Chrysler Fiat

I just finished reading an article by Tom Krisher of the AP in the Grand Haven Tribune.

Mr. Kirsher discussed the problems that the new Chrysler Fiat alliance must over come to be successful. One of the issues was the Americanization of any models that may be used imported or produced for the US market based on Fiat models.

He mentioned that Americans are put off by the "stiff" suspensions, "firm" seats and not enough cup holders. This is one reason small cars will never catch-on or be popular in the US.

Who wants to drive a small car that handles like a marshmallow so the "ride" is smooth? For years the design concept of "road isolation" has brought us the likes of the Crown Victoria, along with Buicks, Cadillacs, and Lincolns. These cars are perfect examples of living rooms on wheels. These cars are not meant to be driven, they are for riding in. When you turn one of these loosely sprung wonders, you must anticipate the maneuver well in advance so the weight can be shifted smoothly. I remember the first time I drove a new Chrysler Neon (Hi!). I thought I would sink out of sight in the foam seat and the handling was like driving a boat. Wallowing around corners, nose diving under braking, and generally mushy.

Driving a well designed small car with supportive firm seats is a joy. You have confidence that the vehicle will perform what you want it to do even in emergency situations.

I will never understand the un-supportive foam seats that are found in most American cars. These seats do not provide proper seating support for spending time at the wheel and remaining alert. If any maneuvers are attempted that cause any sideways forces, such as entering a cloverleaf highway on ramp, you feel like you are sliding into the door instead of being held in position. I can understand the reason behind the foam seats, they are cheap!

Driving is not a love or a task that is viewed as important. Notice how the average driver is slumped to one side, with their wrist lackadaisically draped over the steering wheel. We have all heard the debate over texting, talking on the phone messing with the iPod, windshield view blocked by GPS. So many things to do other then drive the car.

Americans "love" their cars only because there is no alternative. So we have grown to demand cars that are more like sitting in front of the TV at home. Automatic transmissions, built in GPS so we can be told how to get places, "Sync" systems to more easily talk and read emails, electronic stability control so we don't have to be responsible for maintaining control of our vehicle, and size matters to keep us safe.

It has been mentioned that there has been a "real" change in the buying habits of the motoring American: no more supersize! I don't believe it for a minute!

Ah, traffic!

It always amazes me driving in America!
The standard answer to traffic problems is throw up a stop sign.
No one feels any responsibility to anyone else on the road. "Rush Hour" is a time for snoozing, drinking coffee, talking on the phone, texting, and generally spacing out. I have always been one that thinks its rude to inhibit others on the road! If the speed limit is 55mph try and at least go that speed. If you have thirty cars behind you and you are doing 10 mph under the limit, you are rude!
Another fun one, on the limited access highways, is merging with the brake pedal. You can cannot merge into traffic by slowing down! Its even more amusing when the person next to you in the right lane is also slowing down to let you in! Coming down the entrance ramp, punch it, get up to speed, then try to merge in. Don't think you are going to lazily cruise down the ramp and move smoothly into traffic that is doing 20mph faster then you.
I have always viewed driving as a task that should be "grasped firmly with two hands, and done well". In America its a conundrum, supposedly we love our cars, but hate driving. The truth of this can be seen in the massive SUVs and trucks the vast majority of Americans want to drive and then the lackadaisical manner in which we drive them. The wrist draped casually over the top of the steering wheel is not a position that garners effective evasive action. The same goes for the "rolling thunder" riders with their feet spread out on the cruising pegs, no where near the back brake or shifters.
The responsibility issue goes to all other tasks that driving requires. Not signaling your intentions is a task that has been reduced to optional at best. Oh, yeah, if you are already in the left turn lane, turning on your left turn signal at that point is not telling me anything. Slamming on your brakes and flipping on the turn signal at the same time also does not tell me what you are GOING to do it tells me what you are doing. Your actions have already spelled that out! The turn signal becomes redundant at that point.
My rant for the day is over, be safe out there!

Ludington Invitational CC

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Originally uploaded by cyoas55

The Grand Haven High School girls gave a great performance at the Ludington Invitational Cross Country Meet this last Saturday. On a brilliant day in mid-September, the team provided the fans and families with a perfect performance, placing GH girls in the top 5 spots to score the minimum of 15 points.
This season has proven to be a real test for the GH girls after losing some very capable seniors last year. All of the girls have just stepped up their training and desire and filled those shoes so far this year.
It is always exciting to watch the girls compete against each other and themselves to grow and improve their confidence in themselves.
As Dr. Seuss once said, "Oh, the places you'll go!"

Foggy September Day

I'm back in Kalamazoo again today for a class in Industrial Fluid Power. The drive down was a foggy one. In and out of the dense fog made for a surreal ride in the little Echo. I am always amazed at those that think the headlights on their vehicle are for their benefit only. Once its light enough for them to remain on the road without them they could care less if you can see them coming out of a, I mean the, fog.

Its been an interesting couple of weeks here at the Kalamazoo Valley Community College. I have learned several interesting things so far: I am now a Cougar, long hand division will yield different results then the calculator, and the traffic getting into the parking lot is amazing.
The KVCC mascot is a cougar. This struck me as kind of humorous considering all the comedy based on this on SNL and even a TV show now.
Mathematics or in this case simple algebra has always intrigued me. At times I have beaten myself up because I could not solve a specific problem but as a general rule I have not had much trouble with math. Both of the classes I am now taking involve some simple algebra to solve some pretty straightforward problems. Electricity is constantly using Ohm's Law which relies on E=IR (Voltage = Current times Resistance), and fluid power is F=PA (Force = Pressure times Area). In one of our Electricity problems we were doing some problems that involved dividing some figures with positive and negative exponents. One suggestion that was arrived at by long hand division was not what the rest of the class got by calculator. It was then stated that sometimes the "manual" method yields different results then the calculator. I loved it.
The parking situation here at KVCC seems to be a direct demonstration of the theory that as the economy turns bad people return to school. I am telling you, getting off the highway and turning south to drive the last half mile to the campus is a total traffic jam every time I come here. As a rule, I have been driving by in the right lane, instead of trying to make the immediate left turn into the parking lot, and proceeding to the west side of campus to get in the lot at that almost unused entrance. I park in the southwest corner of the lot mere moments from the door to the Student Commons area. Amazing!
Otherwise, the experience so far has been great! The two professors I have are interesting and engaging. I have been able to ride on the Kal-Haven Trail one day, and the drive down is pleasant as I can listen to NPR coming and going. The Echo has proven very capable and has been averaging about 42 mpg for the trips.
My one day ride on the Kal-Haven Trail was quite interesting. The overall impression is that the trail is quite flat. That was proven wrong! My ride began at the eastern terminus parking lot on the west side of US131 in the NW corner of Kalamazoo. Another connector trail proceeds down into Kalamazoo. I do mean down! I was on my mountain bike with large flat tread tires pumped up to about 50 psi. This was to accommodate the slag gravel that is used as the riding surface on the Kal-Haven Trail. the Trali down into Kalamazoo is paved and for the most part is separated from the regular road way. From the parking lot to the end of the trail near the center of Kalamazoo is approximately 7 miles, I covered this fairly quickly. I thought I was doing really well until I turned around and started back west. My heart rate was up a bit more then I thought it should be for the speed I was going, especially considering the first part of the trip. I have been using a Garmin Edge GPS bike computer so I took a minute to check the elevation chart. Holy Crap! I turns out that the trail is downhill almost the entire way from the parking lot to the end in Kalamazoo. The grade, since it was an old railway, was quite gentle, usually around 2%, so not really noticeable unless you were really paying attention. It got my attention on the way back, up hill all the way. It really more psychological then anything, because there does not appear to be a real grade just an unrelenting drag on your effort.
I made it back to the parking lot and proceeded west, past the old caboose that is used a kiosk. I was now riding on the slag surface of the old railway. The riding is quite delightful as you are usually enclosed under a canopy of trees and quite sheltered from the sun and wind. The conditions were nice in that the day before we got some rain which wetted down the usually very dusty surface. I have ridden this trail from the west end before, where the entire bottom half of the bike is gray from the dust that accumulates from the trail.
I encountered the same issue as riding into Kalamazoo! After riding almost to Bloomingdale, I turned around and started heading back. The last three miles of the trail are exactly like the trail on the east side of the parking lot. I managed to find the highest spot on the trail to start, which requires that you go up hill back to the beginning. The grade that is the usual engineering requirement for the railroads is kind of disguised when you are on a bike in the tunnel of trees cruising along.
It is a great ride though for an afternoon cruise and for camping along the trail. The trail is actually a Michigan State Park and has several campsites that can be used along its length.