HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kevin@taronga.taronga.com (Kevin Brown)
Subject: Re: Are all Americans Stupid???
Reply-To: kevin@taronga.taronga.com (Kevin Brown)
Organization: Minimal.
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 19:16:02 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.181839.12414@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu> crpresto@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Charlie Preston) writes:
>In article <1992Apr14.140550.20408@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk> kerrat@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Adrian T Kerr) writes:
>>Where are the statistics that say 55mph is the safest maximum ...
>
>The American safety nazis have conducted studies that produce the results
>wanted so they can justify inappropriate regulation, i.e., low speed limits.
>The insurance industry has formed a conspiracy with the safety nazis and
>provided funding for biased 'research'.  In fact, the Insurance Institute for
>Highway Safety has opposed driver education in public high schools--they
>*want* everyone to be stupid I guess.

Wow.  You have some references you can cite to back this one up?  It sounds
like the insurance companies are getting bolder...

No driver's ed in high schools.  Drivers are badly enough educated as it
is.  What do they propose to replace high school driver's ed with, if
anything???

I guess they want a higher accident rate so that they can justify
charging higher premiums and thus make more money from premiums.
Sigh...

>Chas



		Kevin Brown (kevin@taronga.taronga.com)
From: c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Driver education...
Date: 15 Apr 92 19:17:56 GMT
Organization: Delco Electronics Corp.

In article <8dv73bC00Uh784Fc55@andrew.cmu.edu> sh50+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sam Hui) writes:
>Hi,
>
>Just thought I contribute my (US 2 cents) (UK 1 penny) to this subject.
>
>Firstly, I have had the privelage of driving in both the UK and the US
>since my permanent home is in the UK and I am currently studying here in
>the US (3yrs).
>
> On average, UK drivers do drive much faster than US drivers on the
>highways. The offical speed limit in the UK is 70mph but as in the US
>(55/65mph), most people tend to ignore it and drive somewhat faster than
>the limit. The British driver will drive on average round about 90mph
>whereas in the US (speaking only from my personal experiences), people
>tend to cruise around the 70/75 mph mark.

I wonder if the average UK driver encounters the conditions we do,
i.e.  on the average far more violent weather than in the UK, endless
construction, congestion, many more cars on the roads, etc. Nature has
its way of selecting who gets to live, in particular after 30 mile
commutes on icy roads here :-). 

I also wonder whether speed limit enforcement in the UK is done for
revenue enhancement or for road safety. By and large in the US it
is not done for safety.

> As for drivers education, I had to take a US driving test in order to
>obtain a PA licence and to be truthful, it was pretty lame. The English
>driving test is far tougher and you get to drive on a real road with
>other real drivers and real situations, not in an obstacle course (
>again, I am quoting from personal experience...this may not be the case
>for all states). I even went to take the advanced driver's course for
>fun and found that pretty unchallenging. However, having said all of
>that, the US has a far tougher written/multi-Choice test than the UK. 

It depends on the state. In Louisiana, where I took my written and
driving test the driving test was rather tough, i.e. it lasted for 20
minutes or so and included real drivers and real situations. The written
test on the other hand was a complete joke and had questions like:

   "your boss chewed you off at the job. What do you do"
   a. cool off    b. get on the car and drive like crazy   c. ....

In Michigan the written test was TOUGH, i.e I mean TOUGH for some 
unfortunate slob like me who had never seen snow before, it had all
kinds of funny questions about driving in snow, car questions, etc.
almost 60 questions in all.

Indiana's written test was a joke, a multi-choice on a video game.
You can do it even without knowing English!

Driving tests from friends who took them were tough in both states.
The only way to get a driver licence without a driving exam is if
you attend driver's ed school.

>Best Wishes
>-Sam

Spiros


-- 
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos                    c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com
Software Technology, Delco Electronics       c23st@deaes.uucp 
GM Hughes Electronics, Kokomo, IN 46904      [A Different Kind of Disclaimer]
From: elson@otc.otca.oz.au (Elson Markwick)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Engine Braking - what causes it?
Date: 9 Apr 92 02:48:06 GMT
Reply-To: elson@otc.otca.oz.au (Elson Markwick)
Organization: R&D, OTC Sydney, Australia

In article <5313@nosc.NOSC.MIL>, koziarz@halibut.nosc.mil (Walter A. Koziarz) writes:
|> In article <1992Apr6.210956.19514@qualcomm.com> ganapath@tahoe.qualcomm.com (Chinnappa Ganapathy) writes:
|> >What causes engine braking?  I'm sure there are a number of factors
|> >including friction and de-compression.  What else?  Also, to what extent
|> >do the different factors affect engine braking?  e.g. Will better
|> >lubrication decrease engine braking?  How much?
|> 
|> predominantly, the action of trying to pull intake air past a closed throttle
|> plate is the source of 'engine-braking'...  don't believe someone saying
|> 'compression' because *that* is *not* true -- Diesels essentially freewheel,
|> i.e. there is far *less* engine braking with a Diesel than with a gasoline
|> engine (all other factors equal).
|> 
|> walt k.

I can't imagine that pulling air past a closed throttle plate would be the cause
of engine braking...  After all, the throttle plate would have to be able to
resist quite a vacuum, which would make it pretty tough to open when you wanted
to give it a boot-full.  Try an experiment - prop open the throttle butterfly
with something (take the spring off if you have to), and try to turn the engine
by hand.  I'll bet you it's just as tough with the butterfly open as with it 
closed. (BTW, if you're going to try this, make *sure* your ignition is off :-)

As to why your diesel doesn't engine brake as effectively as your petrol engine,
I don't know, except perhaps that there's more rotating mass in it (heavier
rods, piston and flywheel etc).

Cheers, Elson

-- 
Elson Markwick | The only good cat |ACSnet:  elson@otc.otca.oz.au
OTC R & D Unit |  is a stir-fried  |UUCP: {uunet,mcvax}!otc.otca.oz.au!elson
Ph: 02 287 3142|       cat         |Internet: elson%otc.otca.oz.au@uunet.uu.net
Fax:02 287 3299|          -Alf     |Snail:  GPO Box 7000, Sydney 2001, Australia
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Monday, 13 Apr 1992 11:59:51 EDT
From: David Tascarella <DST1@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: CRUTCHFIELD PHONE NUMBER

As some of you have been wondering, here is the number for crutchfield.

           sales advisers  1 800 446 1640

           catalog requests 1 800 336 5566      (its free)


           sorry that this took so long to post,      Dave
From: laturner@Data-IO.COM (Bob LaTurner)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Subaru Timing Belt Lifespan
Date: 14 Apr 92 22:44:28 GMT
Organization: Data I/O Corporation


Anyone own a late 1980's Subaru and have had the timing belt(s) break?
How many miles were on your car?, Who payed for the repair?

I've heard Subaru will pay your bill, is this true?

Thx Bob -- one timing belt short -- LaTurner
laturner@DATAIO.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: kev@osf.org (Kevin Till)
Subject: Tire fixing help
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 17:57:56 GMT

Hi,
	My girlfriend drove my Honda Accord and hit the curb. The wall of a
front tire was damaged with a hole of about 1/4 inch hole(only the outside wall). Now the tire is leaking very very slowly. Is there anyway I can fix the tire without replacing it? (it's only six-month old)
	Thanks!

-- 
Kevin T. Till	
System Engineering
Open Software Foundation
From: kahuna@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (John G. Finn)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Honda Recall
Date: 17 Apr 92 17:38:28 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T


Have any of you 86 thru 88 4 door Honda Accord users
noticed that two inch seam of RUST appearing on the
right rear section below the tail lights/above the bumper?
Right there at the seam point of the metal joint.
(Might also apply to 89 model year unless it was "fixed".)

Every Honda I see on the road has this "flaw".
Is it time for a recall !!
Quick, outside .. check out that Honda. 

Also, for 86 Honda Accords, open the trunk and check the
seam just below the rear window section above the trunk
rubber seal. See anything there? 87s and later were "fixed".

My 87 is a running fine, no problem (has the "flaw" too).
-- 
--
kahuna@ihlpa.ih.att.com (John G. Finn)
--
--
From: risks@yertle.Colorado.EDU (RISKS LAB GROUP)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: audi mailing list
Summary: need info
Keywords: audi mailing list
Date: 10 Apr 92 18:06:20 GMT
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder


I know this has been posted before-- but how can I get on
the audi mailing list?  I want to know more about
audis (in my quest to know everything under the sun about
every car before I actually buy one!)...


Thanks,
Julie
IRWIN@yertle.colorado.edu
From: kls30@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Kent L Shephard)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Engine Braking - what causes it?
Date: 14 Apr 92 19:37:09 GMT
Reply-To: kls30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com
Distribution: na
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

I've been listening to this and boy you are a mess.

1. Large diesels don't experience the braking force that cars do simply
because a diesel truck is so damn heavy and has so much momentum.
It takes a lot of force to stop a huge truck, remember F=ma.

2. The atual throttle plate doesn't cause the engine to break or slow
down.  The side effect of the throttle plate closing does.  Namely lack
of air and no fuel to burn.  No fuel burning = no go.
Also compression does slow the car down.  Less air = less fuel.  This
also means a super lean mixture which is hard to ignite.  If you can't
ignite the mixture you lose power because there is nothing to force the
piston back down except inertia.

--
/*  -The opinions expressed are my own, not my employers.    */
/*      For I can only express my own opinions.              */
/*                                                           */
/*   Kent L. Shephard  : email - kls30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com   */
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: Marshal.Perlman@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Marshal Perlman)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
Date: 15 Apr 92 04:12:19 GMT
Organization: Extended Bulletin Board Service

PLEASE REPLY VIA E-MAIL:

I present you with a question O great netters...

What is the difference between a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP and a fully
loaded Grand Prix SE w/ Aero package etc...?


--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
From: sh50+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sam Hui)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Are all Americans Stupid ??
Date: 15 Apr 92 18:07:35 GMT
Organization: Junior, Social & Decision Sciences, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Hi,

Just thought I contribute my (US 2 cents) (UK 1 penny) to this subject.

Firstly, I have had the privelage of driving in both the UK and the US
since my permanent home is in the UK and I am currently studying here in
the US (3yrs).

 On average, UK drivers do drive much faster than US drivers on the
highways. The offical speed limit in the UK is 70mph but as in the US
(55/65mph), most people tend to ignore it and drive somewhat faster than
the limit. The British driver will drive on average round about 90mph
whereas in the US (speaking only from my personal experiences), people
tend to cruise around the 70/75 mph mark.

 As for drivers education, I had to take a US driving test in order to
obtain a PA licence and to be truthful, it was pretty lame. The English
driving test is far tougher and you get to drive on a real road with
other real drivers and real situations, not in an obstacle course (
again, I am quoting from personal experience...this may not be the case
for all states). I even went to take the advanced driver's course for
fun and found that pretty unchallenging. However, having said all of
that, the US has a far tougher written/multi-Choice test than the UK. 
 Studying books on driving will not make one a better driver, so the
point of all this is that, after basic driver's ed in both countries, I
think that the average English driver is more skilled at DRIVING and
parallel parking :) , than the average American. This does not in any
way make Americans stupid but just shows an that American driver's ed is
not on par with European Driver's Ed.

Best Wishes
-Sam
:))
From: crash@hal.com (Chris Craddock)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: BMW: Radio Problems
Date: 9 Apr 92 20:53:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: hal.1992Apr9.205341.9588
Organization: HaL Computer Systems

In article <1992Apr9.174515.6488@uc.msc.edu>, jayers@hamline.edu (Judi Ayers) writes:
|> 
|> About a month ago we purchased a 1987 BMW 325.  Its a pretty good
|> car for 5 years old.  One problem though....I left the lights on
|> and the battery died (of course).  When I got the car started again
|> the radio doesn't work.  It says "CODE".  Apparently BMW has an
|> anti-theft radio system installed so if the radio is "ripped" out
|> the codes will scramble and be unusable to the thief.  Well, must
|> be the same thing happened when the battery dies.  When my husband
|> called the local BMW dealer they said if we didn't have the "CODE"
|> to enter (we don't since the car was used), we would have to
|> remove the dash and get the serial number off of the back of the
|> radio, then they could look-up the "CODE" in a computer.
|> 
|> My question is: does anyone know if taking off the dash is a major
|> undertaking for two people who are not "auto-mechanically inclined?"
|> OR should we just give-in and take it to the dealership.
|> 
|> Judi

Give up now and take it to people who know what they're doing!

:O)
-- 
"That's the problem with nature, something's always stinging you
 or oozing mucous all over you. Let's go and watch TV"  - Calvin

crash@hal.com   		HaL Computer Systems Inc.
(408) 379-7000 x1163		1315 Dell Ave. Campbell CA 95008
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen)
Subject: basic instinct
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 06:50:44 GMT


by now, lots of you have probably already seen basic instinct.
(i want to marry sharon stone... but that's beside the subject)
remember those cars she had?  a white lotus esprit and a black...
lotus esprit.  somehow that impresses me more than if she'd had
a white lotus and a black ferrari.  it says she's got so much dough
that she can afford to blow it on something as trivial as color.
but anyway... was anyone able to tell if it was an esprit SE
or X-180R?
i'm not sure what the difference is, actually.

and remember that mountain chase scene?  where sharon stone is slicing
and dicing in and out of traffic and passing in the oncoming lane, in
her black lotus?  and michael douglas is keeping up (!!!) in his chrysler
cop car?  yeah, right.  maybe if he'd been driving the 'stang, but
the lotus would leave a cop car very far behind.  a situation like that
places so much emphasis on quick acceleration, hard braking, and agility
that there's no way a chrysler cop car could keep up (unless it had
a 440 sixpack and go-kart suspension).

and remember that part near the end, when michael douglas is passing
a pair of slow-moving trucks in the oncoming lane and when he's half-way
past, a truck suddenly appears... and then the view changes to another
camera showing him stomping the brakes and diving in behind the trucks.
to me, it looked like he was a goner 'cuz the trucks were moving so slow
and there was no way in hell he would get back into his lane even if he
weren't moving because it would have taken so long for the trucks to go
by.

and last, but not least, the chase in the city.  michael douglas, now
driving his mustang, does a fast, skidding turn into a narrow alley...
in the wet.  now that kind of driving skill impresses me.  i might be
able to do it in the dry, but definitely not in the wet.

-teddy
p.s. did they really crash a lotus esprit?  i'm sure they didn't, but
it looked pretty damn real, right down to the gatorbacks.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: ss@sparkplug.WPI.EDU (Scott N Streeter)
Subject: Re: Are all Americans Stupid???
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609-2280
	<1992Apr14.181839.12414@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>
	<1992Apr14.191602.22719@menudo.uh.edu>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 17:49:43 GMT


> Where are the statistics that say 55mph is the safest maximum ...

Reminds me of a line from the movie "Gumball Rally".

"55 MPH is slow enough to make you THINK your safe, but fast enough to
still get you killed."   May not be an exact quote, but you get the idea.

--
                        Scott Streeter
                        ss@wpi.wpi.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: NEW F40?
From: james@koko.csustan.edu (Jonas Grumpy)
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 18:59:15 GMT
Organization: CSU Stanislaus

In article <1992Apr17.145314.14885@descartes.waterloo.edu> mrdavids@descartes.waterloo.edu (Mark Davidson) writes:
>In article <1992Apr16.234307.1@wharton.upenn.edu> sinclair65@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
>>
>>	I am wondering if anybody has heard about the ferrari that will
>>replace the F40. I have heard that it is going to be a topless version with
>>the same v-12 but lighter! If anyobody knows anything, please post.
>>thanx.
>>
>>JTS
>
>There isn't any real definite informations on the next car, but it is said to
>have an engine based on the 3.5, 60 degree V12 used in the F1 car.  (Note: the
>current/past F40 has a twin-turbo 3-litre V8.)  I predict another stripped out
>carbon-kevlar race car rocket with two seats... not much more than the F40,
>except in the performance area... likely a little more power and slightly 
>improved handling.  (How much can the F40 really be improved for performance?)
>You mention convertible... the next 348ts _will_ be a full convertable, and
>the coming 512 GT _will_ be a full convertable... but the "supercars" have 
>always been coupes, and I hope this continues.
>
>Later,
>   Mark
>
>-- 
>Mark Davidson, Comp Sci, Faculty of Math, U of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
>Ferrari Club of America, East & Central Canada Region, "Northern Prancer"   :^) 
>Email:  mrdavids@descartes.uwaterloo.ca                          
>----------------============ Forza Ferrari ============------------------------


 Allright!! This is great news. The most fantastic sports car in history
 is now even more fantastic. Groovy! I hope its engine will be the same
 ultra high output gem that it is now or even more so. Maybe it will be
 a normally aspirated v12 that will show the world just how much power 
 can REALLY be extracted from a normally aspirated liter of displacement.
-- 

  Drive fast and live long!! 	       The above is worth what you paid for it.
From: cmj@horus.cem.msu.EDU (Chris Jenkins|xxxxxx)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Production of Saturns stopped?
Date: 9 Apr 92 18:51:35 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Michigan State University

From article <1992Apr9.163711.22035@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>, by gidewall@wolverine.cps.msu.edu (Kenton C Gidewall):
> My wife reads a Saturn "newsgroup" on Prodigy.  She told me she read
> something disturbing on there today.  A lady reported on Prodigy that
> she had ordered a Saturn SL in March.  Her salesperson called her
> the other day and told her that Saturn has been having problems with
> noise in the Saturns (we all knew that,right?) and they are going
> to stop production of SL's and SL1's until JUNE!!!  Can anyone
> verify or disprove this.  The reason I am so concerned is that
> I have an SL1 on order.
> 
> 
I'll be visiting a dealer tomorrow to ask for a job.  I'll inquire about
that, too.

---cmj
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: Peter A. Cohen <peterco@eff.org>
Subject: Re: Objectivity of Motor Week
Organization: ON Technology, Inc.
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1a2
     <1992Mar24.145313.22994@cbnewsj.cb.att.com>
     <1992Mar24.185459.6456%jim.uucp@wupost.wustl.edu>
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1992 20:02:50 GMT

In article  Mark J. Rinehart, rinehart@aramis.rutgers.edu writes:

>get the picture. Overall, I like MotorWeek better than the other show
>of its kind, featuring the 2 British (possibly Canadian) guys who do

Ah, yes.  I believe the show is "Driver's Seat."  I don't like this one
as nearly as much as MotorWeek (and I do believe it's from
Canada...american-like, but strange pronounciation of words like
"Mazda").  There's an Australian-sounding guy on it, right?

MotorWeek is still my favorite, and I appreciate their reviews.   I must
say, however, that Lisa Barrows very rarely if ever gives timely news, at
least if one reads AutoWeek, one will find that Lisa's several months
behind (the show's syndicated, so it undoubtedly has a several-month
production lead schedule).  I often find Pat Goss's information on auto
maintenance useful, but sometimes his manner drops slightly into the
condescending range.  Still, it's a great show!  I wish there were more
like it.

Now, if you want to talk about a glorified infomercial that promotes
itself as an info show in the vein of MotorWeek, take a look at "Truckin'
USA."  They could save us a half hour if they would just broadcast a
ten-second screen at the beginning of each show saying, "This week, we
are going to whore ourselves to [insert manufacturer's product name
here]."

- Peter