True enough, but if the car is torn in half the problem of rescue
personnel being able to open the doors becomes moot.

Keeping the doors locked also makes you a bit safer from people with
evil intent... it's a lot harder to carjack someone if your doors are
locked.

Jeff DeWitt

Marginally so Jeff.  If the collision is minor enough, then perhaps the
locks may help.  But, in that kind of collision you're not so likely to be
ejected anyway.  In more major collisions, the lock is immaterial.  When
cars tear in half, or doors blow open because the unibody distorts, the
locks do nothing.

Most of that makes a lot of sense except for the bit about leaving our
doors unlocked.  Keeping your doors locked makes the vehicle stronger in
the event of an accident and the doors are less likely to come open.

Jeff DeWitt

Maybe the latter is a requirement in Bangla Desh, but the rules of the
road as applied in Germany and other civilized countries make more
sense...

General laws and enforcement

The minimum age to drive in Germany is 18.  Traffic drives on the
right and passes on the left (not the other way around, as some
Americans inexplicably think.)  Seatbelts must be worn by all
passengers.  Children under 12 years old or shorter than 1.5 meters
may not sit in the front seat unless they are in an approved child
safety seat.  However, you may not use a child safety seat in the
front seat if there is an active airbag.  You must leave your doors
unlocked while driving to facilitate rescue in an accident.  Drivers
must have third-party liability insurance.  Vehicles must carry a
warning triangle (Warndreieck) and a super-duper highway first aid kit
(Pkw-Verbandkasten) in which I defy you to find any band-aids.
Germany does not require a fire extinguisher (Feuerl?scher), but you
may want one anyway.  You must place the warning triangle 100 meters
behind your vehicle if it is disabled (200 meters on the Autobahn),
although I have yet to see anyone actually put it that far back.  It
is illegal to drive with your parking lights only; you must use your
headlights at night and during inclement weather.  Motorcyclists must
ride with helmets and headlights on at all times.

The police are allowed to collect fines (Verwarnungsgeld) for most
traffic offenses on the spot.  If you don't have enough cash on hand,
your vehicle may be impounded (at additional cost to you, of course.)
You need not fear when paying spot fines-- the German police are very
professional and corruption is very rare, and you will be given a
receipt for the payment.

Beware of enforcement cameras.  Germany probably uses such cameras
more than anyone else (except possibly Britain).  Automatic cameras
are stationed to catch speeders, red-light violators, and tailgaters.
Sometimes an obscure sign will warn you of the existence of such a
camera, but it's usually too late by then.  You'll sometimes spot
temporary cameras setup along the side of the Autobahn or on an
overpass watching for tailgaters or speeders.  Tickets are mailed to
the registered owner of the vehicle within a few weeks.

http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att.net/regeln.htm#gen

Hi...

Agreed, but add to that have a car equipped with; and demonstrate the
ability to use a hand crank to start it.

And be strong and supple enough to change a tire without the use of
a jack.

Take care.

Ken

"Jeff DeWitt" <JeffDeWitt@nc.rr.com> wrote in message

You got that right.  And you have to watch for that light on the dashboard
that tells you when to shift.  What government agency came up with that dumb
idea?

Probably 10% of the people driving today should never have been given a
license in the first place.  Of the rest, a huge number would never pass the
test if they had to drive a standard.  Hmmm, that should be a requirement.

The average driver is better off with an automatic.  The don't have to
worry about shifting at the right time, starting off on hills, down
shifting for coming down steep hills, lugging the engine or riding the
clutch.  And it's hard to steer, shift, hold a cup of coffee and a cell
phone all at the same time!

But then there are a few oddballs like me who pretty much only drive
sticks... my last car with an automatic was also my first car, a
Studebaker Hawk.  My current car is a Jeep Cherokee and the clutch was
still working perfectly when the throwout bearing went out at 300,000 miles.

Jeff DeWitt

This is utter B.S. because the move to computerized automatics was to better
control the engine and shifting, since many people stay in loer gears too
long or bluntly don't know haw to drive a standard.  As for repairs, I had a
friend that priced a manual rebuild, and it was around $1400 at the time,
approaximately the same as for an automatic.
Roy

Actually, a modern computer-controlled automatic is probably better
than most stick drivers in terms of fuel economy.

However, automatics are more complex and a lot more expensive to
fix, and do not last as long as manuals due to the complexity.

Ted

The US is also a Hell of a lot bigger than Germany or Japan... and most
folks either don't like stick shifts or don't even know how to use them.

And the fact of that matter is that modern automatics are pretty damn
good and the gas mileage difference is pretty minor.

Jeff DeWitt

A more advanced society burns three times as much fuel as Germany and
Japan, and still gets no fun out of it? Funny.

Most of the world also bathes once a week or less too, but that doesn't
mean a more advanced society like ours needs to do the same thing.

Jeff DeWitt

LOL !

It's what most of the world already does.

Graham

GM Shifts to Manual Transmissions for Global Warming

Responding to growing concerns over global warming, General Motors
(GM) announced today that it would make all of its vehicles with
standard transmissions, starting in 2009. Manual transmissions
generally get better fuel mileage than automatics.

GM CEO Rick Wagoner described the initiative at a press conference at
the company headquarters in Detroit: "We've been coddling our lazy
fellow Americans for too long. It's time everyone started using their
left foot. This is what Jesus would do."

Wagoner said that manual transmissions typically get 2-3 mpg better
mileage than the same vehicle equipped with an automatic, and that in
some cases the difference can be as much as 5 mpg. GM plans to focus
on high-efficiency manuals to minimize the company's output of
greenhouse gases. Manuals are also generally considered more fun to
drive and less expensive to manufacture and maintain.

The GM announcement received a mixed reaction. The late Jerry Falwell
rose from his grave to insist that Jesus would have driven a large van
with an automatic, because he would need to carry so many of his
followers. Other religious leaders hailed the effort to reduce global
warming.

On the environmental side, NRDC President Frances Beineke applauded
the move and encouraged other auto manufacturers to follow suit.

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s8i21068

Well, it's all A SPOOF! You knew it, right? You know that, although
making a lot of sense, nothing will make the HUNGRY CORPORATIONS get
into a diet. Well, nothing but THE REVOLUTION...

http://atom.smasher.org/streetparty/?l1=Coming+Soon%3A&l2=the&l3=Banana+Revoluti
on%21&l4=

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
http://webspawner.com/users/donquijote