Automobiles, Vehicles

Image credit: Conny Manero

VROOOOOOMMM,

VROOOOOOMMM, VROOOOOOMMMMMMMM

Welcome to the world of Automobiles!

The best toys that man has ever created fall under this category. From cars to auto rickshaws (do you know this vehicle?) to tractors, trucks, SUVs and more…. (oh yes, buses too), automobiles have and still hold captive all who cross its path.

Did you know that there are about 80,000 components that have to be assembled together to create a Formula 1 Race Car? Just imagine, even if a 0.1% error occurred during the process of assembling the car, it would involve 80 components to be misplaced, wrongly used or omitted. Even a 0.1% error could cost a life. Hence in the assembling of a Formula 1 car, only cars with a 100% compliance audit leave the factory. Such is the level of perfection.

Check this out. Wouldn’t you want to own such a car if you had all the money in the world… for yourself? Think about it. This is what $206,000.00 can get you. Keep guessing or read this article to find out. Top ten most expensive cars by Michael Bock. That’s just some list. Dream on, folks…. You just might own one someday.

Everyone is wary of immediate expenses when thinking of servicing a car. But on the other side, it’s a revealed fact that you can 'Minimize costs with routine car maintenance'. Thom W. Conroy has it all figured out as you will see in his article.

Talk about a passion for motorcycles / motorbikes. The youth are especially fond of driving their bikes at insanely high speeds… (“it’s a man’s thing”.. they say), especially to race one another or to impress a girl. Or middle-aged men to return to the days of their youth(?). Perhaps Mike Horgan's article ‘Common causes of motorcycle accidents’ should trigger some warning signals and make you aware of common accident-prone areas and points.

Image credit: Malcolm Mittra

…And on the topic of motorcycles, Douglas Black gives us ‘An overview on the different types of motorcycles’. Those of you, who are bike-addicts, will find this information fascinating.

Wouldn’t it be helpful if you knew how to change the oil in your car? I’m guessing that many of you already know this, but I was totally blank, well, until I came across this article. Autodude, in his article ’Changing Oil Guide for Beginners’, not only gives us instructions for changing the oil and oil filter, but also gives an overview of how to locate the oil filter and what type of oil to use.

Writer of the Week :

This week's pick is T. Scott Randolph. As far as his profession goes, Scott is a tattoos and piercing expert. But as a writer he is one of the managers for a couple of the Autos leaf-channels at Helium. A lover of motorbikes; Scott says… “I do actually build custom motorcycles. I build one, ride it for a while, sell it and build another. I do help my friends out when they want to "customize" what they are riding.” Apart from the Autos channel, Scott also writes to titles from the other channels, some of which involve a lot of research. Always willing to help, Scott may be contacted via his Helium profile.

WOMEN & CARS - irresistible combo

Be careful guys… women have it all figured out when it comes to you and your car. Ask Glory Lennon. She'll be able to tell you all about it. Here's her conclusion in 'Automobile charisma: Does it really matter what a man drives?'

Image credit: Dr. Antonio D'costa, Psychiatrist

Everyone loves the thrill of racing; Neck to neck, one trying to outdo the other. But what happens when the need for speed goes beyond control? As a warning April May Maple shares her advice on ‘Ways to avoid giving in to road rage’. If you like this article by this author, you will also like 'Sporty cars: Sporty colors'.

Echoing the poem ‘New Shoes’, here's a similar version about New Cars. Haven’t we all, at some time visualized ourselves in our dream cars? Well, I have.

New cars, new cars,

Red and pink and blue cars

Tell me what would you have

If they’d let you pick.

Sporty cars, dashing cars

Practical and simple cars,

Flashy , classy, dream cars

Get me something chic. (Amanda Dcosta)

Image credit: April May Maple

Those familiar with heavy traffic jams and especially the kind of traffic in India, are well aware of how much fuel is lost just trying to get through traffic. Maybe this will be of help for those in such situations... 'Top ten ways to use less gas' by Pamela Kay.

Image credit: Alexandra Heep

Ladies, are you on a car-buying spree right now? It doesn't matter what type of car you are looking for; Alexandra Heep lends her suggestions on 'Car buying tips for women'.

Fun corner:

List the many types of vehicles you have used for travel. It doesn’t matter if the pic is here. Make a note of it and you will find how fascinating travel can be. All those miles that you will not have to walk… or swim, in some cases. ;)

A few images contributed by my friend Lester Concesso are posted here. All these images are from around Vypeen & Cochin, India.

- This is a pic of a tug boat that is used to direct the course of the ship as it enters and leaves the port.

- A passenger liner, docked at the Cochin Port, India.

- The local ferry that transports passengers across the channel from Vypeen to Fort Cochin. I traveled by this for many years. Loved it.

- Junkar. It transports vehicles and people from across the islands to the mainland and back. ( Vypeen / Cochin. )

The lorry / truck - used to transport goods.

A hand cart that was very popular for transporting goods at one time. A fun mode for kids to have rides on (although not fun for the one pulling the cart).

- A cycle-rickshaw that used to be the means of transport at one time, now taken over by cars, buses and auto-rickshaws.

- Auto-rickshaw; one of the main modes of transport for an average of three persons.

This is a pic of a local bus. Not very different from what is seen around the world, yet a very important means of transport for the locals.

- this is a pic of a group of tourist bikers who visited Vypeen and cycled across from one end of the island to the other.

(I've not really planned for trains and airplanes for this post... but count that too.)