KeriBlog

Cars, Security & a Peek into my Life

Meet Some of My Autonet Team

It’s Joe Duarte! My editor (boss) (my blog post / Autonet bio)

He’s giving me a lift to Markham; I’m picking up a Honda Fit, and that week Joe had the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera.

To read our reviews, click those links.

Because we’re all freelancers, we don’t really get together and hang out, so this trio of photos are rare.

Meet Dan Barron – long time auto journalist, Joe’s right hand guy, funny.

We’re at Test Fest, in Niagara Falls in October.

And last week, out of nowhere at a Christmas party, there was Jeff Voth, hi!

Another top Canadian auto journalist, has his pilot’s licence, and does these unique road trip pieces you’d like.

Here’s the rest of the team!

This is all new, our bios and headhsots went live last week.

Here’s my bio.

I feel meh about my headshot.

Could be worse. Could use some posing lessons. And makeup lessons, can’t get away with just mascara and lip-gloss anymore. Hair could have been worse. You don’t even know how much I hate having my photo taken.

Look how thick my fridge-article-collection is getting.

 

Talking about Trucking

EVERYthing is brought in by truck, it’s the only vehicle that will fit inside a downtown core… truckers are the glue keeping things moving.

Santa is a trucker.

Never pull out in front of one and brake, it’s terrifying for the driver, a truck’s stopping distance is massive.

Favourite line:

100% of everything has been transported by a trucker. So why are we passenger vehicles so impatient with them?

Thanks for getting everything, everywhere.

Take good care out there! 

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Get a Roadside Assistance Plan

If your car breaks down, what’s the plan to move an immovable hunk of metal?

New cars are not immune… flat tire / out of gas / missing keys … It’s like buying a feeling almost… that wherever I may get stuck, I dial a number and a helpful truck and driver just, show up.

Favourite line:

[what do you do when] a car stops, and turns into a giant, immovable mass of metal, for which you’re responsible?

A correction:

Second last paragraph, first sentence, it says “used cars are not immune”, but that should say “new cars”

 

The 2 Types of Roadside Assistance Plans

Check with your dealer for details, but as a general rule:

Dealer Roadside Assistance

  • tows you to nearest dealership
  • covers your vehicle

Auto Club Roadside Assistance (eg. CAA)

  • tows you to wherever you ask
  • covers you the person, so even if you’re driving a friend’s car, you’re still covered

 

Mini-cover, third down.

CAA has saved me so many times, I have a blog section just for them – CAA

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All-Season Tires are Delusional

Last week, Canadian Tire invited me to drive on an ice rink to test tires; winter VS all-season ones.

Winter dominated.

What had the most impact on me, though, was:

50% of Canadians are driving without winter tires. I was shocked.  That’s too low and not okay.

How can 1 thing perform 5 functions?

Show me one outfit that can be worn to work, a cocktail party, a club, a movie night in, then to play baseball.  Can’t.

(read it online here)

Favourite line:

For sure I’m a bit lippy this week, but I feel strongly about this because apparently half of you are irresponsibly driving beside me in icy conditions while wearing roller-skates, thinking they’re good for all four seasons.

At 7ºC, the rubber in a non-winter tire hardens, it loses elasticity, and therefore adhesiveness.

Therefore, winter tires go on at 7ºC

The rubber in a winter tire is designed to stay flexible in low temperatures, so it sticks better to the road.

Driving with me is Graham Jeffery, Tire Business Manager with Canadian Tire, hi hi.

Deep grooves that expel snow, that’s what to look for.

Here’s a post about my new camera setup, seen above.  And I’ll leave you, with the Final Cut file.

This is what the video above, actually looks like.

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Lecturing Teenage Drivers

They need it.

Per kilometre, teen drivers are involved in more crashes than any other age group.

(read it online)

Favourite line:

[slow down] This is not a knock; it is just logic – the only way to become a good driver is through increased seat time. But you just became licensed to sit in that seat.”

 

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