Top Ten Ways to Avoid a Car Accident April 11, 2008

Remember the last post on women drivers and their stereotypes? This article is not just to prove those stereotypes wrong, it’s about learning to avoid accidents. The accidents described on this post ranges from minor mishaps to fatal collisions. Let’s not wait for the latter to happen, before we learn from simple driving mistakes.

The following is a top ten list that shows common ways by which you can avoid getting into a car accident.

#1 Don’t drink and drive. This is a basic reminder often told by parents to their children once they first get behind the wheel. The sad reality is that a majority of fatal vehicular accidents around the world is often connected with drunk driving. The driver may have fallen asleep behind the wheel and ended up ramming against a tree or worse, a hapless pedestrian just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

To avoid drinking and driving, as much as possible sleep over at a friend’s place during a party instead of getting behind the wheel and taking your chances. If you absolutely must get home, then be sure to have a designated driver who wouldn’t consume a drop of alcohol throughout the simple get together. These key reminders can save lives, including yours. So remember, don’t drink and drive.

#2 Make sure your vehicle is in tiptop condition. We can’t all have chauffeurs to care for our vehicles. Being a good driver doesn’t stop with getting behind the wheel and driving decently. It all starts with caring for your car and making sure that every single part is functioning properly.

You can be an excellent and cautious driver, but with a busted accelerator or brake system, your vehicle is an accident-magnet. Check your car regularly to see if everything is working as it should.

Deborah Renshaw April 8, 2008

 

Deborah Renshaw-Parker, or simply Deborah Parker as the rest of the NASCAR world knows her, was born on the 28^th of October, 1975, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She is best known for being one of the best female racers in the world, and as a promising NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver.

 

Tips on Buying Your First Car April 5, 2008

**Note: Cartoon by the talented Andy Singer.

Buying your first car can be an extremely daunting task. The key to finding the sweetest and most perfect ride for you depends on your needs and what you can afford.

Here are some tips designed to help you narrow your search or to make the process of finding the right car easier. If you follow these tips, then you’ll definitely end up with the right car for you.

Tip 1: Choose your car based on your needs.

Yes, a nice two-seater, sports car would definitely make your co-workers turn green with envy, but it’s hardly a practical decision, especially if you plan on using your car for your son’s carpool.

Before choosing your car, write down a list of your car requirements. If you’re not on the tech-savvy or auto-savvy side, then a simple list of size and function ought to do the trick.

Ask yourself; is gas mileage important for you? If you drive around the country a lot, then you’ll need a car that saves fuel or gas. Remember, gas = money. The more you save, the better.

Angelle Sampey April 4, 2008

 

 Angelle Monique Sampey, or simply Angelle Sampey, was born on the 7^th of August, 1970 in New Orleans. She’s known as one of the most popular American Pro Stock Motorcycle racers in the league.   

Prior to becoming a professional bike racer, Sampey was first an intensive-care nurse. She left her job in 1996 to pursue her true passion—to become an American Pro Stock biker.   

Six years in the league led the determined and highly skilled Sampey to be the second driver to ever win three consecutive NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Championships. She is currently tied with racer Shirley Muldowney for the most number of NHRA titles won by a female racer. Today, Sampey is known as one of the best female racers in motorsports.  

Since her first race in 1996, Sampey has earned a grand total of 41 event victories and 44-top qualifier awards. She holds the record for the most wins for a female in any professional motor sports in the world. Pretty impressive for a female racer, don’t you think?  

Weight: A Racing Disadvantage for Danica Patrick? March 29, 2008

One of our site’s favorite Indy Racing League drivers, the beautiful and talented Danica Patrick, may be at a racing disadvantage due to her petite and slender frame. Sources have it that there is a new rule that has been implemented at the IRL where the minimum weight for the car will also include the driver’s weight.

Good news for the bulkier males on the league, but what of the 5ft 2in, 100 lb, Patrick? This new rule penalizes Danica Patrick in a way, although the league begs to differ.

Before any violent reactions, no, the league won’t be force-feeding Patrick with tons of fries and burgers just to “bulk up” her natural frame. Instead, weight in the form of ballast will be added to the vehicle’s chassis. The “heavier” group on the other hand, will get a weight cut to even out the playing field a little more.

Stereotypes: Hazardous to Female Drivers March 27, 2008

For decades, women have been battling the stereotype that all women drivers are bad drivers. It doesn’t help that society seems to force this thinking into the
minds of kids and young women waiting to receive their driver’s license. Although yes, there are a considerable number of people out there who genuinely believe that gender has nothing to do with atrocious driving, and yes, yours truly included in this number,
the stereotype prevails.

F1 Women: Where Did They Go? March 26, 2008

Since its early beginnings in 1950, Formula One has been recognized as the Fédération International de l’Automobile or FIA’s premier or highest class open-wheeled automobile racing competition. Formula One has been a predominantly “male sport”, in the same way that you hardly see women behind boxing gloves hitting the ultra-mainstream dominated by their male counterparts.

 

In the last half century, we’ve only witnessed five female Formula One drivers zooming through the world’s most complicated race courses. The trend started in 1958 when Maria Teresa de Filippis, who originally didn’t “qualify” for the Monaco Grand Prix, made her great debut by starting in the Belgian Grand Prix and getting 10^th place

Saudi Women Fight For Right To Drive October 15, 2007

After almost 17 years after their last public outcry, Saudi women are again reviving their cause about their right to drive.

 

With the help of text messages and e-mails, these women were able to spread the world and gain support from various communities. In fact, they have gathered about 1, 100 signatures through convincing people on the malls and also the online community. With these signatures, a petition has already been sent last Sunday to King Abdullah.

 

Saudi women are again staging these demonstrations because of the difficulties they encounter everyday due to the ban on women drivers. In fact, in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to travel, marry, and rent a hotel or apartment without asking permission first from a male companion or guardian.

 

Moreover, women have a hard time commuting because of the lack of public transportation. And although the big cities are abundant with taxis, women are not comfortable riding due to concerns for safety. Also, not all Saudi women can afford personal drivers.

 

These women, with the help of the internet and satellite television, are gaining worldwide support for their right to drive.

Male Drivers Encounter More Major Accidents Than Women Drivers October 15, 2007

In a survey released last October 7, it was found out that more men are involved in major motoring crashes while women are often involved in minor ones.

 

According to the survey by Elephan.co.uk, male drivers have 42% likelihood in head-on collisions compared to women. Women, on the other hand, are 55% more likely to encounter an accident in a car park. This finding is based on data from 270,000 insurance claims. The survey also revealed that women are 47% more likely than men to be involved in a traffic light accident and 78% tend to lose their car keys.

 

 

Further survey results also concluded that men are have 36% more probability than women to hit a pedestrian on a pavement, have49% more probability to hit an animal on the road, and have 37% more probability to hit a tree. But women have 18% more potential than men to hit a cyclist and 15% more likely to hit a parked car.

 

Brian Martin, the managing director of Elephant.co.uk, stated that the company hold a huge amount of data on accidents and wanted to find out if there was a difference between how men and women crash. After the survey, it was sound out that there really was such a difference. He also added that generally, men drive faster and more aggressively than women, while women are more easily distracted than men behind the wheel.

Team Switzerland To give Chance To First Women Racers September 25, 2007

Here’s another victory for women racers out there. It has been reported that Rahel Frey and Natacha Gachnang will be the first women to test an A1GP series open-wheel racing machine. They were selected by Team Switzerland for the opportunity.

The final test of the pre-season will host the 2007/08 teams. The inaugural 2005/06 season of competition was dominated by the French team with the Swiss team taking second.

“This shootout event at Silverstone will decide which of the two lady drivers will have the chance to represent their national team starting with the Brno Grand Prix, 2nd leg of the A1 GP Championship. It is very stressful for our two candidates. I anticipate that they will know how to calculate the level of risk involved and be fast,” commented Welti.

Aiding the two drivers will be the team’s lead driver Neel Jani, now racing in the Champ Car World Series. The Swiss driver looks forward to working with both ladies — one he has seen on many occasions when the USA-based Star Mazda series was at the same venue. Gachnang raced for the Canadian AIM Autosport team this year, one of three drivers on the team.

Her early racing career came challenging her own cousin, Sebastien Buemi. Coming from a racing family, Gachnang went from karting to the Formula BMW German series before coming over to North America.

Frey stayed in Europe after her karting days, moving to the Formula Renault series. Last year, she was active in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 before trying her hand in the new International Formula Master Series.

“I already talked to Rahel Frey last season and am glad to have convinced her to join us. As for Natacha Gachnang she is Sebastien Buemi’s cousin. She came to our attention this year after her podium racing in Formula Mazda in Portland (USA),” Welti said.

The offer on the table is the chance to race at the season opener on September 30th at the famous Circuit Park Zandvoort (Netherlands). With the new rule changes, the two races per weekend will be determined by two separate qualifying rounds. first round of two qualifying segments will set the Sprint race grid and the second qualifying will set the Feature race grid.

The A1GP officials have adopted several changes to heighten the competition as they enter the third season. Team Switzerland has heighten the level of competition in the male-dominated world of racing by opening doors further for women racing drivers, proving that a racer is a racer no matter their gender.

“It is becoming more normal for young women to race cars,” Welti said. “Like Italian Maria Teresa de Filippis (the first ever woman F1 driver in 1958), the Italian Lella Lombardi (the first ever woman to score a point in F1 in the 1975 Spanish GP), Divina Galica (the only F1 British racing driver), or Italian Giovanna Amati (who drove on the Brabham F1), USA Danica Patrick or Britain Katherine Legge.

“These two exceptional Swiss young lady drivers through their results have already raised the profile of women in motorracing as a whole. As A1 Team Switzerland, we would like to give them a chance to compete at such a young age and may be to race as a rookie driver for their countries in the upcoming A1 GP season”.

(Source: www.motorsport.com)