Category: Auto
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Driving with arthritis
Steering You Right With Sharon Peters Q: My dad has what appears to be increasingly profound arthritis and I’m worried about whether he can do what he needs to do when he’s driving. He claims he’s OK to drive and that he’s as solid behind the wheel as he ever was. I have my doubts,…
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Free at last
Stop spinning your wheels — you’ll only be digging yourself into a deeper rut. That’s both a poster-worthy life lesson and the No. 1 tip for freeing a car that’s mired in the snow or mud. Instead, start by disengaging your vehicle’s traction control system, which tends to work against a driver’s efforts when there’s…
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Snowy Wheels
Steering You Right With Sharon Peters Q: This will be our first winter in the extreme north. There will be lots of snow. Do we need studded tires or will snow tires do the trick? A: Go for a set of good-quality snow tires. Studs make no sense for the normal driver, even when he…
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Clean diesel
Steering You Right With Sharon Peters Q: Can you tell me what they mean when they say a vehicle is a “clean diesel” vehicle? A: A so-called clean-diesel vehicle is engineered to take advantage of the latest ultra-low-sulfur fuel that’s refined to have 97 percent less sulfur than with previous formulas. The lower sulfur count…
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Why self-driving cars should be required to pass driving tests
A report suggests states should test and certify future autopilot cars’ mettle before turning them loose on the roads By Jim Gorzelany CTW Features Every state in the union requires motorists to pass a battery of tests in order to be licensed to drive, so why not hold tomorrow’s autopilot vehicles to the same standards?…
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Pain in the seat
Steering You Right With Sharon Peters Q: What makes and models of cars do you recommend that have a front passenger’s seat that can be adjusted sufficiently to ease the pain for those with lower back trouble? My wife and I have driven several cars where only the driver’s seat was adjusted by power positioning…
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City driver/country driver – who is safer?
New research shows there’s something to be said for urban gridlock after all By Jim Gorzelany CTW Features While those driving the open roads in rural America don’t have to put up with snarling traffic jams, maniac motorists and the unpredictable nature of taxi cabs, buses and bicyclists, statistics suggest they’re actually at greater risk…
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Child seat smarts
Steering You Right With Sharon Peters Q: I will be taking care of my grandchild for the next several months. He’s 9 — obviously too big for a child seat, but he’s small for his age. Is there any way to know if the adult seatbelts will do what they should do in an accident?…
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Warm starter
Steering You Right With Sharon Peters Q: My son moved to northern Minnesota a few months ago and got some sort of plug-in heater for his car engine. He says it makes it start better in the winter. My husband and I just moved from Florida to Ohio and since it gets pretty cold here,…
