Driving News Roundup: February 3, 2012

This is a weekly feature on the NMA Blog, running each Friday, where we highlight seven of the most interesting driving news stories of the week.

Mississippi: Sheriff proposes new radar gun legislation
Just about all county Sheriff departments in Mississippi are banned from using radar guns to catch speeders. The law was enacted decades ago, after counties were suspected of setting up speed traps and cashing in on the fines. One local sheriff is pushing hard to change this law.

Texas: Estelline billboard warns of speed trap
The folks in Estelline don’t need a billboard on the north end of the tiny town in Hall County to remind them. They know what everyone else in this part of the world also knows.

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2012 Chrysler 300 Review

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

With the demise of the Ford Crown Vic (and its sister ship, the Lincoln Town Car) there’s only one choice left if you’re looking for a traditional American-style roller.

You know, something substantial – a big (and heavy) sedan available with a big V-8 engine that comes standard with a big personality.

And which also’s still affordable.

It’s built by Chrysler.

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TheNewspaper.com Roundup: February 1, 2012

Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012
More Texas Cities Could See Red Light Camera Referendum
he effort to give voters a say in whether red light cameras are used in their community is spreading across Texas. Already, voters in College Station, Baytown, Houston and Dayton have rejected the use of automated ticketing machines. Yesterday the city council in League City voted to put the issue on the November ballot, and voters in Port Lavaca turned in sufficient signatures last week to force an election.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Kansas City, Missouri Red Light Cameras Increase Accidents
Red light camera vendor American Traffic Solutions (ATS) is furious that police in Kansas City, Missouri released a report last week evaluating photo enforcement intersections without giving the company a chance to modify the data. In many cities, ATS plays a key role in authoring such studies, but in this case the Kansas City police department went its own way, arriving at conclusions consistent with other, independent research on the topic.

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The NMA Mission Grows

By Gary Biller, NMA President

It is about “what” and “who.”

The question of “why” has been answered consistently over the past 30 years by Jim Baxter and a core of committed advocates. Without the dedicated drivers’ rights organization that is the National Motorists Association, we would still be puttering along on our highways at 55 mph rather than the more reasonable (and safer) speed limits of today.

Similarly, automated ticketing schemes, inflated tolls and surcharges, and the bypassing of defendants’ rights in traffic court would be even more common place without the NMA actively representing motorists everywhere.

Jim Baxter retired earlier this month as the only president the NMA has ever known. It is daunting and challenging to follow in his footsteps. Before I get back to the “what” and the “who” of the NMA’s future, I would be remiss not to point out a wonderful discussion of Jim’s leadership and career transition by our friends at OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association).

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Fuel Economy: Here’s What We’re Missing

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

Best-case mileage you can get in a new car is 48 MPG – the advertised highway mileage of a 2012 Toyota Prius hybrid.

It sucks.

If, that is, you can remember… .

Back in 1981, the Dodge Omni (and several other small cars) was delivering 50 MPG. And 40-something was common. That’s gas-powered cars, too. Diesels – like the ’80 VW Rabbit – posted highway mileage pushing 60 MPG.

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