Unlike Most People

Writen by David Atkin

Unlike most of you, I eat, sleep and breathe cars, I love the old ones, and I love the new ones, as long as their built in America, because I really see no need to buy a car that’s built anywhere else, I do however like the ones that have power, and that kind of leaves the econno cans out of the big picture for me, I’ve dabbled in cars for years, and at one time, I even thought I didn’t like them anymore.

I went out and got certified in computers, and I quickly learned, it was not that much fun either, I worked at all kinds of jobs while trying to find a way our of the automotive industry, and then after all those years of thinking that it was the cars that I didn’t like, I’ve come to learn that it’s the people that own these cars that I didn’t like, not the cars themselves, as the cars can’t do anything to you to make you feel like that.

Cars are a wonderful thing, that has given me many hours of enjoyment, they’ve give me the feeling of accomplishment in life, that helps me to be a better person, they help me to spend more time with my friends, because we all like to build cars, we’d hang out on the weekends, through back a few beers, and just have fun in general, it’s all about the fun.

Cars are all about fun, and learning, there about craftsmanship, and the better things in life, and once you get bitten by the car bug, theirs no cure, it will boil in your blood until you take that action that’s required to mellow the boil, it will nag you until you do the work required to your car to satisfy the inner lust for the art and the action.

It doesn’t matter what you want to do to your car, it will just keep nagging at you until the job is finished, and then you’ll be free to show your car off, a car is not just a car, it a form of expression, and an extension of your soul and spirit, a creative outlet to show the whole world that your car is the only one like it.

It’s a form of empowerment that the normal person will never experience, only a true car crazy nut will ever know the joy and freedom that building a custom car can give you.

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Whiplash - How You Get It and How to Prevent It

Writen by Sophie Evans

290,607 road users were killed or injured in the UK in 2003, 188,342 of those were the drivers or passengers in cars (Department for Transport). With the amount of cars on our roads multiplying by the year it is not surprising that accidents are frequent and that injuries such as whiplash affect so many people. Around 20% of rear end accidents result in a whiplash injury.

The incidence of neck injury to front seat passengers is higher (16 per cent) than for rear seat passengers (10 per cent) in rear end collisions, and front-seat passengers fare worse for neck sprains (19 per cent) than drivers (15 per cent). (What a Pain in the Neck - dotpharmacy.co.uk)

A whiplash injury is caused when the car driving behind you crashes into your rear end. The impact of the two cars colliding throws your body forward so that your neck and shoulders are under your head; your head extends forward and tips down a little. When you slam your foot on the break your head and body fly back in the opposite direction. This vigorous process happens extremely quickly and often results in an injury.

Many people suffer from neck pain or tenderness after an accident but find that these symptoms disappear relatively quickly. Other people are not as lucky and can go on to develop serious neck pain. There are several symptoms of whiplash to look out for. These are often experienced in the days preceding an accident.

o Headaches
o Neck pain
o Back pain
o Shoulder pain
o Ringing in the ears
o Sleeplessness
o Pain in the arms or hands
o Abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling, called paresthesias
o Depression

So what is whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissue in the neck. Areas of the neck which can be affected are the discs and ligaments, cervical muscles, intervertabral joints and the roots of the nerves. Most injury to soft tissue cannot be seen with an x-ray so specialised scans may need to be carried out if symptoms persist into the long term. Treatment for people with whiplash used to involved immobilisation with a cervical collar, nowadays early mobilisation is encouraged instead. A soft collar may be worn but only for short periods at a time. Patients may also need to take pain medication, muscle relaxants and anti-depressants.

How can it be prevented?

According to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States, only eight out of 97 car seats tested went any way to preventing whiplash. It is thought that the height of the head rest is a crucial aspect of preventing injury. The cars that came out top in the tests were.

o The GM brand Saab, the 9-2X and the 9-3
o The Volvo S40, S60 and S80
o The Jaguar S Type.

Drivers should be reminded however that car manufacturers do not have sole responsibility for the prevention of whiplash. Until such a time comes when all vehicles are built with car seats like those in the Saab 9-2X, drivers should take a few steps to protect themselves. A head rest at the correct height for the passenger or driver can reduce the risk of whiplash by around 40-50%. The Insurance Bureau of Canada recommends that the centre of the headrest be slightly above the top of the driver’s ear. The top of the headrest should be at least as high as the top of the driver’s head. Ideally, the distance between the headrest and the back of the driver’s head should be 5-10 cm (2-4 inches).

Whiplash and compensation

If you have been involved in an accident and have sustained a whiplash injury you can normally claim compensation. Liability for the accident is not usually an issue when a driver has rear-ended you. Once the whiplash has been proven by medical reports damages can be claimed for loss of earnings, car damage and any special medical care that you require.

www.car-accident-claim.com provides assistance to people who have been involved in non-fault traffic accidents in the UK. They act quickly to get people back on the road in a replacement car and if people have been injured then Car Accident Adviceline can help them to claim their maximum compensation entitlement.

Editorial notes:

Car Accident Adviceline www.car-accident-claim.com is an independent company that works towards claiming compensation for people who have had a non fault car accident. Their services are completely free to use as all car hire charges and legal fees are recovered from the person at faults insurance company or written off.

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Buy or Lease a Car

Writen by John Mussi

The decision to buy or to lease a car would depend on two things, your finances and your motivation. Let’s focus on the finances first.

Usually, when you lease a car, you will be making a lower down payment than when you actually buy a new car with the help of a car loan. Of course, we are referring to cars of the same model and year. But when you lease a 2003 car, the down payment for it may be higher than when you buy a 1993 used car. Still, a 2003 car will most probably have lower maintenance costs than the 1993 model. Besides, most leased cars have a three-year warranty. During such time, the car is fully-covered for any mechanical breakdowns. Another advantage of leasing a car is the lower monthly payments than when you buy a car using a car loan. Unfortunately, at the end of the lease period, you get to return the car. It doesn’t belong to you and you cannot use it as collateral if you plan to take out a loan. If you still want to use the same car, you have to lease it again, perhaps for the next three years. Or you may lease another car. Can you continue leasing cars every three years for the rest of your life?

Usually, you use a car loan when buying a new or used car. Only a handful of people in this planet can buy a car by paying outright cash. The down payment is higher, the monthly payments are also higher, and you shoulder the maintenance costs. But the monthly premiums will only be for about three or five years, depending on the terms of the car loan. After you pay it off, the car is yours forever. And if the car is new, there won’t be much maintenance to spend on. A used car will most probably demand higher maintenance costs. Of course, when the car is yours, you must also pay for the insurance.

Comparing the two methods, leasing and buying, leasing is cheaper over a short period of time. But in the long run, about ten years or more, leasing will definitely be more expensive. You will need to evaluate your financial resources to decide which method can you afford.

Motivation, however, plays a vital role in your decision. Ask yourself why do you want a car. If you want it so that you will have a more convenient mode of transportation, or you badly need the car to get to your workplace on time, then you probably don’t care much if your car is ten years outdated. What is important is that it runs well. Buying a car is a good option. But if you want a car for the image, then you wanted the latest model. Leasing a car will allow you to drive a new car model every three years.

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