HARMONY on the HIGHWAYS

Distraction and the real price for it

2009-11-01T22:21:00.005-06:00

Watch this video before you read this post- WATCH HERE

Welcome to Harmony on the Highways. A note to our followers and new visitors, Harmony will now only post bi-monthly. We are sorry for any problems this may cause if you are a must have it follower.

Now on to the post. Earlier this week the local news in our area brought a tragic story to air.(see video) Below is a part of the story as it read on the news stations website.

GLADEWATER, TX (KLTV) - A horrible wreck on Highway 271 took the life of four-year-old Jonathan King, Jr. Jonathan's family says it was all an accident - that the grandmother, who was driving, was looking back to tell the kids something, when she hit a culvert and lost control. According to DPS, none of the kids were wearing seat belts.....Jonathan's sister Kaila is recovering at Children's Hospital in Dallas. She and the other kids are expected to recover but some will have to undergo surgeries.....DPS is still investigating the crash and, at this time, no charges have been filed.

Posted below are excerpts from the follow up story from the website.

Family members describe the injuries that their young children are still having to deal with after Wednesday's wreck. "Kaila's through with surgery, she's home," said Robin Wright, the children's aunt. "Chloe has to have nose surgery, but they can't do it until the swelling goes down some more." Another of the children has an arm and a leg in casts. And the family knows how bad it could have been.
"The rest of the kids are intact," said Randy Bell, the children's great uncle. "And we hate that we lost that little boy...but we could have lost all of them."
DPS has reported that the children were not wearing seat belts. But the family says that's not the case. "She would never take those babies anywhere, and think that they may be hurt," Wright said. "So two of the bigger ones would always sit on the outsides of the seat towards the door. Then two smaller ones beside them. Each two would share a seat belt, and then the lap belt in the middle, the biggest one would sit there."

This story truly is tragic and we at Harmony send our prayers to this family. However, the truly sad thing about this event is that it was very preventable. Read the story excerpts again and this time write down the things that stand out to you that seem to be not quite right. Immediately, as a former traffic investigator, I notice that grandma had too many children in that vehicle. Meaning that there were not enough restraints for the number of occupants. Also, the size and age of the children warranted use of a minimum of a booster seat (per State law) and maybe even full child safety seats. The biggest stand out is that the driver took her focus off the task of driving. I know, we as parents, all do similar things when dealing with children in our vehicles but the proper thing to do is to pull over in a safe place and deal with the issue. One other mistake, that may have been made, was placing two children in one restraint. This is a bad practice, due the fact that restraints are made specifically for one individual and many have weight restrictions to guarantee proper function.

Harmony does not know the complete details of this event and we are only commenting on what has been released by the media. Again, we use these types of stories to improve our curriculum and to help keep the motoring public aware.

Harmony is deeply regretful at the loss of life and injury as a result of these types of incidents. We hope we can enlighten other drivers to take notice of the bad habits we fall victim to as a result of our daily routines. Complacency is no excuse for forgetting "how to drive", for losing focus or not respecting the other driver.

Please, when traveling with children, keep their best interest at the forefront of your driving task. Injury or death to your own child due to your own negligence is hardly something that heals.

Thanks for reading and remember, children are our future...Please protect them.

Not your grandma's golf cart anymore.

2009-10-11T22:27:00.009-05:00

Neighborhood electric vehicles, or NEVs, were born more than a decade ago in Sun Belt retirement communities.... As increasing numbers of seniors plied the streets in golf carts, the federal government stepped in to regulate the vehicles in 1998, imposing minimal safety standards. Mandating a speed of no more than 25 m.p.h., the law added requirements for seat belts, brake lights, headlights, mirrors, turn signals and windshields.

Now, with the current economy and the push for alternative fuel vehicles, these NEVs are becoming more the norm in many neighborhoods across the country. Nearly all states permit low-speed vehicles, with a range of restrictions....With prices ranging from about $8,000 for a basic model to $20,000 for some custom-built models, the market share for neighborhood electric vehicles may be limited.

“The concept is good,” said Ron Cogan, president and founder of the Green Car Institute, a California-based non-profit promoting electric, hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles. “The challenge is they’ve never been inexpensive.” Safety is another concern as the vehicles venture out onto roads and go bumper to bumper with SUVs and trucks. “These are vehicles that don’t have to meet basic federal safety standards that regular vehicles have to meet, and they are low-speed, lightweight vehicles that are mixing it up on the road with vehicles that are much heavier,” said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “The potential for disaster is there, but we haven’t seen a lot of crashes yet.”

Operating for pennies per mile, limited to 25 m.p.h. and restricted to local roads, the battery-powered buggies are quietly generating buzz. Powered by six 8-volt batteries, the vehicle has a range of 40 miles and can be fully recharged within four hours by plugging an extension cord into any outlet. Some manufacturers hope to begin marketing these vehicles in December. A growing field of manufacturers, led by Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), a Chrysler-owned company based in North Dakota, are taking it seriously. Most golf carts have a top speed of less than 15 m.p.h., so these require souping up. That opens the door to large manufacturers and custom builders to create a fleet of street-worthy low-speed vehicles.

Harmony is pleased to give its endorsement to these eco friendly "autos" but cautions the motoring public to be aware that these smaller, lighter, golf cart type "autos" are sharing the road with the normal sized vehicles. Drivers should be informed that these vehicles will be most prevalent in smaller communities such as retirement, resort, gated and vacation types. If you wish to become a driver of an NEV, check out everything thoroughly before you purchase one. You will need to know your local laws, community regulations and proper traffic laws regarding the use of NEVs. If you find this, the way to go, to contribute to the environment here's some things we found out about that:

On May 8, 2009 Scott McCredie writing in the NW Autos section of the Seattle Times at - noted that George Robertson, a Beacon Hill architect and Zenn NEV owner claims that "the 80 percent reduction in his carbon footprint over using a gasoline-powered car is worth the reduced safety." The 50 cents' worth of electricity that it costs to recharge his batteries comes mostly from hydroelectric power, a relatively clean source of energy. When Robertson bought his car in 2008 for about $18,000 (other models can be had for as low as $10,000) he was surprised that the car fulfills roughly 90 percent of his and his wife's driving needs.

In an August 7, 2009 press release at-GEM motorcars claimed that to date, GEM cars have been driven more than 350 million emission-free miles, and have saved more than 16 million gallons of gasoline. They also have prevented more than 180 tons of ozone-producing pollutants from reaching the air.

An August 20, 2009 release by GEM at – noted that all GEM battery-electric vehicle models have been certified to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit, part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Credit amounts are as follows:
* $3,751 for the GEM e2, GEM e4, GEM e6 (12-volt battery system), GEM eS, and GEM eL
* $5,002 for the GEM e6 (8-volt battery system) and GEM eL XD.

A driver who logs 12,000 miles a year in a typical neighborhood electric vehicle will save nearly $970 over a 23 m.p.g. car filling up at the current average of $2.60 a gallon. Last summer, when average gas prices peaked at $4.11 a gallon, the annual savings would have been more than $1,650, according to the GEM Web site.

So, from fairway to highway, the golf cart is finding itself being "re-born" and offering a solution to the Governments stricter vehicle MPG requirements. Remember, these vehicles still have room for improvement when it comes to safety. We can be sure that the Government will quickly address this as these low-speed vehicles make their mark on this planet.

To learn more about these souped-up buggies and to see the complete stories we mentioned in this post follow these links:

NEVs, low-speed cars dubbed "neighborhood electric vehicles" get ready for life in the fast lane.

Chicago Tribune

Gator Moto Utility Vehicles and More, LLC

Thanks for reading and don't forget to pick up some bread on your way home from the golf course.

When is a "Clunker" not a "Clunker?"

2009-10-04T23:29:00.008-05:00

GOOD QUESTION! As one California couple found out. A recent US News and World Report (September 23 2009) story is one we may be hearing more about soon. It involves the couple turning in their 2001 model nissan, under the CARS program, for a more economical VW. Days later, while passing the dealership, they notice the very nissan they turned in, on the sales lot. Thinking they had been scammed, they inquired at the dealership as to what had happened to their Government approved "deal." The dealerships reply?
Dealer Ken O'Donnell told California's Orange County Register that the couple had misunderstood the transaction. "They came in for the cash for clunkers, but we went out and looked at the car and decided it's a pretty clean car, so we took the car on a trade-in. "We decided we're going to give them the $3,500 they would have gotten from the clunker program as the trade-in. We're not asking the government for any reimbursement."

Sound like a fair "deal" to you? Well, that seems to be determined by what you think about your Government. Posted below are some of the comments left on Orange County Register's web posting of the story.

I’m glad that this dealership saved me and the other taxpayers $3500 by not seeeking reimbursement for this car.
The sellers got what they bargained for - a $3500 credit on their new car - and there is one less clunker rebate being sent out by the government. Everyone wins.---Anonymous

My thoughts exactly. as a taxpayer, I don’t want to pay for a perfectly good used car to be junked, which is what would happened in this case under Cash for Clunkers.
better the dealer pay the $3500 out of their own pocket than mine. too bad, so sad. it would be different if they HAD gotten the rebate, and the dealer kept the car and resold it, which would be defrauding the public. but Cash for Clunkers couldn’t go away soon enough as far as I was concerned. I see no problem here.---BrianGuy

Not Really! They end up loosing and the dealer ends up winning because they were sold a car for thousands and they still turn around and sale the clunker, that's make extra money and they only end up giving them $3500, they could off given them $5000 for the car. It is been sold for $6000 plus if they finance it they are getting more money so yes I feel they did get scam, why couldn't they put it on sale for $500 dollars more they went for $2500 more witch is what they were scammed for because the sales guy new what that xterra was worth that's why they didn't seed for reimbursement cause they new they were going to make money of off them.---Ed

This has nothing to do with our tax dollars - the dealership, the private corporate dealership - mislead these people and decided they would be better off reselling the car privately than taking whatever the Feds would give them. They took advantage of an existing federal program to get people in the door. This is what happens when private insurance companies are in charge of our health care - they are motivated only by how much profit is in it for them.--icedamericano

Or maybe it just shows that when you rush a new program without taking into consideration the related consequences, loopholes, etc, this sort of thing happens. The “anointed one” rushed this program through, just like he has tried to rush the health care bill. I still wonder how many of our elected officials have read that one. Maybe instead of trying to pass so many new ideas for “change”, we should slow down and really think about whether it’s needed or just publicity stunt.--ocdisgusted

Or maybe it just shows that when you rush a new program without taking into consideration the related consequences, loopholes, etc, this sort of thing happens. The “anointed one” rushed this program through, just like he has tried to rush the health care bill. I still wonder how many of our elected officials have read that one. Maybe instead of trying to pass so many new ideas for “change”, we should slow down and really think about whether it’s needed or just publicity stunt.--Zek

So, there's just a small response to a "big" issue. Though as far as the deal itself, we feel like ALL consumers have been warned for years about reading the fine print on any piece of paper you are required to sign. Did the couple save the planet? Hardly! did the dealer save the Government tax dollars? Not really. So is this really a big issue? NO! But we do see the consumers concern.

As we at Harmony have posted before, the older cars on the highways do cause a significant danger, not only to the environment, but to the motoring public. Smoke screens from poor exhaust, stalling on busy highways, defective lighting and what if that car has not been maintained well and the brakes are faulty? Surely, these vehicles could be worth more sentimentally to some owners than the $3,500 dollars the Government is offering, but people please, if your auto needs repairs and you (and the planet) would benefit from upgrading to a newer model, TAKE THE MONEY!
Where the money , or credit towards the newer car, comes from is really a small matter compared to the hazard your "clunker" causes your fellow commuters.

For the complete story from both sources follow these links:

Couple shocked to find their ‘clunker’ is for sale.

What If Your Clunker Wasn't Junked?

Thanks for reading and remember, small print could foil a BIG deal.

If your gonna be distracted, make it musical

2009-09-28T14:40:00.005-05:00

Ok, we concede, you people are just not going to put down the cell phones, make-up, laptop, food or whatever it is your doing instead of driving. So, we at Harmony are offering a suggestion, try going back to the good ole car stereo. Yes, that thing with the knobs and dial inserted in your dash. Well, maybe yours is more sophisticated and has a touch screen or talks to you or maybe you just use yours as an ipod auxiliary to vent your tunes through, however you use it use it! Now that you are reacquainted with your dashboard functions we want to know what you are shaking your booty, headbangin', or groovin' to while you are driving. All of which are dangerous to do while driving. (Hey, we are a safe driving promoting company, so we have to point out the dangers)

VH1 has released a list of the ALL-TIME GREATEST DRIVING SONGS, so we will share that with you here:

To put it simply: you're still in the horse and buggy days if your car isn't tricked out with a decent enough stereo to blast your favorite tunes. Whether speeding cross-country, or bopping to Piggly Wiggly for a loaf of bread, the front seat is a much more fun place with music in the air.

Here's a list of VH1's favorite driving tunes, the ones that Rachel Perry and NASCAR kingpin Kevin Harvick's used for inspiration during their recent adventure together.

1. STEPPENWOLF - "Born To Be Wild"
Some say it works best when fishtailing on a long stretch of empty road. There’s something about gunning the engine as John Kay growls that he’s up for "whatever comes our way."

2. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "Born to Run"
It's the romance of Bruce’s nothing-left-to-lose lyrics that makes you want to jump behind the wheel, but as those guitars and saxophones pound away, just the cheap thrill of hitting the gas is a valuable rock 'n' roll statement by itself.

3. AC/DC - "Highway To Hell"
Angus and the guys are only interested in forward motion. Pointing themselves toward that flaming cul de sac ("No stop signs/no speed limit," the singer gleefully shouts), they drag you right along with them.

4. SAMMY HAGAR - "I Can’t Drive 55"
Some people have no use for brakes, and as the big beat of Hagar’s highway anthem builds and builds and builds, his defiance of the speed limit becomes more and more appealing. Go ahead and write him up, copper, he don’t care.

5. JOHN MELLENCAMP - "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A."
The singer’s salute to '60s radio was built around a refrain that celebrates Motown, the Brill Building and all the pimple-faced rockers in every American garage band. When you shout along, you’re usually pounding the dashboard.

6. VAN HALEN - "Panama"
More than a few car stereos have been fried blasting this baby, the most sublime union of Eddie Van Halen’s whammy-bar hydraulics and David Lee Roth’s high-test raunch.

7. PRINCE - "Little Red Corvette"
Prince cruises dangerous curves much too fast, turning the heads with that oh-so-sexy intro, killer chorus and a bass line that pops like thighs off plastic upholstery on a sticky summer day.

8. LENNY KRAVITZ - "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
Here’s Lenny’s most successful attempt at writing the greatest riff of all time. Who cares which way he wants to go? Just stand on the accelerator and pretend not to notice the police sirens.

9. ZZ TOP - "Legs"
The Texas trio’s boogie has often prompted wild types to test the local land speed records - it’s just the nature of the rhythm, the "drive" if you will.

10. SHERYL CROW - "Every Day is a Winding Road"
Crow’s back-roads blues riff can make even a quick journey to the supermarket in your Ford Escort sound like the Cannonball Run. The philosophical message is also cleverly signposted.

WOW! that takes you back "in the day". Good to know that this music is holding up.
For an interactive list (Clips and Bios) visit VH1.

Do you agree with this list? We want to know so leave your comments and tell us your favorites. We will let you know what you said in a later post.

Now that we have made the suggestion to turn on the tunes, we have to let you know how to do it safely while driving. (Sorry, again we ARE safe driving ambassadors)

1. Keep volume at a level that does not distract you from hearing emergency vehicles, on-coming trains or screeching brakes heading your way! (That one is like the "HOT LIQUID" warning on coffee cups)
2. Keep in mind that not everyone wants to hear your music. Especially if you prefer the foul lyrics of some music. (AND in some cities that can result in an arrest)
3. Do not build/install your stereo without the help of an expert. (Your car catching on fire does not mean your music is "HOT")
4. Do not spend ALL your money on the stereo upgrade (Leave yourself some cash for gas, unless you like to hear your stereo in the driveway)
5. BE CAREFUL shakin' grooving and headbangin'!!!(You could injure yourself or someone else if it is distracting you while driving)

So, go on load up the ipod, buy your favorite bands CD and get out there enjoy yourself, just be mindful your are still driving.

Thanks for reading and think about a book on disc or some other instructional cd while driving. It's a great time to learn something.

Yes officer, I was wrong in doing that.

2009-09-14T00:06:00.003-05:00

One minute your cruising down the highway and the next, your the object of every passer-byes curiosity. You have those glaring red and blues behind you and that blinding spot light aimed in your mirrors. So what do you now, at that moment before the officer approaches your window and ask for your license and registration? Well Harmony has decided to help you out by giving some advice on the do's and don'ts of the traffic stop. We start by using a suggestion from a blog called Davidisms.
Davidism #7 – Accept Responsibility: Look, whenever we are caught doing something wrong it seems to upset our day. We spend the entire day nursing and rehearsing how when other people were doing the wrong they weren’t caught, but we were. We don’t spend nearly enough time admitting to our own wrong in the matter. Really, if we would just say, “yep, I did it” then we don’t have to ruin our day and try to convince other people to join our pity party… and frankly people who admit their mistakes look better in the character category.
As a former law officer myself I couldn't agree more. Accepting responsibility for our actions is less stressful than trying to cover for them. If many of you did this, especially when encountering the law, then your character is not in question and a simple acknowledgment of your infraction and verbal warning will satisfy the nice policeman.

In my law enforcement career I encountered many type of people during a traffic stop. The criers, the totally oblivious, the excuse makers, the dumbfounded, and the no-time for this type. I never encountered the guilty, even when the Judge said they were, they just wouldn't admit it. I know, not every person stopped for a traffic infraction, is guilty, but with so many tools to prove you are, it's about 90% fact that you committed a violation. So, how do you make the best of it and keep yourself off the evening news for a confrontation with a taser? Simple! THINK first. Common sense goes a long way to getting you back on your journey. Try these tactics instead of excuses and see if your driving record improves drastically.

1. Pull over as soon as possible and find a safe place for you and the officer to conduct business.
2. Always turn on your hazard lights and at night an interior light to let the officer know you are not a threat.
3. Have the required documentation ready (License and Proof of insurance). Fondling around in a glove box or storage space makes an officer nervous.
4. Be truthful when asked questions about your driving/criminal history. He's gonna know anyway and this is a small test of your character.
5. Use all the courtesies your mother taught you. Pleasant exchanges lessen your chance for a ticket. And remember most of these stops are recorded!
6. Never confront the officer. Being a good listener scores you points.
7. If asked to exit the vehicle do so in a timely and smooth manner. That taser "thingy" really does hurt.
8. Always keep in mind that the officer does not want to be on the side of the anymore than you do. It is very dangerous!
9. Always keep your hands where they can be seen! A nervous cop writes tickets and looks into your background more deeply.
10. Finally, keep your passengers quiet! What they say can hurt you. The smoother the exchange of the stop the sooner you are back on the road.

Now this obviously does not cover every scenario, but these are the basics to keeping you and your driving/criminal record clean. You must also understand that there are policeman that write tickets no matter what. Keeping your cool keeps them from missing dinner and maybe the next time he stops you he will have mercy on you.

Really it's basic human interaction and common courtesy. You have somewhere to be and the police have a job to do. When your paths cross, make it a short and pleasant encounter rather than ending up in the clink for a very silly misunderstanding.

Thanks for reading and remember this? K-I-S-S. Practice it!

NHS Funding: The big secrete in Congress

2009-09-06T23:13:00.005-05:00

"Out of gas" is how the latest analysis by the GAO* has described the Highway Trust Fund. Two Senators, Tom Coburn(R-OK) and John McCain(R-AZ) released a report that details how billions of dollars from the fund are not being spent on basic infrastructure. In fact, GAO auditors found that over the last five years, $78 billion in fund receipts have been obligated for "purposes other than construction and maintenance of highways and bridges."

According to the GAO report, the DOT** allotment that went for purposes other than construction included $2.4 billion to the FMCSA,*** another $754 million went to the operating expenses for safety programs while an additional $161 million went to fund the programs information management. Senator McCain noted that the number of highway bill earmarks "has exploded" and called Congressional spending on pet projects "frivolous." "Congress has wasted billions of dollars on low-priority projects such as bike paths while bridges are in disrepair." Senator Coburn said. "It's inexcusable to continue business as usual when Congress could be supporting priorities that would save lives, save taxpayer funds, create jobs and truly stimulate the economy." " Now Congress wants to bail out the trust fund by saddling future generations with more debt." Senator McCain said. "Doing so is irresponsible." "No one is saying our nation should be without flowers and ferries or bike paths and boat museums." The Senators say in their report. "But today's choices must be about priorities."

* Government Accountability Office
** Dept.of Transportation
*** Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration

WOW! in this economy highway fund spending issues are not what commuters want to hear about. Squabbles in Congress are not new, but this is a serious matter. Highways and bridges in disrepair could be crippling to the economy. What if you could not get to work because of poor highways? would you walk, take public transportation or use one those funded bike paths? Our nations highways need constant repair and with recent stories of bridge collapses funding the upkeep of these structures is a priority.

So, now you want to know where these bad roads are, right? Well, we just happen to have a report released in march by Overdrive, a trucking publication that polls truckers for the latest road "report cards." They are as follows:

10 WORST ROADS BY STATE

1. Louisiana

2. Pennsylvania

3. Michigan

4. California

5. Oklahoma

6. New York

7. Illinois

8. New Jersey

9. Missouri

10. Arkansas

Thanks to our partners at TRUCKING101.biz for sharing this information.

Thanks for reading and remember that pot-hole on your street may not get repaired, unless you do it yourself.

Legal Today, Illegal Tomorrow

2009-08-30T23:00:00.004-05:00

September is new legislation month. Several states will be implementing tougher laws for hand-held electronic devices, DUI/DWI, Teen Licensing and insuring teens. This should not come as any surprise to you. We have been posting for several weeks about the attention being drawn to distracted drivers. We have even posted about the teen driver problem and our views of DUI/DWI. Harmony stays up to date on these issues and many others. We pass this on to our site visitors and blog followers to keep you informed and educated. Driving is a hot topic with our current administration and each state has began implementing legislation to deter bad driving habits. Loss of life and property is becoming an all to frequent occurrence, due to bad drivers. Twelve states are upping the severity of fines and consequences for hand-held device use. To get more info on which states these are click here.

DUI/DWI has always been a severe problem on the highways. With an estimated 48% of all traffic fatalities being related to an impaired driver, the laws have got be stricter overall and more severe if the impaired person is underage. Drinking and driving is absolutely an unacceptable practice and violators should be punished severely. Twenty-one states are tightening up in this area. Is your state one? click here.

The next topic the law addresses is the teen driver. Graduated Drivers Licenses (GDL)
have been in place in some states for many years, but recently more have come on board. Seventeen states have made changes to their laws regarding the teen driver and how they are to be licensed and insured. Click here to see which ones. Teen drivers pose a certain risk simply because of their inexperience and "bulletproof" attitude. Teens who chose to drive impaired by either drugs or alcohol, increase their chances of being involved in a fatality collision, by 105%!! Parents are, the ultimate responsible party, in these situations and should do whatever it takes to ensure their young drivers are properly trained to get behind the wheel. Teens dying in auto collisions is a sad and in most cases a preventable event. Proper instruction and parental guidance are key to reducing the risk.

When states implement new laws, they sometimes have, what are known as, enforcement periods. States may give violators 90-120 days before they begin prosecuting the changes to the laws. This does NOT mean, you will NOT be stopped for the violation, but you may only receive a warning citation. After the "grace period", be prepared to explain yourself. Law enforcement usually needs this period also to acclimate themselves to the changes and become more familiar with the new laws. Courts also need this time to update their systems and hold council meetings to decide fine amounts for the new violations. Even Judges appreciate the chance to brush up.

Harmony will continue to keep you informed of the changes in laws. It's our goal to have all drivers aware of the things affecting their everyday commutes. We hope you review the changes for your state and learn the implementation process for them. It would be a simple summary to say that if you are new driver you're affected, a poor decision maker and drive impaired you're affected and if you use a hand-held communicator you are the hot target! So, learn to drive safely, DON'T DRINK and DRIVE and pull over or wait till you ARE NOT in a car to make that phone call or send that message.

Thanks for reading and please use good common sense when driving. You don't want to be the one that triggers a change in the law.

Attracted to the Distraction

2009-08-23T22:28:00.011-05:00

Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, was home in Peoria a few weeks ago, when he heard about a 17 year old female who was killed when she drove off the road. Not really shocking news, but it was why she had the misfortune that got his attention. "It turns out she was texting while driving. We have all seen the footage of the bus driver who was talking and texting on two phones while driving.....the horrific commuter train crash last year in California involved an operator who was too busy texting to pay attention to what he should have been doing, as a result 25 people were killed and 135 were injured." And then Lahood let it be known what he would do if given the choice. "If it were up to me, I would ban drivers from texting," he said, "but" he added, "we've learned from our efforts to get people to wear seat belts and to persuade them not to drive drunk, that laws just aren't always enough, often you need to combine education with enforcement to get results."

So, again we are hearing about the distracted driver. Harmony knows this is a "hot button" issue and as laws stiffen and enforcement is stepped up the problem seems to be growing. How does this make you feel while you are driving? Thirty-five percent of auto drivers say they feel less safe than they did five years ago. This according to the second annual 2009 Traffic Safety Culture Index released July 28 by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "Over the past 25 years, motor vehicle crashes have permanently, violently and tragically ended the lives of 1 million Americans, killing more of our children, teens and young adults than any other single cause." Said AAA foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. "That's one death every 13 minutes."

The following are some key issues from the 2009 Traffic Safety Culture Index:

• When asked about perceived threats to their safety:
o 90% rated people driving after drinking alcohol as a very serious threat to their safety.
o 87% rated drivers text messaging or emailing as a very serious threat.
o 79% rated drivers not paying attention as a very serious threat.
o 70% rated aggressive driving as a very serious threat.
o 58% rated drivers talking on cell phones as a very serious threat.
o 56% rated speeding as a very serious threat.

• When asked how acceptable they considered it to be for a driver to engage in various behaviors while driving, large majorities rated the behaviors as unacceptable, even after having already admitted to doing those things themselves. For example:
o 95% of drivers said that text messaging while driving was completely or
somewhat unacceptable; 18% of those same drivers admitted having read or sent a text message or email while driving in the past month.
o 94% rated running red lights as unacceptable; 26% of those same drivers admitted having run a red light when they could have stopped safely.
o 91% rated tailgating as unacceptable; 24% of those same drivers admitted having tailgated another driver when they could have backed off.
o 95% rated driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a residential street as unacceptable; 21% of those same drivers admitted having done this.
o 71% rated talking on a hand held cell phone while driving as unacceptable, yet 30% of those same drivers reported doing this, and another 27% reported using a hands-free phone, which studies have shown is no safer.
o 63% rated driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway as unacceptable; 28% of those same drivers reported having done this.

Texting while driving is currently banned in 14 states and everyday new legislation is being drawn up to combat the issue. Studies show this is far more dangerous than talking on a phone or driving drunk.

Harmony advocates the regulation on the use of hand held technology as well as strict enforcement. Loss of life IS NOT... lol!

Thanks for reading and remember let your hands do the driving and nothing more.

The Real Cost of Efficiency

2009-08-16T22:58:00.005-05:00

President Obama wants 1 million plug-in cars on the road by 2015. So how much better are these "preferred" vehicles on our economy and environment? Surprisingly, the results may not be what you expect, unless you are a pessimist. Once thought of as a costly fad, hybrid type vehicles, especially ones that use plug-in technology, are surely the future of cars to come. Nissan, Toyota, GM, Honda, Mitsubishi and Tesla are already putting together their offerings, (Tesla already has one available) and are making changes in existing plants to accommodate the future demand. The real problem is making them worth the switch and keeping them affordable. Ranging from $30,000 upwards to $101,000, for these new tech cars, seems to be very pricey to most consumers for a vehicle that makes you feel like you are in a shoe box. Yet, as styling is a work in progress for the automakers, selling the cost effectiveness is a bigger issue. Let's look at some of the offerings soon to be available.

The plug-in Prius from Toyota (due in 2010) will give you 10 gas free miles before the combustion engine kicks in. Est. 50 MPG.

The entrants from GM and Fisker (also due in 2010) will get you 40 miles before gas is the main power source. Est. 100 MPG.

The Nissian, Mitsubishi and Tesla models have an electric range of 100-125 miles before a recharge and offer no gasoline back up. This comes to an Est. 350 MPG (equivalent) depending on the type of battery and size.

Are you sold now? Want to run right out the door and get your name on the list? I didn't think so. But!, if you are trendy and trying to be socially responsible, then you better get on the list. If you think you are contributing to the improvement of the environment, think again. Another big issue for our current administration is the Cap and Trade. Carbon off-sets being bought and sold to help large manufacturers tread lighter on our atmosphere. Automakers are in this category, as are the coal-fired power plants, that will be providing the electricity for these plug-in autos. This brings us to ask the question, What is the cost benefit of producing these vehicles in correlation to the emissions, reducing carbon-off sets, they will reportedly save? The answer was recently debated in a FORBES editor note(August 24, 2009 issue). Forbes editor, William Baldwin, notes that gas is more expensive than coal(per unit of energy), but spits out not much more than half the carbon, translating to an estimated $20/ton* of avoided CO-2. *Estimate provided by the Electric Power Research Institute.

Exxon's recent shift from fossil fuel petroleum to cleaner burning natural gas, places it in a comfortable position to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and declaring it's approval of the $20/ton pricing. With this shift, Exxon hopes that coal fired power plants will follow suite. Due to the lower capital cost of gas, the greenhouse benefit in this case would be free. So where's the problem? FREE off-sets sound acceptable? Remember we said NATURAL GAS, and IF the power plants switched. Currently, the cost of providing electricity to recharge these plug-ins is far from cost effective and does very little to improve the environment, therefore, subsidizing electric cars is a bad way to reduce atmospheric carbon.

Let's go back and look at the Nissan Leaf plug-in and GM's Volt, both due out in 2010. What do they do for carbon reducing prices? These models are designed to displace a small sedans use of 5,000 gals over an average 150,000 mile life. That much gasoline produces just under 50 tons of carbon dioxide. Keeping fresh in mind that electric vehicles are not "emissions-free", they are recharged by a fossil fuel burning plant. The Leaf and Volt both will cost the taxpayers $200/ton! Wait! these vehicles require home charging units as well as public ones, adding those in and allowing for all the governments "chip-ins" to help buyers off-set cost, now we're up to $250/ton. The latest attempt to remove high emission vehicles from use is called "cash for clunkers". This program will reach carbon reducing cost of $1,700/ton and the use of bio-fuels is even more costly.

Nissan's head executive, Carlos Ghosn, a recent convert to hybrids, says the environmental winds are on his side. Hybrids such as the Leaf and Volt are transitional technology. They help reduce emissions, not eliminate them. "When you have emissions, you have suspicions," he says. Pure electric cars are clean and government policymakers world-wide are clamoring for them. "I am extremely bullish on zero-emission vehicles," he says. Within ten years, he predicts 10% of the worlds cars will be electric. He hopes Nissan will be a leader, not a follower. I hope he has accounted for lasting supply of fossil fuel still required to make his vehicle work. I also hope he has predicted the damage our atmosphere is suffering to power his plug-in dream!

Thanks for reading and hope you got a charge out this.

See and be seen

2009-08-09T23:16:00.003-05:00

Vehicle lighting has long been an issue of concern for many drivers. The arguments range from lights on or off in rain, Daytime running lights (DRLs) good or bad, to what is the real purpose of "driving lights?" What ever cause you choose, be ready for a conflict. Drivers these days just simply do not know the proper use of their lighting equipment.
State laws also affect the use of your vehicles lights. States like California do not allow the use of parking lights only at anytime, nor do they allow "driving lights" to be used on-highway. Driving lights are commonly confused with fog lights, but since the reduction in use of the amber (yellow) type lights, the issue has heated. Many plains states require the use of headlights and DOT approved auxiliary lighting when conditions exist that warrant their use. (rain, blowing snow or smoke etc) Harmony is an advocate for the use of headlights during such weather conditions that lighting would improve visibility, not for the driver, but for other drivers to locate nearby vehicles. Truckers often express concerns that other drivers [of trucks and cars] need to use their lights to be seen in wet conditions. The spray from the trucks significantly reduces visibility around them and the use of headlights makes other vehicles visible.

Proper use of your vehicles lights could decrease the chances of you being involved in an incident, that could have been avoided, by simply turning on the lights. As fall approaches, the days become shorter and darkness sets in earlier. I always find it astonishing, how many drivers, forget to turn on their headlights when it begins to get dark. In some metro areas where highway lighting is sufficient, you will occasionally see a motorist driving without their lights on. Assuming these drivers are not impaired in some way, it stands to reason why they do not use their lights. However, the more visible you are the less chance you have for a mishap and lights on at night, is just good common sense.

The next issue on lighting is the proper adjustment of the vehicles lights, both headlights and fog/driving lights. Sure, while just the fact they are on helps others to see you, if they are ill adjusted, then they can hinder other drivers visibility and cause a crash due to the "blinding" of the driver. This has been cited as a cause for 2 of every 15 nighttime auto collisions and for 4 of every 25 single auto crashes. Poor visibility, caused by either no lighting, improper use of lighting or out of adjustment lighting is a gross operator error, contributing to injuries and deaths on our highways. It is the drivers responsibility to ensure proper use, function and adjustment of the vehicles lights of which they operate.

Technology has improved vehicle lighting. Headlights technology is entertaining new intensities, shapes, safety and styling. It is aimed at making the future of headlights brighter and beneficial. The latest addition though is the use of LED (light-emitting diode) and HID (high-intensity discharge). Automakers have divulged their vision to use the recent breakthroughs in vehicle headlights. Further, digital lighting is anticipated to invade the industry in the coming years. Mahendra Dassanayake, staff technical specialist at Ford Motor Co., said, "Instead of talking about a lot of light all over [the road], we want to put smart light out where you need the light." In recent years, autos have incorporated smart lighting, to which the lights "turn" with the vehicle, illuminating the blind areas of cornering.

However we progress in lighting technology, none of it serves us well, if not properly used or turned on! Being seen is just as important as being able to see.

Thanks for reading and keep your motoring future bright.

Construction may lead to destruction

2009-08-02T13:54:00.008-05:00

AHHH summer time, no school, vacations, days at the beach, iced tea and plenty of sunshine. It is also the time of year that blaze orange and neon green become more fashionable, but in the form of barrels, cones and safety vest. It's road construction season. With this comes an increased danger to motorist, yes motorist. You ask why not the workers? well as we have posted before (june 21 09) the congestion, slow moving equipment, restricted lane sizes and sometimes confusing directional signs can be cause for an incident.

Work zone safety is a growing concern. In 2007, 835 people were killed in vehicles crashes in work zones, making a 2% accountability for all roadway fatalities, additionally more than 40,000 injuries were reported. The Federal Highway Administration reports that a work zone fatality occurs about every 10 hrs somewhere on our highways, 3 out of 4 of these ARE NOT part of the work crew and about 23% involve large trucks.

Speeding is the major cause of work zone incidents and the leading hazard for workers. Being struck by a vehicle is only one concern, but flying debris from loose gravel can really cause them harm. Speeds in a work zone are usually significantly lower than other controlled areas for this simple reason. A vehicle traveling 60 MPH passes a warning sign indicating a work zone ahead 1500 feet, it will be in that zone in 17 seconds! Drivers need to pay full attention to ALL traffic control devices. In many states fines for infractions in work zones are steep and usually double when workers are present.

Safety in work zones is crucial. We would offer these tips to help make passing through these areas a safer place for vehicles and workers.

-Pay attention to ALL posted signs indicating work zone areas and what you may encounter while passing through, such as flaggers, trucks turning and lane closures.
-Avoid distractions such as eating or drinking, adjusting the radio and cellphone use.
-If a lane closure is indicated, move to the appropriate lane as soon as possible.
-Watch for moving road work such as painting, mowing or top coating. These operations may not be near the initial warnings.
-REDUCE YOUR SPEED. Observe all posted signs until you see one that indicates you have left the work zone.
-Be extra cautious when directed to a detour. These routes can be rough, narrow and even lead through residential ares.

A 2007 fatality analysis report, list the states with the most work zone fatalities involving motor vehicles: Texas 124, Florida 80, California 80, and Georgia with 65 top the list. Some of the states with the least, each having just 1, are Alaska, Delaware, North & South Dakota and Utah.

In the end, the moral is to stay HYPER aware when driving and be prepared for anything. Driving is your personal responsibility when you are behind the wheel.
Highway workers and their families appreciate your cooperation in this matter and other motorist enjoy the smooth transition into and out of work zones, as to reduce the delay time. Harmony offers many courses to help educate all drivers, there's even a course for habitual bumper benders, but we prefer teaching the preventative and preparedness type. Please tell your employers, insurance agents and family about us and encourage them to offer or attend one of our courses.

Thanks for reading and Remember, those orange devices are not worth points for hitting them!

Stains on the seats are the last to worry about!

2009-07-24T22:26:00.005-05:00

In our hustle and go world lunch at the wheel is becoming a more efficient use of time, however, the consequences could be deadly. An insurance.com article has listed the most dangerous foods to eat while driving. We at Harmony find this to be a bit redundant due to the common sense factor, but we will entertain you this week with the list that was released. To take it further, a local radio station we frequent, asked its listeners to add to the list of silly driver delicacies so we have included those responses too.

First let's get to the seriousness of this issue. Driver distraction is listed as the #1 cause of collisions on today's highways. As we have mentioned before cell phones top the list closely followed by other media sources, applying cosmetics and reading. Eating while driving is about midstream but poses just as serious a risk. According to NHTSA, distraction was most likely to be involved in rear-end collisions in which the lead vehicle was stopped and in single-vehicle crashes. What makes distractions like eating such a problem is that they combine with unexpected situations – like a sharp curve or another driver's sudden stop – to cause a collision. In a 2001 survey of 1,000 drivers for Exxon, more than 70 percent of drivers say they eat while driving, up from 58 percent in 1995. Eighty-three percent say they drink coffee, juice, or soda while driving and a few even say they'd love a microwave in their car.

So, just what are these drivers eating that is sooooo good they can't wait to park and eat or get back to the office or home to consume it? Well, insurance.com list these foods as dangerous to eat while driving.

The top 10 food offenders in a car are:

1. Coffee – Even in cups with travel lids, somehow the liquid finds its way out of the opening each time you hit a bump.
2. Hot soup – Many people drink it like coffee and run the same risks.
3. Tacos – Any food that can disassemble itself will leave your car looking like a salad bar.
4. Chili Dogs – The potential for drips and slops down the front of clothing is significant.
5. Hamburgers – From the grease of the burger to ketchup and mustard, it could all end up on your hands, your clothes, and the steering wheel.
6. Barbecued food – Ditto. The sauce may be great, but if you have to lick your fingers, the sauce will end up on whatever you touch – and that wheel will be tough to grip.
7. Fried chicken – Another food that leaves you with greasy hands, which means constantly wiping them on something, even if it's your shirt.
8. Jelly donuts – Have you eaten a jelly donut without some of the center oozing out? It's simply not possible.
9. Soft drinks – Not only are they subject to spills, but also the carbonated kind can fizz as you're drinking if you make sudden movements, and most of us remember cola fizz in the nose from childhood. It isn't any more pleasant now.
10. Chocolate – Like greasy foods, chocolate coats the fingers as it melts, leaving its mark anywhere you touch. As you try to clean it off the steering wheel you're likely to end up swerving.

The listeners of the radio show added these items:

1. Ribs
2. Chinese food (w/chopsticks)
3. Salad
4. Ice cream in a bowl
5. Cereal in a bowl
6. Cotton candy
7. Drinks in a large cup
8. Blowing bubbles w/ gum
9. Watermelon
10.Jaw breakers (choking hazard)

That's just ridiculous stuff! but these acts have been witnessed by other drivers and we're sure you have seen this too.

How do insurance companies feel about this? Insurance companies don't track specific information on eating and driving, because it's too difficult to break it down. But every company knows it's a problem. Drivers who are cited for this as a cause for a collision, can suffer an increase of 25% or more in their insurance rate.

So now you know what foods to avoid while driving, wait! you should avoid eating while driving period! Any reasonable person knows that it is just not wise to dine n drive. Harmony again brings you the reality of driving on today's roads and reminds you that these types of drivers are out there sharing the roads with you. Please, if you must stop to eat en route, find a place to park or a picnic table at a park, your insurance provider will appreciate you for it.

Thanks for reading and keep the special sauce and pickles off the steering wheel.

Do you have rhythm?

2009-07-19T23:14:00.007-05:00

Yes, you have A rhythm, not for dancing , rather for sleeping. If you cross the this rhythm with driving at the wrong time the results are deadly. Driving while fatigued is just as, if not more, dangerous than DWI/DUI. The rhythm which effects us so severely is called the circadian rhythm. "Wiki" has this to say about circadian rhythm: Humans, like most animals and plants, have biological rhythms, known as circadian rhythms, which are controlled by a biological clock and work on a daily time scale. These affect body temperature, alertness, appetite, hormone secretion etc. as well as sleep timing. Due to the circadian clock, sleepiness does not continuously increase as time passes. A person's desire and ability to fall asleep is influenced by both the length of time since the person woke from an adequate sleep, and by internal circadian rhythms. Thus, the body is ready for sleep and for wakefulness at different times of the day.The comparison to DWI/DUI is accurate Alcohol, however, has a clear legal limit for impairment; there are no comparable criteria to suggest sleepiness.

Drowsiness has been recognized as a pervasive problem for drivers. This is due largely to the necessity to have good eye-steering coordination and sleep deprivation or disorders affect this profoundly.
The amount of sleep a person gets affects his or her physical health, emotional well-being, mental abilities, productivity and performance. Recent studies associate lack of sleep with serious health problems such as an increased risk of depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

A study, authored by Mark Chattington of Manchester Metropolitan University, focused on six participants, who drove a winding route on a driving simulator. On the first day, they drove for one hour starting at 5 p.m. The subjects were kept awake the following night, and on day two, drove again at 5 p.m. for up to two-and-a-half hours. Their eye movements were monitored using a dashboard mounted eye tracker, and steering wheel movement was monitored through a precision potentiometer attached to the steering column. The results showed that, in all drivers, sleep deprivation adversely affected their ability to coordinate eye movements when steering. There were instances of both acute and chronic reductions in the degree of coordination and in the time lead of eye movements over steering.

Circadian rhythm is strongly effected by light, so driving at night has effects different than driving during daylight. This is important for drivers to understand since many people work at jobs requiring shift rotations. These rotations adversely affect your sleep cycle and it may take several days to "reprogram" the cycle. All drivers should be aware that we are sharing the road with these individuals and should be especially alert at the most common shift change hours.

So how do we help alleviate these adverse reactions?

1. Get plenty of rest each 24hr cycle.
2. Re-adjust sleep habits for shift work.
3. Avoid changes in light (other than day/night cycle)artificial light and sunlight variances have very different effects on your rhythm.
4. Get healthy, the better you feel the more rest you will get while sleeping.
5. Create a proper sleep environment. No phones, timers(alarm clock ok), light interruptions or "reminders' that you are not on the old cycle.
6. Avoid caffeine and heavy foods before sleeping.
7. Do not elevate heart rate before sleeping. (working out or stressful situations)
8. Wear comfortable non-binding sleepwear.
9. Make sure room temp is in your normal range.
10. Take advantage of down time for a short nap.

Keeping yourself alert and well rested before driving is essential for the safety of all drivers. If you feel drowsy or recognize the signs of fatigue, get off the road and get some rest. All the myths for staying awake while driving are generally false and will only get you in trouble, hurt or worse! There is NO substitution for sleep.

Thank your reading and please keep your rhythm while driving.

Better milage, sacrafice safety

2009-07-12T22:03:00.006-05:00

Well, seems your government has been calling for improved MPG for years now! This time they are getting serious. The President's recent announcement for automakers to reach the goal of 35.5 MPG (average) by 2016 is a "radical" expectancy and may have some negative results on highway safety. A recent FORBES article states, "The purpose is to improve the environment and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The impact will be more far reaching and consequential-and not all benign." It continues, "The rules will mean greater carnage on our highways." The article sites a previous change in fuel economy standards by the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules in 2002, in which an additional 2,000 deaths were contributed to cars being made smaller and with lighter materials. Why should the result be any different with this round of MPG expectations? In fact, advocates say that by forcing automakers to reach these goals by 2016, buyers will pushed heavily into hybrids or electrics and over time everyone will be driving smaller cars.

AHH hahh! now we get to the real issues. The problem is that almost half of vehicular collisions (and 51% of crash deaths) involve only one vehicle rather than a multi-car collision. Incidents such as hitting a tree, a pole, bridge abutment or something Else. A second effect will be that the newer cars, hybrids or other, will cost significantly more than traditional styled autos, therefore, people are likely to keep their older cars an extra 2-3 years. (harmony has posted about this before). Lighter materials, expected to be used in the new round of MPG improvements, have yet to be tested thoroughly and with deadlines approaching may be put into use too soon. As we found out in past post about why we drive like we do, comfort in our safety systems tends to lead drivers to take more risk. If drivers of the future cars are led to believe that the materials are durable, then when these risks result in a collision what will be outcome, severe injury or death? Improved MPG is great but not at the sacrifice of lives. The automakers have had more than enough financial woes just selling cars, they don't need to be burdened with civil suits do to poor quality.

Commuters, while we may be shrinking the size of the cars we drive, we must consider the difference in outcome when more cars can fit on the road! that's right the greater potential for more collisions. Harmony would like to offer this to the CAFE supporters, a life saved is far more important than a gallon saved.

Thanks for reading and ponder this, is your diet going to get you into that new car?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]">

Are you in an angry city?

2009-07-05T01:20:00.004-05:00

Yep! there are angry cities out there and we have the proof. The Affinion group has conducted it's annual study of road rage and the angriest and least angry cities have been determined. The study was completed between January and March of 2009 in 25 major metro areas. Road rage is dangerous and can be fatal if taken to extremes. Wikipedia describes road rage as: Behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle which causes collisions, incidents, gestures, some times death on roadways. It can be thought of as an extreme case of aggressive driving. It has even been deemed a mental disorder. There are about 1200 cases of road rage reported annually with 300 of them ending in serious injury or fatality. Only a few states, about 14, have enacted special "aggressive driving' laws and most are processed as assault and battery (with or with out a vehicle) or "vehicular manslaughter" in cases involving related deaths.
Only one state, California, has turned "road rage" into a legal term with specific meaning. Those road ragers stopped by police, may only be charged with a lesser offense, such as careless or wreckless driving.

So where does your city rank? The Affinion report gives us the top 5 angriest and least angry cities.

WORST ROAD RAGE US CITIES

1. New York
2. Dallas/Ft. Worth
3. Detroit
4. Atlanta
5. Minneapolis/St. Paul

LEAST ANGRY CITIES

1. Portland
2. Cleveland
3. Baltimore
4. Sacramento
5. Pittsburgh

Missing the list this year are Miami (last year #1) and Los Angeles with Atlanta moving from the least angry list to #4 on the angry list.

While rural areas are usually populated with calmer drivers and Metro areas with faster paced angrier drivers, the study itself does not factor in this element. It does however, look at driving habits and attitudes. Some contributing factors to angry, ragefull drivers, according to the study, are people in a hurry, traffic problems and selfish drivers. Some of the behaviors noted in the study, that lead to road rage were, drivers on cell phones (talking and texting), speeding, tailgating and eating or drinking while driving. How did people say they reacted to these habits? Well, 43% say they honked, others stated they cursed, waived arms or made an obscene gestures. (normal everyday reactions)

Bottom line, it exsist and is a growing issue on todays highways. Take all the steps necessary to avoid being a victim or agressor. Some helpful thoughts; Plan ahead, get plenty of rest, keep your car in good order, take a relaxation period before getting behind the wheel and develop coping strategies. When you become aware of the factors of road rage, you can usually get through the day without incident.

Thanks for reading and please "chillax" before you ruin a good day!

And we think we're bad drivers?

2009-06-29T01:27:00.005-05:00

Is it really like in the movie European Vacation or has the movie exaggerated it? We are talking about driving abroad. Many of us will never have the opportunity to cruise the Autobahn or navigate the cirque de triumph or even negotiate between livestock and bicycles. However, it doesn't keep us from being curious about the way other countries commute. Harmony would like to give you a little peek at driving abroad, courtesy of the Book Traffic, why we drive the way we do. As you know, we covered the many aspects of our own driving habits, through the pages of this fine read. Now let's look at how this translates to other countries.

Traffic behaves differently in different places around the world. Anyone who has ever spent any time in a foriegn country could attest that traffic has it's own culture and traditions. "The intent of a driver in Rome who blows their horn, isn't the same as driver in Stockholm," the author Tom Vanderbilt, says. "And flashing your lights at another driver is one thing on the German autobahn, but takes an entirely new meaning on a Los Angeles freeway." On roads in Delhi, India, lane markings are often missing, wrecks sit on busy roads and cows lie in the median. "It's said the cows like the median strip because it's dry and the breezes genrated by passing vehicles keep away flies" Vanderbilt explains. "Their presence also forces traffic to slow down. It would be better for a driver to be late for work than hit a cow (considered very sacred in Delhi)" Delhi has five times the number of people in one space as compared to New York City. The drivers in Delhi, may be considered the most gifted or the most risk taking. India uses over 48 (est.) modes of transportation as compared to most US cities using only 5!

China, where cars pay little attention to pedestrians and push their way through masses of people crossing the street, has drivers that are most likely to violate traffic signals. Some even enter intersections before the lights change colors. "People in China even behave different when there's an accident," Vanderbilt says. "In the US, the drivers involved would exchange insurance information and move on. But during my stay in Beijing, I witnessed several minor traffic collisions and the parties involved usually engage in on-the-spot negotiations which can get pretty heated." Vanderbilt continues,"The dynamics of traffic and commuting are changing faster than the Chinese government can keep pace."

When in Rome.....yes, definitely do as the Romans. Narrow streets and motor scooters contribute to the frenetic pace of the city's traffic. "Motor scooters make up as much as 20% of the vehicle traffic on the streets of Rome," states Vanderbilt. "But studies show that Rome is safer than other Italian cities when traveling by motor scooter."

How about the pedestrian traffic behavior? Well pedestrians even act differently in other parts of the world. In New York, where jaywalking is urban moxie and serves to relieve overcrowded intersections, is far apart from the city of Copenhagen, Denmark. Jaywalking there is considered narcissistic and carries penalties adjacent to speeding and excessive lane changing. Safety by all commuters can be attributed to a country's GDP(gross domestic product). Low GDP's yeild fewer fatalities, due to the lesser number of vehicles on the roads. As GDP grows fatality rates rise until a determined GDP is reached ($8,500 as of 1985) at that point the number of traffic fatalities drops.

"In developing countries, the philosophy seems to be 'let's get the cars, buses and motorcycles on the road first, and then let's worry about safety,' so, the fatality rate starts out very high," Vanderbilt says, "But then people begin to take up the cause for safer roads and drivers who become more aware, take some of the risks out of driving as more cars take to the road. Congestion is something every driver dreads, but in general it lowers the number of fatalities."

Harmony could not agree more, hmmm! where have we heard that aware thing before? We invite you to join our cause for safer highways and ask your employer to contact us to schedule a class for your company. The risks of not attending one of these courses, could prove to be a regretful event.

Thanks for reading and if you have your passport stamped, leave the driving to the locals!

What our driving says about us (conclusion)

2009-06-21T21:56:00.005-05:00

It's not the inadequate number of roads or the fact there are too many drivers. It is our brains that provide much of the dysfunction on the highways. Our brains, lack the willpower, to remain focused and process everything that happens on the road. The book Traffic, why we drive the way we do, puts this in perspective. Harmony, has been sharing the information, in this very astute look at ourselves as drivers over the last three weeks post's. This week, we conclude the series and offer a review. However, do to the great response, we will give one last snippet from the book next week that will cover driving abroad. It should be interesting. The author of Traffic, Tom Vanderbilt expands on our opening, by stating "Once we feel we have things under control, we begin to act differently. It doesn't take much to distract a driver, whether it's slowing down to look at a couch dumped by the side of the road or fiddling with the radio." He would mean, it's like riding a bike or taking out the trash. Once learned, it doesn't require our full attention. Therefore, our wandering minds, become otherwise occupied, when we should have our complete concentration on the road and our driving.

Vanderbilt believes, we could learn a lesson, from the New World army ant. For complex systems like highways, to work effectively, we must play by the rules. The army ant, as described by Vanderbilt, is one of the worlds best commuters. "When the ants leave the nest to forage for food, they follow a well defined set of rules" says Vanderbilt. "The ants create a three lane highway. They use the outer two lanes to leave the nest, and the returning ants use the center lane. The secret to their efficiency is that unlike humans, the ants are truly cooperative."
So how do we counter the human traits of terrible drivers? Well, the book gives these tips:

If someone pulls out in front of you- DO NOT "target fixate." Instead, look where you want to go and steer away to avoid the vehicle. This would also apply to intersections with pedestrians and making turns. Look ahead to where your desired action will take you.

Forming your own opinions of what's risky and what's safe- First consider, you are using your own flawed judgment. For example, most drivers believe large trucks are dangerous yet, they drive in an unsafe manner around them.

Choosing to drive when we don't understand why the conditions exist- Why are there more people on the road Saturday at 1pm than during regular rush hours? Simply, affluence breeds traffic. If people feel they have extra money to spend, then they feel they have more choices of places to spend it. Almost half of the grocery trips we make are to markets not close to home.

Assuming certain times are more dangerous than others- As we have mentioned several times at Harmony, statistics show, that morning and evening rush hours are the safest drive times in terms of fatal and non-fatal incidents. Morning rush, being the safest of the two.
(visit our site or attend our course to get more info on this topic)

Believing work zones are more dangerous for workers than the drivers going through them-Actually, drivers are more at risk for incidents due to constricted space, unpredictable traffic flow, poor markings and diversions of attention.

Braking first and steering last-That is the majority of drivers. For some reason drivers will hit the brake and then signal their intention or steer into their intended maneuver, if they steer at all! Even if steering is the ONLY way to avoid an incident.

Harmony would like add, that the book points out safety features, as a contributing factor in our poor driving decisions. We would absolutely agree. Features like the high center-mount, third brake lamp, that has not had the intended impact on safety as once suggested. Other features such as air-bags, seat belts, anti-lock brakes and back-up cameras, have just been an invitation to take even greater risks. Vanderbilt says "We have deemed the rewards of mobility worth the risk" Traffic, detailed in nine chapters and 286 pages, is an enlightening "wake-up call" and a comprehensive look at everyday driving. Harmony will recommend this read to all it's clients and
students. Followers of this blog should also consider checking it out.

Thanks for reading and please think before you make that driving maneuver.

What our driving says about us (pt. 2)

2009-06-14T21:33:00.009-05:00

"It's not about YOU!" but that's the way we think when we are driving, says Tom Vanderbilt, author of the book"Traffic, Why we drive the way we do" and subject of our continuing series. This week will we cover emotions, sub skills, honking and a few other topics. The book is a very good read and will have an affect on your driving attitude. So, Harmony is sharing it with you, as part of our commitment to safer highways and in keeping with our AWARENESS style of instruction.

Let's look at the question we asked last week, Who honks more, Men or Women? It would seem, according to the book, that men do honk more than women. Not so fast ladies! It was also pointed out that both, men AND women honk more AT women. Honking seems more likely to be done by city drivers than by rural drivers and it would seem that, if you are driving a nice car, you are less likely to be honked at. Who knew so much could be determined by honking? Does your driving say what you really want it to say about you? Vanderbilt also says "If someone cuts you off, you feel that the world is becoming a dark and lonely place," he continues, " But if someone waves you over to get in the turn lane, you have a more positive outlook on life. In theory, neither event should matter all that much."

What kind of merger are you? early or late. Merging is a simple maneuver and proper merging helps keep the smooth flow of traffic. "Early mergers" are considered honorable by most drivers viewpoint, while those who wait till the last minute, are thought to be looking out solely for themselves. Studies in traffic flow with merges, show that later merging actually improves traffic flow by 15%. Now, let's give a short note on parking. The book speaks of an "endowment affect" citing that people take longer to leave a parking space if someone is waiting. The affect being; that once people have something, they are reluctant to give it up. Parking lots are a very big contributor to minor collisions and yield nearly 46% more incidents involving pedestrians. Driving with full concentration means, even when you are not, on the highways.

The skill of driving, encompasses about 1,500 sub skills, therefore, none of us are as good at driving as we think we are. Traffic experts call it the "above average effect." "Driving in traffic works best when there is conformity and cooperation, but when the roads are filled with people who see themselves as superior to everyone else on the road, we all suffer," states Vanderbilt. "Narcissism promotes aggressive driving." As humans, we are capable of making any number of complex maneuvers. Harmony would agree with this and for this reason we would like for you to learn more about what we offer. Our courses are designed to be personal as well as informative. Our approach to educating drivers and helping them improve their habits, proves more effective, than the methods currently offered by defensive type courses. Please attend one of our courses soon. Next time we look at complacency, countering traits and a review. The final post will cover the driving experience abroad.

Thanks for reading and remember, You are not a great driver and yes it CAN happen to you!

What our driving says about us (pt. 1)

2009-06-07T21:46:00.007-05:00

The US has 250 million passenger vehicles and 196 million registered and licensed drivers, making it the largest passenger vehicle market in the world. Add to that, nearly 4 million miles of highways and you get a nation with lots of drive. With this information, provided by the US Bureau of Transit and the Federal Highway Administration, Harmony has decided to let you know just what gives us that drive. We have recently discovered a book, written by Tom Vanderbilt, "Traffic, why we drive the way we do." We found it to be worthy of a series of post that will hopefully enlighten drivers about ourselves and our driving convictions.

We start with the influence of personality traits. Do you feel that "My hurry is more important than your hurry?" Does driving sometimes become a survival mission, leaving common courtesy behind? Bouts of road rage can erupt as we spend more and more time on the road. We are becoming a nation of self-absorbed drivers! Author, Tom Vanderbilt, says "driving is the most complex everyday thing we do in our lives." Citing research of the complex web of psychological, physical and technical factors that explain how traffic works and how our thought processes operate, that lead to what our driving says about us. It would seem we find it hard to communicate while driving. Turning away from verbal skills, we rely on the horn and gestures to reveal our thoughts. "We struggle to stay human" says Vanderbilt, we strip down our identities, "traffic is a place where no one knows your name" he [Vanderbilt] says. "Hiding" in our safety glass and alloy enclosures, we tend to do a lot of things in our cars- it is even our favorite crying place.

Drivers who take advantage of this anonymity, may become more aggressive and riskier than others, believing that it's just another vehicle on the the road, after all you will never see them again. "Because you don't know the driver in the other vehicle and will likely never see them again, the normal constraints of life are left behind" says Vanderbilt. " Take away human identity and human contact and we act inhuman." Interesting, can this apply to frustration? let's find out.
Do you get frustrated when you see another line moving faster, than the one you are in? The book says it is part of an illusion. While we wait patiently in a "slow moving" line and others are getting "ahead" of us, we get the feeling we are "losing out" while we wait anxiously to move forward. This is the reason drivers change lanes in heavy traffic so often. A traffic jam can throw off our perception, as the vehicles in the other lane pass, we conclude that the other lane is moving faster, when in most cases it isn't. Therefore, we become frustrated, due to the illusion.

Good stuff so far. Next week we will look at emotions, who honks more men or women, parking and when lanes reduce. Please, if you have not signed up to be a follower of this blog or if you have friends or family that need this information do so now and spread the word. Harmony on the Highways is committed to improving highway safety and hope you get the opportunity to attend one of our classes soon.

Thanks for reading and keep cool out there, someone may be more angry than you today!

BEEFS and PEAVES (1st QTR '09)

2009-05-31T22:21:00.007-05:00

Well, we have gathered the information you provided and the data we acquired from our clients. You are about to see what is eatin' at ya' when it comes to bad drivers and their lesser desirable habits. We were not too shocked at this quarters results and found that some of the habits have changed positions on the list. Harmony on the Highways does this fun poll to help all drivers know how bad they really are, in other drivers eyes. It is more than just humorous. It keeps you aware that bad habits, create bad drivers and some of these "offenses" can cause some really ugly confrontations. Please, if you find yourself a "victim" of one these bad habits, handle it with care and tact. Not all injuries from traffic incidents come from the collision of the cars, some come from a hand to face collision. We at Harmony discourage this behavior because of the obvious outcome. If you witness or think you may be a victim of road rage, contact authorities immediately, your safety is at risk. If you are involved in a collision and are uninjured, please respect the other driver involved and peacefully provide the information required, as well as contact police if necessary. If you witness an incident, please render aid, (it is a law in many states) provide a witness statement if required and remember someones life was just interrupted and possibly permanently changed due this event. Now let's get to that list.

What is bugging you on the road

1. Drivers who stay in left lane(s) and drive too slow or refuse to vacate the lane.
2. Drivers on cellphones. (There was no indicator that hands-free was "ok")
3. Foreign drivers. (This will be a future post)
4. Drivers eating while driving.
5. Drivers texting while driving. (This is surprisingly low on the list, but it is moving up!)
6. Drivers exiting or turning from the wrong lane.*
7. Drivers whose children are NOT in car seats or seat belts.
8. Drivers who tailgate.
9. Drivers that change lanes suddenly or frequently.
10. Drivers who do NOT use signals.
11. Drivers who brake frequently.
12. Drivers that do NOT show courtesy.*
13. Drivers who change lanes at an intersection.
14. Teen drivers.
15. Elderly drivers. (Not uncommon for these two to be close)
16. Motorcycle riders who lane split or ride on shoulder.
17. Drivers who do NOT turn right at a red light. (You should first, be sure it legal, to do so)
18. Drivers who apply make-up, while driving.
19. Drivers who read, while driving.
20. Drivers who just drive too slow.
* indicates a new entry into the top 20.

Anything in there that surprised you? We actually could have posted over 40 items but these 20 had high numbers on the poll. We will do this again for the 2nd quarter of '09, so please keep telling us what is happening on the roads where you are. Harmony on the Highways, will be posting in a series, next month, on the topic of Why we drive the way we do (and what it says about us). This comes from a book titled "Traffic, why we drive the way we do" (Tom Vanderbilt). It was very interesting reading, so if you can grab a copy, do so. It is in most Borders Books and on Amazon. You may be surprised what your driving is telling others.

Harmony thanks you for reading and please remember if you don't see a bad driver around you, the bad driver may be YOU.

Just wrap us in bubble wrap!

2009-05-24T17:48:00.005-05:00

Trucking 101.biz here! Welcome to our post and thanks again to harmony for allowing us to keep the motoring public informed by using their blog space. It is our combined efforts, that are helping motorist, become more aware and safer drivers. Trucking 101.biz, wants you to be well educated, when it comes to sharing the road with trucks and large vehicles.

Take a look at the truck pictured. Notice the small black "dot" on the lower fairing (just behind the steps) and the "black box" mounted on the front bumper. These are collision avoidance devices and are becoming more and more prevalent on today's trucks. Safety concerns in the industry, has become a growing issue over the last 10 years and for good cause. Truck incidents are dramatic events, due the size of the vehicle involved, not to mention the cost of clean up. Cars involved in collisions with trucks are usually the loser and insurance claims for these incidents are staggering in monetary value. The survival rate of persons involved in serious collisions with trucks is low, about 23%. So, it simply makes sense, to equip these large vehicles with all the warning systems available. OR DOES IT?

We would agree to an extent, however, the trucks themselves are not the cause. Driver error is almost always the cause. Remember, these machines require a human to operate them. Sure, having some type of warning system, monitoring the blind spots of large vehicles is a great help, but if a driver is tired or distracted he may not heed the warnings (audible or visual) and still be involved in a collision. Are you thinking, there is no solution? Drivers good or bad are just at the mercy of the circumstances before them. Well, not exactly. We believe that the root cause, to a major majority of the truck collisions, is the industry's pay structure. Drivers are generally paid by the mile or a % of the revenue a truck earns. Some LTL carriers or "local" drivers can be compensated by the hour. With federal regulations getting stiffer all the time, drivers paid by mileage, will begin seeing decreases in pay. The answer, in our opinion, is structured salary. The details are complicated, however, it is fair to the driver, transportation company and shipping entities. We will post the basic idea of this at a later time or you can contact us directly for details.

The safety devices being employed on trucks today are great additions to the overall improvement of safety for the industry. Some of the devices used are:

VORAD- Vehicle on board Radar (like in the photo) more info here
Backing Cameras and audible alerts
Smart Cruise Control
Drowsy Driver Alerts
GPS
Speed Limiters
Animal deterrent devices
Improved lighting
Black Box recorders

see video here(media player required)

These devices, when used properly, do what they are designed for. There is some grumbling, from skeptical drivers, that these devices are being used to monitor the driver more than the traffic or the truck itself. The Black box recorders are primarily used for incident re-creation and investigations. The Speed limiters, or governors, are used for safety and fuel efficiency and the smart cruises are used to help drivers maintain a safe following distance. All good uses of these devices. The reality is, transportation companies, ARE using the real-time features on some of these gadgets to monitor drivers and "build a case" against them. One large company, located in UTAH, uses the trucks recording device, to inform drivers that they are displaying some improper driving techniques, such as hard braking, missed shifts, speeding, over revving, or excessive engine idle time. Again, all good information, if used properly.

Trucking 101.biz knows drivers and the industry. We expect drivers to be professionals at all times while on-duty. Driving with adequate rest, conducting the required pre and post trip inspections, backing safely and using guides, keeping fit and eating properly, operating with-in the limits set forth by law and sharing the roads responsibly. SAFETY begins with the human element. Mistakes can be devastatingly costly and tragic. The industry is taking measures to help keep all drivers safe but there is no substitute for education and information. We hope we have done our part. For more trucking information and to access professionals for your questions, please visit us at trucking 101.biz.

Thanks for reading and look for the warning signs or devices on the big rigs. They care about your safety.

In your pocket in the name of safety

2009-05-17T19:18:00.005-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

The red light cameras, being used by many municipalities today, are coming under fire by some states. Texas, Virginia and California are the leaders in reviewing their use of the devices. This is significant, since these states are law "trend setters." Many motorist have been disgusted with these devices since their inception as an enforcement tool. The majority of drivers believe that these devices are strictly used for revenue rather than the advertised improved safety claims. Well, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has been keeping a close eye on this and have released results of an on-going study in Virginia and California that has some interesting findings. (More info here) Here are a few issues and subjects under current reviews by the states government.

Issue 1- Devices being used as a source of revenue.

ARGUMENT-The objective of photo enforcement is to deter violators, not to catch them. Signs and publicity campaigns typically warn drivers that photo enforcement is in use. Revenue is generated from fines paid by drivers who continue to run red lights, but this is a fundamental component of all traffic enforcement programs. Independent audits of red light camera enforcement have found that these programs generally do not generate excess revenue.

Issue 2- Do they increase safety?

ARGUMENT- Cameras have been shown to substantially reduce red light violations. In addition to reducing red light violations, cameras have been shown to reduce intersection crashes, indicating community-wide changes in driver behavior. Some studies have reported that while red light cameras reduce front-into-side collisions and overall injury crashes, they can increase rear-end crashes.

Issue 3- Are they enforceable infractions?

ARGUMENT- Before cameras may be used for law enforcement, laws must authorize enforcement agencies to cite red light violators by mail. The legislation must make the vehicle owner responsible for the ticket, establishing a presumption that the registered owner is the vehicle driver at the time of the offense. Depending on state law, violations photographed by red light cameras are commonly treated in one of two ways — as traffic violations or as the equivalent of parking tickets. The law can make registered vehicle owners responsible without regard to who was driving at the time of the offense.

Harmony on the Highways wanted you, the motoring public, to know this because of the reality that red light cameras are the rising cause of rear-end, with injury, collisions. This is because drivers are slamming on brakes to avoid a ticket! if you are aware of this happening then you can adjust your driving habits. Get to know your driving environment and pay closer attention to the red light camera locations in your city. Until the legislation is changed or amended, the probability of increased, enforced intersection collisions, will continue to rise. Harmony has our points of view to both sides of the argument but believes the best solution to all of it is becoming a more AWARE driver. To get more perspectives on this topic visit these links.

National Motorist Association
Ride Lust
ARS

Thanks for reading and SMILE you may have just had your photo taken!

Inexperience is a disease

2009-05-10T19:46:00.006-05:00

The TEEN DRIVER. Knows everything, is indestructible, fearless, cool, some are obedient, some not so much and yet for all their attributes (good or bad), when it comes to driving, they lack one big ticket item. EXPERIENCE. As a parent, you try everything you know to give them the skills they need to succeed in life. What if they don't make it that far? what if the one thing you skimped on detail was teaching them how to drive? I know it takes a lot ( x10) of patience and can be time consuming but your teen driver deserves the best training available, be it by you or a qualified driving academy. Parents, the statistics for teen driving fatalities is staggering. More shocking, is the number of teen traffic incidents involving alcohol. Active parents have said that, the one thing they wished they had more time for was driving instruction of their teen. Harmony says MAKE TIME! Below are the stats for teen driving incidents as of a 2006 study by the NHTSA.

National Teen Driving Statistics

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers.
16 year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
16-year-olds are three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers.
3,490 drivers age 15-20 died in car crashes in 2006, up slightly from 2005.
Drivers age 15-20 accounted for 12.9 percent of all the drivers involved in fatal crashes and 16 percent of all the drivers involved in police-reported crashes in 2006.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates the economic impact of auto accidents involving 15-20 year old drivers is over $40 billion.
A recent report by AAA estimates the cost of crashes involving 15-17 year olds to be $34 billion.
Graduated drivers license programs appear to be making a difference. Fatal crashes involving 15- to 20-year olds in 2005 were down 6.5 percent from 7,979 in 1995, to the lowest level in ten years.
Fewer 16-year-olds are driving. In 2006 only 30 percent of 16-year-olds had their driver's licenses compared to 40% in 1998 according to the Federal Highway Administration.
According to a 2005 survey of 1,000 people ages 15 and 17, conducted by the Allstate Foundation
- More than half (56 percent) of young drivers use cell phones while driving,
- 69 percent said that they speed to keep up with traffic
- 64 percent said they speed to go through a yellow light.
- 47 percent said that passengers sometimes distract them.
- Nearly half said they believed that most crashes involving teens result from drunk driving.
31 percent of teen drivers killed in 2006 had been drinking, according to NHTSA. 25 percent had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.
Statistics show that 16 and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger (IIHS).

Moms and Dads, how do you feel now? The estimates for the 2007 study suggest an increase in deaths in 17-21 year-olds, an increase of about 4% in teen alcohol related incidents and more traffic related issues occurring close to home. (within 20 mins). Steps are being taken by insurance companies, big media, and believe it or not, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), to aggressively address this issue. No matter who is providing the information to you, it is your responsibility as a parent to get that information to your teen. States have begun implementing Graduated Drivers License (GDL), so check with your DMV to see what the laws are. Your insurance provider can be of great value in this matter, since they are in the business of protecting your property, they have a genuine stake in your teens safety.

When driving errors are responsible for 82% of all teen driving incidents, it is obviously an inexperience issue. We are in the business of teaching improved driving habits to drivers of all ages and disciplines of driving, however, we have a real concern for getting it right when it comes to our teen courses. We teach them like they are our own and send them out knowing they only retained about half of what they just learned. It is frightening from that moment on. We contact each parent and provide them other resources of helpful information. As a reader of this blog, we will tell you that the Internet is full great advice and some not so great. You can also learn of tragedies experienced by parents and some really funny driving tales about teens. So take the time and learn for yourself how to prepare for the task of teaching a teen to drive.

We will be praying for you.

MAY IS NATIONAL YOUTH TRAFFIC SAFETY MONTH and Harmony on the Highways wants you get to involved with your teen driver. please visit these links and learn more.

CDC
Teen driving.com
NOYS.org
Century Council

Thanks for reading and keep your children safe.

Blue Hair Blues and giving them the news

2009-05-03T19:51:00.008-05:00

Harmony on the Highways is committed to safer US highways. One growing concern is the aging driver. Can you read the signs in the picture on the left? Does it seem blurry or askew? Maybe YOU should be screened for YOUR driving ability. (Easy, we altered the clip for this purpose) Had we not distorted the picture, would you have been concerned about your ability to drive? These are just two factors, sight and perception. As we get older, many things begin to give way and deteriorate in our bodies, making the task of driving more difficult. As a whole, elderly drivers are safe, however, when do they need to be told, enough is enough. That is one area that, elderly with no families, may have a difficult time accepting and may not believe themselves to be too old to drive. On the other side, the family members or caregivers of elderly, may find this to be a very difficult discussion to have with the aged drivers. Fortunately, there is help out there. Solutions for Seniors, an elderly care service finder and information provider, has developed a helpful checklist.

Watch for telltale signs of decline in the elderly person's driving abilities. Do they:

Drive at inappropriate speeds, either too fast or too slow?
Ask passengers to help check if it is clear to pass or turn?
Respond slowly to or not notice pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers?
Ignore, disobey or misinterpret street signs and traffic lights?
Fail to yield to other cars or pedestrians who have the right-of-way?
Fail to judge distances between cars correctly?
Become easily frustrated and angry?
Appear drowsy, confused or frightened?
Have one or more near accidents or near misses?
Drift across lane markings or bump into curbs?
Forget to turn on headlights after dusk?
Have difficulty with glare from oncoming headlights, streetlights, or other bright or shiny objects, especially at dawn, dusk and at night?
Have difficulty turning their head, neck, shoulders or body while driving or parking?
Ignore signs of mechanical problems, including under inflated tires? (one in 4 cars has at least one tire that is under inflated by 8 pounds or more; low tire pressure is a major cause of accidents.)
Have too little strength to turn the wheel quickly in an emergency such as a tire failure, a child darting into traffic, etc.?
Get lost repeatedly, even in familiar areas?

If the answer to one or more of these questions is "yes," you should explore whether medical issues are affecting their driving skills. For more information click here

In the next 20 years, the number of elderly drivers (70+), is expected to triple. Elderly make up about 9% of the population but accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities, 82% of which happened in the daytime. The fatality rate for drivers 85 and older is 9 times as high as for drivers 25-69.
What can we do about this? Well, education is the key. Research the warning signs and monitor your aging driver in the family. Remember, the loss of independence is difficult and coming to terms that you are "too old" is a harsh reality. Making the call to take them off the road may require a trusted friend, a family doctor, the DMV or a good ole intervention. Make the experience for the elder driver a positive and reasonable choice. We suggest using agencies that are adept in dealing with the aged and become an active part of the alternative solution.
Keeping Grandma safe from herself, will keep countless others safe from her. After a long and joyous relationship with your elderly family members, it would be a shame to end it, with an avoidable tradegy.

Thanks for reading and remember we are going to be "too old" one day.

Less Cars on Highways, But How?

2009-04-26T22:58:00.007-05:00

Well, as promised, (March 15, '09) we are going to talk about the phenomena of the vanishing vehicle, in the US. A March 13,'09 CNNMoney.com article stated, that cars being turned in for scrap, out numbered the cars being sold by dealers. This is something that has not happened since 1945. I believe, as consumers, we are just tired of the junk being produced and putting them were they belong, IN THE JUNK YARD! Admittedly, that may be a little off base, however, it is a sentiment we encounter in our daily talks with drivers. More cars breaking down, vehicles not getting the MPG we hoped for, and the rising cost of maintenance are topics that are discussed by our clients. The government has long tried to enforce the EPA, MPG and safe standards, in an effort to improve, the vehicles offered for purchase in the US. So far, only the Asian auto makers are making the cut and sales figures prove it. So, is it really a wonder, US made cars are making there way to the scrap heap? The article also hits another factor, the economy.

Consumers are thinking before buying, therefore, keeping the older car in lieu of making a new purchase. This leads to older cars on the road that will eventually have to be replaced or scraped. As an instructor of the awareness method, I felt you should know this. Older vehicles on the highway are an issue we must be prepared to encounter. Vehicles breaking down or stalling on busy metro routes, stranded drivers on the shoulder of the roadways, vehicles not properly maintained being factors in collisions and drivers despaired by their situation. Harmony on the Highways, considers all these elements when preparing for a session.

Now get ready for this! In our recent research, we have discovered another possibility for the disappearance of these cars. It is related to the economy and comes from the dealers themselves.
We found a recent FORBES article that outlines how, dealer despair, may be a contributing factor to the declining vehicle numbers. GM and the other US auto makers have been reducing dealers in rapid succession. The recent visits to Capitol Hill, have the big guys working diligently, to prune the number of dealerships, in an all out restructuring of their financial situation. The reduction has some dealers taking desperate measures to free themselves of the burdens. Setting inventory on fire, selling for cost and taking the money and running and even murder or suicide.
The article, though short, is very impactful and thought provoking.

It is truly, a sad state of affairs, for these dealers to be pushed to such a point. Harmony on the Highways, would like your comments on these articles, so we can improve our courses for our clients. If these situations, are having effects on your commute, we want to know.

Thanks for reading and think about that "clunker" next to you. It deserves respect too.

Congestion, sniffling, watery eyes....Just Traffic?

2009-04-19T15:36:00.009-05:00

Traffic, the one misery every metro commuter deals with. Well we have good news and bad news. INRIX, the most accurate and current traffic monitoring entity, has released its 2008 "scorecard" for congested cities. While the overall report, shows congestion is down, the report gives no indication that it will go away! (we were pessimistic also) The report suggest that the economy and fuel prices are the primary factors of the decline. INRIX's report also shows that commuters spent 13 less hours stuck in traffic vs. the 2007 report. The report gives the top 10, most congested cities, of 2008. (full report Here)

1. Los Angeles
2. New York
3. Chicago
4. Dallas
5. Washington
6. Houston
7. San Francisco
8. Boston
9. Seattle
10. Minneapolis

As a professional driver, I have, the unfortunate task, of navigating through 2 of the top 10 every weekday! I deal with Dallas in the a.m. and Houston in the p.m. The potential for a major delay in my schedule is near absolute. Dealing with these traffic snarls is not something you get used to, but a situation, you learn is a part of where you live and work. As responsible commuters, we must learn to keep our attitudes in check, or the ordeal could become unbearable, even harmful or fatal. Yes, traffic can be fatal. Road rage and collisions are everyday results of these traffic tie-ups. Property damage claims rise significantly during peak rush hour times, however, injury stats do not follow this trend. The national stats still show the hours between 12am & 4am to be most dangerous on the highways.

The infrastructure of our country is simply not keeping up with the traffic demands. As metro areas grow into, once rural areas, travelers are experiencing big city type conditions in once quiet
suburbs. Construction and re-engineering of the highway system is on-going and will continue to be behind the curve, as metro areas grow in population and more efficient means of public transportation still remains a struggle. If you are one the brave commuters, who must deal with this type traffic daily, be patient and courteous. We would remind you, that as we deal with our own good or bad days, we have no way of knowing for sure what the other driver is dealing with. It could be worse for us all, we could still be on buckboards and horses. How long would it take you to get home from work then?

Thanks for reading and please commute with compassion.

GUN CONTROL? How about CAR control?

2009-04-11T19:54:00.003-05:00

We at Harmony on the Highways are saddened by the news out of Fullerton, CA this week. The tragedy involving Anaheim Angels Pitcher, Nick Adenhart, 22, is just the type of thing we hope to bring more light to. As stated, on our website, 48% of all US highway fatalities are alcohol related. We find that to be absolutely unacceptable! The other driver, Thomas Gallo, also 22, is being charged with a list of related offenses, BUT! this is his SECOND DWI!!!! When do we hold the justice system accountable for such tragedies? Should the Defense Attorney and the Judge be held just as responsible as Mr. Gallo? They did collaborate for his freedom to do this AGAIN! No matter who is responsible beyond Mr. Gallo, the Adenhart family still has a missing piece.

We bring to your attention our cause. AWARENESS. It goes far beyond, just behind the wheel. Had the authorities involved in Mr. Gallo's case, (and ALL DUI/DWI cases) been more forward thinking, then maybe this type of repeat danger on the highway will be addressed properly. Tougher punishment for 1st time offenders is in order! We have followed some news services on-line regarding this case and have found it shocking that some people actually defend Mr. Gallo and others like him. The topic of gun control has even appeared in some comments. Gun control, really? The evidence that guns kill people, is flat, however, people with guns killing people has extraordinary amounts of evidence. In our research, we found, that more people are killed in and by cars than by any other source. Even more than by natural disasters and, yes GUNS! So why are we not screaming at our legislators for CAR CONTROL!?

At Harmony on the Highways, we ARE "screaming" car control and we are "screaming" it at you, the everyday driver. Friends, we say it again; as a driver you have one responsibility, control that vehicle. In order to do that, you must be absolutely coherent at all times and practice awareness every mile you travel. You can't do this if hindered by alcohol, drugs, fatigue or distractions. Our goal is to improve highway safety, reduce property damage and return driver respect to the highways. We would like to send our prayers and sympathy to the Adenhart and other families involved. We hope you get whatever justice you seek.

Thanks for reading and PLEASE DO NOT DRINK and DRIVE!

What's next, a RRX at your local Wal-Mart?

2009-04-05T22:03:00.004-05:00

Have you seen the ads in your favorite periodicals? The ones that hype the Railroads as clean and fuel efficient modes of logistics transportation. Well they have some 'splainin' to do. In fairness and impartiality I will include links to the US major rail carriers BNSF and CSX so, you can see for yourself, where I received my information.

First Trucking 101.biz ,would like to thank ,Harmony on the Highways for sharing their blog space this week for this industry information.

Now back to the railroads. Their claim is they can haul tons and tons of freight 400+ miles on just ONE gallon of diesel. I'm not a scientist but, if this technology is being used today, why in the world is gas and diesel so expensive and a barrel of oil is hovering at $50. I drive a truck, running nearly 80,000 lbs (40 tons) every time I load, I have a 550 HP motor with good highway gears and I am barely getting 5 mpg! So, BNSF, CSX and the others are trying to tell me, that they pull tons and tons with multiple 1,000 HP+ motors, that kind of distance on 1 measly gallon. Well, you can see why I am skeptical. I have done plenty of research lately on deisel fuel economy and nowhere have I found supporting evidence of this claim. I will confirm, that the railroads as well the trucking industry, are making great strides in reducing emissions. The green technology being used in diesel engines is contributing to lower carbon off-sets. A good source of information about this can be found by visiting the Facts About SCR website.

There is a diesel GURU out there, by the Name of Johnathan Goodwin, who has mastered big HP with great fuel economy. Mr. Goodwin's best efforts have only(used lightly) managed, at best, 100 mpg. He has only done this with passenger type vehicles, mainly SUVs and Hummers. You can Google Mr. Goodwin or check out this link about him.

The railroad and the trucking industry have had there disputes in the past and in their competition for freight, it is heating up again, therefore, they make such claims. As a driver, I rely on freight being readily available, for me to haul. The railroads big incentive, is that they can haul tons and tons at one time. The two industry types squabble frequently, however, they need each other to make the overall freight business more efficient. In my trucking career I have taken many loads to and from the rail yards. This is where the trucking industry boast! You can't get a train to the dock of your local Wal-Mart. There are dual service warehouses and I have been to a few that unload the truck freight and put it directly onto a rail car, and vice versa. There are also semi-trailers that are suited for both rail car and ship stacking. This only supports my statement that, they need each other. So, while truckers complain that the rail is robbing them of miles, the railroad counters, they loose freight due to the limited availability of rail car docks.

Trucks and the railroads together, are a vital part of the commerce efficiency equation. The change to greener practices for both sides is beneficial to all and should continue. If the rail knows a secrete about fuel efficiency, then they should be letting all of us know, especially the big three in Detroit.

I still hold my doubts about their claims, but I do hold a hope for the future that the two will sync to improve freight delivery. I just can't see Wal- Mart shoppers having to wait for a train to pass or to do drop and swaps before they can get into the parking lot! After all, have you seen women when they get in shopping mode? Look Out!

Thanks for reading and watch for crossing guards and flashing red lights.

Titanic sized mistakes with sinking results

2009-03-29T20:30:00.003-05:00

After reading an article about the Titanic disaster, I realized that the Captain had made some mistakes that led to the ships demise. I then thought about the mistakes we make while driving are no different. The Captain, who was hailed as being the best at cruise navigation type vessels, simply let many elements build up and then was overwhelmed. Some of the mistakes include; not heeding the warnings about the conditions, putting too much faith in his own ability, trusting the ship builders integrity of the ship, not heeding the information given by the passengers, and not leaving himself an out. These are just of few of the things on a long list of mistakes.
"Driving" the Titanic, is nothing like driving a car, obviously! However, you as a driver are the responsible "captain" of your "ship." If you prepare for EVERY trip, no matter how far and heed warnings about conditions, your own driving skills, passengers warnings or their distractions, and remember cars are not indestructible vessels, your driving experience will be much more successful than that of the Titanic.
As drivers we can become complacent with routine. We tend to drive by feel and familiarity, rather than with our eyes wide open and moving. In our courses we teach a technique used by truckers and race car drivers called a 'running commentary'. This is, saying out loud, what you observe while driving, and you can't be detailed enough. You should not leave out anything! not the color of a persons hair, not the # of times a light blinks, not the license plate of a vehicle, absolutely include EVERY possible detail. This technique will improve your awareness and help you to drive with a purpose. You can even insist that your riders do the same and make it a family affair. Most of the students who have attended one of our courses, usually get back to us and tell us that they have seen things they never knew where on their daily commute. This is the result we hope for. We know then, we have improved a drivers awareness and that results in a safer driver overall.
The Captain of the Titanic could have benefited from this. If he had been employing this technique maybe he would have seen that iceberg! But then we wouldn't know Leonardo Dicaprio or Celine Dione. The survivors and affected families wished he had been MORE AWARE.

Thanks for reading and Talk to yourself about your driving.

They defend these actions?

2009-03-22T22:25:00.004-05:00

The growing interest in motorcycles with the current economy is understandable.
The growing culture of the Sport Bike is acceptable.
The increasing use of the highways for the sport bike "show-off" is INSANE!

As an instructor of safe driving and with our focus on awareness. I find it appropriate to WARN YOU about the sport bike Bozo, who rides his two-wheel "rocket", on one wheel down rush hour highways. That's right rush hour highways. These types are usually 17-30 year old males, who defend their actions, regardless of the obvious hazard. (women are integrating into this also) Recently, on a busy Texas metro freeway, one of these "dudes" caused a fatality accident and never knew it. He was traveling at an estimated 120 mph+, weaving through traffic, when one of his sudden lane changes caused a chain reaction collision of 5 vehicles. This resulted in one teen driver being killed. Ironic maybe, sad definitely.
Besides the speed factor of these sport bikes, the maneuverability and relatively reasonable price are the attractant. The owner can quickly become socially accepted and then learn the "art" of sport bike from any parents worst nightmare. These young people, fueled by NO FEAR, learn some impressive tricks on these things and before you know it they are out on some street trying them out. Search You Tube for these guys and you'll spend most of your day viewing some flicks that will have you scratching your head. Now I love a good exhibition of speed and great handling, however, I prefer it to be in the right venue, NOT on the highway I share with them.

I recently had a chance to talk with a few young men in this culture and hear them actually speak positively about what they do. I asked all of them (7) if they thought what they did was safe. All said "sure." One of them stated, that he felt he had better control of his bike on one wheel, than most car drivers have on 4! OK?! As the discussion continued, I got the vibe, these guys feel like the bikes were made for road racing so, why not do what they do on the road? I asked them "What about the other people on the freeway?" They said they are aware of them, but since they have the size advantage to keep moving between lanes and on shoulders that they should have the right to keep moving forward. Huh?! So, again they find a way to justify themselves. When I asked them if they had any friends die while riding one, 5 of the 7 said yes and 1 said his brother had been killed while performing a difficult rear wheel "wheelie" in traffic. Ya think?!

Neighbors, these kind of people are out sharing the roads with us. It has become apparent, that if we want to avoid an incident with one of these "YAHOO's", we are going to have be fully involved in our driving task. There will no room distraction or bad judgment. As much as I understand where they are coming from, I still can NOT defend their actions.

Please commute with this new information fresh on your minds. If you see these guys, usually traveling in "packs", please adjust your driving and hope they do not involve you in one of their "tricks"

Thanks for reading and keep your eyes moving!

Rain drops can flip you on your lid.....

2009-03-15T00:45:00.007-05:00

Well, that's not exactly the words to that tune, but I found it amusing. In the area of the country where we are, it has been raining for the last 5 days, about an inch a day. As I traveled about, I noticed the increasing number of vehicles involved in wet road incidents. Surprisingly, many of these involved roll- overs. So I believe I will use this weeks blog to warn you all AGAIN about "Slippery When Wet". Roads are the most slippery in the first 20-30 minutes of the rain contacting the surface. This is because the oil and other petroleum products that have been deposited on the roadway will rise to the top and create a layer of nothing but SLICK! In contrast, the roads become even more dangerous if the rain continues for a long period (over a 2-3hr span) or is heavy on concentrated
areas. This causes water to pool or form a layer that gets between your tires and the road surface, making it difficult for your tires to perform properly, therefore, causing your vehicle to "hydroplane". Hydroplaning causes loss of control and rarely ends with a smooth finish. Large vehicles are not immune to this. An 18 wheeler weighing 80,oo0 lbs can hydroplane. The proper way to help gain control is #1 reduce speed and #2 turn into the skid. This technique is not guaranteed, however, it is worth the attempt. The most common mistake made when driving on wet surfaces, is drivers fail to slow down for the conditions. Reducing speed can help reduce the risk of hydroplaning and also allows the driver to "feel" the road better. When you can feel the road, you become more of aware of the amount of water on the surface can adjust driving accordingly. The next mistake drivers make, is not allowing for the increased braking distance.
Wet surfaces make braking more difficult and drivers should increase following distances by 1 car length and should prepare earlier for stop lights and exiting freeways. Becoming a more aware driver can keep you on the highway during inclement weather. Everyday I see drivers making poor choices in bad conditions and can almost point out the next driver to be involved in an incident. The picture above is of a SMART car. As you can see, this is probably the smartest car ever. Letting someone else do the driving, talk about saving fuel! Even the smartest car is only as intelligent as the person behind the wheel. Harmony on the Highways and Trucking 101.biz want to remind you that becoming more aware of your highway surroundings and driving within your own limits is the smartest thing you can do. Check out the following link about the vanishing vehicles and drop us an E with your comments, it is the subject of a future post and your feedback is important.

Thanks for reading and Please be courteous to your commuting com padres.
Ron Bakken

When left is right and right is wrong.

2009-03-08T23:02:00.004-05:00

This week, in the column, I would like to address Big Trucks and cars. I would like to remind you that large vehicles are plagued with "Blind Spots". These are the areas around the vehicle that the driver CAN NOT see by direct sight or with the mirrors. Most commonly, these areas are on the right side of the vehicle. However, they are also on the left and definitely to the rear.
It would be a safe practice to keep these areas clear and not hang out in the blind spots. The best idea is to keep the driver visually in your eye contact anytime you are driving around a large vehicle. I would recommend a practice, of passing a large vehicle called "Take 3",
which simply improves your chances of a safe pass. The maneuver is simple and goes like this: Upon approaching a large vehicle and deciding to pass, begin the pass at least one truck length behind the target vehicle, pass with a purpose. I use the phrase, "pass like Petty", in the courses. NEVER pass with the cruise control set! Get clear of the target, as quickly, as is safe to do so. Continue past the target for an additional truck length and then begin to merge safely back into the right lane. In short, "take 3" means execute a pass, as if, you are passing 3 trucks instead of the one! I would also recommend leaving large vehicles an "out" at all times. Consider, if the vehicle had to make an evasive move, where could they go? Are you hindering the vehicle from avoiding an incident, or are you setting yourself up to be involved in the collision? There is a sign that some trucks display, letting others know that the left side is the passing side and the right is SUICIDE! This is very true. There should never be a reason to pass a big truck on the right. If the situation does arise, PLEASE DO SO WITH CAUTION.
Forward thinking is key for both drivers of autos and trucks to coexist safely.

Large vehicles, must maneuver in such ways, as to allow for weight, height, length and overall size of the cargo, to be stopped, turned or negotiate obstacles. You see the signs all the time, on the rear of the trailers, that warn of the trucks need to make a wide right turn. In some cases, it is necessary, to do the same for a left turn. We mentioned earlier, that it is NOT wise to hang out in a trucks blind spot. Big trucks and other large vehicles are effected by numerous elements such as, weather, road conditions, drivers skill level, other traffic, drivers physical or mental state and many others. Traveling next to a large vehicle puts you at a greater risk for involvement in an incident. Did you know, that it has been proven, a blowout from a semi-truck could cause death to a near by traveler? (MYTHBUSTERS episode) That's right! DECAPITATION! (ouch!). The link also describes the other idiotic stuff folks believe to be good ideas around big trucks. Look, if Adam and Jamie says it's nuts, Then TAKE HEED!
Big trucks are effected drastically by wind. They may turn over in high winds, even if fully loaded. Trucks that travel in ruts of highways or veer to a shoulder, could suddenly loose control.

So, if you still desire to travel next to big truck or large vehicle, you have been warned, AGAIN!
Harmony on the Highways teaches these dangers and ways to improve your habits for sharing the road. We are committed to safer highways. Our goal is to reduce the car/truck incidents and bring a more caring motorist to the highways.

You might be in the wrong lane if..........

2009-02-28T14:36:00.000-06:00

I, being a professional driver, see many odd but true moments on the highways. I would like to bring to your attention, the wrong lane driver. (about 72% of you!) You know this person, it may be a family member, friend, co-worker or YOU! This is the driver that thinks the left lane is the ONLY lane and that the two lanes left of the right lane is also part of the off ramp. They also believe the middle lane has some sort of force field around it and will not remove themselves from it. Drivers in these categories are a real danger to the motoring public. They tend to make the last minute maneuver or appear so frightened, that both hands have a death grip on the wheel. So Harmony on the Highways has come up with this check list.

1. If cars are racing up behind you and then pass you on the right...You might be in the wrong lane!
2. If you see your exit is less than a 1/4 mile away and you are still two lanes to the left...You might be in the wrong lane!
(see where were going with this?)
3. If traffic has to split you on both sides....You might be in the wrong lane!
4. If you are NOT sure where you are going and you are in the fast lane....You might be in the wrong lane!...... (Ok, it's getting old and you should get it by now)
5. If you are approaching an emergency vehicle on the shoulder and you are in the lane closest to it.....(This is now a law in ALL states, being actively enforced!)
6. If a vehicle is broke down on the shoulder and you are in the lane closest to it.. You are just rude! and in the wrong lane!
7. If at a red light, you are going straight and the traffic behind you is turning right....
8. If you are on a cellphone and in the fast lane.....(you should be parked somewhere)
9. If the bright orange sign says right(or left) lane is closed ahead and you are in that lane....
And finally, but not the the last of the possible scenarios,
10. If you have seen more middle fingers today and thought you were missing out on a hot new trend!.....YOU might be in the wrong lane!!

Now, Harmony knows there are many more irritating situations, out there on the highways and we know about most of them. However, if you have one that just "crawls your skin" let us know and we will share it in an upcoming blog titled, "Peaves and Beefs", as well use it in our courses.

Thanks for reading and "let's be careful out there"
Ron Bakken

Being aware can save more than a life

2009-02-21T17:46:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been driving along the highway and noticed the Highway information sign flashing descriptive information? Usually describing a child and vehicle. How about listening to a good tune on the radio and suddenly a disturbing sound followed by a cryptic voice describing the same type of information. These are AMBER ALERTS. Do you then start looking for the vehicle or people described? What if it was your child? As drivers, we are so used to just tooling down the road, that we forget life is going on around us. Harmony on the Highways would like for you to take a minute and think about the last trip you made. Think of as many details as possible from memory. Most of you can't remember the trip, no matter how short or long. And sadly, most of you make this trip more than once a day. This is why we offer our courses, teaching the AWARENESS program. We believe drivers can become safer, through information and education.

Today's drivers are faced with many obstacles in their commute. These are generally created by themselves. Things such as busy schedules, two parent working families, the ECONOMY!, jobs they dislike, multiple children involved in many activities, resulting in STRESS and ANXIETY.

The hustle and go attitude along with a road rage mentality of many drivers is putting all of us on the highways at risk. Drivers selfishness and lack of planning causes many of the incidents on the roads. 96% of all incidents are the result of inattentive drivers and 48% of fatality crashes involve alcohol. These stats are ludicrous and unacceptable! As a driver, you have ONE responsibility, CONTROL THAT VEHICLE! As a public, we must alert authorities, when we encounter DWI drivers.

Harmony on the Highways reminds you that life is lived in seconds and it only takes ONE to change lives forever! Please learn more and get involved by visiting our site and following this blog for more helpful driving tips.

Thank you for reading.