I wrote about how JB Traffic Police targets Singapore drivers (Dec 13) and received this comment which I think deserves greater prominence.

“I agree that S’pore motorists are targeted. I was on way home with family today : hubby was driving but not too familiar with the new chk point – so went into the wrong lane – for motorcycists

Instead of helping us to reroute, e booked us – for whatever mindless reason. One of them took picture of my car from back and front – ike we were some dubious criminal plotting to go in illegally – I am v v upset – my hubby prevented me from going out – to protect me I guess otherwise, I would have given a diarrohea of high sounding profanities – rather unbecoming of tudung casd woman I guess. My point, however, the reason for booking is simply absurd – and for that, my hubby have 2 weeks to pay at the traffic police in JB – how nonsensical right?”

Be careful when you approach JB immigration complex (returning to Singapore). The cops are often seen lounging on their bikes below the viaducts.

Featuring “Carol of the MINIs” with lyrics written and sung by MINIBee, this animated Christmas card also features photos and videos of our motoring adventures in the past year. Christmas card designs by COOPERation. Happy Holidays!

This cannot go unrepeated. Take note, Harriet Hormone (an apparently shit/ dangerous/ inconsiderate driver).

Female drivers take an average of 20 seconds longer to park their cars but are still less likely to end up in the middle of the bay, the research suggests.

As part of the test 65 people were asked to park an Audi A6 family saloon in a standard-sized parking space.

Their manoeuvres – including head-on, reverse and parallel parking – were timed and rated for accuracy, which was judged by how far they kept the vehicle from the edges of the bay.

While the researchers expected the women volunteers to be slower, they were surprised to find that the cautious approach did not lead to a tidier final result.

Dr Claudia Wolf from Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, who led the study, said that the research confirmed previous findings that men have better co-ordination and spatial awareness than women, and take more risks behind the wheel.

"These prejudices exist and as a scientist I decided the find out if they are true or based on myth," she told the Mail on Sunday.

"I don’t think that feminism or the cause of women is in any way set back by these findings. It only proves what previous studies about the spatial differences between men and women have shown.

I wonder if there’s a link between crap driving and hormonal basket-casery as well.

AJ

Simple: make the advert a mini-movie.

Throw in a haunting song, some explosions, a high-speed car chase to show off it’s agility and a Korean guy with a haircut that looks like he’s auditioning for the next 30 Seconds to Mars video and you’ve got a three minute ad that shows everything you need about the car:

Know the problem with this though? Well, as great as I genuinely think the Cadenza (or K7) looks, I won’t see anything more than this movie of this new Kia in Sussex. In all their wisdom it seems that Kia don’t think the UK is right for such a luxurious and great-looking saloon. Or that it would do wonders for their image over here. Fools.

Mediacorp’s BlogTV invited me to write a blog piece on “Driving me crazy”.

This was what I wrote:

“Anyone who drives in Singapore, even for one day, will inevitably shake his head more in sadness than in frustration at the reckless antics on our roads. One foreign driver was sufficiently peeved to write to the newspaper here. Why, he asked, with such beautiful road infrastructure yet our drivers drive like manics?

Young drivers in their souped-up Subaru, Lancer and Honda turn our expressways and roads into race tracks. They even dare to race along Orchard Road. These people think they’re Formula 1 material, inspired by watching too many episodes of F1 on TV no doubt. They fool themselves really. It’s the alertness and evasive actions that other law-abiding drivers take that enable these hotheads to repeat their craziness on yet another day.

The strange thing about driving is that road hogs seem to hoose the very day when you’re in a hurry. Hugging the outermost lane, and a stubborn refusal to give way to faster vehicles are the mindset of such drivers who think driving at 90 kph give them the right to stick to the lane. Not only do they endanger themselves but other road users as well as frustrated drivers overtake them on the left. It’s both pride and sheer ignorance on display here.

Perhaps, the most annoying thing is rampant queue-jumping. After you have taken the right lane and been in the queue for ten minutes or so, along comes a car that squeezes into the small space in front of you. It’s at this critical moment when you have murderous intentions!

Sadly, reckless, dangerous, rude and inconsiderate driving have become the culture in Singapore. This is largely due to the lack of effective enforcement of traffic rules. In my view only strict policing and a zero tolerance towards errant driving can eradicate the menace, and make our roads and expressways safe for all road users.

If on any day, I can drive without any aggravation from other drivers I’ll feel blessed. To prevent my blood pressure from escalating, I’ve adopted the strategy of overlooking three instances of atrocious driving before I get worked up.

Singapore drivers can drive you up the wall. It’s a free-for-all on our roads is the inescapable conclusion. Am I alone in feeling this way?”

To read other bloggers on BlogTV.SG go to http:blogtv.channelnewsasia.com

“City cars are small, nasty, and only appeal to the sort of chap who keeps car manuals for cars he no longer owns.”

I had to drive home from University in the snow the other day. It was, in a word, terrifying. The look of absolute and unparalleled fear that was etched on my face on the long journey could be sense for miles around. And this was not just because I’d never really driven in deep snow before. It was also because I had no confidence whatsoever in the car I was driving, a 1.2 litre Ford Fiesta, that just happens to be ten years old. This I’m sure was the main contributing factor to my buttock-clenching horror. If I had some large, ungainly 4×4 with which to plough my way home, there would have been no problem. I saw endless amounts of the smug bastards on the way home, proudly wading through the ice and snow, pleased that they could finally offer a reason why they’d chosen such a daft vehicle.

And then there was me, a lonely student, driving home in a car that has less power than a triple A battery. And that’s when conditions are good; think what it was like in three feet of snow. So I was, to say the least, a bit frightened. But here’s the thing. I didn’t have to go home that day, I could have easily waited until the snow had abated and the roads were clear. But I thought to myself “Hey, why not? How hard can it be?” In short, I decided to throw myself out of my comfort zone and try something new. Which, as always seems to be the way, can only end badly.

Take Aston Martin as an example. We all know they make some great supercars. The Vantage is a symphony of perfection, and the DBS has a permanent parking space reserved in my heart. Aston make some truly great supercars. So why then, are they now thinking of making this?

 Nope, you’re eyes aren’t playing tricks, that really is an Aston Martin city car. Now anyone even vaguely interested in cars has probably clapped eyes on this already. It’s called the Cygnet, and it’s essentially a Toyota IQ with a bit of bodywork on the front. Now believe it or not this is designed to look a bit like Aston’s most iconic car, the Vantage. Now, I’ll go ahead and give you a few minutes to try and find the resemblance……No? Couldn’t see it? Me neither.

So besides from the styling being a little odd, what else can we find out about the car? Well, not much as it happens, because Aston are keeping very quiet about all the details. They haven’t even released any information about engine sizes, although we can guess they’ll be similar if not identical to the current IQ range. What is interesting though is who Aston are aiming the car at. They could have gone down the route of pitching it as “my first Aston Martin” and having it as a sort of entry level Vantage. But no, in true Aston style and as a demonstration of how in tune with the times the company is, they’re marketing it as a “tender to a luxury yacht.” In short, they want current Vantage owners to fork out for the Cygnet, so that they’ll have something to pop to the shops in. Have they gone completely mad?

 Let’s not beat about the bush. The Cygnet is a city car, and this is a concept I’ve never really been able to get my head around. City cars are small, nasty, and only appeal to the sort of chap who keeps car manuals for cars he no longer owns. I just don’t get them at all. I mean, I can see that the one possible advantage is that you can fit into a smaller parking space, but parking bays only come in one size, so what’s the point? You might as well just use a normal car and save yourself the embarrassment. Aston are making the point that the Cygnet has lower C02 emissions than any of its other cars. But the sort of person who’s already gallivanting around the countryside in an Aston Martin is hardly the sort of person to give a damn about the environment are they? That’d be like presenting Jeremy Clarkson with a Smart ForTwo, and expecting him to love it because you’ve painted a Lamborghini badge on the side.

Everybody I’ve spoken to about the Cygnet has failed to see the point in it. All they’ve been able to come up with so far is that it looks alright. One person commented that if it went like an Aston should, and had all the toys that other Aston’s have, then it’ll probably do quite well. But remember this is a small city car, so it probably won’t have room for the drinks minibar and the chilled cup holders, let alone the heated seats and satnav. I think this will end up simply being a normal IQ with some extra Aston Martin badging.

I should really applaud Aston for heading out of their comfort zone and daring to do something adventurous, but really I’m just left with a vague sense of bemusement at what they’ve managed to achieve. Let’s get this straight. This is not an Aston Martin, it’s a Toyota with an extra large grille on the front. So in the same way that I probably shouldn’t have driven home through the snow on Friday, Aston probably shouldn’t try to make things like this, and should go back to their comfort zone, making supercars. Leave the city stuff to Toyota, and go back to giving us the V12 Vantage. After all, it’s what you do best.

It’s amazing how the mind works: millions of connections relaying, processing, and storing information.

One word can trigger a whole cascade of knowledge or feelings about a certain subject … or many different subjects loosely related or not related at all.

I guess songwriters try to include words in their songs that will stir up certain images for as many people as possible. 
… but sometimes a word in a song just becomes a trigger that makes me think of a certain song.

Is there a special song you think of when you hear the word “motoring“?

note: I’m just curious.

double note: I just wrote all that other crap to get to the question.

triple note: there might be few more entries before and after this one.

.

notes to myself #86

You don’t like going to the doctor … try to pinpoint when and why this is the case.

Goodwood Revival 2009 DVD

A record 134,000 fans flocked to the 2009 Goodwood Revival to join in the fun andcelebrations at the world’s largest historic motor race meeting. On the track Sir Stirling Moss was honoured as he turned 80 with a moving tribute by Lord March and many of his old friends with a stunning collection of 80 cars associated with the racing knight’s career.
The 50th anniversary of Britain’s most-loved car, the Mini, was also marked on the circuit with a parade of 50 Minis of all shapes and sizes, including a distinctive green and black Mini, causing chaos and being driven from a roof-mounted armchair by Mr Bean, making his first-ever live appearance in public.

Please click on an image for more information.

American Trucks of the 1950s, Those were the days series
Anglo-American cars from the 1930s to the 1970s, Those were the days series
Austin Seven & Ten : Road Test Collection
Legendary Italian Cars
Triumph Stag – Essential Buyer’s Guide

The other week I caught the Top Gear with the second attempt at a ’serious’ road test that ended up, of course, in comical stupidity and (hopefully) the demise of Ross Kemp.

As much as I enjoyed watching the little Renault Twingo get put through its paces, I was still much more impressed with the Abarth 500 that got reeled in a couple of times as a benchmark. Especially when it was revealed that the waiting list for this little rocket stretches into next year!

However, having done a little youtubing for more of the test that I missed and something on the Abarth 500, I decided I don’t really want one of them. I want the Abarth SS:

As Clarkson said: “160hp in a car the size of a shoe!” Now that is the kind of fun you want in a little car. Who cares if putting an aerial on it ruins the dynamics, that’s what cds are for isntead.

I’ve driven quite a few small cars lately. As much as I love jumping around the down in quick-dashes of surprising nippiness in a Peugeot 107, or as fun as my mate’s Mini claims to be, the little 500 Abarth – especially the SS – looks a thousand times better.

Well worth the wait, I’m sure.

If you have a spare US$580,000 stored under the mattress for a rainy day, you might be interested in Arash’s latest motor. Packing a hefty 550BHP under its ultra-sleek bonnet, the AF-10 has a 7-litre engine capable of top speeds over 200kph. So it’s fast, expensive and exclusive too, with only 25 planned to roll off the production line.

The last 4 weeks saw

1. the deaths of two men on their motorbike when it was hit by a car
2. a cyclist died after being hit by a lorry
3. on the same day, another cyclist died – also after being hit by a lorry
4. the death of a pillion rider

It’s presumptuous at this stage to blame the drivers of these vehicles. But whatver the causes of the fatal accidents, the onus is on drivers to be alert and be on the lookout for those more vulnerable in the event of an accident.

How many more deaths should there be before the authorities like LTA and Traffic Police decide that enough is enough, and take drastic and concerted action to curb the carnage on our roads?

Perhaps, the accident statistics are within the norm and they don’t know what the fuss is all about. BUT ONE DEATH IS ONE TOO MANY!

Do we need a spectacular accident to bring home the severity of the problem eg a car mowing down a class of kids at a pedestrian crossing, a car crashing into a school just as the students are leaving?

You could accuse me of having an over active imagination. But can you recall the car that ploughed into a bus stop? Or how about the driver who lost control of his car and landed on the MRT track?

Instead of promising tough action, Traffic Police, in light of recent fatal accidents, once again repeats its mantra of urging road users to be alert and considerate. Sigh…

Now I know not all the student reading this blog will be able to afford this sweet ride, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little dreaming! Anyhoo, if VW sees this they might throw me a courtesy car HAHA.

VW’s GTi has been an iconic symbol of power, performance and handling since it first debuted in June of 1976. This hot hatch has gone through numerous evolutions since then, and has become entrenched in South African driving culture like few others.FHM previously drove the GTi around Kyalami, and were blown away by its superb handling. We recently had the opportunity to revisit this excellent vehicle as part of a longer test drive.

The GTi delivers – whether it’s in terms of styling, interior comfort and luxury or handling. Yes, it costs R300k, but you do get value for money. We’ve driven numerous cars in the same price range that had rubbish interiors or were simply banal at best. The VW is easy to drive, and does a brilliant job as either a commuter or robot-to-robot racer. The power is not mind-bending but the GTi does shunt, don’t get us wrong. It’s more than sufficient for overtaking purposes or to get yourself out of trouble. The traction was superb, although the ride does tend to get a bit bumpy, due to the low-profile 18-inch mag wheels.

Our best feature by far was the incredible, seamless, responsive DSG gearbox. All automatic transmissions should be this good! But be warned – when in Sport mode (and you’ll want to stay in Sport; trust us) it does tend to become an expensive exercise. In Drive however,FHM got the fuel consumption down below the six litres per 100 kays mark.

Everything about the hot hatch embodies quality. The interior is superbly well put together with top quality materials. Weirdly though, the seat adjustments were manual. We expected electronic at this level and price, but that’s all the criticism we could deliver. Oh yes, and we wish it’d had Bluetooth, but hey. Volkswagen are producing excellent cars these days, and the GTi is a worthy flagship model for their Golf VI range. Everywhere we went, other GTi drivers smiled in appreciation or flashed their lights. The GTi family is a tight and loyal one – and for good reason. If we had the cash, we’d definitely be the black sheep in that brood.

Engine 2-litre turbo

Power 155kW, 280Nm

0-100km/h 6,9 seconds

Top speed 238km/h

Price R331 800

Words: Peter Piegl

Photographs: www.NetCarShow.com and www.motorpics.co.za

There’s a lot to choose from when we are talking about motoring magazines. From cheep weekly ones to expensive or sensible monthly. But to exclude the price and frequently – is there anything worth reading?

Personally, couple months ago got back from Frankfurt Motoring show and just in the beginning of November hammered London’s Earl court for MPH show. During those couple days got my hands on quiet a few motoring magazines and cars themselves. But when got time to read the papers got quiet disappointed.

People think that if you like cars you should know pretty much everything about – from newest cars on the market to all technical stuff. But for me it’s all about pleasure. I love driving and may don’t know all the technical stuff but do I have to? On the other hand – that’s what the AA is for.

But let’s get back to motoring magazines. How to choose the one that will fit you and maybe even save you money!

During the year got through tens of different magazines but so far, among all of them, TopGear stands alone. From German rivals to Lithuanian, and finally touching the English. But it’s not a big deal which country you are in – most can be delivered straight to your door.

But the question ‘has all motoring magazines went wrong’ appeared only after getting through the ‘Evo’ mag. There hasn’t ever been such a magazine which I would want to throw away. Straight after starting.

Such features like new car review or couple random reader letters is an usual thing. And I don’t mind that. But one of the things that really makes me angry is the way of writing. When you’re a politician you can talk about sun and clouds and people will be happy. Well, most will be. But when you get a motoring magazine, you want facts. And to make reading nicer they can put couple sentences about sun and clouds. Or grass – if you prefer proper off roading. But when I go through and find myself reading the same things all over again I get a bit angry. If they can’t write enough to fill the pages, well, maybe it’s time to employ new people who would be able to do their job properly? The other thing from writing culture is naming things and people as, well, they aren’t supposed to. I can truly understand Jeremy Clarkson and his attitude to everything but he’s a Jeremy Clarkson. So, deal with it. I don’t mind ‘Jaguar’ being ‘Jag’ or ‘Mercedes’ being named as ‘Merc’. On the other hand, don’t think that even you would be happy if someone would make something up from you name. From my point of view it’s a bit disrespectful.

New cars are released almost each week, in some cases a month can be pretty quiet. But there’s always something to write about. And it’s even sometimes interesting to get couple different magazines and to compare how the same car is rated.

But all in all it gets boring after some time. Even buying the same mag turns to be a waste of money. But after a month or two brake you are hungry for news.

So – has all motoring magazines went wrong? Or we got too much information to digest?

This illustration was for the April 2009 issue of Motor magazine (Australia).

The ‘heel and toe’ is a method of changing gears often used by race drivers to make braking and overtaking smoother (and therefore faster). Click here for more info.