Roads Report
Catching heat
Most communities have their share of bad drivers. However, not many have a driver who is so notorious that she has earned herself a nickname and a community-run Facebook page.
Patricia McDonald of Topeka, Kan., is just that driver. Nicknamed “The CRV Lady” for the blue 2008 Honda...
I’m lovin’ it
Workers at a McDonald’s in East Palestine, Ohio, thought they were being pranked when a van rolled through the drive-thru driven by an 8-year-old boy.
But this was no hidden camera show, and there were no grown-ups hiding in the backseat.
The boy and his 4-year-old sister were...
Death defying
James Sundby is lucky to be alive after surviving two near-death experiences in one night.
Late one Friday night this past March, Sundby ran a stop sign at a T-intersection in Alexandria, Minn., barreling over the curb, through someone’s yard and straight off a 40-ft embankment....
Going out with a bang
Police in Cumbria, England, are trying to figure out what led to an embarrassing discharge at their station this winter.
In February, a Vauxhall Corsa had been parked outside of the Workington police station for nearly a week before officers on the overnight shift noticed...
Totally crushed
In the face of devastating misfortune, Georgiy Karpekin still feels like “the luckiest guy.”
One blustery day earlier this year, Karpekin was leaving Sacramento City College when he discovered that strong wind gusts had caused his truck to be, in his words, “taco’d” by a very...
Melt down
Winter is here, and millions of tons of salt are being sprayed on roads and streets across North America.
That’s 10 times the amount of salt that we’ll use for food production this year. But all that salt doesn’t just disappear with the snow in spring.
Scientists say much of the...
Suspend your fears
More than 26 million people cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland every year, and for most the scenic 4-mile bridge offers breathtaking views.
But for those with gephyrophobia—a fear of bridges—it’s one of the most terrifying places on the planet.
Drivers on the double-...
Burning up the road
They say that nothing has a greater influence on a child than a parent. If that is true, then as motorists we are all in deep trouble.
Take the Australian father who believes that getting kids interested in cars at an early age can keep them out of trouble later on.
Alex...
Memory blanks
Earlier this year, the Automobile Association in England discovered an alarming phenomenon: More than one in seven drivers regularly experiences memory gaps while behind the wheel.
Researchers polled more than 27,000 drivers and found that 15% were “quite often or very often” unable...
Teaching stray dogs new tricks
The Moscow Metro is one of the busiest rapid transit systems in the world, used by nearly 10 million riders each day, including 20 stray dogs.
Of the estimated 35,000 stray dogs roaming Moscow, a few hundred live in the subway stations and about two dozen have...
Divided attention
Hands-free technology is supposed to be the solution to driver distraction, right? Now it turns out it might be part of the problem.
Researchers in Ireland found that even listening to the radio can be enough of a distraction to hinder your driving.
They blame it on the...
Bigger isn’t always better
While the auto industry may love SUV owners and the high prices they are willing to pay, it turns out most other people find them annoying.
In his book, “100 Things You’re Not Supposed to Know,” author Russ Kick reveals the results of the auto industry’s extensive...
Miles from nowhere
Residents of King Cove, Alaska, an isolated fishing village of 900, are pretty tense individuals.
Their hometown is located between two volcanic mountains in the Aleutian Islands, which may actually be the literal edge of nowhere.
There are no roads connecting King Cove to...
Pedal like it’s 1999
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the indelible contributions that dads make in our lives. So this year, let’s do better than another coffee mug and a fart joke card.
Does Dad love music, exercise and dress-up? If so, you can’t go wrong with this month’s Pedalpalooza...
The buck don’t stop here
Did you know that deer are among the deadliest animals in North America? It’s not because of their superior attacking skills—it’s just that they’re really bad at crossing the street.
In fact, deer-vehicle collisions are responsible for around 150 fatalities and 10,000...
News
October 12, 2015
South Carolina transportation officials report that more than 300 roads and bridges are still closed over a week after rain and floods struck the cities and surrounding areas of Charleston and Columbia, S.C.
The South Carolina Department (SCDOT) also said 98 bridges remain closed to inspect...
News
April 06, 2015
The WestConnect Corridor Coalition, a newly formed transportation coalition, plans to move forward with several Denver-area highway projects.
The purpose of coalition is to develop a comprehensive and coordinated plan that will be used to inform Jefferson County, Colo. residents about the...
Article
October 06, 2011
Cruise control
When you see a group of young people in the San Francisco Bay Area parked in their hybrid cars having an argument, you’d be forgiven for assuming that it’s just some hipsters who can’t agree on which National Public Radio program is best.
However, that’s what automotive history...
Article
August 05, 2011
You just got Lego’d
A 2004 Volvo XC60 doesn’t usually elicit open-mouth stares, but that’s exactly the reaction Peter Ronchetti had one morning in June as he was leaving his office at the Legoland California theme park.
As he approached his parking spot, the park manager discovered that his...
Article
July 15, 2011
Old divides run deep
Ford or Chevy? It’s one of the great debates of our modern society. Long after we’ve decided between the Beatles and the Stones or “tastes great” and “less filling,” we’ll still be arguing about who makes the best American cars.
This past May, four buddies in Georgia...
