California joined thirty-two other states today when a new law banning unlimited cellphone use in automobiles went into effect at midnight. The new rules prohibit drivers from holding cellphones to their ears while talking, yet they are still allowed to dial the phone to place the call... and freely text message. While the law won't likely have a huge effect on many adult drivers who have become accustomed to using speaker-phones and hands-free devices such as Bluetooth-enabled earpieces (as if that really helps), it is the young drivers who face tough new rules. The law in the Golden State now bans drivers under the age of 18 from using any kind of mobile device while driving. All drivers face the same slap-on-the-wrist if caught. The first offense is only $20, with the fee bumped to $50 for additional convictions. Of course, that number will rapidly increase if other infractions or penalties are applied.
The Who and the VW Kombi, two '60s icons, are coming together with the Teenage Cancer Trust to help the charity serve stricken young adults and teenagers. While the song "Magic Bus" was about riding public transit, it's been co-opted into Type2 culture, and the Who even performed at a 60th anniversary event held for Volkswagen's seminal hauler in Hanover, Germany last year.
This year, the Who are holding a concert to kick off a lottery to win a 1965 split-windscreen bus provided by VW Commercial Vehicles and carrying a paint scheme designed by the band's art director, Richard Evans. Of course, the imagery of band members on the bus appears to be from a time when Roger Daltrey could sing "hope I die before I get old" with conviction. The van will be on display outside London's Royal Albert Hall until the 13th of April, and £5 will get you a ticket for a chance to win the bus, as well as a free download of an unreleased live version of "Magic Bus." With the low cost of entries and the nobility of the cause, we hope all those former hippies who sold out to become yuppies in the 1980s can find a remaining shred of their former dreams to save the world and enter early and often.
Research International USA's TRU branch has polled the youth of our country and discovered that they'd like a fun, stylish car more than anything (duh) -- namely the Mustang. Twenty-somethings posed the same question picked the Honda Civic above all else, mainly because they've had a dose of reality, and are now paying their own insurance and fuel.
So what exactly does this study say? As you mature, your experience leads to more practical decision making, perhaps? That there's a whole subset of spoiled brat high schoolers who have their insurance and fuel paid for and also expect that being handed the keys to a 3,500 pound wheeled liability is a birthright? Probably a bit of both, we suppose, but the fact remains that the Mustang is a flashy, fun car that even non-car people could point out in a crowd and undoubtedly has decent youth appeal.
The rest of the teens choices weren't earth shattering. Besides the Mustang, the cars that young drivers most desire are posted below the fold.
Have teenagers gone nuts? The Federal Highway Administration is reporting that the percentage of teenagers with driver's licenses is going down. Yeah, decreasing! What is up with that?
When I was growing up, my teenage years focused on just one objective... driving. All I wanted was to get my driver's license. That little card with your picture on it was the golden ticket. You could borrow your parent's car, fill the tank (and grab a candy bar) for $20, and nobody could reach you until you returned. We didn't have cell phones, text messaging or GPS tracking. A driver's license represented freedom.
So, what happened? Experts aren't blaming unmotivated teenagers. Instead, they point the finger at the environment in which we are raising our kids. In today's world, parents are much more likely to chauffeur their teenagers from place to place. Tighter state laws govern when kids can drive, and in many cases legislation has pushed the driving age limit higher. Fewer high schools are offering driver's education classes, forcing parents to pay for more expensive private instruction, and steeper rates are making insurance cost-prohibitive for the high-risk teen-age category. Top it all off with gasoline at more than three-dollars per gallon, and maybe a driver's license just doesn't represent what it used to.
We all know what teenagers do in the back seats of cars, don't we? Since the smart fortwo only comes with two seats, it's something that any parent will never have to worry about. And Dave Schembri, SmartUSA president, wanted to put everyone's fears to rest when he said, "After all, what better car to have for your teenager than one without a backseat."
But Schembri was actually talking about the far more dangerous backseat activity for teens: distracting the drivers in the front seats. (I don't know what else you might have been thinking). Since more than one accident has been caused by a rowdy -- or just plain distracting -- group of kids on the rear bench, it's another thing fortwo drivers won't have to worry about on the commute.
