving News site. Each weekday we update the site with news stories that are interesting and/or informative for drivers like you.

• Driving News Roundup: May 11, 2012
• Driving News Roundup: January 13, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: May 9, 2012
• Driving News Roundup: March 23, 2012
• Driving News Roundup: April 13, 2012

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

The 2013 Chevy Malibu is the first “normal” car to come standard as a hybrid car. Two non-hybrid versions will be arriving later this summer, but for the moment, if you want a Malibu, you’re looking at a hybrid Malibu Eco.

It’s an interesting strategy. But is it sound policy?

One of the Malibu’s target competitors — the Hyundai Sonata — gets almost the same gas mileage (24 city, 35 highway vs. 25 city, 37 highway) without the hybrid technology — or the hybrid price tag. The $25,235 Malibu hybrid starts out about $5,000 more than its $19,795 to start Hyundai adversary — a tall stack of bills.

And the comparably priced Toyota Camry hybrid ($25,900) gets 43 city, 39 highway — a tall stack of MPGs.

Like the Chevy Volt electric car, the Malibu Eco hybrid is a neat piece of engineering — and a nice car, too. But ultimately, its success or failure will depend on whether enough buyers think it’s worth the coin.

WHAT IT IS

The Malibu is a mid-sized, FWD sedan that — for now — is sold only in hybrid Eco form. The Malibu Eco is a so-called “mild” hybrid, meaning the gas engine turns itself off when the car is stationary — and an electric motor/battery pack provides an assist when it is accelerating . But unlike full hybrids such as the Toyota Prius (or the new Camry hybrid) the Malibu Eco doesn’t have the ability to move down the road solely powered by electricity — and you can’t plug it in to recharge its batteries.

Base price is $25,235.

As summer rolls on, Chevy will add a lower cost base trim (non-hybrid) to the lineup as well as a sporty turbocharged version.

Competition includes the Hyundai Sonata, its cousin the Kia Optima, the Toyota Camry and the Ford Fusion.

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2013

Everything. The ’13 Malibu is all-new

WHAT’S GOOD

Mild hybrid layout is unobtrusive and fuel efficient: Compact car MPGs in a mid-sized package.

Nicely finished, inside and out.

Comfortable, wide-bottomed seats.

WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD

Gas mileage only slightly better than non-hybrid (and less expensive) versions of the Hyundai Sonata/Kia Optima, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry.

Comparably priced Camry hybrid offers much better city mileage (43 MPG).

Non-ergonomic manual shift control for six-speed automatic transmission.

UNDER THE HOOD

At the time of this review in late April, the Malibu was being sold only in mild hybrid form — “Eco” in Chevy-speak. A 2.4 liter engine with direct injection and variable valve timing is paired with a small electric motor and 15 kW lithium-ion battery pack for extra boost during acceleration and also to provide power for accessories when the car is stationary.

Total combined power output is 182 hp.

A six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control function is the standard (and only) transmission in the Malibu Eco.

The combo is good for an 8.7 second 0-60 run and 25 MPG city, 37 MPG on the highway.

These are pretty solid numbers — except for one thing: Competitors’ numbers are even better.

The non-hybrid (and only $19,795 to start) Hyundai Sonata has 198 hp and still manages a very respectable 24 MPG city, 35 MPG highway — a virtual dead heat with the Malibu Eco. The Sonata’s sportier — and slightly less expensive (but functionally identical) Kia cousin, the $19,500 Optima likewise delivers the same nearly-hybrid fuel economy without the hybrid Malibu’s much higher sticker price.

There is also the hybrid version of the Sonata to consider. Its MSRP of $25,850 is about the same as the Malibu Eco’s price — but the Hyundai hybrid delivers significantly higher MPGs: 34 in city driving, 40 on the highway. Note that the Hyundai hybrid’s city mileage is almost 10 MPG better than the Malibu Eco’s.

The hybrid Toyota Camry ($25,900) does even better: 43 city, 39 highway. That’s nearly 20 MPG better in the city — a tremendous difference — for about the same price. And as with the Hyundai, the non-hybrid version of the Camry nearly matches the MPG performance of the more costly Malibu Eco: 25 city, 35 highway for $21,955 vs. $25,235 for the Chevy.

There’s also the Ford Fusion to consider. The hybrid version does cost about $2k more ($28,775) but its fuel economy is excellent: 41 city, 36 highway. And the regular (non-hybrid) Fusion does almost as well as the Malibu hybrid: 22 city, 32 highway — and does it for only $20,705.

A third option you might want to look at is the $25,995 VW Passat diesel. It gets 31 city, 43 and costs only a few hundred bucks more than the Malibu Eco hybrid. I’d personally choose a diesel over a hybrid for the long-haul. Ten or fifteen years down the road, the diesel will probably still be delivering the goods. But over that span of time, a hybrid’s batteries will probably deteriorate in performance (ability to hold a charge), reducing the efficiency of the drivetrain and possibly requiring expensive replacement.

ON THE ROAD

The Malibu Eco’s hybrid drivetrain is almost unnoticeable unless you happen to notice that the engine has turned itself off while you’re waiting at a red light — by visually glancing at the tachometer, not by ear. Or if you happen to be watching the power-delivery display on the LCD flat-screen monitor — which shows you what’s going on as it’s going on. The auto-start function is seamless . In some hybrids I’ve driven, you can hear and feel the gas engine re-start. The Malibu is more finessed and refined in this respect.

It also helps that the Malibu has a conventional six-speed automatic rather than a continuously variable (CVT) “one speed” automatic. There’s less engine/drivetrain noise when accelerating — although not using a CVT probably cost Chevy a couple of MPGs that the Malibu Eco really could use. The fuel economy benefit is why you’re noticing more CVTs in service — including in hybrids such as the Ford Fusion hybrid. (The Hyundai Sonata, on the other hand, uses a conventional automatic and still gets extremely good mileage; with a CVT, it’d probably do even better.)

Acceleration is neither weak nor strong — it’s very middle of the road. For what it is — and what most buyers probably expect — it is certainly sufficient. Like almost any new car, once you’re in top gear, you can trundle along for hours at 75-plus effortlessly, with the engine barely running 2,000 RPM. Getting to 90, 100 mph — and more — is deceptively easy. There’s no sign of strain until you’re well beyond ordinary speeding ticket territory.

The tragedy of our time is how effortlessly fast (and fairly fuel efficient when running fast) even “family” type cars like the Malibu are — and how illegal it is to make use of what they can do. Given the realities of the American road, a bit less can’t-really-do-much-with-it capability in exchange for better everyday mileage would probably be a good swap. 45 MPG and 100 MPH, all out vs. 37 MPH and probably 120-plus.

Handling is a high point — not because the Malibu Eco corners like a BMW but because the Malibu Eco doesn’t corner like most hybrids. It feels… normal. Not tail-heavy (or just heavy) as many hybrids do because, well, they are. Having several hundred pounds of batteries bolted to the floorpan is not unlike having several hundred pounds of bricks in the trunk. The typical hybrid car sways and lurches in the curves and when you brake, you feel all that weight trying to keep right on going. But Chevy has very effectively damped the Malibu’s suspension so that the extra weight doesn’t show itself like a beer belly in a T-shirt two sizes too small. The Eco even feels eager at a clip just above the legal — and it’s only when you’re well into the not-legal that it begins to get ruffled. But not unsettled. Just the normal body lean and lower grip threshold you’d expect to encounter in a family-type car being pushed harder than it was meant to be pushed. That’s all. The Malibu Eco hybrid feels more steady and confident than a non-hybrid Camry — the best ’87 Buick Regal Japan ever made — and a helluva lot more so than a hybrid Camry. It also handles with greater agility/confidence than the Sonata hybrid.

Driving-wise, it’s one of the best (if not the best) car in its class.

If it only it got better gas mileage.

Or cost less.

AT THE CURB

Chevy has been clumsy in the past as far as incorporating styling elements of its popular models into bread-and-butter models. A recent example of this being the cartoonishly over-large retro-round taillights grafted onto the tail end of the current FWD (and V-6) Impala to try to conjure up fond memories of the old RWD (and V-8) muscle car Impalas of the ’60s. It didn’t work because there was nothing in common between the two cars except the name. Square peg, round hole — or the reverse.

This is different. Chevy stylists took cues from the current Camaro and blended them into the Malibu; you’ll see the DNA manifesting in the shape of gauge cluster and tail-lights, the semi-fastback rear glass, the overall hunky squat of the car. It’s integrated — not a grafted-on afterthought.

No fault to find with the car’s lines — or its insides. The cabin of the Eco I tested was everything the PR sheet said it would be — “premium,” in car-biz lingo. Individually fitted panels (including the “toupee” over the gauge pod) covered in convincingly soft-touch leatherette material, with equally believable stitching buttoning it all up.. The chrome bits have a rich, deep, almost liquid look; the wood inserts aren’t obvious plastic. That plus features and equipment the previous Malibu lacked — such as GPS and music streaming via the Internet — amount to a Great Leap Forward over the previous Malibu, which was a competent enough car but far from “premium.”

It’s also really quiet — Chevy says the quietest car it has ever made. I believe this, too.

One deficit relative to some of the competition is interior space. The Malibu’s got 39 inches of front seat headroom and 42.1 inches of front seat legroom. This is not cramped — it’s actually about the same as you’d get in the Ford Fusion (38.7 inches and 42.3 inches, respectively) and a bit more than you’d get in a Camry (38.8 inches and 41.6 inches).

But it’s noticeably less spacious than the Hyundai Sonata’s almost full-sized car accommodations: 40 inches of headroom and 45.5 inches of front seat legroom — that’s 3.4 inches more than in the Chevy.

The Malibu does make up for this in the second row, which has 36.9 inches of legroom vs. the Hyundai’s 34.6 inches (headroom in the second row is a dead heat between the two; 37.6 for the Malibu and 37.8 for the Hyundai).

Trunk space is 14.3 cubic feet — decent — but slightly less than the Sonata’s 16.4 cubic foot trunk, the Camry’s 15.4 cubic foot trunk and the Fusion’s 16.5 cubic foot trunk.

THE REST

There’s nothing objectionable about this car — other than the slightly awkward-to-use controller for changing gears manually, which is mounted on top of the shifter. To go up or down you have to move your thumb forward and back, pushing down to engage the + or the -. It’s not very ergonomic. I’m also not a huge fan of the electrically-actuated parking brake my test car came equipped with. Sure, it’s a neat gadget and it does free up space on the console that might otherwise be taken up by a manual pull-up parking brake.

But, two things: That electric actuator will probably cost a small fortune to fix when it fails. And eventually, it will fail. I’d rather have a simple, functional, manual-control cable. Also, note my use of the term, parking brake. What you don’t have is an emergency brake. If a car has a pull-lever brake on the console, and there’s a failure of the main braking system, you can use the emergency brake to slow the car down in a controlled manner. This is not possible with the electric parking brake, which cannot be modulated. It’s either on — or off. Even if the system let you engage the parking brake while the car is moving (which it probably won’t) the result be immediate wheel-lock and an uncontrolled skid. Not good.

So, give me the manual pull-up emergency brake every time.

But, small potatoes. Overall, this is a really nice car. Premium look, feel and function.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I like this car — it’s a good car — I’m just not sure whether I can recommend this car given what you can get, MPG-wise and otherwise, at a Hyundai, Kia or Toyota dealer for the same or less money. Chevy needs to figure out a way to get either the city or the highway MPGs into the 40s in order for the Eco to be competitive with what’s on the market right now.

And also what’s on deck.

Ford has an updated 2013 Fusion coming in a few months — and it’s sure to deliver even better mileage than the 2012 version. Which is going to make things that much rougher on the Chevy.

It will also be interesting to find out is whether the soon-to-be-here non-hybrid Malibu will be comparably quick — and comparably fuel-efficient — for less money than the $25,235 Malibu Eco.

Chevy might end up undercutting itself, too.

Comments?

www.epautos.com

• 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review
• 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid Review
• 2012 Toyota Prius Review
• The 16 Most Fuel-Efficient New Cars
• The Anti-Hummers: Fuel-Efficient Smaller Vehicles

Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Study: Motorists Are Primary Contributors to Federal and State Tax Revenue
Motorists are pulling more than their own weight when it comes to paying for the nation’s roads. Public transit advocates frequently claim that various user fees do not capture the amount of money invested into the highway system and that taxpayers subsidize roads. A report released last month by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) shows that the opposite is true, that the automobile contributes more than any other manufacturing sector to the US economy.

Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Kentucky Supreme Court Strikes Down City Sticker Roadblock
Liberty may not set up roadblocks for the purpose of issuing tickets for failure to display a city sticker on an automobile, the Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously ruled last Wednesday. The city had required all 1850 residents and anyone working within the city limits to purchase a sticker for $10 and display it on their automobile.

Monday, April 30, 2012
Opinion: When a Yellow Light is Too Long
Opponents of red light cameras argue that the primary reason vehicles run red lights is that yellow signal times are too short. By this, they mean drivers who come upon a light that has just changed from green to yellow do not have enough time either to comfortably come to a stop or proceed through to the other side of the intersection before the signal begins displaying a steady red. Some have taken the concept of “longer yellows” as a remedy for the problem to the extreme.

Sunday, April 29, 2012
DC, New Mexico, France: Speed Cameras Marked, Attacked
Another speed camera van in New Mexico has come under attack not long after a man in a nightgown shot at an automated ticketing machine with a handgun. On Monday, a vigilante in Rio Rancho hurled rocks at a photo radar SUV and rammed it with the edge of a ladder, KOAT-TV reported. The vehicles are owned and operated wholly by Redflex Traffic Systems, an Australian company.

Friday, April 27, 2012
California: Federal Court Takes on Photo Enforcement Hearsay Issue
California courts are split on the issue of whether US Supreme Court precedent invalidates evidence typically provided by red light cameras. The Court of Appeal, number-two in state’s the judicial hierarchy, issued a pair of rulings within a few weeks coming to contradictory conclusions on this question (view case). On Wednesday, US District Judge Josephine Staton Tucker issued the standard order laying down the rules for an upcoming court battle on this issue between motorist Michael Curran and the city of Victorville along with Redflex Traffic Systems (RTS).

Thursday, April 26, 2012
Election Day Politics Hold Up Federal Transportation Bill
US House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) yesterday appointed members to the conference committee that will attempt to work out differences between House and Senate versions of legislation funding federal transportation and transit programs. Agreement is unlikely. The US Senate on Tuesday appointed its members while unanimously replacing the entire text of the House transportation measure with the Senate’s language. “I am pleased that Senator Reid and Senator McConnell have once again shown the bipartisan approach that the Senate has demonstrated with our surface transportation bill, MAP-21,” Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-California) said in a statement.
 

• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: April 11, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: February 29, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: April 25, 2012
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: September 28, 2011
• TheNewspaper.com Roundup: September 7, 2011