Just in time for May Motorcycle Awareness month is a book that includes a Harley road trip about a baby boomer’s unusual journey to reinvent herself and answer, “What now?”
Beautiful, fit, happily married, and successful, former Citigroup executive and motivational speaker Linda Crill was – and saw herself – as the kind of woman who could make things happen. But after losing her husband at 57, the identity Crill held closely no longer seemed to fit. Like many of us, she found herself asking, “What now?"
Desperate for change – and in a fit of rebellion – Crill signed up for a 2,500-mile road trip down America’s Pacific Northwest coast with a group of experienced motorcycle riders. At the time, Crill had never ridden anything more powerful than a bike.
"When the unexpected occurs, the answers we are searching for are often found around 'blind curves'—the unknown,” Crill says. “This trip opened my eyes to a new way of being and became the catalyst for recreating my life.”
The Texas Auto Writer’s Association met recently at
Texas Motor Speedway to choose the top cars of Texas. More than 50 model year 2013
and 2014 vehicles were available for TAWA members to drive and review during the two-day event. By the time the event was over, a few surprising models
came up on the top of their winner’s list. A few of the most notable vehicles were equipped with
conveniences, comfort, and safety features sure to appeal to busy women on the go.
Every year, 9,000 families lose a child because of a
preventable injury. That’s one child every 30 seconds globally due to tragedies
such as fires, falls, drownings, and car crashes. In the United States alone,
nearly 9 million children are treated for injuries in emergency rooms for
injuries that can affect them for a lifetime. What can you do to help reduce
these preventable injuries? On Saturday,
May 18, 2013, more than 100 communities across the United States will celebrate
Safe
Kids Day to raise awareness and funds
to protect our kids.
Highlights of the 2013 Lifesavers Conference on Highway Safety
The Lifesavers Conference is an annual gathering of highway safety professionals dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries on our nation’s roadways. Denver was the site of the organization’s 31st annual event, attracting an estimated 1,700 automotive engineers, transportation officials, law enforcement, first responders, medical professionals, and child safety advocates.
And this year, I was there for AskPatty as a guest of Toyota, one of the event’s “Champion” sponsors. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect when I accepted the automaker’s invitation -- other than the vague expectation that I would learn a little something about automotive safety. What I got was three intensive days of workshops focused on different pieces of a complex puzzle: Occupant Protection (for both adults and children), Roadway Safety, Teen Traffic Safety, Distracted Driving, Impaired Driving, Law Enforcement and Vulnerable Populations (i.e., senior citizens, immigrants, Native Americans).
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and Toyota has
joined with Teen Vogue to promote a safe driving campaign to raise awareness of
distracted driving, asking mothers and teenage girls to make a mutual commitment to
drive safely.
Cars today are built with passive and active safety
technology to protect drivers and passengers, but studies show automobile
crashes remain the leading cause of death for teenagers. In fact, in 2010, seven teens between the
ages of 16 and 19 died every day on average from motor vehicle injuries.[1]
The 2014 model year marks the 10th time Chevrolet has introduced a new Impala – and this little antelope, born in the Year of the Snake, is a refined, modern take on “The General’s” iconic five-passenger sedan. Its looks have not always been consistently stunning-in fact, the outgoing model was growing a bit long-in-the-tooth. However, the 2014 Chevy Impala’s design team has hit it out of the park with a gorgeous design that is equal parts American muscle and European sculpture.
We'd like to wish all of you out there in the AskPatty Nation a safe and festive St. Patrick's Day Weekend, when everyone gets to be Irish! If you plan on celebrating with some green drinks (or even not-green drinks) please be responsible! Hand over the keys, call a cab, or get a designated driver.
It's no secret that drunk driving kills. 2/5 of all traffic fatalities involve a drunk driver on St. Patrick's Day weekend - and remember - Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving!!
Don't rely on the luck of the Irish - have fun, but stay sober or stay safe!
Carefree, Arizona: For the 2013 model year Toyota is giving RAV4 customers a little less and a little more for their money. The “more” category includes a complete interior and exterior redesign, a new engine, new six-speed transmission, and new all-wheel-drive system. Under the “less” heading, Toyota has filed its V6 motor, which was previously available as an option on this compact SUV, as well as removed the optional 3rd-row seat. The 2013 RAV4 starts at $24,145, including destination. The 4th generation RAV4 is significantly more refined and distinct from the first models that came to market in 1994 as ’95 editions with little competition; since Toyota has sold 1.7 million RAV4s in 150 countries and says some 80 percent are still on the road. The latest edition now joins 45 crossovers, including its direct competitors, the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and Chevy Equinox. Toyota’s California design team penned the new model for the U.S.; it gets 8 standard airbags (including driver side knee airbag, front passenger seat cushion airbag and side airbags for front and second row) and a standard backup camera, as well as optional goodies like Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and a height-adjustable power liftgate.
Outside, the all-new RAV4 has the profile of an Olympic cyclist, with a low front bumper shape that wraps up from below like handlebars and a roofline that slopes steeply back from the A-pillar like a hunched-over speed racer. Glistening headlamps have an asymmetrical shape that slants inward toward the nose, which features a V-shaped grille that emphasizes this “cute ute’s” more aerodynamic look.
The rear of the ute, which features an integrated spoiler with LED lights, has a bulbous shape that belies the cargo space inside. We’re thrilled that a liftgate replaces the swinging rear door of previous model years which also held the spare tire; standard steel wheels are 17 inches, with 17- and 18-inch alloys available on higher-end trim lines. The spare is now tucked under the cargo floor.
Austin, Texas: Jeep’s update of its 2014 Grand Cherokee model makes it new; there are new drivetrains, more luxury and a bevy of options for off-road prowess define it and its sizzling sibling- the high-performance, lap-of-luxury 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT. One of the original mid-sized luxury SUVs to come to market in 1992, the newest version seats five and is an authentic competitor to VW, Land Rover, BMW, and other high-end sport utes. It’s priced from $28,795 to $50,995; the Grand Cherokee Limited with Jeep’s new EcoDiesel V6 is the lowest priced diesel SUV in the market at $40, 295, says Chrysler.
The exterior strikes a nice visual balance between refinement and ruggedness, with a grille that has been redesigned to give more luxo character overall, with distinguishing trim around each of the signature vertical slots. Slimmer headlamps and a shorter upper grille put a check in the “more refined” category, while 17-inch all-season tires (standard on base Laredo models) and a beefy lower grille have “rugged” cred – plus, depending on the trim level, tires get as big as 20 inches.
The rear has new, larger tail lamps with smart LED lighting, a larger, more aerodynamic rear spoiler, and a re-sculpted tailgate. Dual exhaust tips are standard on all Limited, Overland and Summit models. Front and rear LED lighting, including bi-xenon high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps on higher end models, make Grand Cherokee grandly bright on the road.
Ford
Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) has launched the California portion of
its national tour, a teen-safe driving initiative designed to engage
teens and parents and provide hands-on training to high school students
in San Diego and Los Angeles.
The
program – aimed at combating the driver inexperience that leads to the
number one killer of teens, vehicle crashes – also includes Web-based
training and educational materials. Nearly 3,000
teens, ages 15-19, are killed on American roads each year, according to
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The
number of motor vehicle fatalities among teens in California age 16 to
20 has decreased 56.5 percent, from 563 in 2006 to 245 in 2010. While
these numbers were
on the decline, officials worry that the increase in overall traffic
fatalities in 2011 may eventually be seen in teen deaths.
“The
Office of Traffic Safety recognizes the importance of continued safety
messaging, as each year more teens receive both driving permits and
licenses in California,”
said Chris Murphy, Director of OTS.
In
Los Angeles, the tour will offer safety assemblies at Fremont Magnet
High School, Marquez High School, St. Mary’s Preparatory High School,
Ribet Academy, Lou Dantzler Preparatory High School,
St. Matthias High School and Narbonne High School as well as three days
of hands-on driving experience at Hollywood Park on March 1-3, 2013.
