KENNEBEC COMMUTER

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Teen drivers must take special care
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

We have three nieces back home; the oldest of the bunch is on the precipice of high school. This is very disconcerting to us, mostly because it makes us feel like an old lady, but also because when kids hit high school, everything changes -- not only for the kids, but for the adults in their lives, also.

Take our niece, for example. She is already thinking about what to study in college (we can handle that part). She's already thinking about dating (but not on our watch, she's not). Finally, she is already thinking about driving (oy, gevalt!).

It is not exactly a secret that teen drivers usually rank up there on the "bad driver list", mostly because they simply lack driving experience that adults have.

While pursuing the Web last week, we came upon an article on the Web site www.cars.com citing the top ten mistakes teenage drivers make. The article, written by Kelsey Mays, relied on a survey conducted by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance in January 2007 and several studies conducted by universities in the past decade.

In our opinion, all of the mistakes Mays cited are pitfalls that drivers of any age are susceptible to. These three below, however, jumped out at us as being tied to teenagers more than adults. We checked out what the studies in Mays's article had to say about each, but we also remembered back a million years ago when we were first started driving solo.

Whether you are in your late teens with two or three years of driving experience under your belt, a freshmen learning on a permit or just passed your driver's test, teens: Heed the following:

* Overcrowding the car. It's the night of the big game, and you're the only one in your group of friends who can drive. What else can you do but pile everyone into the backseat? According to Mays's article, the decision isn't a good one.

"Extra passengers often result in teens driving more aggressively," she wrote. "The NIH study found that when accompanied by male passengers in the front seat, teens of both genders speed more and leave shorter following distances."

Also, more people in a vehicle can mean more distractions for the driver. While some studies suggest drivers are actually more aware of how they are driving with passengers in tow, it can be easy to get caught up in what your two best friends are talking about rather than focusing on the road ahead.

* Handling emergencies. In an ideal world, no one would ever have a car accident. Everyone would yield when they're suppose to, people would drive the speed limit and drivers could depend on other drivers to mind traffic signs and signals.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5300479.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: All driving takes toll on environment
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

The Kennebec Commuter is a city girl at heart. We’re accustomed to being surrounded by skyscrapers, thousands of people and downtown traffic.

“Downtown traffic” meaning bumper-to-bumper cars, sitting in traffic for over 30 minutes, people laying on their horns and screaming obscenities at one another. Downtown traffic should be an Olympic sport; the gold medal could go to the person who flips his (or her) lid first.

And this is the kind of traffic we grew up driving in. So let’s just say moving to mostly-rural Maine was a bit of shock.

Like everything else in life, commuting in urban and rural areas is a sharp contrast, and not just because of the physical setting and distances involved. We are, of course, talking about the toll driving takes on the environment, like CO2 emissions and the like.
Now before you bust out the tar and feathers — and bad hippie jokes -— think about this: While urban commuting certainly contributes more than its fair share of emissions into the atmosphere, rural commuting can cause just as much damage because of the longer distances. And it can be more expensive to the driver in terms of gas prices and wear on the vehicle.

We were surfing the Web a few weeks ago when we came across a 2006 report from Environment Maine, a citizen-run advocacy group.

The group reported commuters who drive between 17 and 19 miles one way to work or school will produce over 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution a year. That’s the same as driving from Richmond or Litchfield to Augusta, which some people must do to get to work.

The average urban commuter who drives only five to six miles one way will produce less than 2,500 pounds of CO2 emissions.

“One of the advantages of living in urban areas is there are more options than driving,” Nick Berning, an employee for Washington D.C.-based Friends of the Earth (and we think the organization’s name is self-explanatory), said.

“People can walk, they can bike, take the subway. That’s why (Friends of the Earth) encourage ‘smart-growth’, keeping people closer to an urban center.”

Yeah, try telling that to a Mainah who has reveled in the quiet country life for 65 years and isn’t about to budge from his ranch. And who could blame him?

After all, the most breathtaking landscapes in our beautiful state are of the ocean, the mountains, the forests — not skyscrapers.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/1998639948.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Why not use motorcycle helmets?
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

We'll be the first to admit it: we can strike a nerve with a lot of people sometimes. Take last week: A story ran (written by yours truly), reporting that while fewer people per registered motorcycles are dying in Maine, biker fatalities continue to rise, likely due to not wearing protective gear, alcohol consumption or lack of experience.

We expected a barrage of phone calls from avid area motorcyclists telling us we were being unfair toward them. As expected, there was a plethora of e-mails and phone calls, but they were from folks who drive cars, vans and trucks (or implied they did so, at least).

One reader e-mail struck our interest: "If it's a law that we have to wear safety belts in Maine, why aren't motorcycle riders made to wear helmets?"

We were curious about the same thing, so we called up Jim Maloy, a rider of 30 years and the Kennebec County Director for United Bikers of Maine.

Maloy said while many believe a helmet is a must-have for a motorcyclist, it can pose several hazards that otherwise would not exist for the rider.

"Your visibility is limited," said Maloy, who chooses to not wear a helmet unless he's riding in "a torrential downpour."

"It's a distraction."

This helmet talk reminded us of the time when we were 10 years old and we wiped out big-time while trying to pop a wheelie on a neighbor kid's brand-new Schwinn (no one let us take their bike for a spin ever again).

Many parents make their children wear helmets while they're burning rubber down the sidewalk on a tricycle; why wouldn't a biker -- riding a two-wheel vehicle that can go just as fast as car -- wear a helmet, too?

"Helmets are only good for up to 15 to 18 miles per hour," Maloy said. "If you are going faster and have an accident, that helmet will not save your life."

Only four states in the U.S. are completely helmet-exempt: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and our neighbor, New Hampshire. Maine's law requires riders under the age of 15 to wear a helmet.

"It is everyone's own choice if they want to wear a helmet or not," Maloy said. "It's nothing people look down on; if someone does want to wear a helmet, that's fine, too."

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5333564.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: A tragic statistic on the rise
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

As you're reading this column, chances are you're probably enjoying a much-deserved long weekend with your family and friends. Perhaps you have plans to go on a picnic later today, take a boat ride or attend a neighbor's barbecue.

(This writer's plans include trying to ignore the fact that it's her birthday and she's another year older. Sigh.)

If you're a cop, though, Labor Day weekend is anything but a picnic.

Holiday weekends seem to have this notorious stereotype as being a time for people to have more than their share of fun, then get behind the wheel drunker than a skunk (we apologize to all skunks and skunk enthusiasts who might have found that offensive).

Jokes aside, drunk driving in Maine during Labor Day weekend is a serious topic to law enforcement and traffic officials.

"It is going up, and it's going up fairly steadily despite all the OUI-enforcement activities we've put in place," Lauren Stewart, director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, said.

During the last four Labor Day weekends, two people have been killed each year, Stewart said. All eight died in alcohol-related crashes. Of the 183 lives lost in traffic accidents in Maine last year, 69 died because they were driving drunk or someone driving drunk killed them.

To many of us, that's just a statistic. But try telling that to the 69 families who will never see their loved ones again.

We know a little bit about the pain drunk driving can create: It was only two-and-a-half years ago we came home from spring break to hear two dear friends were killed on their drive back to campus by a man driving 97 mph in a 45 mph zone and was at more than twice the legal limit for blood-alcohol content in that state.

It's only a statistic until it's someone you know.

And as the statistics in Maine continue to rise, cops all over the state will be laying the smack down today on booze cruisers.

In our fair capital city, Augusta police will put extra patrol squads on the streets, Augusta Police Sgt. Mike Small said. An OUI checkpoint will also be set up, he added.

State troopers will also have an increased presence on Maine highways, Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said.

"I would want to make it clear to people that if you drive drunk, you are going to get arrested for it," McCausland said.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5354201.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: An idea whose time has come -- again
By Meghan Malloy
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

Remember the days when you could fill your gas tank for about $20?

Yeah, neither do we.

But drivers in Utah took a step back in time last week, after a news report revealed they are probably getting the best deal in the U.S. on gas.

Drivers were lining the streets to fill their gas tanks for 87 cents a gallon. You can't even buy a Snickers for that these days.

So, to what do the Utahians (Utahnites?) owe their good fortune?

The gas going into their vehicles is natural gas.

Some of you might remember this alternative fuel was big on the scene about 20 years ago. Auto makers even manufactured vehicles that were designed to run on natural gas.

Eventually, the idea of using that alternative fuel, and the vehicles, faded. Natural gas was cheap then, but there was little financial incentive to use it. Fuel use gravitated more toward the crude oil possessed by the folks in a few certain Middle Eastern countries.

And the rest, you could say, is history.

There is some good news, though, according to Leo Thomason, Executive Director of the Natural Gas Vehicle Institute in Las Vegas, Nev. Natural gas as a means to power our vehicles could be making a comeback in the U.S., and big time.

"There's no reason why (the U.S.) shouldn't be using natural gas," Thomason said. "It's domestic, abundant, and it is the cleanest (burning) of the available fuels on the market today."

Loyal readers might remember a few months ago when we started a discussion on the benefits of ethanol and how it burns. Natural gas is similar to ethanol in the way that it burns more cleanly than gasoline, but it also burns quicker because it isn't as "energy-dense," Thomason said.

So it's a clean alternative, it's dirt cheap, and it's in our proverbial backyard. What could possibly be the downside?

Uh, it's gas. When we think of natural gas, the image that comes to mind is BOOM! followed by burning debris.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5381612.html

Grant to help fight drunken driving
By Meghan Malloy
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

A little bird told us last week that our U.S. senators, Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, announced the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $1.3 million in funding for drunken-driving prevention, motorcycle safety and public transportation earmarked for Maine.

Here's the breakdown:

* $1,059,561 to the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (by way of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), to be used as part of the "Alcohol Traffic Safety and Drunk Driving Prevention Incentive Grant," which will develop programs to prevent drunken driving.

* $100,000 to the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (again, by way of NHTSA), as an "Incentive Grant Program" to fund motorcyclist safety training and motorist awareness.

* $294,000 to the Maine Department of Transportation (by way of the Federal Transit Administration). Funding will be used to purchase a 35 foot replacement bus for the South Portland Bus Service.

We hate to say it, but it will be Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa season again before we know it (we saw a home improvement store with its Christmas supplies out already this week. Eke!). You folks know what this means: holiday parties, indulging in holiday spirits and the possibility of an increased number of drunken drivers on the road.

So the $1 million award going toward preventing Mainers from getting behind the wheel drunker than a skunk on New Year's Eve caught our immediate attention.

Through a megaphone (er, press secretary), Snowe praised the feds for releasing the funding.

"According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, about three out of every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetimes," Snowe said. "Through this generous grant and its vital programs, the Department of Transportation identifies the crucial need to improve highway safety in Maine and save precious lives."

Collins said similar sentiments through her megaphone:

"The Department of Transportation has valuable programs to assist states in their efforts to help prevent drunk driving and save lives. These dollars will go a long way in helping to combat a serious problem in Maine and throughout the nation."

And that's when we scratched our heads. While we respectfully agree with the senators, we have to wonder: Are Mainers really seeing the results of all this spending on drunk driving prevention?

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5440250.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Ford may have the key to teenage driving
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

A friend of ours who writes for a certain nationally-known newspaper in Detroit called something to our attention last week. Ford is getting ready to debut a new product claiming to keep teen drivers safe while driving alone, and thought we might be interested in reading more about it.

“This is right up your alley,” our former cohort said.
We were hesitant at first. This reporter has not had the best of luck with Fords.

We drove a Ford in college for barely four months. It was an early college graduation gift from Ma and Pa Commuter, and it ran great, right up to the day it was flattened by a tree, courtesy of an EF2 tornado.

Welcome to life in the Midwest. We went back to being a die-hard Jeep fan after that episode and haven’t looked back.

Anyway, reflecting on the debacle, we told our Detroit friend we’d pass on the news release.

“Trust me,” he said. “You’ll want to check this out.”
A system called MyKey allows parents to program their teenager’s car key to control the maximum speed, audio volume and a reminder to buckle up, among other features.

You loyal readers probably saw a lot of stories last week about MyKey. The technology is one that seems to have readers split down the middle as to whether it fosters responsibility in young drivers or gives them a safety net to be reckless.

We have a niece who is chomping at the bit to get her driver’s permit in less than six months (scary), so we decided to give MyKey another look.

The key, no bigger than a regular ignition key, allows parents through a computer chip to program the speed their child can drive to up to 80 mph, how loud the radio will play and release an audible signal when the vehicle starts to hit speeds of 45, 55 and 65 mph. In fact, the key can also be programmed to mute the radio until the driver buckles up.

The feature, Ford’s safety communications manager Wesley Sherwood III said, is a way to “really build trust in the family.”

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/1864223675.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Check your car for the winter
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

We almost hate to talk about it, but you all knew it was coming: It's time yet again to winterize your vehicle for another Maine winter.

We survived our first Maine winter last year (and after that, we can handle anything), but the Jeep struggled. After all, central Maine saw well more than 100 inches of snow last winter, freezing temperatures and a minor ice storm. When your car, truck or van has to sit outside instead of in a garage, it can be a lot for it to take in one season.

This year, we're going to prepare our baby (er, Jeep) to better face the elements.

And so are many of you. We asked you loyal (and loyal-in-the-making) readers how you prepare your own vehicles for Maine's harsh winter. This week's column is all about basic winterizing tips from folks who work on vehicles for a living and folks like you who just love driving them.

Reader Brian Tarbuck, of Readfield, said he gets his and the Mrs.'s vehicles in tip-top winter-weather shape with tires that can grip snow.

"We got cheapy Firestone (tires) for my wife's Outback and the thing is unstoppable in the snow," Tarbuck said.

Tarbuck doesn't consider himself an expert, but said from personal experience that "snow tires are the single best defense against winter conditions. Modern 'studless' snowtires are outstanding and don't beat up the roads like studs do."

Tarbuck said he recommends www.tirerack.com for help on selecting the right snow tires for your vehicle. You can also buy the tires online or find a local vendor who does.

"When you consider that the most dangerous thing you do every day is drive, factor in long stopping distances and unpredictable lateral control caused by slippery roads and the risk increases exponentially. Snow tires are the single best defense against winter conditions," Tarbuck said.

But what about the inside of your car? A wise man we know, better known as the Kennebec Commuter's father, was famous for saying, "Check the anti-freeze in the car. Have you checked the anti-freeze yet? You need to get that checked."

Appreciative nagging aside, Pa Commuter has a point. Just like the exterior of your vehicle, the mechanical systems need TLC if they're going to make it through winter.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5507560.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: MTA tries to justify toll hike
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

A little bird (better known as our colleague Susan Cover) had a story in the newspaper not too long ago about the Maine Turnpike Authority raising the tolls next year. Rising construction project costs and fewer people taking the turnpike to travel through southern and central Maine has caused the authority (MTA) to seek $20 million to cover operational costs, spokesman Dan Paradee told us prior to the approval, which happened the next day.

Tolls are expected to increase for drivers by 23 percent, though Paradee emphasized the specific cost per toll will not be approved until December. We can expect the toll costs to go up starting Feb. 1, 2009.

What we know for sure is that we're going to start overturning our couch cushions looking for extra change to feed the tolls.

You loyal readers are divided when it comes to giving an opinion about toll increases. One commenter on www.kjonline.com expressed clear optimism.

"I think it's great!" they said. "Maine has some of the best-kept roads on the highway in all of New England. More satisfied tourists, more monies for the state of Maine."

We're impressed. It's pretty hard to get excited about something that is going to cost you more money.

Plenty more folks, however, grumbled about the increase, especially because the last time the economy looked this bad, Prohibition was the law.

"Well, it doesn't surprise me that Maine is gonna cost the residents more money by jacking up tolls," another reader posted on a Kennebec Journal blog. "The state is so unfriendly to outside industry and the citizens of the state end up paying for every one of the state's shortfalls."

Hey, we admit it, we're grumbling right along with you. But there are two sides to every story. Paradee said if the MTA had had their way, the increase would not have happened in the first place.

"No one, least of all us, wanted to advance the scheduled 2010 toll increase to 2009," he said. "But it was simply a matter of necessity."

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5526907.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Yield — It's the law
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

Pete Curtis, who drives big rigs, has a gripe. When driving his tractor-trailer on the interstate, Curtis said in an e-mail to the Kennebec Commuter, he too often is a party to drivers trying to the enter the interstate from an on-ramp who barrel down the ramp and merge into the interstate's right lane, without yielding.

"It seems that people have the attitude that whoever is on the interstate is somehow required to move to the left lane to accommodate them," Curtis wrote in an e-mail. "In a tractor-trailer, I often cannot move over, as there is another motorist beside me. It's amazing that they will still enter the highway, riding beside me in the breakdown lane (now three abreast), blowing their horn and cursing me!"

Curtis brought up a valid point. After all, how many times has something similar happened to you while driving on Interstate 295, I-95 or the turnpike? Probably more than once.

There are few things more nerve-wracking than driving with the flow of traffic in the non-passing lane of the interstate, only to see some chump trying to enter from the on-ramp and not slowing down to let you speed up so they can merge.

The Kennebec Commuter can always appreciate a good gripe, so we decided to check in with the experts on this. Is yielding at the end of an on-ramp to enter an interstate required in Maine? And what are the consequences for pushy drivers who think the breakdown lane is an option to drive in until they can merge?

Sgt. Roderick Charette, a state trooper with Troop C of the Maine State Police, said failure to yield on Maine interstates "happens often enough." It's illegal not to yield, he said.

"You are bound by law to yield at the end of a ramp, most definitely," Charette said (check out Title 29-A, Sec 2057, Sub-sec. 10-A for the details).

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5607063.html