Girltalk over een BoyToy

Vrouwenversie:
Afgelopen week was het weer zo ver. Mijn auto moest APK gekeurd worden. Nou is dat racemonster van mij al een beetje bejaard aan het worden, dus is het iedere keer weer spannend of er iets aan ontdekt zal worden wat de ziektekosten zo hoog laat oplopen dat het niet meer rendabel is de auto te reanimeren.

Zo heeft Twingo afgelopen jaar nog een open hart operatie moeten ondergaan! :| Heel het motorblok heeft eruit gelegen. Het leek er zelfs op dat Twingo nooit meer uit zijn coma zou ontwaken en zijn enige ritje nog naar de autobegraafplaats zou zijn! Maar gelukkig werd dit keer geconstateerd dat Twingo weer een jong en gezond hart heeft en zo kwam het dat we met een gerust gevoel, maar wel met een nieuwe doktersafspraak voor de volgende jaarlijkse controle, op huis aangingen. Uiteraard niet voordat ik ‘m nog eens extra vertroeteld had met een wasbeurt en even flink onder handen heb genomen met een zachte poetsdoek. Ow wat voelde Twingo zich lekker! Hij kwispelde ervan!

Ook de binnenkant eens even lekker schoongemaakt. In de garage dragen ze namelijk geen handschoenen, wat vaak resulteert in vage zwarte vegen op het stuur en interieur (hoe durven ze!) In een garage van een duur automerk zijn ze wat voorzichtiger, denk ik. Speciaal daarom laat ik de APK-keuring in een BMW-garage verrichten. Soms krijgt Twingo daar alleen een beetje kapsones van, maar dat gaat na een paar dagen wel weer over.

Thuis in de straat heb ik ‘m het mooiste plekkie van de straat gegeven. Na een kusje op het stuur leek zelfs het eekhoorntje op de zijkant te knipogen… Na zulke goede zorgen ben ik er zeker van dat Twingo me de aankomende winter niet in de kou zal laten staan!

Mannenversie:
De Twingo van mijn vriendin moest APK gekeurd worden. Rond die tijd wordt ze (mijn vriendin dan) altijd een beetje onrustig. Heeft denk ik met vorig jaar te maken. Die Twingo van d’r had een lekke koppakking. Dan rijdt ie niet meer hè! Mijn oplossing was om vast naar een nieuwe auto te gaan kijken, maar ik geloof niet dat ze die oplossing erg op prijs stelde. ‘Een nieuwe auto is geen Twingo’, zei ze. Die snapte ik niet, dan kijk je toch naar een nieuwe Twingo? Zijn trouwens wel leuke bakkies voor die vrouwen vind ik. Gelukkig voor haar hebben ze dat bakkie weer helemaal opgelapt. Kan ze er weer mee over de weg stuiteren!

Maar goed, waar was ik. O ja ze was zenuwachtig. Hoeft ze niet te zijn ,want ze brengt haar auto naar een BMW garage. Daar heb je het beste van het beste spul natuurlijk! Dat ze nu ook per se naar een BMW garage wil heeft met mijn auto te maken. Alhoewel je een Twingo en een BMW natuurlijk nooit kunt vergelijken. Maar eerlijk is eerlijk, ze zijn daar wel goed.

Jammer alleen dat mijn vriendin de eerste dagen dan een beetje grootheidswaanzin heeft als ze in haar auto rijdt. Als ze parkeert draait ze in of ze in een 7-serie rijdt en als ze links rijdt op de snelweg moet iedereen voor haar opzij alsof ze de PK van een M5 onder d’r kont heeft zitten. Helaas gaat die Twingo een beetje loeien bij de 130 en trillen je handen bijna van het stuur, wat haar gelukkig snel weer met 4 wielen terug op aarde brengt.

Er was ook dit keer natuurlijk niks aan de hand met die Twingo. Datum neergezet voor volgend jaar en hoppa, weer op huis aan… dacht ik. Die Twingo moest eerst nog een was- en poetsbeurt vond mevrouw. Dat schroothoopje krijgt bijna nog meer aandacht dan ik! En dan zeggen ze dat mannen erg zijn met hun auto’s! Toen ze eenmaal klaar was hoorde ik haar zeggen: ‘kijk nou! Hij kwispelt!’. Ik zal maar niet zeggen dat ze tijdens het stofzuigen tegen het knopje van de achterruitenwisser heeft gestoten. Kwispelen… het is geen hond hoor!

Thuis aangekomen moest ze ‘m nog per se op mijn parkeerplaats parkeren ook. En voordat ze uitstapt nog even een aai en een kus op het stuur, typisch vrouwen he…
Nu maar hopen dattie nog wil starten straks met de vrieskou! Ach… ik laat haar maar gaan, hij ziet er best schattig uit die Twingo en voorlopig rijdt ie nog… maar het blijft natuurlijk wel een auto.

Nu mai am muzica in masina...

Asta pentru ca mi-au spart masina. Nu cred ca am formulata corect, la plural, cred ca a fost mai degraba un singur hot. Mi-a fost furat radioul cu CD player Blaupunkt de prima echipare de pe Logan. In plina zi, in plina strada. Ei bine, cine ar fi crezut ca cineva ar fi furat janghina aia de radio de pe janghina aia de masina? Eu unul nu, asa ca nu m-am obosit sa scot fata de la radio, pentru ca oricum conectorii sunt prosti si s-ar fi stricat. Acum, cand stau sa ma gandesc, sigur ar fi fost mai rentabil sa scot fata de la radio si sa se fi stricat radioul, caci m-ar fi costat mai putin, decat sa fure radioul si sa imi forteze usa. Dar cat de prost sa fii sa furi asa ceva? Daca era vreun sistem misto, ceva ca lumea, da, dar asa? De ce?

Vestea buna e ca nu mi-a spart geamu, ci doar mi-a fortat butucul de la usa. Vestea proasta e ca ma costa vreo 4-500 de lei sa repar butucul. Radio nu cred ca o sa imi iau, sau nu prea curand.

In plus, la cum functioneaza politia in Romania, nu ma astept sa ma sune vreodata cineva sa imi spuna ca a fost prins cel ce mi-a furat casetofonul. Chipurile au luat amprente de pe masina, dar poate nici ala nu a fost prost sa lase amprente. Chiar daca a lasat, nu exista decat baza de date cu amprente a celor care au antecedente. Ma gandeam ca ar fi bine, ca la eliberarea actului de identitate, sa ti se ia si amprentele. Am aflat de la o colega de facultate ca pasaportul biometric ar contine si informatiile astea. Pai daca e asa, din punctul asta de vedere, sa ne puna cipuri la toti, si eventual si camere de luat vederi. Exagerez, evident. Dar, serios vorbind, daca s-ar face o amprentare la emiterea actelor de identitate, in 10 ani (termenul la care expira buletinul) ar fi gata o baza completa cu amprentele tuturor cetatenilor romani. O metoda de genul asta cred ca in primul rand ar descuraja, intr-o mica masura, acest gen de infractionalitate, dar ca prim avantaj ar fi o mai usoara identificare a faptasilor. Nimeni nu ar putea spune ca vine apocalipsa, ca e incalcarea libertatilor, caci nici acum nimeni  nu spune ca nu e ok sa ai o baza de amprente cu delicventi. O astfel de metoda, din punctul meu de vedere, ar fi doar un mod de prevenire a infractionalitatii.

O prima concluzie ar fi ca se simte criza financiara si in breasla ciorditorilor. Daca atunci cand mergea totul bine, erau sparte masini bune si furate GPSuri si antiradare scumpe, acum hotii au inceput sa se multumeasca cu putin, si au resegmentat probabil piata, ajungand la concluzia ca ce e ieftin se vinde mai repede si mai bine. Nu de alta, dar din cate am inteles de la politistii care au venit la constatare, in ultimele saptamani au mai fost sparte vreo 10 masini in cartier, toate Dacii. O a doua concluzie, Daciile au un sistem foarte prost de incuietori. Totusi, o intrebare merita pusa: unde e siguranta si increderea? Avem doua politii, una comunitara si una dracu s-o mai ia cum se cheama! Ce fac, unde sunt, de atatea masini sunt sparte si ei nu stiu si nu vad nimic!?

Cat despre cel ce mi-a sutit radioul, sa moara in chinuri. Bou dracu, mai erau o groaza de masini de fite, nu puteai sa furi si tu de la unu cu bani, tu de la un amarat cu Logan te-ai apucat sa furi? Evident ca nu am CASCO, ca nu sunt nebun sa mai dau 2000 si ceva de lei, doar ca sa stau linistit ca poate cade drobul de sare. Luatea-ar Moartea sa te ia!

Foto: Alicija M

It’s Deer Season!

Drivers should be extremely alert for deer while driving in November, which is peak mating season for deer and a time when a large number of deer claims occur.

According to an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study, insurance claims for animal collisions are nearly 3 times higher during November than the typical month earlier in the year.

However, by being aware of the risks and following precautionary measures, you can reduce the likelihood of colliding with a deer.

Know the facts

• Deer claims are more likely to occur in the early morning or evening hours. In fact, 50 percent of deer claims occur between 5 p.m. and midnight, and another 20 percent of claims occur between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
• Deer aren’t just found on rural roads near wooded areas, many deer crashes occur on busy highways near cities.
• Deer often move in groups. If you see one, there are likely more in the vicinity.

Be cautious

• Stay alert, awake and sober.
• Always wear your seatbelt and drive at a safe, sensible speed for conditions.
• When driving at night, use high-beam headlights when there is no opposing traffic. High-beam headlights will not necessarily frighten a deer, so do not rely on the high beams to deter deer, but rather rely on the lights to better illuminate the animal.
• Do not rely exclusively on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer.

When deer are near, be careful

• Deer are unpredictable, especially when faced with glaring headlights, blowing horns and fast-moving vehicles. They often dart into traffic. Assume nothing, slow down and blow your horn to urge the deer to leave the road.
• If the deer stays on the road, stop, put on your hazard lights and wait for the deer to leave the roadway. Do not try to go around the deer while it is on the road.
• Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
• If you do strike a deer, and are uncertain whether or not the deer is dead, then keep your distance, as this is an injured, wild animal with sharp hooves that can inflict injuries. If the deer is blocking the roadway and poses a danger to other motorists, you should report the incident to the Game Commission or a local law enforcement agency.

If you need to file a claim, know what to do

• Clients with The Weimer Group can phone our office at our 888.304.6678 or online.
• Contact your agent immediately.  Your agent will file a claim on your behalf and will explain the claim’s process with you.

La Smart mangia le lampadine oppure è rogna?

Agganciandomi al mio precedente post dedicato alle lampadine a luce bianca, prendo atto che queste ultime sono durate troppo poco per poterci ragionare su ulteriormente.

Vedi > http://paoblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/lampadine-a-luce-bianca/

Resta il fatto che il problema delle lampadine consumate in maniera esagerata c’è, per cui copio qui parte del post precedente in modo da ripartire con l’analisi delle nuove lampadine che monterò nei prossimi giorni sulla Smart, ovvero la Daytime della Bosch e vediamo se, in questo caso, il gioco vale la candela e si conferma il vecchio detto che chi più spende, meno spende.

°°°

23.10.2009: Oggi è bruciata una delle lampadine. In pratica è durata meno di 4 mesi; un pò poco, secondo me. Dopo l’esperienza allucinante dell’ultimo cambio lampadina, mi sono recato dal meccanico di fiducia ed abbiamo approfondito un poco il discorso lampadine.

E’ chiaro che l’uso diurno delle lampadine provoca un maggior consumo di lampadine che lavorano il doppio rispetto a prima, ma è anche vero che vi possono essere delle concause, per questa breve durata.

Per quanto riguarda la Smart nello specifico, essendo un’auto piuttosto rigida, va da sè che le vibrazioni sono maggiori e possono causare la rottura di un filamento già stressato (ovvero fragile) a causa del maggior tempo di accensione e, in seconda battuta, possono esserci modelli che hanno un’errata calibratura/progettazione dell’impianto elettrico, per cui la moria di lampadine è superiore al previsto.

Circa questi problemi degli impianti elettrici ne avevo letto tempo fa su Quattroruote; se ben ricordo si diceva che tra l’altro l’ingresso massiccio dell’elettronica aumenta i consumi di energia che spesso sono calibrati con troppa precisione e possono esserci sbalzi di tensione.

Ma torniamo a noi. Avevo tre scelte davanti a me. 1) La lampadina classica 2) Quella attuale a luce bianca che non incrementa la portata del fascio di luce, ma emette luce bianca 3) Adottare una lampadina Daytime (siamo italiani, diciamo Luce diurna ) che però ha un costo doppio a quella normale (Pos. 1).

Secondo la Bosch, queste lampadine oltre a garantire il 10% di potenza in più, assicurano il mantenimento degli intervalli di sostituzione nonostante l’utilizzo anche diurno. Vedremo…

Il meccanico, onestamente, mi diceva che fino ad ora nessun cliente, di fronte al prezzo doppio, accettava di montarle, salvo lamentarsi della scarsa durata di quelle standard, per cui con una strizzata d’occhio mi diceva che se volevo fare da collaudatore, sarebbe stato contento anche lui.

Fortuna vuole che mentre aspettavo che cercasse i prezzi delle lampadine, notassi che è in corso una promozione Bosch su spazzole tergicristalli e lampadine, con uno sconto del 30%; fatto un rapido conto, le lampadine a lunga durata le avrei pagate come quelle a luce bianca, per cui perchè non provarle?

E per non sbagliare, al 27 ottobre è morta anche la seconda lampadina… insomma, hanno avuto una vita di poco superiore ai 3 mesi.

Questa lampadina è così poco richiesta che il meccanico ha delle difficoltà a reperirle; erano state promesse per il 23 ottobre, poi per il 26 ed ancora non sono arrivate, per cui andrò a montarle (spero) al 30 ottobre.

Seguiranno aggiornamenti, spero in là con il tempo….

Informazioni aggiuntive

Lampadine Bosch: http://www.bosch.it/formula/archivio/formula_estate2006/ricambi1.html

Lampadine Daytime: http://www.bosch.it/stampa/comunicato.asp?page=38&idCom=53

Ma dato che non ricevo provvigioni da parte della Bosch, ecco un link che porta ad una nuova lampada della Philips: http://www.lighting.philips.com/it_it/consumer/carlighting/1_car_lighting/products_for_car/2_nightguide.php?main=it_it_consumer_lighting&parent=89083467512&id=it_it_car_lighting&lang=it

Race report for FIA GT-Championship round eight in Zolder, Belgium

Another championship title for the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

A tailor-made finale for Richard Westbrook. Claiming victory in Belgium’s Zolder at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, the Briton secured the FIA GT Championship GT2 class drivers’ title to continue the streak of 911 successes this year. With the 911 GT3 RSR, Porsche pilots won the GT2 championship titles in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series, as well as other championships. Moreover, the 450 hp racer from Weissach was celebrated as the winning car at the prestigious Nürburgring 24 hour race in 2009.

“We can look back on a highly successful year with the 911,” said a satisfied Hartmut Kristen, head of motorsport at Porsche. “Again the 911 GT3 RSR proved to be the most successful GT race car in the world. Congratulations to Richard Westbrook and the Belgian Prospeed team who made this feat possible.”

“This is the most important title of my career,” said a delighted Richard Westbrook. The Briton and his teammate, the French Porsche works driver Emmanuel Collard, had dominated the FIA GT Championship season. With two victories to open their campaign, they planted themselves at the head of the championship standings, which they only lost prior to the finale to the strongest Ferrari team. The pair travelled to Zolder with a three-point gap to the leader, where the Belgian top squad, Prospeed Competition, put together a clever strategy with the support of Porsche. The two title candidates manned different cars to increase their championship chances. Twenty-one-year-old Porsche Junior Marco Holzer joined Richard Westbrook as his new teammate. And the trick worked. Westbrook and Holzer dominated the two-hour final in the fiercely contested and highly competitive GT2 class. The young German performed equally as well as the experienced Briton – Westbrook was the champion of the Porsche Supercup in 2006 and 2007. “Marco did a super job,” praised 34-year-old Westbrook. It was with a touch of regret that Emmanuel Collard congratulated his English teammate on his title win. Together with Porsche Junior Martin Ragginger (Austria), Collard finished the race sixth at the wheel of the 911 fielded by the Italian Brixia Racing team to claim third overall in the championship.

Statistics: 8th of 8 races in the FIA GT Championship in Zolder, Belgium

 

Result GT2 class:

1. Westbrook/Holzer (GBR/GER), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 76 laps
2. Ruberti/Malucelli (ITA/ITA), Ferrari F430, + 4.157 seconds
3. Bell/Kirkaldy (GBR/GBR), Ferrari F430, + 5.041
4. Bruni/Vilander (ITA/FIN), Ferrari F430, + 11.280
5. Bergmeister/Mamerow (GER/GER), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 22.947
6. Collard/Ragginger (FRA/AUT), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 59.237

Final classification GT2 class drivers

1. Richard Westbrook, Porsche, 56 points
2. Gianmaria Bruni, Toni Vilander, Ferrari, 54 points
3. Emmanuel Collard, Porsche, 49 points

Uzkāpu uz varžacīm kādam foruma adminam

Līdz ar pirmajām automašīnas problēmām piereģistrējos  pašmāju Volvo automašīnu lietotāju forumā un kādā ārzemju analogā. Uzreiz jāsaka, ka abu forumu funkcijas un sadaļas ir līdzīgas, bet atšķiras padomu un pamācību došanas maniere.

Ja par kādu specifisku problēmu ieraksta Latvijas Volvo forumā, tad ir skaidrs, ka šī diskusija izraisīs plašu apmeklētību, bet kādu konkrētu informāciju izspiest no atbildēm būs grūti, jo katrs “zinošais” lietotājs cenšas lobēt tieši savu Volvo “kantori”. Īpaši uzmācīga ir MMr (Mūsa motors) reklamēšana un piesaukšana ikvienas problēmas risināšanai. Un tas pat ir vienlaga vai jānomaina lampiņa vai sprauslas, tikpat pirmais ko ieteiks būs dīlerserviss vai kāds cits serviss, nevis iedomāsies atbildēt par uzdoto tēmu. Manuprāt tas vien, ka jau nesēžu ar savu problēmu autoservisa uzgaidāmajā krēslā, bet gan rakstu par problēmu šāda forumā, liecina, ka vēlos ar šo problēmu pēc iespējas tikt galā paša vai zinošāka paziņas spēkiem nevis tērēt laiku un naudu braucot uz tiešām DĀRGAJIEM servisiem.

Nesen sanāca šmucīte ar ģeneratora siksnu, ruļļiem, pastiprinātāja sūkni un kondišku (tas viss ir vienā aplī uz vienas siksnas). Latvijas Volvo kluba forumā aizvadīju neskaitāmas stundas cenšoties noskaidrot kā un ko nomainīt, bet līdz tiešām no kāda lietotāja saņēmu kādu vērtīgu atbildi bija pagājis jau krietns laiciņš kura laikā paspēju sazvanīt visus piedāvātos servisus un noskaidrot pakalpojuma cenas. Vidējā cena par darbu un detaļām sākās no 200 latiem, bet ar nenosakāmu galējo cenu dažādu sarežģījumu dēļ.  Neieslīgšu sīkumos un uzreiz pateikšu, ka visu izdarījām divatā ar kopējiem izdevumiem ~70LVL + aliņš Ļoti palīdzēja forums, bet tā reālā palīdzība nāca no pāris lietotājiem, no pārējiem tikai beztēma par servisiem, un pat draudiem, ka ja nenopirkšu, nenomainīšu to un to, pirkšu jaunu motoru no tā un tā

Kāpēc rakstu šo rakstu? Tāpēc ka uz sirds ir sāpe par to kā viens otru mūsu zemē grib apjāt vai arī viens uz otra grib nopelnīt bezjēgā.

Pavisam “svaigs’ starpgadījums. Kad uzdevu jautājumu par kādas problēmas risinājumiem momentā sekoja piedāvājums aizbraukt pie dīleriem. Kad centos liriski norādīt uz to vai nav kāds cits risinājums/vieta kur ar problēmu varētu tikt galā saņēmu vien pārmetumus un banota lietotāja statusu

Tad nu mans ieteikums visiem, kas brauc ar Volvo markas automašīnām un ar problēmu grib tikt galā izmantojot Volvoklubs forumu, netērējiet lieki laiku – vainu brauciet uzreiz uz kādu servisu, vai arī forumā rakstiet maz, lasiet daudz

MotoGP Sepang 2009: Rossi World Champion in Wet

As expected, Rossi becomes world champs after finishing third behind Stoner and Pedrosa in wet condition. I was there with thousand of MotoGP fans and I must say deja vu after 10 years absence. The atmosfere is good and cheerful with many booths from Kawasaki, KTM, Petronas, Yamaha, Suzuki and others.

Many cheer our local boys in 125cc Elly and Zulfahmi with their Aprilia and Yamaha. They deserve a better chance if more concerted effort were done to groom world class racer. I think Tony Fernandes effort in Lotus F1 team is a huge morale boost to local motorsport industry as people like him is the hero in getting things done like what he did to AirAsia.

OK, let’s watch smartphone quality video I took and hear motogp engine noise. It also shows Rossi overtook Lorenzo at turn 9.

These are the photos around grandstand and ticket booth where they implemented new web based system which took at least ONE minute to issue even one ticket. Can I complain? Grrrr……….

Ticket Booth

What else to see?

Ducati GP9 Stoner Replica at Shell Booth

Kawasaki plan to launch 150cc Enduro Soon

All I've got is KTM T-shirt

The crowd is unbelievably huge, no place to watch

GTA Chinatown Wars

So, ich habe mir nun auch das neue Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars besorgt um zu sehen was Rockstar Games da fabriziert hat und ich muss sagen, ich bin relativ positiv überrascht.
Zu beginn sitz man in einen Flugzeug und bekommt ein Einblick ins Geschehen und die wichtigsten Informationen zur Steuerung etc. werden erklärt. Besonders die neue Art Autos zu knacken trifft bei mir auf begeisterung. Man muss mit hilfe das D-Pads das Schloss knacken oder bei einigen anderen Autos mit R und L die Zündkabel aneinander halten.
Auch die Grafik ist auf den ersten Blick gut ausgearbeitet. Das besondere an GTA Chinatown Wars ist das man eine halb-draufsicht hat und daher das meinst von oben sieht.
Die Zwischensequenzen wurden nun mit einer art Comics dargestellt. Gesprochen wird in den Spiel auch nicht viel da alles diesmal als Untertitel eingeblendet wird.
Natürlich kann man auch bei diesem GTA wieder rasante Polizeiverfolgungen herbeiführen oder ein Massaker anrichten.
Auch Bürgerwehr kann man wieder leisten und sich etwas Geld dazu verdienen. Die Bürgerwehr wird z.b in einen Polizeiauto durch den Polizeicomputer angenommen. Man hat dort eine kleine Auswahl an Missionen. Auch Waffen gibt es wieder zur genüge und das “rumballern” macht in diesen GTA genauso Spaß wie in den anderen.
Das Nachtleben wurde dort auch ausgearbeitet, alle Autos haben Licht und es gibt auch Clubs. Im großen und ganzen ein sehr attraktives Spiel.

Hier nochma die Pro- und Contraliste:
+ Gute grafische Umsetzung
+ Spielspaß geht durch Perspektive nicht verloren
+ Viele kleine Details die zum Ganzen bei steuern
- Zwischensequenzen durch eher langweilige “Comics” dagestellt
- Sehr schnell alle Missionen durchgespielt
- Spiel ist sehr teuer

Um euch das Spiel noch etwas näher zu bringen habe ich auch noch eine kleine Gallarie mit 39 Screenshots erstellt
–> Zur Gallarie

Ob es sich lohnt GTA Chinatown Wars zu kaufen müsst ihr selbst entscheiden, aber vielleicht habe ja ich den ein oder anderen etwas geholfen

Grand Theft Auto – Chinatown Wars bei Amazon

Opel pune pret pe noul Astra

Opel Astra

Noua generatie a modelului Opel Astra va fi disponibila clientilor din Romania incepand cu a doua jumatate a lunii noiembrie.

Preturile pentru noul Astra pornesc de 14.250 euro, inclusiv TVA, modelul fiind comercializat alaturi de generatia anterioara.

Al zecelea model din clasa compacta a Opel va fi disponibil in varianta de caroserie…

Citeste despre cele 4 versiuni de echipare ale noului Opel Astra pe auto.ro.

Driving Tips for the cell-phone addict

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver distractions are a contributing cause in approximately 25 percent of all motor vehicle crashes or about 1.2 million accidents.  Cell phones are considered one of the leading driver distractions. California has already passed a law banning the practice of texting while driving.

In addition to obeying the hands-free and texting laws, the following tips are offered to the hopelessly addicted:

• NEVER text message while driving. One study found that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunken driving.
• Use a blue-tooth or don’t call.
• Wait until the car trip is complete before answering a call. Let voicemail do its job.
• For those must-make calls it is NOT wise to pull over on the side of the road, where a rear-end collision is possible. Pull into a parking lot, instead.
• Keep your phone in a place where it is easy to see and reach.
• Take advantage of hands-free, voice-activated, speed dialing capabilities.
• You should never drive and talk on the cell phone during stressful, emotional, or complex discussions since the risk of an accident is heightened.

Most of all, just be safe out there!

Purves Insurance is a full-service insurance agency in Davis, CA.

Copyright 2009
International Risk Management Institute, Inc.

zum Auto II

Ich ging vorbei an dem Getränkemarkt, vorbei an der Kneipe aus der es immer nach schalem Bier roch und arme, zwielichtige Gestalten meist aus dem Dunkeln der Kneipe nach draußen blickten. Kurz schoss mir ein Schreckgedanke durch den Kopf: “Werd ich auch bald da drin sitzen und mein Leben auf der Straße vorbei ziehen sehen?“

Ich ging hastig weiter, den Gedanken augenblicklich verdrängend und wies meine Augen an nach meinem Auto Ausschau zu halten. Da stand es auch schon, einige Meter vor mir, eingeparkt wie sollte es auch sonst sein in diesem Stadtteil.

Ich hatte tausend wirre, undefinierte Gedanken in meinen Kopf. Spürte ferner zu meinem bestehenden Empfinden der Erleichterung, ein neues, sich anschleichendes Gefühl.

Den Autoschlüssel hielt ich bereits in der Hand als ich vor meiner Fahrertür stand. Ich besitze noch eines der älteren Modele ohne Zentralverriegelung und Öffnung per Knopfdruck. Oldshool eben und schon seit Jahren fahrtüchtig und sehr zuverlässig.

Ein neueres Auto brauche ich auch gar nicht und abgesehen davon wird ein neues in nächster Zeit finanziell nicht drin sein.  Da war es wieder! Der verdrängte Gedanke von vorhin an der Kneipe, ja es war eindeutig Angst die in mir hoch kroch. Ich spürte es deutlich, die Angst über meine Zukunft  breitete sich bleiern in mir aus, während ich auf meinem Autositz platz nahm.

Il 41° Salone di Tokyo

Si è aperto questa mattina per la prima giornata stampa il quarantunesimo Motor Show di Tokyo, in tono dimesso. L’assenza delle maggiori Case europee, americane e persino coreane si sente anche in termini visivi. Nonostante gli sforzi degli organizzatori di riempire gli spazi vuoti con gli stand dei componentisti e mettendo assieme auto e moto, come nel caso della Honda e della Suzuki, il clima è quello di una rassegna regionale, molto lontano dagli standard di Salone internazionale a cui Tokyo ci aveva sempre abituati.

Nonostante ciò i costruttori giapponesi hanno presentato novità importanti e soprattutto hanno chiarito le loro posizioni relative nella corsa al futuro. La spaccatura è netta tra chi ha già oggi le tecnologie per mettere sul mercato entro un paio d’anni automobili elettriche o ibride plug-in e chi no. Le danze le apre la Nissan presentando la Leaf, prima vera elettrica ad arrivare sui mercati mondiali – ancora prima delle vetture della consociata Renault – prenotabile dalla primavera in Giappone e negli Usa, dall’estate in Europa e in arrivo fisicamente nelle concessionarie entro la fine del 2010.

Articolo correlato: http://paoblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/leaf-la-nissan-diventa-elettrica/

Subito dietro ci sono Toyota e Honda, entrambe forti dell’esperienza nel settore delle ibride, e ora pronte a estenderla alle elettriche pure, anche se “dato l’attuale stato dell’arte nello sviluppo delle batterie”, dicono alla Honda, “appare per ora più saggio puntare a una diffusione di massa della tecnologia ibrida”. Il traguardo per l’elettrica pura, sia per Honda sia per Toyota, è tra il 2012 e il 2013.

Chi, invece, è troppo indietro in questo campo, come Mazda e come Daihatsu (questa è sì controllata da Toyota, ma per ora la tecnologia ibrido-elettrica resta riservata alla Casa madre), spingono sui motori tradizionali. Mazda ha scelto il palcoscenico di Tokyo per presentare i motori di nuova generazione denominati Sky. Per adesso sono quasi pronti un due litri a benzina e uno diesel, in grado di garantire un risparmio nei consumi, rispettivamente, del 15 e del 20% a confronto con le equivalenti versioni 2.0 a benzina e 2.2 a gasolio che attualmente equipaggiano i modelli medio-grandi di Mazda. L’unità a benzina raggiunge questo risultato sopratutto grazie all’iniezione diretta, al turbo e alla fasatura variabile, mentre il diesel è accoppiato a una nuova trasmissione automatica a sei marce. Il benzina sarà sul mercato nel 2011, il diesel nel 2012.

Daihatsu ha presentato in anteprima mondiale due motori a benzina piccoli, un tre cilindri di 660 cm3 e un due cilindri della medesima cubatura, che promettono consumi ultraridotti. Il tre cilindri, montato su un’auto come la concept car e:S (non si sa ancora quando arriverà la versione di serie), una sorta di iQ lievemente più lunga – tre metri e dieci centimetri – e del peso di soli 700 kg, garantirebbe la percorrenza di trenta km con un litro di benzina, secondo quanto dichiara la Daihatsu.

Il due cilindri, poi, sarebbe in grado di regalare consumi del 30% inferiori rispetto a un’auto media con sistema ibrido. Ma non si parla di metterlo sul mercato prima di due-tre anni. Un po’ tardi se si pensa che il bicilindrico di Fiat è pronto a debuttare nel 2010.

“L’industria giapponese sta vivendo un momento difficile”, ha confidato a “Quattroruote” Garett Carr, vice direttore della comunicazione di Mazda, un americano trasferitosi a Hiroshima, “preoccupati da un mercato domestico che stenta a riprendere quota nonostante gli stimoli pubblici e accerchiati dalla sempre maggiore intraprendenza di competitori asiatici, come i coreani da una parte e i cinesi dall’altra, i giapponesi stanno cercando di trovare, o ritrovare, una loro strada”. Questa difficoltà – se si eccettua la determinazione mostrata da Nissan con il suo piano elettrico – a questa edizione del Salone di Tokyo si avverte in pieno.

°°°

Un Salone piccolo piccolo, nemmeno parente dell’esposizione cui ci si era abituati fino a due anni fa, si è aperto questa mattina agli occhi dei curiosi in cerca di emozioni. Il boicottaggio di tutte la Case straniere ha spento gli entusiasmi e quella che era una distesa di stand si è ritrovata con appena due padiglioni in buona parte occupati da produttori di accessori e da fabbricanti di moto.

Nemmeno la tradizionale parata di prototipi al limite della follia ha tenuto la scena, dove le poche novità si sono confuse in una marea di proposte legate all’ambiente come moda comanda; d’altronde il 41° Tokyo Motor Show si è aperto all’insegna di “una modo di guidare divertente per noi, un modo di guidare pulito per il globo”.

Ha quindi avviato i fuochi il grande capo di Nissan e Renault, Carlos Ghosn, annunciando: “La grande corsa ai veicoli a emissioni zero è ufficialmente partita, vedremo chi la vincerà”, lasciando intendere che in Nissan si sentono saldamente in pole position. Gli ha risposto con piglio Akio Toyoda, presidente della Toyota, con tutta una serie di proclami tra i quali: “L’evoluzione dei nostri veicoli ibridi ha compiuto passi da gigante. Oggi possono percorrere molta strada anche solo in modalità elettrica al punto che possiamo considerarli auto metà elettriche”.

Poi Toyoda è andato oltre: “Al momento soltanto le auto ibride sono in grado di assicurare bassi consumi a basso costo mantenendo intatte le caratteristiche di piacere di guida delle automobili di alto livello”. E ha infine concluso così: “Per il futuro, per la terra in cui viviamo, è venuto il momento di reinventare completamente l’automobile. Durante gli scorsi 100 anni l’automobile ha portato prosperità per la vita della gente e per l’intera società. Adesso deve farsi carico di qualcosa di più del sogno, deve preoccuparsi del nostro domani. Noi saremo in prima fila per riuscirci”.

Intanto, in uno stand vicino, faceva bella mostra la bicicletta ibrida della Yamaha: si pedala e contemporaneamente si ricarica un motorino elettrico che sarà di prezioso aiuto nei tratti in salita o se si deve accelerare, una sorta di kers-de-poveri per la F.1 a pedali. Non è l’attrazione regina del Salone, ma ne è un po’ il simbolo. Emissioni zero, rumore zero, emozioni zero.

(Sebbene non sia un ciclista, ritengo potrebbe esserci Emozione nel pedalare in un ambiente con emissioni zero, rumore zero; non si può, anche su Quattroruote parlare di ecologia e bassi consumi, creare una sezione Eco, spingere il Programma Eco 10×10 e poi scivolare sul luogo comune che abbina l’emozione al rombo di un motore 12 cilindri. Anche questo è emozione, certo, ma resta il fatto che l’altro giorno il “non sentire” il rumore di una Prius in partenza, mi abbia Emozionato. Sarò fatto male io? Pao)

FURTO D'AUTO.

Stavamo insieme solo da due anni! Dopo un incidente disastroso che ha tagliato in due la mia auto: uno squinternato è passato col rosso al semaforo mentre io stavo partendo col verde.  BOOOOOOOOOOM! Disastro. Poi ne trovi un’altra, cercando a destra e sinistra, in rete, sotto e sopra facendo tutti gli scongiuri. E solo dopo due anni di convivenza e cure costose, perchè le ruote costano più delle tue scarpe, i circuiti,poi, meglio non parlarne e si rovinano…non come te che sgobbi per mantenerne assicurazione,carburante e tutto il resto.Dunque …capita che uno scenda, guardi verso il luogo in cui aveva parcheggiato e…non trovi più la sua auto.
Capita che uno dica:- ma… sarà stato mio figlio a spostarla…-Allora risale in casa e chiede al figlio ma. No.Non è accaduto così. Dunque la facile deduzione è:-Me l’hanno rubata.-
Sì, l’hanno rubata e devi iniziare un itinerario di telefonate e spostamenti che, ora, ora che sei a piedi, non è agevole fare.E poi tutto cambia.Sei a piedi e vedi tutto dall’altezza che hai. Ora, comunque, sei raso terra. Eppure si tratta solo di una macchina,qualcosa che non ha “troppo valore” e ne ha tanto se pensi a tutto quello che costa mantenerla e…ti rendi conto che è stato tutto per niente. Sei sicuro, coi tempi che corrono,che non la ritroverai mai. L’hanno rubata su commissione. O per i pezzi di ricambio o per rivenderla all’est o chissà dove, da qualche altra parte,magari anche a te…l’ironia della sorte sembra voglia così.
Così decido di non comprarmi mai più auto e di andare a piedi. Questa volta mi sono proprio rotta. Due anni fa un incidente mi ha costretto a comprare una auto nuova,ora il furto e poi? Cosa potrebbe succedere ancora? Basta.Taglio definitivo,nemmeno una bicicletta, rubano a rotta di collo anche le bici. A piedi allora, tassativamente a piedi.

Wyrazista Panamera

Szwajcarski tuner Mansory zaproponował nowy pakiet stylizacyjny dla Porsche Panamery.  Jeśli uważacie, że  wasze nowe auto jest zbyt pospolite musicie to zmienić. Ten tuner wychodzi waszym oczekiwaniem na przeciw. Zmiany skupiają się na wokół wyglądu zewnętrznego. Nowy jest przedni zderzak, progi oraz tylny zderzak, który został wyposażony w modne ostatnio dyfuzory.  Nowy bodykit “wzbogacony” jest w elementy z karbonowego kompozytu wytwarzanego przez tunera.  W zmodyfikowanym zderzaku pojawiła się centralnie umiejscowiona końcówka układu wydechowego. Zmian dopełniają nowe 20″ calowe koła oraz obniżone o 35mm zawieszenie. By tuning był pełny należy też zmodyfikować wnętrze. Mansory  dokonuje wszelkich zmian na indywidualne życzenia  klientów. Prezentowane auto jest w fazie projektu, jednak już niedługo ma się pojawić gotowy pojazd. Jeżeli chodzi o cenę ta nie  jest jeszcze znana, ale z pewnością nie będzie należała do okazyjnych.

leckerer Kaffeeklatsch

heute hatten wir anläßlich Junior´s Geburtstag Besuch zum Kaffeeklatsch.
Meine Mam hat extra eine Torte gemacht.
Da unser Sohn auf Marzipan und Auto´s steht hat sie sich etwas ganz besonderes einfallen lassen.
Die Torte sieht nicht nur “sündig” aus – sie schmeckte auch so ;o)
Aber natürlich steckten nicht nur Kalorien in der Torte. Sondern auch die Liebe zum Detail.
Leider haben wir die Torte nicht ganz geschaft.

Da werden sich meine Kolleginen im Büro sehr freuen

iPhone como control remoto.... de un auto!

En Alemania, un grupo de científicos de la Berlin’s Free University están desarrollando desde el 2007 una aplicación para iPhone OS que permite controlar un automóvil a distancia. Gracias a diferentes tecnologías, wi-fi, GPS, sensores láser 3D, cámaras de video y un sistema de conducción por cables (que permiten presionar los pedales y girar el volante), es posible comandar un auto con suma facilidad. Aprovechando el acelerómetro del iPhone podemos hacer girar el volante y así direccionar el vehículo. Uno de los puntos más interestantes, es que podemos ver en la pantalla de iPhone hacia dónde se dirige el auto gracias la cámara colocada al frente del mismo. Muy James Bond no?…

Los desarrolladores de esta interesante aplicación llamada “iDrive” tienen una web explicando los avances del proyecto, pueden revisarla aquí.

Via: TUAW

Autos sicher wie Fische

Vor einem Jahr hat Nissan den Auto-Roboter BR23C vorgestellt, der automatisch Objekten in seiner Fahrbahn ausweicht. Die Ingenieure hatten sich damals Bienen zum Vorbild genommen, die in dieser Hinsicht ebenfalls recht geschickt sind. Heuer gibt es mit dem EPORO nun wieder ein neues Roboterfahrzeug, das Anleihen beim Tierreich nimmt.

Als Modell diente diesmal die Fähigkeit von Fischen, sich gemeinsam in einem dichten Schwarm zu bewegen, ohne sich gegenseitig zu behindern oder gar zu touchieren. EPORO gelingt das aufgrund eines Lasersensors, der den Abstand zu Hindernissen ausmisst und mit Hilfe von Kommunikationstechnologie. Die kleinen Maschinen sind nämlich untereinander vernetzt und können Daten über ihre eigene Position miteinander austauschen…

Was das bringt? Langfristig wohl Erkenntnisse, um die Sicherheit von Autos zu erhöhen. Mehrere EPOROS können schon jetzt eine Reisegruppe bilden, die zusammen ein Ziel ansteuert, ohne das dieses Unterfangen wie eine schreckliche Parodie auf ein Autodrom wirkt. Nissan erforscht so Strategien zur Kollisionsvermeidung, um im Straßenverkehr Unfälle seltener zu machen. Gleichzeitig sollen diese Technologien laut Pressemitteilung auch dafür eingesetzt werden, um die Bewegungseffizienz einer Gruppe von Fahrzeugen zu steigern und so letztlich den Verkehrsfluss zu optimieren. Wieviel die EPOROS dazu beitragen können, das weiß ich wirklich nicht, aber bei dem Aussehen dürften sie zumindest Frauenherzen höherschlagen lassen *g*.

Race report for American Le Mans Series Round Ten at Monterey Sports Car Championships

  Porsche Earns 100th ALMS Win; Lizards Clinch GT2 Title

PORSCHE’S PERFECT DAY ENDS WITH 100TH AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES WIN AND NINTH GT2 CHAMPIONSHIP; LONG/BERGEMEISTER LEAD LIZARDS TO HISTORIC LAGUNA VICTORY

MONTEREY, Calif.- Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) capped a successful 2009 American Le Mans Series season by winning their sixth race of the season, capturing the ALMS GT2 drivers, manufacturers, and team championships, as well as helping Porsche to earn its 100th class win in the American Le Mans Series today in the four-hour endurance event for the Monterey Sports Car Championships at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway.

Bergmeister, who took over the driving chores from Long for the final stint in his #45 Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, ran nose-to-tail with the #3 Corvette’s Jan Magnussen for the lead during the last 20 minutes of the race, holding off the more powerful Corvette despite a vibration from a flat-spotted tire. Then, with three laps to go, the Corvette passed the Porsche, but used the pit lane entrance to do it, and the IMSA officials made him tuck back in behind Bergmeister. Then, with two laps to go, Magnussen got by Joerg again, and Bergmeister picks up the story.

“He got by me, but he went too far into the corner and put himself out of position, and I was able to retake the lead. This happened one more time during the lap, and I was in front going into the last turn, when he pushed me twice. We bumped a third time coming out of the corner, and he went into the wall and crashed. While I feel badly that Jan crashed, and I was glad to hear that he was okay, I felt we raced hard and fair, and that the entire Flying Lizard team and my co-driver Patrick earned this win,” said Bergmeister after the race.

It was the team’s sixth GT2 class win of the season, including five wins in a row at St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Salt Lake City, Lime Rock, and Mid-Ohio; and, for Bergmeister, his fourth ALMS GT2 title (2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009). He won the 2005 championship in a Porsche with Patrick, the 2006 title with Patrick (although they did not share the final points as Long drove Sebring in the Penske Porsche RS Spyder), the 2008 title with Wolf Henzler (Germany), and this year again with Patrick. For Long, this was a special year because of the competition the team faced.

“With the addition of Corvette and BMW to the GT2 mix, it was easy to put in what you thought was a perfect lap, only to find out you were only fourth or fifth fastest. But Porsche gave us a car which only came into the pits for fuel and tires – no mechanical problems all year – and the Flying Lizard Motorsports team continually won races for us with their flawless service, innovative strategy, and hard work preparing the car. As for Joerg and I, we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and are able to put all our efforts toward one goal – team victories,” said Long.

100th Win a Milestone

“And to score Porsche’s 100th ALMS win on top of that, it’s a real honor,” added Bergemeister. “We join the long list of Porsche factory drivers – Bob Wollek, Lucas Luhr, Sascha Maassen, Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas, Dirk Mueller, Randy Pobst, Marc Lieb, Wolf Henzler, Mike Rockenfeller, Ryan Briscoe, Emmanuel Collard – along with many independents, such as Cort Wagner, David Murry, Johannes van Overbeek, Bryce Miller, Richard Westbrook, Helio Castroneves, Kevin Buckler, Johnny Mowlem, B.J. Zacharias, Brian Cunningham, John O’Steen, Martin Snow, Melanie Snow, Patrick Huisman, Craig Stanton, Kelly Collins, and Darryl Havens.

Wolf Henzler and Pierre Ehret (both Germany) finished third in the GT2 class in their #87 Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, moving Wolf up to third place in the final point standings, despite having five different co-drivers this season while his regular teammate, Dirk Werner, was running a successful Farnbacher Loles Porsche effort in the Rolex Grand-Am series which results in a championship.

“The fight with the Panoz was a great battle, fun and fair. A prototype overtook me, but then he had a bad exit and I hit him. I don’t know if he was on cold tires, but I wasn’t expecting him to be so slow. I had to brake really hard, and Dominik in the Panoz had a great run, so he was able to pass me. After that, I was trying really hard to pass him back. I tried two times and we even went side by side through turns 1 through 4. We gave each other room and kept it fair. Finally with two laps until the end, I was able to pass him in the same way he passed me. He ran into traffic and he had a little bit of a bad exit, so I dove in. I had watched him from behind for 15 minutes, so I knew where I could out-brake him. So when we went into turn eleven, I knew I could make the pass so I said, ‘Okay, now or never.’ I made the move, and it worked perfectly,” said Henzler, who won the title last year with Bergmeister.

“Everyone worked very hard this weekend to provide me and Pierre with a good car for the race. We earned our podium position today and our third in the Championship. I’ve known Pierre for a few years now, but this is the first time I’ve driven with him. He’s used to driving Ferraris, but after a few laps in the Porsche, he got much more consistent and confident. He kept the car safe and developed a good rhythm as his stint went on. He was a big help to me today and we earned this podium together,” Henzler added.

Michelin Green X Challenge

Other Porsches got involved in this celebration day, with the #44 Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR driven by Seth Neiman and Johannes van Overbeek (both USA) not only finishing fifth, but winning the Michelin Green X Challenge for the second straight event, scoring enough efficiency points to win the season title for GT cars.

The Michelin Green X Challenge measures the best Green Achievement score from a formula which calculates performance efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and petroleum displacement. For the second event in a row, the #44 Porsche ran the ALMS event with E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol).

The #45 Lizard team Porsche was second, and the #87 Farnbacher Loles Porsche third in the Michelin Green X Challenge final GT standings.

The #18 T-Mobile Porsche entered by VICI Racing, despite now entering the race until mid-week and missing the entire first day of scheduled practices, finished seventh with richard Westbrook (England) and Johannes Stuck (Austria) at the helm, while Team Falken Tire Porsche, with Bryan Sellers and Dominic Cicero (both USA) sharing the driving, finished eighth in only their third race.

In the LMP2 class, Klaus Graf (Germany) and car owner Greg Pickett made it four podiums in four events in their Team Cytosport Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder, finishing second in class despite a couple of spins and a clutch problem.

“The Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder was fantastic today. Unfortunately we had a clutch issue that caused me to go off track when I was warming up the tires during a caution period. After that I had trouble getting it back into gear but let me tell you that nothing other than a Porsche would have continued to make it in this race. It was magnificent. It’s a great testament to their engineering excellence and without that we would not have finished the race. The crew talked me through the re-set procedure for the transmission, which was stuck between gears, and I was on my way,” said Pickett, a former multi-time Trans-Am champion.

Graf, also a former Trans-Am champion, had his adventures on the track as well. “What a race! Fortunately we finished enough of laps to finish second and give us our fourth podium in a row, that’s a big achievement for the team coming into the ALMS LMP2 class at the end of the season, so hats off to the whole team. Obviously it was a pretty eventful race. I had a good start but I was stuck behind an LMP1 car for a couple of laps. I didn’t really get frustrated but I just wanted to get going. The Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder was good and I wanted to go faster. So I dove underneath him going into Turn 9, which is a really fast turn. And he just didn’t see me I guess, because he hit me flat out when I was basically through and passed him already. Luckily the Porsche RS Spyder is a really strong car and it only did body work damage and some damage to the wheel so we were able to recover from that and put in some strong laps afterwards. We have a really strong team and I’m really looking forward to next year,” Graf added.
In the American Le Mans Series Challenge class, for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars running in the Patron GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama series, Melanie and Martin Snow (USA), both still in contention to win individual awards in the Patron series, captured the season championship in their Snow Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car despite not scoring any points at Laguna Seca due to a contaminated fuel issue.

They clinched the championship when the Wesley Hoagland/Bob Faieta Gruppe Orange Porsche did not finish first – a position they needed to overtake the Snows. Faieta took the checkered flag in third position, but later, the car was disqualified for having excess fuel capacity. The Shane Lewis/Mitch Pagery Velox Motorsport Porsche crossed the line in first place, but they too were disqualified (for not meeting the minimum weight) in post-race tech inspection. So, the winners of the ALMS Challenge class were Guy Cosmo and John Baker, in their Orbit Racing Porsche, having been on the pole in all three events they have entered, but scoring their first win.

“Today’s fuel problems were unfortunate, but we had a great season, and we’re glad it ended with a championship,” said Ms. Snow, mother of four and a driving instructor at Utah’s miller Motorsports Park. Along with Dutch champion Patrick Huisman, Martin and Melanie won the GTS class in a Porsche in 1999 to score a win in the first ALMS race at Sebring.

“As the season went on, I got more and more comfortable in our Porsche for these long races, and I had lots of fun,” she added.

ALMS Statistics

PORSCHE AMRICAN LE MANS SERIES STATISTICS
(1999 – 2009)

Porsche overall wins: 11 (Mid-Ohio, ‘06; Long Beach, ‘07; Houston, ‘07, Salt Lake City, ’07, Lime Rock, ’07, Mid-Ohio ’07, Road America, ’07, Mosport ’07,
Detroit ’07, Sebring, ’08, Salt Lake City ‘08 )

Porsche Class Victories: 100
Audi – 80
Corvette – 71
Lola – 33
Ferrari – 27
BMW – 18
Acura – 18
Dodge – 16

Porsche LMP2 Wins: 24
Porsche GTS Wins: 2
Porsche GT/GT2 Wins: 74
Porsche 911 GT3 R/RS/RSR wins: 72

Porsche Class Poles: 86
Audi – 62
Corvette – 64
Lola/MG/AER – 31

Porsche has won the GT/GT2 ALMS manufacturers title nine of the 11 years of ALMS’ existence. 2006 was Porsche’s first LMP2 title, and Porsche won the drivers, manufacturers, engine and chassis titles in LMP2 for 2006, 2007, and 2008.

kategorie1: Mit freu

Roland Radkowski
Prozess- & IT-Berater

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mitarbeiter &edsp;
17.08.2009 13:33

To
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Subject
[Fwd: Straßensperrung beim City-Flohmarkt]

—– Message from Stadt Wolfsburg on Mon, 17 Aug&edsp;
2009 12:35:00 +0200 —–
To:
wolfsburg@pressemeldung-niedersachsen.de
Subject:
Straßensperrung beim City-Flohmarkt
Pressemitteilung von Montag, 17. August 2009
Stadt Wolfsburg

Straßensperrung beim City-Flohmarkt

Anlässlich des City-Flohmarkts im Südteil der Porschestraße am 23.08.2009&edsp;
wird die Verkehrsführung während der Veranstaltung im Umfeld des&edsp;
Rathauses/ Hollerplatzes wie folgt geändert: Zum einen wird die&edsp;
Rathausstraße nach Bedarf für den Durchgangsverkehr gesperrt. Weiterhin&edsp;
erfolgt in der Schillerpassage eine Einbahnstraßenregelung, wobei die&edsp;
Zufahrt über die Pestalozziallee gewährleistet ist. Die Verkehrsteilnehmer&edsp;
werden gebeten, die geänderten Verkehrsregelungen zu beachten. Die&edsp;
Teilnehmer und Besucher werden gebeten die öffentliche Parkplätze und&edsp;
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und das Parkhaus am CongressPark zur Verfügung.

Da in der Vergangenheit das Parkverhalten rund um den Veranstaltungsort&edsp;
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auch Parken auf Busspuren, Bushaltestellen und Gehwegen wird geahndet und&edsp;
gegebenenfalls werden Fahrzeuge abgeschleppt.

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Test Drive

It was the kind of accosting that makes the hair on the back of your neck rise, and the uneasy tension able to sneak in.  Almost a drubbing, as if we had done a misdeed, and truly overstepped our bounds.  All of this, over a visit to test drive a Honda Accord.

Trevor and I are real car geeks. Not motorheads or spark-plug-wingnuts, but enthusiasts on a practicality, design, and industry level.  We both subscribe to car magazines, inquisitively read the many auto blogs drifting around the web, and chat about the state of the car industry, which is a mess, these days.  All the more reason we thought a visit to test drive a car on a Sunday afternoon might be a lesson in dealer groveling.

Instead, when I inquired into the Accord Coupe, which is a handsome and fun-looking car, I was met with indifference.  When I asked if the car came in a manual (which it does), the tall, stocky dealer shifted from standoffish to outright rude. He discounted why anyone would want a manual.

“Listen, no one drives those things anymore. This is automatic.  You aren’t ever going to find one, buddy.”

First- I drive one of those things. Not only is a manual transmission not a dying thing, it’s the only way an enthusiast would ever really drive.  Second, a term like “buddy” is only okay when it’s meant in the friendly-banter kind-of-way. His demeanor was one of hostility and indignation, and I wondered for a minute if I had done something to offend him.  Perhaps his approach to selling cars was usually one of talking down to customers, like an overly-knowledgeable scholar.  The problem is, I could tell pretty quickly that Trevor and I knew more about his industry than he did.  Which is to me, pitiful. My hopes for getting behind the wheel were collapsing, and Trevor glanced at me nervously, as if to say “Um, what next?”

From there, the conversation devolved into an uncomfortable exchange consisting of me sticking to my ethics, and the dealer trying to make me feel guilty for not wanting to purchase the one Honda Accord coupe he had on the lot.

At one point, he looked at me, his gel-shocked hair glistening, and said “I know your type. I know you’re not here to buy. I can just tell about you.”

Since when has it become a bad thing to be an educated consumer? I wasn’t going to the dealership for any kind of immediate purchase. I was going to get a sense of the cars, how they felt, how they drove, and probably nothing more. But in the eyes of this jerk, I wasn’t a flashing dollar sign, so he needn’t treat me like a real customer.  I am tired of people that can’t take the time to indulge in some conversation, some acknowledgment that I went out of my way to investigate the product.  If the status quo for buying a car is to show up, take a glance and sign on a dotted line, count me out. I’m a smart consumer, I’d like to think, and part of that is knowing the $25,000 product you’re about to own.  So, no, I wasn’t there to buy. Not right then.

I countered, “well, that may be true, but I can certainly tell you I’m not going to buy from you!”

So, the trip was a failure. No test drive, no encouragement to come back in when I was more in the market, nothing. In fact, the guy turned me off so much, that I will probably not consider a Honda in the future, let alone this Ron Tonkin Portland dealer.  We left a little shocked, at how an exercise in Sunday exploration could have become such an unpleasant, hostile situation.   I’ll spare you the dealer’s name, whose card I have, but suffice it to say, You Fail, Ron Tonkin!

Auto Union Legend Bernd

I’m guessing you’ve never heard of a Italian race driver by the name of Bernd Rosemeyer, unless you’re well on in years.

Not only was he a gifted & brave race driver in the 1930’s, but he would also go on to accomplish some astonishing high speed milestones, including a straight line speed of 380km/h in the super impressive, streamlined Auto Sumitomo tires Union Type C car.

He was also the first driver to smash through 400km/h on a public road, & to lap the Nurburgring in less than 10 minutes.

Bernd Rosemeyer would be turning 100 on October 14, had he been alive today, if not for his fatal record attempt at the world speed record on an Autobahn between Frankfurt & Darmstadt, in Germany on January 28, 1938.

Mercedes driver, Rudolf Caracciola had gone out early & set a new record with 432km/h in calm conditions. Rosemeyer then took his Auto Union Streamliner out for a run, despite reports that the wind was picking up.

Bild 146-1989-015-35A He was five of Auto Union’s star drivers in Grand Prix races driving a Silver Arrows car with plenty of wins in Europe, USA & Africa.

On his third & final attempt while travelling at over 430km/h, the car skidded to the left & right, before becoming airborne. Rosemeyer was thrown from the car as it somersaulted through the air & died at the roadside.

The Auto Union Silver Arrows cars were hugely powerful with 373 kW (500 hp) & difficult to drive. Only Rosemeyer & Italian driver, Tazio Nuvolari were said to have mastered these cars.

You’ll recognise the Auto Union circles on the side of the Silver Arrows work trolley, next to the car at this Goodwood Revival Festival, as Audi’s badge today.

Rosemeyer would also marry famous Italian aviator Elly Beinhorn (seen here with Bernd & Ferdinand Porsche), who among other achievements, was only the second female pilot to fly solo from Europe to Australia, after Amy Johnson.

Bild 183-2007-1205-500 It is tradition for Audi to lay a bouquet at the memorial located at a reststop (“Bernd-Rosemeyer Parkplatz”) on today’s A5 Autobahn.

R36 für 2013 und SpecM für 2010

Das englische Automagazin PistonHeads hat am Nürburgring mit Andy Palmer, Nissan Senior Vice President und Vizechef der globalen Produktplanung, geplaudert. Palmer hat in dem Gespräch ein paar Einblicke in die Zukunft des GT-R gegeben.

Foto: GrabX ART

Trotz wirtschaftlich schwieriger Zeiten und Einschnitten bei anderen Programmen wird beim R35 nicht der Rotstift angesetzt werden. Nissan will den GT-R stattdessen Jahr für Jahr konsequent weiterentwickeln und spätestens 2013 seinen Nachfolger fertig haben. Der wird das Rad aber nicht völlig neu erfinden, sondern viele Konstruktionsmerkmale vom R35 übernehmen. Was wir also erwarten können, sind wieder ein V6 mit Doppelturbo und ein Transaxle-Getriebe, das für eine optimale Gewichtsverteilung sorgt…

Währenddessen bekommt auch der R35 wieder einige Upgrades für das kommende Modelljahr. Einerseits wird die Federung etwas straffer ausgelegt , damit der Fahrer noch mehr Rückmeldungen vom Asphalt bekommt, wenn er sportlich unterwegs ist. Andererseits sorgen neu konstruierte Lufteinlässe an den Hinterrädern und die Übernahme des hinteren Diffusors vom SpecV für eine bessere Aerodynamik und besser gekühlte Bremsen.

Weitere Änderungen gibts noch beim Bordcomputer. Für betuchte Mitglieder der Playstation-Generation vielleicht nicht uninteressant, werden künftige GT-R Besitzer per USB-Stick Daten herunterladen und daheim am PC analysieren bzw. online mit anderen Besitzern vergleichen können. Die 2010 GT-R werden außerdem die strengere Abgasnorm Euro 5 erfüllen.

Ein paar Informationen gab es auch noch zum SpecM, der entgegen einiger Gerüchte noch nicht auf der Tokyo Motor Show Pemiere feiern wird, sondern erst im kommenden Jahr vorgestellt werden wird. Der SpecM wird kein weichgespülter Komfort-GT-R, sondern im Kern die meisten Merkmale der Basisversion übernehmen. Dafür wird es aber viele Ausstattungsoptionen geben, um sich seinen SpecM wirklich individuell zusammenzustellen.

M&M Auto Quotient ain't that sweet

On 22nd of September, we were all anxious about this colossal of a quiz, supposed to happen in BITS-Pilani. It was an auto quiz, and my friends had like always again thought quite conveniently of excluding me from their teams, because, well the Vlad was no auto-junkie.

At the last moment, my brah Santa, collaborated with me in a cunning adventure. The day was pretty hectic, to top with a Transport Phenomena-2 Lab. Then I ran the steps upto Room 2220 also familiarly called the ET or Engineering Theatre. We were greeted by some Mahindra men and women, all wearing white with a a small logo asking rhetorically “BIG FAN OF AUTO?“. The back side said “PROVE IT. Mahindra Auto Quotient” (Prove it, I say)

The prizes were pretty captivating, kind of like a dream come true, but I definitely couldn’t avail of the first and second prizes because of the simple reason that ” I don’t have a passport“.

First Prize: Tickets to the Geneva Motor Show

First Runners Up Prize: Dune Bashing in Dubai

Second and Third Runners Up Prize: Mahindra Great Escape 4×4 Rally

We settled down and engaged in casual trivial chit-chat with our compatriots and started creating nuisance. In some time, a tall, fair, young, just-out-of-college guy turned up and introduced him as our quiz-master. This is how I would describe him

“He was a Sardar (Surd), as in someone from the plains of Punjab. He had a Khara on his right arm and had an assortment of various bands sticking close to it. He was about 6 feet 4 inches, was fair, quite inexperienced and had the typical Surd accent. He was a Mount Strombo of Sardar jokes, waiting to splurge out anytime. He just didn’t have any charisma. He wore a red t-shirt coupled with jester-like pointy edged shoes in black leather. A Typical Chom.”

After a delay of around 90 minutes, we got to the prelims. The prelims were confusing, as the questions were all trivia. We thought we would never make it. When it was time to finally reveal the answers, everybody was throwing up all their limbs in anticipation of grand audience prizes. Clearly Mr. QM had no idea what to do. People were blurting out answers everywhere. So he would go from one person to another asking for the correct answer, which took so much time, approximately about 5 minutes for each question. And when he finally encountered the right answer, he would pause, as though he was inducing an unknown dose of lethal suspense into the irritated atmosphere. he was getting on my nerves by repeatedly doing, “Your answerrr……… is absolutely correcttt“. Not even ‘absolutely right‘, but ‘absolutely correct‘.

After a gruelling 40 to 45 minutes of QM- induced-torture, we were astonished to realise that we had actually made the cut-off. Prahytech and Eswar were sulking in the audience. It was stupid, the whole affair actually. The teams were named after many of Mahindra’s brands. We were Team Max Pick Up. Sexually perverted enough.

We ended second and lost the opportunity to make it to the next level, but we didn’t mind. Some important points I would like to stress over here are

1) This quiz was the worst one I ever attended. The QM obviously had no clue what he was asking or what the answers were.

2) No background knowledge provided by their research team.

3) Huge delays, and lot of wasted money.

4) No adequate consolation prizes to even the first runners up.

5) In one question, the QM asks the age-old question “In the 1994 Imola Grand prix , why did Ayrton Senna carry an Austrian flag with him?” The obvious answer would be , “Ronald Ratzenberger died the last day in the qualifying race, so Ayrton wanted to wave the falg in honour of Ronald when he crossed the finish-line.” But one team answers in a way, it invokes laughter in the rest of us sensible fellas “Because he wanted to wave the flag” and he accepts it. We argue but to no avail. He was as dumb as a doorknob.

6) One team identifies a roadster as Chinkara, but doesn’t add Roadster to the name. We add both of them together and say “Chinkara Roadster” and we get points.

7) We all hated him.

I was disappointed with the quiz. Though the concept was good, but only able, intelligent people should be let host a quiz. Quiz-hosting is a hard and tough job, he chooses between right or wrong. Idiots are not welcome.

Congrats to the 2nd-yearite team who made it to the next level. Luck was on their side.

Ambarish Vemuri & Piyush Rathor

Car Servicing at Service Stock

In these financial constraining times – it is increasingly hard to find a great and trusted place for car repairs, MOTs or car servicing – this is where Servicing Stock comes into play – the site contains a number of trusted garages and UK MOT centers for the perusal of site visitors – users can add a review of a local garage or choose from a list of reviewed garages in order to find the best and cheapest place for this years car service – Dont get ripped off again – ask service stock first and you can see end user reports on the potential garage as well as discount codes for a cheaper service!

If you would like to know more about servicing stock — please click here to visit the site!

Automagicznie logowanie do SAP

HOWTO: Jak się logować do SAP nie wpisując ręcznie użytkownika i hasła przy użyciu programu KeePass w Windows.
Program może automagicznie wpisywać dane na podstawie nazwy okienka. Działa to nie tylko z SAP GUI.

1. Ustawiamy pokazywanie większej ilości informacji w nazwie okienka SAP GUI – ID systemu, nr okienka, mandant. Jest to potrzebne, aby KeePass mógł rozróżnić do jakiego systemu się logujemy.
   Wygląda to tak jak na obrazku poniżej i może się przydać nie tylko do wypełniania hasła:
   

   SAP KeePass - dodatkowe informacje w tytule okna

   Uzyskujemy to wprowadzając do rejestru odpowiedni wpis w opcjach SAP GUI:
   REG ADD "HKCU\Software\SAP\SAPGUI Front\SAP Frontend Server\Administration" /v ShowAdditionalTitleInFo /t REG_DWORD /d 0x00000001 /f

2. Pobieramy darmowy (opensource) program KeePass do zarządzania hasłami. Można pobrać wersję portable – nie trzeba jej instalować, wystarczy rozpakować i uruchomić.
3. Gdy już mamy uruchomiony program KeePass i skonfigurujemy do swoich potrzeb, ustalamy dodatkowo w opcjach klawisz, który będzie wywoływał wypełnianie danych logowania (Global auto-type):
   

   Ustawienia globalne Auto-type

4. Dodajemy sobie konto a następnie dla wpisu uzupełniamy parametry Auto-Type (zakładka Auto-Type):
   

   Ustawienia Auto-type dla konta

   
   Na okienku powyżej jest ustalone, że gdy nacisnę domyślny klawisz wywołujący działanie Auto-type w okienku, które ma w nazwie „DAM” oraz „SAP”, KeePass uruchomi sekwencje {USERNAME}{TAB}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}, a to spowoduje zalogowanie się do SAP używając danych dla konta.

Więcej informacji na stronie dokumentacji KeePass.

THE FORD MUSTANG GT350 | CARROLL SHELBY & THE AMERICAN PONY WAR

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Carroll Shelby, whose Ford powered cars have been a constant contender in International racing, plays a toy flute to charm a toy Cobra out of its basket on the hood of his latest offering to the automotive world, the Mustang GT 350, at the first showing of the car- January 27th, 1965 in Riverside, CA. The Shelby is a modified Ford Mustang Fastback, with a 289 Ford Cobra engine, front disc brakes, and improved suspension for road racing or high speed driving. -- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

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Carroll Shelby was undoubtedly the greatest single force behind American auto racing over the last 60+ years.  From his legendary racing career, to reinventing the image of American road-racers in European competitive racing and beyond.  In 1962, and with no official engineering background, Carroll Shelby created the legendary, stallion-slaying Cobra, which soon ended Ferrari’s all-out domination of the World’s Manufacturing Championship.  For him, the recipe was simple and oft repeated– put a massive engine in a lightweight, nimble car.

In 1965, the Shelby Mustang GT350 made its production debut setting off  a legendary battle for power and prestige between rival Detroit automakers– which would from that day on be known as  the “Pony War”.

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The legendary Shelby Mustang GT350

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In 1964, Carroll Shelby was asked by Ford to apply that same winning Cobra recipe into it’s new Mustang.  Initially created to compete in the SCAA/B production competition just for racing, the 1965 GT350 R Model began its dominance on American racing circuits and making a name for itself by winning the SCCA B production championship in 1965, 1966 and 1967.  Ford wanted to put a version on the street known as the GT350– essentially a de-tuned and reworked R Model and it catapulted Mustang into the world of high performance.  It became one of the most popular and recognizable brands in the automotive industry.  The Shelby Mustang GT350 will also forever be connected with screen and auto legend costar, Steve McQueen, in the classic film Bullitt.  The performance evolution continued with the famed king of the road, the GT500. For several years production continued, until 1969 when Carroll Shelby and Ford parted company.  Ford evolved the Shelby program into the Boss 302 and Mach 1 Mustangs of the early ’70s.

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Carroll Shelby and the Ford/Mustang legacy.

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The 1967 Shelby GT500 (the GT350’s big-block brother) came equipped standard with the 428 cubic-inch Police Interceptor engine, 2 Holley 4 barrel carbs, and headers as an option. In February 1968, the GT500KR “King of the Road” debuted– under the hood was the 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8, conservatively rated at 335 horsepower.  Due to an untimely production strike at Ford, some early 1968 GT500’s had a 390 cubic-inch V8.  Also in 1968, production of Shelby Mustangs switched from Shelby’s shop in California to A.O. Smith Company in Michigan.

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Carroll Shelby behind the wheel of the later, greater Shelby Mustang-- the big-block GT500.

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Misz-masz...

Jaki fajny dzień…

• Spotkanie z Promotorką roztoczyło przede mną ekscytujące wizje Przyszłości Naukowej…
• Rozpoczęliśmy poszukiwania pojazdu w przestrzeni realnej, a nie wirtualnej tylko. Poznaliśmy Pana Farbowanego Lisa, który ma nam dać znać w przypadku znalezienia starego Volvo S40 lub Nissana Primery.
• Zmywacz do lakieru (do paznokci) uratował błotnik Teścia oraz samoocenę Męża… (Polecam: resztki farby/lakieru z otartych obiektów znikają z karoserii w mgnieniu oka pod dotykiem chusteczki nasączonej zmywaczem.)
• Spontaniczna inspiracja ogórkiem gruntowym zaowocowała czterema słoikami Wariacji na Temat Ogórków Musztardowych (przepis z Wybiórczej z własnymi modyfikacjami; ilustracja poniżej)…
• Panna M. wpadła na wieczorne robótkowanie, które przerodziło się w Kobiece Ploteczki i Pogwarki, po czym zaczęła przysypiać (prawie), a ja, żeby ratować dobre imię wieczoru, wzięłam się za tworzenie fartuszka kuchennego… (Poszukuję maszyny do szycia na wynajem na pół godziny! )

Taki to misz-masz ciekawych zdarzeń dzisiaj…

Ah, questi titoli male impostati...

Nota di Pao: Leggo oggi il titolo di un articolo su Corriere.it, sparato a caratteri in grassetto:

Foligno, carabiniere ucciso da un suv che non si ferma ad un posto di blocco.

A prescindere dalla drammaticità dell’evento, il Maresciallo è stato ucciso dal conducente di un’auto che non si è fermata al posto di blocco. Il fatto che sia un Suv oppure un’utilitaria, è marginale. Io detesto l’uso errato dei Suv fatto dalla maggior parte degli automobilisti, ma in questo caso non serve richiamare l’attenzione sul modello dell’auto, ma sull’evento. Tra l’altro, così facendo si spersonalizza il conducente, ovvero l’unico responsabile dell’omicidio (questo è, per me) trasferendo la colpa sul Suv.

°°°

Un maresciallo dei Carabinieri in servizio alla compagnia di Foligno, Andrea Angelucci, di 36 anni, residente a Spello, è morto stanotte all’ospedale di Foligno dopo essere stato investito ad un posto di blocco alcune ore prima da un’auto che non si era fermata. Nella zona di Colfiorito, dove è avvenuto il fatto e nelle aree limitrofe sono in corso battute delle forze di polizia anche con l’ausilio di elicotteri alla ricerca dell’investitore.

Secondo una prima ricostruzione nel primo pomeriggio di giovedì nella zona di Foligno una pattuglia di carabinieri nell’ambito di un normale servizio di controllo aveva intimato l’alt ad una grossa auto di colore scuro che si era fermata. Era però improvvisamente ripartita sfiorando i due carabinieri che si erano prontamente spostati evitando di essere investiti. L’auto è poi risultata rubata. Sono state subito attivate le ricerche con posti di blocco e nella serata di giovedì intorno alle 21.30 l’auto ricercata è stata individuata in una strada di campagna della zona montana di Colfiorito al confine tra Umbria e Marche.

Anche in questo caso la vettura non si è fermata all’alt ed ha travolto il maresciallo riuscendo a fuggire. Il sottufficiale è stato trasportato all’ospedale di Foligno in gravi condizioni e sottoposto ad intervento chirurgico ma è morto intorno alle 4 di stamani. Per tutta la notte sono proseguite le battute delle forze di polizia, che, come detto, al momento hanno avuto esito negativo. Sembra che nell’auto investitrice ci fosse una sola persona.

The Auto-pilot learning

On the morning of October 1st 2009, I got down from the MMTS local train at Hyderabad as usual. As usual, I took a few deep breaths, steeled my nerves and proceeded to hire an auto to take me to my college. Today, the stars were kind to me. The pan-chewing auto wallah in the start of the line of autos started the nerve-wrangling bid with his quote of Rs.40 (for a distance of less than 1 km, I must point out.) I grimaced and moved down the line.

He was the third in line and at first glance looked no different from the run-of-the-mill auto wallah you meet everyday.

“You have to show me where it is,” the young man said when I told him I wanted to go to Stanley Engineering college on Chapel road. I said that I would, but how much would he charge? “Anything that you give. You said it is close by only, right?”

I was a battle hardened veteran when it comes to bargaining with autos drivers and said, “I have heard this one before. Dont kick up a battle once we reach there. Tell me now what the fare is.” He said, “Sir, my meter is not working. You can give me whatever you want. I can even take you there for free.”

Something in the way he said this made me ask him why he made that offer. “You see, I already have a job. Am a driver with Tata Indicom surveyor team. Just shifted from Nizamabad to Hyderabad and was told to pick up the routes as fast as I could. I thought the best way to do that is to drive an auto – I can earn while I learn!”

Over the years, I have come across some innovative practices when it comes to learning on the job. Perhaps this one is one of the more memorable ones.

Ahmad (that was the name of the young man) stayed true to his word. He did not take money from me, but pestered me with a number of questions about the road, the colleges, and landmarks on the road. I still gave the usual amount I give for the auto ride everyday from the station to the college. Ahmad made quite an impression on me!