Rim seal fire protection at Lobbau / Schwechat Project, OMV Vienna – Austria

Floating roof tanks are used for the storage of liquid educts and products containing hydrocarbons and originating from petroleum refining and/or petroleum distillation. The essential feature of this type of storage tank is the pontoon roofs which “float” on the stored product and hence also at a low filling level guarantee a storage space with the lowest gas volume.

The floating roof tanks used in the OMV facility in Schwechat and Lobbau are about 25 m high and have a diameter of 80-100 m. Mainly products/educts such as crude oils (Schwechat) as well as light fuel oils and gasolines (Lobbau) are stored in them. All of the compounds stored correspond to classification IIA according to EN 50014/Appendix A.

Design of the annular gap

In order to ensure the functioning of a variable roof, the edge of the roof must not, on the one hand, be rigidly connected to the tank inner wall, on the other, the sealing of the roof edge must be designed as tight as possible in order to prevent excessive evaporation of the product particularly on hot summer days.

This sealing is achieved in Schwechat/Lobbau with the help of a plate that leads around the roof edge and is pressed against the tank inner wall by metal leaf springs. The plate is connected to the pontoon roof via these leaf springs as well as via a sagging piece of rubber (trough) located below it.

As the seal between the roof and the tank inner wall is not hermetically tight (annular gap) and gaseous hydrocarbons have a higher density than air, in this trough (and likewise on the roof) combustible gases collect during normal operation of the tank. Hence the roof surface, and only the roof surface, corresponds to the conditions of explosion protection zone 0.

The concentrations of combustible gases to be assumed on the tank roof are very much dependent upon the atmospheric conditions (temperature, wind forces) as well as on the tank filling level and the product stored.

Hazard potential

Due to the constantly present concentration of combustible gases there is a danger of the ignition of these gases in particular by lightning. In the “worst case” a fire, above all in the rubber trough would result in the trough burning away and thus to the fire penetrating into the tank interior. In order to avoid this in case of emergency, on the upper edge of the tank 12 extinguishing tubes are distributed radially and symmetrical, which within 10 min of a fire alarm being triggered flood the entire pontoon roof of the tank with extinguishing foam (annular gap foaming). The fire detection system to be used is the linear heat-sensitive detector OTS EX. The laser-light carrying sensor cable is in this case routed all round at a distance of about 20 cm above the upper edge of the trough by means of metal holders that are fastened to the cover plate.  The controller and the cable end are located outside of the potentially explosive areas.

Installation of the sensor cable

The sensor cable is routed over the access ladder to the tank. From there the cable is spanned along the descending steps about 5-7 cm parallel to the steam line as far as the steam pantographs and from there to the pontoon roof. The cable holders are located at a distance of 60-80 cm from each other.

In the case of the steam pantographs (“knees”) a play of the cable of about 1.5 – 2 m has been allowed for. This play is located in 3 clips for cable routing. On the pontoon roof the cable is routed along the annular gap at a distance of 10 cm from the inner wall of the tank. The metal holders are arranged at a distance of approx. 100 cm from each other.

The sensor cable is then led back again the same way.

As a result of the large range of the measuring systems of 4 km several floating roof tanks are monitored with one controller (Schwechat 4 tanks, Lobbau 3 tanks). The sensor cable is hence laid from tank to tank. During normal operation, despite the mobility of the pontoon roof s no mechanical strains on the sensor cable occur, as due to the design the cable length remains the same also when the roof moves and the speed of the roof height change is low. Access to the pontoon roof is permitted only in exceptional cases and requires prior checking of the gas concentration present and is hence a very rare event.

If you follow http://www.roadsterdrift.com/home/. Then you know that his S15 is nice, but difficult to deal with bein RHD. So there’s a new S chasis in his life.

Check the USDM 240sx.

Witam w furze dnia!

Co zrobić, aby zarobić, a się nie narobić?

Odpowiedź: można na przykład pojechać do Anglii i pobrać tam za 8 funtów 50 pensów JDM Toyotę Hilux Surf w stanie agonalnym.

Tylko że… o cholera, ona ma kierownicę po prawej stronie! Ale czekaj, szwagier ma znajomego co jest mechanikiem, on coś poradzi. Deski do takiej Toyoty nigdzie nie ma, ale to to ch…, przecież deską się nie jeździ. Weźniemy (podkreślam: weźniemy) kolumnę od Corolli E9, zegary też, i okleimy je tekturą i pomalujemy… nie mamy szarego, to weźniemy granatowy… o i zostało mi trochę wykładziny z przedpokoju to zalepimy tę dziurę po kolumnie… no trochę pod dziwnym kątem jest ta kolumna, ale srał to pies! O i pedały się przełoży… krzywo, krzywo. Sam jesteś krzywo. Elektryka szyb to nieważne! Jest gitara! A teraz ją sprzedajmy! Za dziesięć koła! Nie, lepiej daj dziesięć pieńcet, żeby było z czego schodzić! O i napiszemy że zderzaki wymienione, to znaczy że dbamy! A że rama przeżarta na wylot? No to co, ty będziesz tym jeździł? Polewaj!!!

Link

loyal, humble and determined in everything i do.

Every so often a half-witted twit or a support seeking politician, categories which are not mutually exclusive, boldly steps out of the mind-capsule and starts to preach about how imports are to blame for the decline and fall of the US automotive industry. Or declares war on current “imports” and urges, under threat of dismissal from the job, employees to Buy American, as Jim Fouts, mayor of Warren, Michigan, did.

The problem with Mr Mayor’s idea is the definition of what an American car actually is. Take a Pontiac Vibe and a Toyota Matrix. These cars are siblings, products of an unholy alliance between former and current world No. 1 car manufacturer. It would be interesting to see what would happen if a daredevil city employee bought a Saturn Astra. The brand is American, but the car is, let’s face it, a German Opel Astra, or, for those missing colonial ties and times, a British Vauxhall Astra. There are few European Chevrolet sourced cars in the US, not to speak about Korean based Chevrolets and Pontiacs. A Mazda Tribute is a badge engineered Ford Escape, in other words, that particular Mazda model is exactly as American as the Ford’s car sans the brand sign. There was a time when a Ford Probe was a Mazda MX-6 with a Ford’s body and, well, quality control…

Unions have a long history of bashing, often literally, imports and latest round of negotiations with General Motors didn’t really buck the trend. Although this time it was about GM’s own imports. As a way to streamline operations, the US manufacturer plans to increase imports of its own cars from China, South Korea and Mexico. This outlook didn’t mix well with the proposal to cut 21,000 jobs in the US. But lets do the math. According to Automotive News, quoting Jato Dynamics, in 2006, of over 4 million cars sold in the US, GM imported 23%, about 1 million, out of which 618,912 cars and trucks rolled from Canada and 214,096 cars and trucks from Mexico. In 2014, GM plans to sell 3+ million vehicles on the home soil. 51,000 will be imported from China, 501,000 from Mexico, 157,000 from South Korea and 330,600 from Canada. That’s 1,040,100 vehicles.

Speaking of Canada. Former CAW boss Buzz Hargrove can’t pass by a microphone without uttering a rant against bad bad bad imports, but that’s already well documented phenomenon. Here’s the news. Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) went on a crusade recently against, wait for it, right hand drive vehicles (RHD). Now, Canada is the last place one would expect to have a problem with RHD imports. RHD in Canada? Like, how? And, more importantly, like, why? Canada’s market is about the size of California’s. Size wise. Although that’s subject to discussion, because Canada minus oil riggers and hockey players equals Vatican so, as a consequence, Canadian fast and furious community lusting for JDM only (Japan Domestic Market) sports cars is too small to drive the demand for RHD.

But, apparently it exists. Despite and because of Canada’s ridiculous import restrictions. Even importing a car from the US is a chore. Imports from Europe and Japan are practically impossible. However, cars older than 15 years can be imported without complying with the Canadian “motor vehicle safety standards” which roughly translates as ‘are exempt from import restrictions’. According to CADA estimates, more than 13,500 exempted vehicles were imported in 2007. Out of them, 1,934 were likely RHD, up from 1,230 in 2006. British Columbia estimates that 100-200 RHD cars are registered in the province every month, probably due to large Asian community.

It is hard to imagine that these are all collectors’ cars from pre-war continental Europe or Blighty. CADA claims that most of them are 15-16 year old sedans, minivans and SUV.

It’s understandable that in these times CADA is fighting for every possible car sale but fighting the RHD issue on safety standard grounds is just too simplistic and too insincere. Any new car brought in from Europe would be just as safe as any car sold and bought in Canada, especially those models that sell both in Europe and North America. Which is yet another point why Canada and US should adopt international vehicle standards and stop this protectionist nonsense. Of course, CADA is not calling for rewriting Canadian import laws to allow modern and safe LHD imports.

Back in RHD-car-in-LHD-country world, driving a car with a steering wheel on the wrong side of the car is no big deal. On a highway, it makes no difference. In the city, apart from few very specific situation, it makes no difference. And overtaking on rural roads is not an issue as these are empty in Canada.

Looking around to find the most opposite vehicle I could to the last car we’ve highlighted (the Toyota Landcruiser Prado), I found the 2001 Mercedes-Benz  A-class 5d  A160. Compared to the Landcrusier Prado, there seems nothing similar except that it’s a vehicle. The A-class is a much smaller 5door (hatchback), German, in the sub-compact class, much more efficient (13.2km each liter or 4.9L for each 100km), and much different styling. Here’s some photos of the vehicle:

It’s not a beast. It’s the complete opposite. Maybe you or your customers are looking from something that is effecient and fitting for a city. Having such a small car (although not a Kei) is a big benefit in many ways. Also, perhaps you can find the European look stylish to your taste. However it is, if you or your customers are liking this, don’t forget that you can get them in Japan. Japan has both LHD and RHDs of these models (although more often you will see RHDs).

(Read the article.)

…if you want to work out how a photon gets from a lightbulb to your eye, you need to take into account not just its straight-line trajectory, but contributions of all possible paths it could have taken, including paths where the photon bounces round the room. It’s a bit strange, but it seems to work and 60 years+ of detailed experiments have confirmed this description over and over again to remarkable quantitative precision.

The authors of this paper claim to show that other terms can be added to the quantum mechanical action that are consistent with current theory and experiment. However, some of these possible terms include conditions in the future that need to be taken into account and summed over. That is to say, what happens in the future could (according to this paper) affect what happens in the present.

^ Kevin Black with CERN discussing the possibility that the Large Hadron Collider (of black-hole-creating, earth-destroying fame) might shut itself down because of Higgs Bosons from the future mucking the works of the present. What? (Via fq to the x.)

Cartoon

In the Petabyte Age, new applications are redefining “Big Storage”

Think you’re with it now that you say “terabytes” instead of “gigabytes”?  You’re behind the curve.  For some applications, a petabyte is not nearly enough.

Wired Magazine says we’re living in the Petabyte Age.  One example: the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, taking a billion “photos” of protons a second with each of six detectors. 

The LHC, expected to run 24/7 for most of the year, will generate about 10 petabytes of data per second. That staggering flood of information would instantly overwhelm any conceivable storage technology, so hardware and software filters will reduce the take to roughly 100 events per second that seem most promising for analysis. Even so, the collider will record about 15 petabytes of data each year, the equivalent of 15,000 terabyte-size hard drives filled to the brim.

Just one of many extreme data examples in this great read.  Soon, petabytes for all! Remember, scientists used to get giddy over 5 megabytes.  Dell’s David Graves at Inside IT says ”More storage please!”

Better learn to spell exabyte.

In our 18^th year, American Car Imports is established as a market leader in the UK at importing new vehicles from the United States. Whatever new American vehicle you want to import, we offer you a premier door to door service. American cars offer great value for money compared to their European counterparts and they can be inexpensive to run from a servicing and insurance angle. With the favourable exchange rates against the dollar, now is the time to buy American through American Car Imports.

Imported American Cars, American Pick Up Trucks and American Vans have been popular in the UK for more than 50 years. Whether it is that dream of driving a classic American car from the rock and roll era such as a 1957 Chevrolet Belair or a Starsky and Hutch 1974 Ford Gran Torino, the Brits have always loved American vehicles. There is a vibrant American car scene in the UK with many American car clubs to join and American car shows all over the UK to show off your modern or American classic.

American Car Imports specialises in making the dream of owning an American vehicle in the UK a firm reality by importing all makes and models of new left hand drive American vehicles in a professional and straightforward way. We also buy and sell used American vehicles in the UK. With the cost of running an American car made affordable by infrequent servicing requirements and cheap American vehicle insurance rates, it makes a great choice to Buy American!

We offer the fairest part exchanges, arrange American car finance packages and supply American car spares. We also help to make your ownership experience a pleasant one, by assisting our customers with any issues that they may face. We provide an excellent 3 year UK and European Warranty on your new imported American car, so that you can have on-going peace of mind.

We import many different makes of American vehicles. These makes of imported vehicles from the USA include Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Dodge, Chrysler, Saturn, Toyota, and Infiniti, – the list is endless.

American Cars

The most popular American car we import is the 4.6 Litre V8 Ford Mustang GT Coupe and Convertible and if customers want real exclusivity we can offer our superb Mustang Outlaw, a true supercar at an affordable price. We also import all versions of the Ford Mustang up to the Shelby GT 500 Coupe and Convertible and including the renowned Bullitt model, a modern reincarnation of the car made famous by Steve McQueen’s dark green fastback. The other popular American car imports are the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger, Chevrolet Corvette C6, Corvette Z06, Dodge Challenger, Saturn Sky, Dodge Charger, Lincoln Towncar, Dodge Viper and Cadillac Deville.

American Pickups

American Car Imports supplies all new makes and models of “full size” and “mid size” American Pick Up Trucks to order. The “full size” trucks include the Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Avalanche, Dodge Ram, GMC Sierra, Cadillac Escalade EXT, Ford F-150 (including the Harley Davidson edition), Hummer SUT, Lincoln Mark LT and the other trucks marketed in America by the Japanese vehicle manufacturers such as the Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra. The “mid size” pickups include the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. American Car Imports can give expert advice on the payload, towing capabilities, and gross vehicle weight ratings of American pickups and can advise on the tax implications and commercial vehicle status of all models of American pickups.

Depending on the specifications offered by the American pickup manufacturers, we import single cab, extended cab, super cab, quad cab, crew cab and mega cab models in two wheel drive and four wheel drive with either a short bed or long bed. We also supply the super-duty and heavy duty versions of these American made pickups from Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet and GMC with petrol or diesel engines and with either single rear wheels or dual rear wheels. The most popular diesel engines are the Cummins 6.7 litre Turbo Diesel in the Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500, the 6.6 litre Duramax engine in the Chevrolet and GMC 2500 and 3500 models and the new 6.4 litre diesel Ford Engine in the Ford F250 and F350. The popular American petrol engines in pickup trucks, are the 5.3 Litre Flex Fuel engine in the Chevrolet and GMC pickups, the 5.7 Litre Hemi Multi Displacement (MDS) engine in the Dodge Ram, and the 5.4 litre V8 and 6.8 litre V10engines in the Ford F Series range.

When it comes to American Pick Up Trucks, American Car Imports will add whatever accessory you need to personalise your pickup. These truck parts can include a bedliner, tonneau cover (soft, sliding, folding or fibre glass), truck topper with or without windows, bug deflector, side steps, tow bar, toolbox, ladder rack, or bed rug. For our American pick up customers that cover high mileages we can also arrange for any of these American vehicles to be converted to run on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). Running a vehicle on LPG, doubles the range of your vehicle and can halve the fuel costs. For those vehicles with towing capabilities, we will always provide you with European towing electrics.

American Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV’s)

The most sought after American sport utility vehicles are the Lincoln Navigator L and the Cadillac Escalade ESV with eight seats and loads of luggage space, along with the Flex Fuel powered Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon Denali that can run on Bio Ethanol. We also the import the Hummer H2, Lincoln MKX, Ford Edge, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet HHR, Saturn Vue, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Infiniti FX 45 and Toyota FJ Cruiser. If you want to import an environmentally friendly vehicle, we can offer you a selection of new American hybrid vehicles in 2009, including the Ford Escape Hybrid, Dodge Durango Hybrid or the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid.

American Vans

Made particularly famous by the “A Team” Van, American vans have always had a strong following in the UK. They are available from General Motors under the Chevrolet and GMC brands, and also from Ford and Dodge. They can be ordered either as commercial vehicles with petrol or diesel engines, or as passenger vans. The Dodge Sprinter Van, Chevrolet Express Van, GMC Savana and the Ford E Series have been our best sellers.

Our Service

With our comprehensive on-line vehicle pricing system we can price your vehicle enquiry while you are on the phone and write to confirm everything within minutes. Once you place your order, we locate or order your American vehicle from our comprehensive network of supplying American dealers, and then arrange the shipping of your vehicle straight away. The vehicle will be physically inspected before it is shipped and will be covered by a comprehensive marine insurance policy when it is in transit.

Once your imported American vehicle has arrived in London, we prepare it for the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) test. Through our leadership of the American Import Agents Association (AIAA) we have the experience to ensure that your American vehicle is modified to meet the UK SVA requirements in a safe and aesthetically pleasing way. With American Car Imports, you will not have the appearance of your American vehicle spoiled by unsightly and careless modifications that undermine its “American” appearance. Once it has been tested by VOSA and the vehicle has earned its Ministers Approval Certificate, it is then registered.

If requested, we can install a fully integrated UK and European Satellite Navigation system with i-pod interface and built in Bluetooth connectivity for your mobile phone, DVD screens and rear camera. Please ask for a quote. Before our handover to you, your American vehicle will have been professionally valeted, tax disc placed in the windscreen, filled with fuel and given a pre delivery inspection.

At American Car Imports we are PASSIONATE about what we do. We have a professional and enthusiastic approach in helping you buy or import your special vehicle. Our aim is to make your buying and ownership experience a positive and enjoyable one. With 18 years experience, you can trust American Car Imports. Please feel free to give us a ring on 0208-889-4545, to get a quote on your new vehicle or if you need any advice or just want to have a chat. If you need directions to our showroom please click here .

American Car Imports in London offer the latest Hybrid American Car, The 2009 Dodge Durango. American Car Imports works as an independent importer, importing the Dodge Durango for specific customers in the UK .Available from summer 2008 the vehicle will have a two-mode hybrid powertrain designed to boost fuel economy and reduce emissions. 

The 2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid will share its two-mode hybrid system with the 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and a new range of full-size SUV hybrids from General Motors. The system was developed with BMW, GM and Mercedes-Benz.

The two-mode hybrid system will use a new electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT) mated to the 5.7-litre Hemi V8. This engine also has Dodge’s Multi-Displacement System as used in the Ram, which shuts down four cylinders under light load conditions to save fuel. Total output is 385 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Dodge says the hybrid system will boost city fuel economy by 40 percent and overall fuel economy by more than 25 percent. That should raise fuel economy to about 22 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway compared to 16 city and 21 highway for the regular AWD Durango.

The continuously variable transmission has two electric motors and four fixed gears. A controller determines when the vehicle should operate in the first or second mode. The first mode is mainly to be used in town driving and can use battery power alone up to 30 mph. The second mode is meant for highway speeds and always uses full engine power. The controller determines the necessary torque for the driving conditions and instructs the engine and electric motors to respond accordingly. Torque is transferred to a series of gears in the transmission, which multiply torque similar to a conventional automatic transmission to propel the vehicle. No engine speed changes are necessary for mode shifts to occur.

The Durango Hybrid will have a 300-volt battery pack located under the second-row seats. The battery pack will power the electric motors, and regenerative braking will charge the batteries. A rectifier under the hood will convert the battery pack’s AC power to DC to power such accessories as interior lighting, the climate control system, and the radio.

The Durango Hybrid will have a power gauge that will show when the electric motors are aiding power or being charged. The power gauge will also have a green “economy” zone that drivers can use to aim for the optimum fuel economy.

The 2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid will be available as an all-wheel drive model with equipment to match the top of the range Limited. Standard features will include dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, the MyGIG Multi-Media Infotainment System, seating for eight, power-adjustable pedals, heated front seats, a rearview camera, and a power liftgate. Dodge’s MyGIG Multi-Media Infotainment System comes with an eight-inch touch screen, a navigation system with voice activation and real-time traffic, and a 20-gigabyte hard drive that holds music and picture files, as well as navigation map information.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the Dodge Durango Hybrid is expected to start from £36,000 when it goes on sale in the middle of 2008.

American Car Imports expect a lot of interest in this new generation vehicle, to be at the forefront of the vanguard with a new environmentally friendly American Car, call them now on 44(0)20 8889 4545.

On 18 April, a Samoan law was passed that will now make driving on the left with RHD vehicles the proper way to drive on roads. This is good news for Japanese used exporters and importers who just a few years ago were banned from selling non-LHD cars in Samoa. This will be implemented somewhere in mid-2009.

Previously, only LHD vehicles were importable to driven on the right side of roads. This made it difficult to get a car as major markets around Samoa (New Zealand, Australia, and Japan) have cheap used RHD vehicles. Now, Samoans will be able to get more affordable cars.

Additionally to this new law, the government is also considering extend the age limit for importing used cars. Currently a car can be imported at an 8 years maximum age, but the prime mister’s plans would extend it to 12 years old.

This and next few years will bring a significant number of cars traded as people will start to trade in the LHD vehicles for RHD vehicles. Exporters can look forward to 2009.

Marcas Ficticias

O mundo das camisas não é só marcado pelos belos modelos e demonstrações de Fair Play, aliás Fair Play no mundo das camisas é o que menos existe, é um dos lugares mais selvagens que existe onde a globalização e contratos bilionários acontecem, onde pequenos, médios e até grandes são engolidos sem dó algum por outras empresas que compõe a mega-fauna dessa selva. Dentre esses monstros os maiores e mais fortes são Adidas e Nike, vira e meche eles se mordem e disputam presas menores como marcas esportivas e o meu ou o seu time. A última dentada foi dada pela Nike que engoliu a pobre França com um contrato cuja os números assustam mais que o próprio fato. A última da Adidas não foi bem uma dentada, mas sim uma resistida, conseguiu sem mudar nada no atual contrato manter a Alemanha na linha.

Na verdade vim falar das novas grandes marcas. É, caso você não saiba a gama de opções dos grandes times dobrou e essas novas empresas estão arrancando verdadeiros pedaços das grandes e gigantescas empresas como Puma, Adidas e Nike, contratos como do Chelsea, Liverpool e até clubes brasileiros e sul-americanos estão sendo rompidos e novos modelos estão sendo constantemente apresentados, uma verdadeira carnificina. Mas calma, tudo isso na verdade é uma grande brincadeira, alguns compulsivos brasileiros estão criando blogs com suas próprias marcas e criando seus próprios modelos para o time que lhes convierem, e não estou falando de um ou dois, estou falando de cinco, cada um com suas especialidades, seus detalhes, suas técnicas, seu ponto de vista. Vou agora apresentar para vocês essas novas multinacionais com o que eu achei de mais interessante.

Hekula: A marca que tem o maior número de contratos fechados é também a mais antiga a defrontar as grandes marcas, conta com uma grande grade de modelos e parece ter uma preferência pelo mercado americano principalmente o brasileiro aonde fechou contrato com a maioria dos times da primeira divisão e muitos outros não tão conhecidos, a marca também está ativa no mercado europeu, mas lá atua de forma mais discreta, pega times médios e pequenos de países as vezes sem muita tradição. No ramo de seleções só teve a ousadia de fechar com a Eslovênia. O criador da marca é o Henrique Portes e são diversos os modelos de forma que foi muito difícil achar um único destaque mas por fim acho que o destaque da Hekula Fantasy Trademark vai para a camisa num estilo muito clássico desenvolvido para a Lazio, vale, e muito, a visita, só clicar no nome da marca ali em cima.

LHD: A marca é a mais formal, teve apresentação de templantes e tudo, começou com um desenhista que desenvolvia modelos para marcas seja para clubes já com contrato ou propostas, mas infelizmente o mesmo foi demitido e teve que abrir seu próprio negócio, azar da concorrência que agora tem que lidar com um verdadeiro artista, detalhista e preciso a LHD fecha apenas contratos de impacto, apesar dos últimos contratos terem sido mais modestos, e não parece apresentar nenhuma foco de atuação, pega tanto seleções como Holanda, Angola e Arábia Saudita, como clubes brasileiros, Vasco, Juventude e Guaratinguetá e internacionais a exemplo de Genoa, Ajax e Carls Zeiss jena. O criador ainda não revelou o significado das siglas, mas definiu marca como a revolução dos uniformes. Destaque especial para a bela camisa de casa da Holanda.

Third: O criador é o que mais entra no espírito da brincadeira e sempre que anuncia uma camisa confessa que teve que desembolsar alguns milhões, também já conseguiu até quebrar a concorrente Hekula quando a quantia oferecida foi superior e a Lazio acabou mostrando seu segundo uniforme em um curto espaço de tempo. A marca é apostadora e pega times que estão em má fase. Não há nenhuma seleção e nem times do Brasil até o momento, melhor para o Hekula que pelo menos esse espaço não perde, mas como o próprio nome da marca sugere todos os clubes ganham terceiros uniformes sempre sem fugir muito da tradição. Outro destaque da marca é a fonte usada nos números, gostei de todas, cheias de personalidade. Só para não repetir eu vou ter que indicar como destaque a camisa do Mônaco, mas aconselho a espiarem as da Lazio.

Sparta: A marca ainda é pequena de contratos fechados, mas conseguiu fechar os mais incríveis contratos e não desperdiça dinheiro, fecha com os times para dar uma mudança geral na camisa. A marca só tem dois templantes, mas apesar disso abusa positivamente na hora do desenho utilizando os mais inusitados aspectos. A marca não tem símbolo, mas sabe como encaixar seu logo e os patrocínios. Sua tendência é entre mercado europeu e brasileiro, foram apresentados até agora 2 clubes ingleses, 2 brasileiros e um holandês. O destaque da marca criada pelo Thiago vai para a maravilhosa camisa de visitante do Atlético Paranaense.

X-Bird: A marca é a mais recente e também a com menos projetos, fechou apenas com o clube de maior torcida do Brasil o Flamengo. Além do lindo símbolo da marca pode se perceber também a dedicação e a criatividade, é verdade que todo mundo adora movimentar o desenho do Flamengo mas acho que não vi nenhum mais bonito que a terceira camisa apresentada pelo projetista. Os outros uniformes são bem desenvolvidos mas não fogem muito do que já vimos ser desenho oficialmente, ou não, para o Flamengo, é preciso que mais contratos sejam confirmados para se analisar melhor a marca promessa. Não vou nem me dar ao trabalho de falar quem é o destaque.

É isso, peço por favor que os artistas não desistam, se quiserem posso combinar com vocês alguma coisa, agente se reúne e cria uma proposta legal para acrescentar ao Compulsivos. Mas nunca desistam pois o mundo das camisas precisa de vocês e essa concorrência é, no mínimo, muito divertida.

As many of you may be aware, Japan is a RHD (Right Hand Drive) vehicle country like the UK. According to Wikipedia, about 34% of the world by population drive on the left, and 66% on the right. By roadway distances, about 28% drive on the left, and 72% on the right. To visualize this:

Those in blue are RHD and those in red are LHD. The terms left or right hand drive refer to where the driver sits in the motor vehicle not where the car is on the road. So in the case of Japan, the steering wheel is on the right hand side.

Most markets that are already RHD will find much value in Japanese used vehicles. Areas such as South-East Asia, Oceania, Eastern Africa, and the British Isles are major importers. Because they use the same system as Japan, there are less hassles getting the vehicles imported. But just because a country doesn’t drive the same way as Japan doesn’t mean RHD vehicles can’t be imported.

For example, Russia is officially regulated for LHD traffic, but Japanese RHD cars are the single largest supplier of used cars to Russia. Last year over 440 thousand vehicles where exported from Japan into Russia. Russia is estimated to have more than 1.5 million RHD vehicles on its roads. In the far eastern regions, such as Vladivostok or Khabarovsk, RHD vehicles make up to 90% of the total. Many other LHD nations are also importing RHD in the thousands without any problems such as Canada, UAE, Chile, Mongolia, Cyprus, and Peru.

There are two considerations for importers. First, are RHD vehicles legally able to be imported, and more importantly, driven in your country. Even in the case that RHD autos cannot be used on your roads, many governments allow the vehicle to be modified so that it is switched to LHD.

The second consideration is if you are willing to drive “on the wrong side” or will you be able to sell cars to customers that are RHD. It is not a matter of being a safety hazard if the driver sits on the other side. A Canadian study showed that RHD drivers were more careful, thus less likely to get into accidents, than those who drove like normal.

It is also not about not getting able to feel comfortable driving RHD drive in a LHD nation. Most drivers who experience this challenge are able to overcome the awkwardness of driving differently within the first few hours on the road. The main issues are do you mind standing out a little bit and will it bring to much inconvenience to your lifestyle? For example, you’ll need a passenger to help you through drive-thru’s and at toll booths. If you don’t mind, and you can import, there are plenty of benefits.

Image and Statistics from Wikipedia under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.