Get Home Faster and Safer Using Proven Defensive Driving Skills

Driving on the freeway in gridlock traffic in southern California is no fun at all. Throw in a few disgruntled workers, teenagers and road ragers and the freeway could be a very dangerous place. Every day on the road I see people getting cut off, swerving in and out of lanes, yelling, racing, not signaling, tailgating, etc. Unfortunately for Americans, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTA) reported more than 41,000 deaths from car accidents in the US in 2007. For many of us, this is a scary reality. Since I graduated college, I see more and more people driving aggressively and putting others at risk. Commuting to a regular job is nowhere near the same as any summer job commute. Joining the real world means taking on more responsibility, and it begins with your car.

Get Your Car Washed by an Elephant. Really!

It seems as if everybody is familiar with the Elephant Car Wash chain. They've got ten locations on the west coast, and Elephant Car Wash's iconic neon elephant sign has been a Seattle landmark since 1951.

Of course, for the attendees at these Elephant Car Wash locations, that elephant is just a symbol that identified these stores used the first automatic hands-free machines - representing a  "new" technology that cleaned cars more safely and reliably than previous carwashes that utilized plastic bristle brushes and human labor.

Flash forward 50 years, to this other elephant carwash in Oregon, which uses REAL LIVE ELEPHANTS to wash cars! Check out the Wildlife Safari in Eugene, Oregon, which features a drive through car wash run by a team of elephants, specially trained in automotive, er, detailing...

The threesome take turns interacting with guests and their cars, sucking water into their long, slender trunks before showering it upon waiting vehicles, then using their snouts to grip a sponge and scrub windows! For many visitors who have never seen a real elephant before, it's not just an awesome wash, but an awesome experience. According to Foxnews.com  "You'd be amazed," explains Katie Alayan, an elephant trainer. "People start crying when they see an elephant for the first time. It can have a powerful impact."

Ask Patty's Female Friendly Blog Carnival: July 8, 2009

There's so much happening in the automotive world, whether it's exciting reports about amazing women in the industry, fun car news, or news about our Certified Female Friendly dealers and retailers, we've got something here for everyone. Have you got female friendly news or interesting automotive tidbits to share? Email Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com or use the form at the end  to include your own blog bits in our next carnival!

Arthur St. Antoine unexpectedly became a crash test dummy when the BMW 335d he was driving was hit from behind by an inattentive teenaged driver. "Had it been a side impact," said the author "at only slightly higher speed, my lights could've gone out forever. As it was, I was damn lucky. Lucky, too, to be securely belted into a sturdy BMW." Read more about the experience and find out how the driver and vehicles fared at Motor Trend.

Some of us dream that our government will use our tax dollars to correct errors in the signage over our roadways. Others fix it themselves. According to LA Traffic and Transportation Examiner David Saler, one such vigilante of commuter justice is artist Richard Ankrom:  The artist could never accept the pathetic signage provided by Caltrans for drivers approaching the 5 North from the 110 North in downtown Los Angeles, so he made and installed his own.  They've been in place now for more than seven years!

Suzuki has created a "Free Gas for Summer" program that offers buyers of a new Suzuki SX4 Sedan or Crossover a stored value debit card in the amount of $270 or $290 dollars that can be used for fuel purchases. On top of this deal, Suzuki is offering $2,000 in customer cash on all 2009 SX4 models equipped with manual transmission.

Hey have you seen these awesome sculptures made entirely from used tires? If you've ever wondered what becomes of your used tires once they've served their intended purpose, Jalopnik says if your tires are lucky, they might end up like one of these 15 fantastic pieces of used tire artwork. Creative artists have transformed used tires into elephants, spiders, sharks, and much more! Check them out at Jalopnik!

autoMedia.com reports that Hyundai will honor Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) credits at its dealers nationwide, well ahead of then the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is expected to have sorted out the program details. In addition, Hyundai continues to offer its job-loss protection program, Hyundai Assurance, 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, along with its new Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock, which offers a year's worth of gas at a guaranteed price of $1.49 per gallon.

If fuel prices concern you, then we know you want to know more about fuel efficiency standards. With this in mind, and because petroleum products are a finite resource, the Obama administration has proposed new fuel efficiency standards. We all like the idea of better gas mileage so that we get more for our money, but what do the proposed fuel efficiency standards really mean for you? Read more about it at extragasmileage.com

CERTIFIED FEMALE FRIENDLY DEALERS AND RETAILERS IN THE NEWS
Are you shopping for a car? An Ask Patty certified dealership guarantees that the experience of purchasing and maintaining a vehicle will be a pleasant one. Ask Patty trained and certified dealers are held to a high level of customer satisfaction with women consumers. Congratulations and many thanks to these dealerships for going the extra mile to create an inviting and comfortable environment where women feel safe and welcome! Please support these dealerships which have recently become Ask Patty Certified Female Friendly and are offering special programs and features especially for women consumers! And be sure to let them know you found them at AskPatty.com!

Speaking of the new Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), Certified Female Friendly Dealer, Premier Hyundai of Milwaukie, Oregon, is among the first dealerships in the country to begin participating in the CARS/Cash for Clunkers program.  Are you searching for a Certified Female Friendly Hyundai Dealer? Be sure to tour their website, which greets visitors with a cool digital tourguide to welcome users and help them find the right car at the right price.

Certified Female Friendly Dealer Smith Stokes Automotive of Reidsville, North Carolina, is working in partnership with Rockingham Animal Shelter to present a fun Animal-Palooza event this coming Saturday, July 11.  The event supoorts the Rockingham County Animal Shelter 'Drive 4 Shelter Campaign,' which runs through October 17th, 2009.  During the campaign, Smith Stokes is selling $2.00 Raffle Tickets that will give visitors the opportunity to win a beautiful 2006 Chevrolet Colorado Pickup Truck donated by Smith Stokes to help the Rockingham County Animal Shelter continue to do their great work!

Blood is needed all over the United States, so join the Blood Drive at Jon Lancaster Toyota from 9am to 2pm on July 22, 2009! Potbelly Sandwich Works is donating cookies and food vouchers throughout the day, so please spread the word about their blood drive to friends and family; blood is in short supply and with your help many people's lives can be saved. Also, if you will be participating in the Bike MS: Toyota Best Dam Bike Ride 2009, be sure to attend the Rider Packet Pick-up at Jon Lancaster Toyota on July 22, 2009. They are planning an afternoon packed with fun product demonstrations as well as an opportunity to win bike equipment! Stop by in and sign up to win a MAG + rear wheel trainer from Cycle Ops and biking equipment from Planet Bike.  The two-day TOYOTA Best Dam Bike Ride 2009 is August 1 & 2, 2009, with legs from Pewaukee to Whitewater and Whitewater to Madison. Want to know more about what's going on with the Madison, Wisconsin, Certified Female Friendly dealership? Then subscribe to their awesome monthly newsletter  which is full of interesting factoids, as well as great info about Toyota cars and special events at the dealership.

Checkered Flag Auto Group, in Southern Virginia,  houses a complete line-up of fuel-efficient new vehicles, including being Toyota, Scion, Honda, Hyundai, VW, MINI, and smart.  However, you'd be surprised to know they offer more luxurious vehicles which also fall into the definition of fuel efficient:  BMW, Audi, Jaguar, and even Porsche!  In fact, over 90% of the new vehicles at Checkered Flag qualify for the Cash for Clunkers program according to the US Government. Aside from just having the vehicles for the CARS Program, Checkered Flag has been selected by cashforclunkersfacts.com and clunkersva.com as the exclusive Southern Virginia dealership to help people gathering information on those two sites. Checkered Flag volunteered its Customer Care Center to answer CARS Program (Cash for Clunkers) questions for both information sites, and continues to do so now.  You can contact them directly about the programs at 757 687-3431.  Since June 25th, the Customer Care Center has answered more than 500 calls from Virginia Beach residents alone.  According to Alex Snyder, Director of eCommerce for Checkered Flag, "I have personally spoken to quite a few people who sound as though they will pitch a tent in front of our doors as soon as they hear registration has opened.  I just hope the NHTSA gets things done before July 24th!"

"It has generated a great deal of curiosity," said Steve Snyder, Senior Vice President of Checkered Flag, about the CARS Program "I think it is going to help the whole industry." When the NHTSA opens dealership registration for the CARS Program you can be assured the Checkered Flag Auto Group will be first in line!

In addition to their own green movement at A+ Japanese Auto Repair's shop, they strive to create awareness and support for their vendors, clients and local businesses so that they too can go green. They've have switched out all 252 lights to energy efficient lighting and added four skylights to eliminate the need for some lighting.  We also recycle just about everything.  They use both sides of paper whenever possible and use a fleet of Prius vehicles to shuttle clients.  As part of their EcoTuesday program, they encourage green businesses to come together to talk about ways to make things better for our environment. A+ Japanese Auto Repair is one of nine companies nationwide to offer the Hymotion Plug In Conversion by A123 Systems, and have already converted ten Priuses so far. Please visit them at www.650595cars.com/certified-green/ for more information.

And that's it for this edition of AskPatty's Certified Female Friendly Blog Carnival! Make sure to submit your article for our next "Automotive Advice for Women Blog Carnival" using the online form  or by emailing Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com.

By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty.com Editor

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Michael Jackson's last ride through Los Angeles

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop took his last ride through Los Angeles today, starting early this morning with a funeral caravan from his family's home in Encino, California, escorted by police guards across the 101 freeway to a private service held at Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills. The ceremony was intended to be a solemn event for close family and friends, but was surrounded by paparazzi and news crews on the ground and in as many as 20 helicopters above.

Traffic was affected throughout Los Angeles during the morning rush hour, and through the remainder of the day. Many of the streets around the Staples center have been shutdown or re-routed today to handle the expected onslaught of giant crowds. In addition to those holding tickets to be allowed inside the venues, officials are expecting hundreds of thousands of others to make their own pilgrimage to the surrounding downtown areas. According to LAist.com,   "The area around Staples Center will be shut down to traffic and controlled by about 1,400 LAPD officers assigned to manage the crowds." Police surrounded the Staples Center in cars, on foot, by Segway, and on horseback to manage the crowds, which respectfully gathered to attend the public memorial service, and who mingled in the surrounding areas to pay their last respects to the popular singer.

Why Synthetic Motor Oils Are Recommended for Today's Advanced Automotive Engine Technologies, Part 2

As we said in Part 1 of this report,  many of today's high-powered engine designs and advanced technologies have high-performance lubrication needs that make using a fully synthetic motor oil a far better option than relying on a conventional, mineral-based oil. 

Last week, we discussed the specific needs of engines whose performance are boosted by turbochargers, which operate at extremely high temperatures, and direct-injected gasoline (GDI) engines. This week, we're discussing how synthetic oils are especially beneficial in hybrid propulsion systems, engines using variable component technologies, and 'clean' diesel technologies.

Say 'Hi' to Hybrids
Of all the new engine technologies to hit the passenger vehicle market in the past decade, hybrids probably have received the most attention.

The main benefits of hybrid cars are their ability to deliver advanced fuel economy and lower emissions, compared to a traditional gasoline engine.

Hybrids are vehicles that use two or more power sources, typically an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. This is the most common combination of technologies used in hybrid passenger vehicles.

With the benefit of two power sources, today's hybrid vehicles are designed to deliver the same performance and drivability one would expect with a traditional gasoline-powered-engine car.  In addition, the electric motor power source for hybrid cars helps deliver the economic and environmental benefits of reduced emissions and increased fuel economy. 

In terms of maintenance, fully synthetic lubricants, such as Mobil 1, offer the same performance benefits to hybrid vehicles as they do to traditional engines, including, better overall engine protection.  They offer the best way to ensure long-term engine cleanliness to help maintain the excellent fuel economy that hybrid engines provide. 

Visually Impaired Man Unleashes His 'Inner Mustang' From Ford Mustang's Driver's Seat

With the warm Arizona wind pelting his forehead and his entire body vibrating from the mighty roar of the engine, Roger Keeney took a brand-new 2010 Ford Mustang convertible on an amazing ride, doing donuts on the pavement and amassing speeds of up to 90 mph.

This would be a thrill for anybody, but what makes this truly remarkable is the fact that Keeney has been blind for the past 20 years.

Sixty-two-year-old Keeney, who lives in Athens, Georgia, won the chance to drive the new 2010 Mustang by participating in "The '10 Unleashed" promotion, which asked people to describe their ultimate Mustang dream experience  in 250 words or less. A video diary chronicling his extraordinary ride is live now at www.the2010mustang.com.

A Reminder to Not Drive Drunk This Fourth of July

The Century Council sent me an innovative eCard for the July 4th holiday that reminds viewers to stay safe this Independence Day and not drive drunk.   Click below to start the video, or you can also view the eCard here at The Century Council.

I first learned about The Century Council and its efforts to stop underage drinking when we reported on the organization's support of Brandon Silveria and his "Make the Right Choice"  Program. The Century Council is a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking; through educational efforts such as the Silveria lecture and video program, The Century Council educates students across the country about the hazards of underage drinking and driving.

Hyundai Tackles High Fuel Prices With $1.49 Per Gallon Guaranteed For A Year

With gas prices expected to push over $3 per gallon during the upcoming summer travel months, Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock guarantees a year's worth of gas at $1.49 per gallon on most Hyundai models leased or purchased between July 1 and August 31, 2009. Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock complements the current Hyundai Assurance program and Hyundai's 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, and is available with special rebate and financing options on individual models.

"Hyundai Assurance is a unique platform because it enables us to partner with consumers in ways that address their immediate concerns," said Joel Ewanick, vice president, Marketing, Hyundai Motor America. "We've extended Hyundai Assurance to cover gas prices just as peak summer demand traditionally strains budgets further, guaranteeing most new Hyundai owners a year's worth of low gas prices. It's another way we show consumers that, in this downturn, we're in this together, and we'll get through it together."