SA-built Ford engines for US vans - IOL Motoring | IOL.co.za

SA-built Ford engines for US vans - IOL Motoring | IOL.co.za

The Power Stroke 3.2-liter is manufactured in Ford's Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It will be exported to Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo., which received a $1.1 billion investment for the Transit.

A world first: Driving dogs

So dogs in New Zealand are being taught how to drive. I think that's my que to get my driving in check and get that licence. 

This pair of highly trained dogs guided a modified car along a New Zealand racetrack and passed their doggie driving tests with flying collars on live television.  They drove the vehicles with no assistance and this claimed to be a world first. 

Vehicle of the Future: Half-Car, Half-Motorcycle

Lit Motors Inc a San Francisco based startup that designs, manufactures and sells fully electric vehicles for a global market of two-wheelers, revealed the frist prototype of their electric vehicle in early 2010. The company is said to plan its first small production run in 2014.

Vehicle of the Future: Half-Car, Half-Motorcycle: The company is currently developing two products, code-named the C-1 and the Cargo Scooter.

Driver fatigue is ranked as a major factor in causing fatal road accidents.

Yes it happens to most of us, falling asleep unintentionally. But falling asleep behind the wheel could prove much more deadly than waking up on top of your keyboard at work. Statistics show that driver fatigue is ranked as a major factor in causing fatal road accidents.

So here are a few tips to help you stay awake and drive safely.

Try not to drive for more than 8 to 10 hours each day. 

Avoid alcohol and medicines that can cause drowsiness.

Avoid driving at night. The chances of crashing are much higher late at night and early morning.

Take regular, get out of the car, get some fresh air and some exercise. 

If possible share the driving. 

Eat well balanced meals at your usual meal times. Avoid fatty foods which can make you feel drowsy. 

Recognise the signs of fatigue. If you have trouble keeping your eyes open, are distracted, or yawning frequently and can’t remember the last few seconds TAKE A BREAK. 

Fatigue is a condition that affects everyone, but be sure to take the neccessary precautions to avoid being involved in a dangerous and deadly situation.

Petrol price goes down tomorrow

A bit of good news if you'll call it that,  petrol will decrease by a lousy 9 cents tomorrow, while the price of diesel will decrease between 5 and 6 cents per litre. Cost of living is really high, and it seems government aims to make it a lot more tougher to survive. These 'decrease in petrol' stunts do nothing for ones budget as it is very likely that in a month or two, petrol prices will be up again.

Highway home demolished

It seems the song by The Script 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved' no longer applies to chinese man Luo Baogen who made worldwide news by refusing to move from a 5 story house that stood in the middle of a newly built main road.

Apparently Luo consented to the demolision of his house due to all the 'uneccessary media attention'  he's been getting and wanted it to stop.

See the full stoy here

Fashion over Safety: Driving with the wrong shoes.

We ladies love to look good all the time. Whether we have just woken up or going to the shop around the corner, looking good is not an option but a priority. Although driving in heels may make you a classy driver, it could pose a danger to you and affect your driving ability. How so?

Research shows that wearing inappropriate shoes for driving can reduce the amount of control you have over a vehicle's foot pedals causing you to lose control of the car in turn causing an accident. Many motoring experts say this is a serious safety faux pas.

Heels are dangerous to wear because while driving  you're not getting a good feel of the pedal and your feet /shoe might get stuck under the pedals or slip off.

Flip flops usually don't have support around the heel which makes them difficult to keep on and unsafe to wear when driving as they may also slip off resulting in a terrible loss of control.

I know what you thinking, yes you may have been driving with heels or flops for years and nothing has happened. But think about what will happen if  your car breaks down and you need to walk a distnace to get help, you will need a reliable comfortable pair of shoes to get you there as heels won't do the work. Also by losing control of your car, not only affects you but other road users as you could end up colliding with them. One can't predict when an accident may occur, it is advisable that you are cautious in terms of wearing shoes that will make driving safer and comfortable.

A rubber soled flat shoe that allows for easy movement and has a solid grip on the pedal should do the trick and help you avoid being in an unsafe situation

What to do when you come across an accident.

The one thing I fear the most about being on the roads, especially during the festive season where the weather also has an effect on how people drive, is being involved in an accident. It’s the fact that I might not return home to my family that gives me the chills. 

I found some useful information from Arrive Alive on the 'do's and dont's' when you come across an accident scene. 

Accident scenes can be chaotic, if you come across an accident the first thing you are advised to do is to park your vehicle in a safe spot.

Then turn on your headlights/hazard lights on your car to help other motorists see that there has been an accident.

If you have warning triangles you can put them out.

Call the emergency medical care (ER24) on 084 124, where you will be asked for your phone number, your location and details of the accident like, how many people are injured, if there is a fire, basically what has happened from the time that you were on the scene.

Lastly, do not attempt to be a hero of some sort. If you are brave enough, you can assist those who are injured but remember that your safety comes first. If you are going to assist injured people, put on the rubber gloves. 

Otherwise just wait for help and try calm those who are involved in the accident and let them know that help is on the way, as this my ease them down a bit.