Is the days of the classic cars and cruises over?

By Donna Kessler | Published: August 26, 2009 | 0 Comments

I received an article from a reader about car company’s coming out with electric cars and the smaller more fuel efficient cars. These cars have no power, no sex appeal, no muscle. There’s nothing there. Just a plain body with a so so engine and a sound that is, well, a hum. Not impressive. Government safety regulations along with the areodynamic bodies of the newest retro models still don’t measure up to the classic muscle cars of the day.  People claim there is nothing out there worth saving, not even the tuner cars. Folks figure the younger generation will get tired of them and get rid of them and find something else to play with. Is the classic car fading away along with their generation?

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

DOT helmets: Is there a standard?

By Donna Kessler | Published: August 26, 2009 | 0 Comments

Helmets, helmets, no helmets, why helmets? This is a never ending debate. Nobody is ever happy with the answers. There’s good reasons to wear a helmet and there is the right of the biker to choose. But are there standards that the laws are following when we are stopped and ticketed for not wearing a helmet that’s labeled “DOT”? Anyone can slap a DOT sticker on their head gear and claim it as DOT certified. Do they just look for that sticker? What’s the deal? Are there standards? Do you think the helmet law in New York is fair?

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Traffic officers have checklists?

By Donna Kessler | Published: July 16, 2009 | 0 Comments

A biker friend of mine was recently pulled over. He was basically stopped for his “ape hangers” being too high. He told me the officer pulled out a checklist and started going over his bike checking off items one thing at a time on the sheet.

I didn’t know there was such a check list. Is there one for cars? Can anyone give me a clue if there really is this “checklist” and what it lists? Has anyone ever have this happen to them?

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Import car owners are the next generation of car enthusiasts

By Donna Kessler | Published: March 25, 2009 | 0 Comments

In my travels from car shows to cruises, I run into many people who don’t have many good things to say about these “kids” that own tricked out imports. I for one find these cars as interesting as the classics. As far as how much money they’ve put into them, I have run across some REAL expensive classic car restorations. So I’d say both classes are about equal. So what’s the problem?

Back in the 50s, nobody had anything good to say about the hot rods that the “kids” owned. Today they are cherished collectibles. With them are the memories of those days gone by.

Give the “kids” a break I say! At least they have a hobby that keeps them busy. Where they get the money to afford this hobby is their business. I’m a parent and would always help my daughter out expense-wise with any hobby she may persue. That’s my kid. Why wouldn’t  I help? 

A lot of these “kids” are also involved with clubs that they have organized and they are doing great things in the community. Don’t count them out for the few bad seeds that are out there. get to know thme before passing judgment.

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Anheuser-Busch to end NHRA sponsorship

By Donna Kessler | Published: March 18, 2009 | 0 Comments

I love watching NHRA drag racing. I am a huge fan, and I was surprised to see that Anheuser-Busch thas decided to end it’s NHRA sponsorship. That means Bernstein Racing no longer has a sponsor. I wonder who’s gonna be next…Castrol?

These terrible times are really hurting everyone. Now things have begun to reach into drag racing.

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Back from Bike Week? What’s your thoughts?

By Donna Kessler | Published: March 10, 2009 | 0 Comments

Well, I’m back from Bike Week and I have my opinion of it, but would love to hear yours.

Check back to My Ride for videos, photo gallery and stories from Bike Week 2009.

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Car show season is fast approaching

By Donna Kessler | Published: February 9, 2009 | 0 Comments

With the car show season around the corner, I’m always looking for new ideas and suggestions for the My Ride feature and Web page.

If there is anything you’d like to see covered or listed let me know right here on the blog.

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Groundhog Day serves as Annual Driver Safety Check

By Donna Kessler | Published: January 27, 2009 | 0 Comments

In June 2008, a report was released stating that nearly a quarter of all vehicle accidents occured during rainy weather. According to Rain-X, accidents in rainy weather may be in part due to the fact that nearly 78% of motorists only change their wipers when the blades begin to impair visibility and become a safety hazard.

Clear visibility through the use of effective wiper blades while driving can improve reaction time up to a full second in bad weaher. When traveling 60 mph, a full second can equal 100 feet and may be the difference in avoiding a potential accident.

To raise awareness around the issues of clear vision and safe driving, Rain-X is teaming up with Jody DeVere, president and CEO of the women’s auto advice Web site Askpatty.com,  to spread this safety message and mark Groundhog Day as an annual reminder for motorists to change their wiper blades and prepare their vehicle for unsafe weather conditions when driving. DeVere suggests several tips to stay safe amid the rain, snow, slush and ice:

- Conduct a regular walk around your vehicle, checking the lights, antifreeze, windsheild washer fluid and wiper blades regularly.

- Be sure that your tires are properly inflated and have suffcient tread.

- Keep your gas tank at least half full in cold weather: the extra gas helps reduce condensation that can plug your fuel line with ice and stall your engine.

- Create an emergency pack of items such as a blanket, first aid kit, snacks, bottled water, ice scraper, flashlight and a bag of kitty litter and keep it in your vehicle.

“Drivers should adjust their driving habits in inclement weather,” DeVere said. “Drivers should slow down when the roadways are wet, leave extra distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you and be sure to use signals when changing lanes.”

For more information on automotive safety and wiper blades, visit www.askpatty.com or www.rainx.com.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Electric cars: Are they the answer?

By Donna Kessler | Published: January 16, 2009 | 0 Comments

Looking at the latest concept cars coming out of the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, I couldn’t help but notice that a large portion are electric, some full electric.

It led me to wonder if this is really the answer to the fuel, air and economy problems. The batteries that power these vehicles have to be manufactured somewhere and what about the electricity need to charge them? Seems this may turn out to bite us in the butt.

Seems auto makers are also not to thrilled with the gas prices going down. They are now thinking that the public may want to stick to their gas powered cars and all the studys and money that have gone into designing electric cars will have been a waste of time and money.

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Clean the snow off your car!!!

By Donna Kessler | Published: January 2, 2009 | 0 Comments


If people only knew how dangerous the snow left on their roof of their car is. In fact, what are those people thinking who are trying to drive by staring out of a portion of their windshield that  they cleared off that is no bigger than 2 shoeboxes!

The wind will blow it off?! Uh… no. What is more likely to happen is that a chunk of that hardened snow on your roof will hit the poor guy behind you! Anything happens to that guy, guess what, it’s your fault.

Visability, visability. You need to see out of your whole windsheild! Please take the time to clean the snow off your car… totally.

They make a lot of different snow removal tools that won’t scratch your car if that’s what your afraid of.

No time to clean the whole car off?! Try getting up a little earlier when you know it’s going to snow.

 

What do you all think about people who drive around with tons of snow on their cars?

Also, check out the photos I found on the Web.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments