RideLust

For those of us who really like to drive, there are few things that can get us to stop on a road trip. The call of nature, sadly, is one of them, which begs the question, why not create a vehicle that combines internal combustion with personal sanitation? That’s exactly what Australian inventor and mad genius Rick Werner thought, chalking it up to too much alcohol and too much time on his hands. I beg to differ, and offer up the opinion that the motorized toilet may be the very pinnacle of human evolution. Read More…

Rumor has it that this ad was banned from Dutch television as being just a tad too shocking and tasteless. We’re not buying that the ad was ever intended for television audiences, because even the Germans wouldn’t run an ad like this. Our guess is that the ad was created specifically for the internet, since nothing is off-limits in cyberspace.

If you get past the whole shock thing (and I won’t ruin the video by telling you what happens in advance), it’s a pretty funny ad and a good way for Hyundai to promote the practicality of the third door on its upcoming Veloster model. Unless, of course you live in Japan, Australia, Britain or any of the other countries that drive on the wrong side of the road, in which case this ad won’t make any sense at all. Video after the jump. Read More…

Image: Tennen Gas

Chuck Berry penned these lyrics made famous by George Thorogood: “I met a German girl in England who was going to school in France, said we danced the Mississippi at an Alpha Kappa dance.” It would appear that the tale of the upcoming Maserati SUV is no less confusing, since it involves Maserati, Jeep, Italy and Detroit. Here’s what we know: Maserati will build their own SUV, based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and it will be assembled in Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit. Read More…

Let’s be honest: the global economy sucks right now, and there aren’t any indications it’s getting better any time soon. I’m living proof that having an established career is no guarantee of ongoing employment, so having a fallback plan is essential in this global downturn. You could train to be a plumber or electrician, but that takes time, costs money and involves getting your hands dirty. Read More…

In the height of the muscle car era, GM developed a method of testing manual transmissions that it called the “Woodward Avenue Schedule,” in reference to the street-racing mecca of Detroit. The test was simple: from a standing start, do a high-rpm launch and then upshift through the gears under full-throttle acceleration. Repeat the process until something breaks, then design a better part. Read More…

I’ll admit to being impressed by the motorcycle exploits of Chris Pfeiffer, who’s arguably one of the best stunt riders on the planet. It’s clear to me now that Pfeiffer has some serious competition, in the form of The Brave Pathan of Karachi. Pfeiffer may be the king of the stoppie, but I’ve never seen him bring a handgun into the equation (which is probably a good thing for both his audience and his criminal record). Enjoy the bizarre antics below, and for the love of God, do not even think about trying to duplicate this at home. Sooner or later, I suspect things will end very badly for the Brave Pathan of Karachi. Read More…

Wait, you mean this is a career option?

The premise is simple: no one would give the keys to their car to someone who’s obviously drunk. To prove this point, a Brazilian bar asked their valet to tie one on before reporting for duty. As expected, not one patron willingly relinquished their car to the staggering drunk valet. Here’s the kicker: printed on the valet parking ticket was a message that read, “Never let a drunk driver take your car. Even if that driver is you.” As the video below shows, the concept is so brilliant that we wonder why it hasn’t been done before. Read More…

Staten Island at night. Image: Doc Searls

Here’s some free and unsolicited advice: if you live in NY or NJ, don’t even think about evading tolls on a regular basis. Alfred Buono of Staten Island recently learned that lesson the hard way: for evading 998 tolls, Buono owes $5,254 in past-dues tolls, plus $24,950 in “administrative fees.” That totals out to $30,204 for now, but since interest is added, that amount is only going up until Buono pays it off. Read More…

It’s pretty much a guarantee that if you find yourself at a Harley-Davidson bike rally that the odds of you seeing two of same bike are slim to none. Sure you may see multiple Road Kings and V-Rods but my bet is that their owners have customized them with a host of personal touches. What you need to understand is that Harley’s are not just a motorcycle, but a way of life for those that own them. They tend to define the person in the saddle and can give you some pretty good insight into that persons personality just by the way they’ve outfitted the bike. There are those out there however who take the art of bike building to the next level by creating their own special tribute to the famed motorcycle manufacturer. Take this all leather 3/4-scale bike that’s made entirely out of leather.
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Photo credit: Ann Heisenfelt / AP

Since 11:30 Wednesday morning, police have been searching for a man who attacked a white Jeep Liberty housing a speed camera that was parked in a work zone on the Baltimore Washington Parkway.  Apparently, the man, who appeared to have been in his 60s and was oddly wearing a flannel shirt in 90 degree weather, came storming out of the woods with a shotgun and used the weapon to angrily tap on the vehicle, which startled a contractor who was inside the Jeep.  The contractor hit the horn, and at that point, the man started screaming and smashed the windshield in with a hammer. The man eventually fled into the woods.

No one really knows what his motive was, though a fair guess is that he was pissed at the speed camera.  Now, like many people, I hate speed cameras, but I don’t think that camera on the BW deserved his wrath.  It’s at a work zone, there are plenty of signs warning of the use of speed cameras, and even a radar speed sign that tells you how fast you’re going.  Plus, the fine is only $40 and no points.  What I find more deserving of said wrath are the Honda Odysseys on the BW that drive in both lanes at the same exact speed below the speed limit.  Or the tour buses that do the same thing.  Or the drivers who just cut onto the parkway without looking despite the yield signs and the lack of a merging lane.  Or the people in the shitbox 30 year old Pontiacs that are ALWAYS broken down in one of the two lanes, annihilating any naive hope anyone might have for a pleasant drive.  In other words, unless you enjoy cutting yourself, avoid the Baltimore Washington Parkway.  If the interminable traffic doesn’t get to you, a hammer-wielding lunatic just might.

Source: Washington Post