For those who have always wanted to experience what it feels like to ride on the back of a dangerous land animal but never wanted to deal with the pesky business of being ripped apart limb from limb often associated with such an endeavor, there is now the Jaguar Motorcycle. Yes, a team of men have combined their brains and designed and executed a lifelike representation of a jaguar in motorcycle form. Video below:

And coming next year, the Bull Motorcycle:

No word yet on when development will begin on the Kitty Motorcycle.

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 5% [?]

Police officers, senior citizens, and tourists have looked silly on the Segway for years now. The previous innovation in the “personal mobility” movement has finally been trumped, in an extreme fashion, by who else but the Japanese.

In case you haven’t heard, let me be the first to introduce you to the Toyota i-REAL:

I don’t know what’s cooler, the fact that you can zip around town at an impressive 20 m.p.h. in this thing or that there will be an entire community of i-REALers meeting for coffee on corners all around the world.

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 1% [?]

Ever thought about how bad ass your car would be if you had an in-dash DVD screen with player and remote?  You see tons of images in hot car magazines boasting some pretty high end stuff.

For example, check out this out:


Would you believe that you could do this same setup for under $300?!

As mom always said, you gotta look for the bargains….The weak customer chooses the understandable rack.

Yeah, I don’t know what that means either, but check out this install video and snag this kit, for anywhere from $189 -- $239.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Science. It’s a flammable object meeting fire and going boom and it happens all the time at gas stations all over the country to those who aren’t careful. It can happen by the most commonsensical means like smoking a cigarette while pumping. Cue video below of two jack asses tryin’ to look cool at their local gas ‘n go.

Moving on to a more sympathetic victim of gas station disasters, here is a video of a poor chap falling victim to the silent striker known as static electricity.

Not all causes of gas station explosions are easily explained. Take cell phone use for example: the Petroleum Equipment Institute found that there is no concrete evidence supporting the claim that cell phone use while filling up can cause an explosion. However, there is still some speculation on whether or not cell phones can inadvertently cause a fuel station fiasco. Take the following video as an example:

So, remember kids: keep your cigarettes in your shirt sleeve, your cell phone in its holster, and your friction to yourself and you will give yourself the best chance at staying flame-free while filling up.

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 7% [?]

Anyone who drives knows that purchasing auto insurance is a gamble. We’ve all been there when trying to decide whether to go with the cheapest, bare bones liability coverage and assume that accidents and theft happen to other cars, not yours. Hell, comprehensive and collision coverage is a lot of extra money that could be spent on more fruitful endeavors like Bell’s Oberon baby kegs and taking your kids to the zoo.

However, the fact of the matter is collision damage and non-collision damage can happen to anyone. One of the most uncommon, straight out of luck types of non-collision damage is that inflicted by Mother Nature herself. Yes, with all the dozens of cars parked on your street that giant oak tree that was uprooted from the ground while you were sleeping last night decided to land squarely on the hood of your Kia.

Your car can be damaged by flood, hail, high winds, and just about anything else that Mother Nature decides to ruin your day with. Even an earthquake? You bet:

Maybe a 12-pack of Pabst and kids-get-in-free Sundays at the zoo are in your future. Yes?

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 8% [?]

When it comes to your future and career and all that jazz the phrase, “Lookin’ out for number one” gets tossed around a lot and, with a few exceptions, rightfully so. You should be concerned primarily with your moves and actions and how those moves and actions will affect your financial future. However, when it comes to almost all other aspects of life, looking out for others and treating others the way you would like to be treated is a mantra that gets forgotten about all too often.

Hit and run accidents are a travesty that occur far too often and are a glaring example of humanity at its worst. There is absolutely no excuse to strike another human being with your automobile, intentional or not, and then drive off fearing your legal repercussions and assuming them greater than the life of another human.

Perhaps it is easier to deal with (forget about) hit and runs being a common occurrence by not having to witness them first hand. However, with the emergence of surveillance cameras at intersections, the horrors of the road have become ubiquitous in news broadcasts. Take this gem for example:

Count the number of cars that drive by that motionless body in the middle of a busy street during peak hour and then count the number of bystanders and gawk from a distance and try not to shake your head at humanity.

But hey, humanity ain’t all bad. I mean, there’s habitat for humanity and pro football players giving back to their communities and charity car washes for high school cheer leading teams.

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 8% [?]

Cars and families go hand in hand. The familymobile of choice, the station wagon of yesteryear, has been replaced by the minivan as the primary means in which mothers transport their children to and from school, day care, camp, soccer practice, Johnny’s birthday party, etc. With so much time spent in the minivan with mom and dad, junior could easily fall victim to a poor choice in parenting. Some bad parenting choices are minor such as letting junior eat junk food in the backseat or forgetting to buckle him up for a short trip around the corner. However, the following example of bad parenting involving a car is so reprehensible that if you have ever or would ever consider following this fool’s example then you should really just find the closest bridge or cliff or tall building and hurl yourself off it.

Simply put, this Palm Beach, Florida man locked his infant daughter in the car while he moseyed in to the local “gentleman’s club” for a drink with one of the workin’ ladies. Not only that but he left the car running as an open invitation to any thief and/or “appreciator” of small children to step in and take off with car and child intact. Sadly, since this happened at nighttime and the child was in no danger of being burned by heat from the sun, our wonderfully effective judicial system charged him with a misdemeanor instead of the usual felony handed out to the very same incident if it happens in the daytime.

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/opinionzone/2009/12/08/another-case-of-irresponsible-parenting/

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 5% [?]

Even though 2010 is still a few months away, the insurance industry has released the safest cars from the new crop. We all know that safety is key in cars whether you shuttle your family around town everyday or simply use your car to go grocery shopping once a week. The chances of getting into a collision are always there and it is so much easier to rest assured when you know you are driving one of the safest that the industry has to offer.

Volkswagen has arguably been the safest brand of automobile for years and not surprisingly made the list. However, Ford made the list which raises the question, “If the list was based off accident statistics, should they consider the fact that accidents involving Fords are so low because all Fords are still on the lot waiting to be purchased?”

Anyway, here’s the list with some pictures courtesy of our friends at the Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/18/safest-cars-2009-ford-sub_n_361792.html

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 11% [?]

Most of us do it every day without even thinking about it. It’s just the simple act of pulling and clicking and it even comes with a comfortable secure feeling for some. Buckling up. Strapping in. No matter what you call it, wearing a seat belt is something that the majority of us are taught to do from a very young age. The modern version of the seat belt: the three-point belt was invented by a Swede by the name of Nils Bohlin and was first used in the 1959 Volvo.  Although there is no question that the pros outweigh the cons in terms of seatbelt use, it is important for everyone to know the possible negatives that could result from buckling up.

Pros:

- It will save your life in the majority of serious collisions.

- You are abiding by the law. Not buckling up is a ticketable offense all over the country.

- If everyone buckled up then the average amount Americans pay for health and car insurance premiums would drop significantly.

Cons

- In some cases, wearing a seat belt could cause further injury during specific types of collisions.

- It can be uncomfortable, especially for those with weight issues.

- Those who are concerned with the trivial matter of how they look or having “street cred” will find that wearing a seat belt greatly reduces their “image.”

Clearly, the statistics scream “pro-seat belt.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 90 percent of highway drivers wore their seat belt regularly in 2008. Also, seat belts saved 76,936 lives between 2003 and 2007 and could’ve saved the lives of 5,024 who passed away in collisions from not wearing a seat belt.

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 21% [?]

Many will argue that autumn is the best season of the year. Temperate weather, football season, the changing of the leaves, Halloween, apple cider and cinnamon donuts mean that autumn has something for everyone. But to play “Debbie Downer” for a moment, autumn has a dark side as well. For us living in cold weather climates, autumn means that we are only a few weeks away from a very long and unpleasantly cold winter.

Let’s not think about that. Instead, let’s go to a time with the sun high in the sky, cut-off shorts, sunglasses, the windows down, and a distant destination in mind. You don’t even have to have anyone with you. If all those elements are in play then all you need is a mix tape or CD to get you through what is bound to be a pleasant drive on a lovely summer’s day.

So without further ado, here are the 10 best summer drivin’  tunes to groove to no matter how near or far your destination may be.

1. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Up Around The Bend”

From the screeching twang of the introductory guitar line to John Fogerty’s trademark howl, any CCR song is a good choice for just about any situation but this doozy will have your head boppin’ and left foot tappin’.

Sample lyric: “Bring a song and a smile for the banjo, better get while the gettin’s good /
Hitch a ride to the end of the highway where the neons turn to wood.”

2. The Eagles – “Take It Easy”

With its smooth and melodic rhythm, “Take It Easy” by the Eagles is an ode to life on the road in pursuit of love or maybe just a little bit of fun. “Hotel California” might be cringe-inducing and one of the most annoying pop songs of all time but the Eagles get a lifetime pass in this writer’s book for this summer driving staple.

Sample lyric: “Well I’m running down the road trying to loosen /
my load, got a world of trouble on my mind /
lookin’ for a lover who won’t blow my /
cover, she’s so hard to find /
Take it easy, take it easy”

3. Weezer – “Surf Wax America”

Even though it’s more about surfing than driving, Weezer’s raucous jam was one of many highlights on their 1994 debut album. Driving guitar, drums, and vocals fuel this anthem about the joys of surfing over driving. Try not to tap your hand against the wheel whilst cruising to this.

Sample lyric: “You take your car to work. I’ll take my board. (All along the undertow is strengthening its hold.) /
And when your out of fuel, I’m still afloat. (I never thought it’d come to this. Now, I can never go home.)”

4. Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright)

Even though it has absolutely nothing to do with driving, what better time to listen to a song called “Everything’s Alright” then on a carefree beautiful summer’s day? Stevie Wonder is a legend and this song is a shining example of nothing more than his unfiltered positive energy.

Sample lyric: “And it’s all right, what I can’t do /
Out of sight because my heart is true /
She says baby everything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.”

5. The Allman Brothers Band – “Ramblin’ Man”

It’s difficult to describe if you haven’t heard the song but the music and rhythm of this tune just sound like summer in the country. The fact that the lyrics are about traveling cross country certainly does not hurt this song’s standing on our list.

Sample lyric: “Well my father was a gambler down in Georgia /
And he wound up on the wrong end of a gun /
And I was born in the back seat of a … Greyhound bus /
Rollin’ down Highway 41″

6. Paul Simon – “Graceland”

I dare you to not crack even the faintest smile just from listening to the first thirty seconds of this classic tune from one of America’s most talented musicians of all time. Similar to “Ramblin’ Man,” this tune is about traveling cross country but whereas The Allman’s song does not state a specific ending destination, Paul Simon is going to “Graceland! Graceland! Memphis, Tennessee!”

Sample lyric: “And my traveling companions /
Are ghosts and empty sockets /
I’m looking at ghosts and empties /
But I’ve reason to believe /
We all will be received /
In Graceland”

7. The Band – “The Weight”

So far this list has been occupied by fast, up tempo, positive energy songs but even the loudest, fastest musicians have to slow things down in the middle of a set. Our list will abide by this rule with this selection. A classic song featured in Easy Rider, The Band’s piano-laced ode to life on the road will be a much welcome rest for your vocal chords and your bruised hands.

Sample lyric: “I pulled into Nazareth, I was feelin’ about half past dead /
I just need some place where I can lay my head. /
‘Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?’ /
He just grinned and shook my hand, and ‘No!’, was all he said.”

8. Bob Seger – “Night Moves”

Michigan born with a voice like a thundering locomotive, Bob Seger is ideal for any road trip scenario. “Night Moves” is one of those rare tunes that builds and builds and builds until you can’t take it anymore and then it just unhinges into a flurry of musical bliss.

Sample lyric: “Out past the cornfields when the winds got heavy /
Out in the back seat of my ‘60 Chevy /
Workin’ on mysteries without any clues /
Workin’ on our night moves /
Tryin’ to make some front page drive-in news /
Workin’ on our night moves /
In the summertime /
In the sweet summertime”

9. Elton John – “Tiny Dancer”

Nobody can bang on the piano quite the way Sir Elton John can and “Tiny Dancer” is a prime example of this. Helping this tune make our list was the scene in the 2000 film, Almost Famous when the dysfunctional fictional band, Stillwater come together in their tour bus to this song while they are in the middle of a fight.

Sample lyric: “Hold me closer tiny dancer /
Count the headlights on the highway /
Lay me down in sheets of linen /
you had a busy day today”

10. N.W.A. – “F%#@ Tha Police”

We’ll end this list with a “bang” (no pun intended). Los Angeles’s N.W.A. created quite the stir with this lovely diddy about their displeasure with L.A.’s finest. It might not be wise to cruise down side streets blaring this with your windows down because chances are any officers you may encounter will not have a sense of humor about your taste in cruisin’ tunes. Regardless, this is a fun song to listen and pretend you can relate to.

Sample lyric: N/A

By K. Fitty Ditty

Popularity: 10% [?]