MORE SENSELESS ACTS OF BLOGGERY

ITEM: New Jersey has banned electric car-maker Tesla from selling its cars in the state.

That now makes five (5) states that have explicitly banned Tesla from selling cars. The other four are Arizona, Texas, Virginia and Maryland. Other states have restricted Tesla’s sales in other creative ways, and others yet are trying to either ban or restrict Tesla sales.

Here’s a scorecard map from Forbes:



I recommend reading the article that goes with it.

The problem, technically, is Tesla’s direct-sales model. Many states require manufacturers to sell cars via a dealer. Tesla, as you may know, sells direct to buyers online. The showrooms that it opens are for display/test-drive purposes only.

This isn’t new, per se – Tesla has had to deal with regulatory obstacles for awhile now. But it’s probably no coincidence that auto dealerships nationwide have complained loudly about Tesla’s business practices and many have lobbied state governments hard to keep Tesla out of their respective markets, or at least limit its activities.

Even Tesla’s service policy is a slap in the face of tradition. Tesla charges a flat yearly rate for service, as opposed to dealerships who charge you per visit. According to Wired, car dealerships rely on service maintenance to stay profitable. And they don’t want Tesla succeeding to the point that they’re forced to adopt the same policy to compete.

As widespread as opposition to Tesla is, it would be a mistake to pin this on a specific political party. It’s more of a “money talks” issue, and Big Money has always been bipartisan.

But it’s remarkably hypocritical for Republicans like Chris Christie and Rick Perry to openly back protectionist measures like this – the GOP being the champion of Small Govt and Free Markets and all.

For what it’s worth, Newt Gingrich agrees with me. And it’s not often you’re going to see me type that.

As for Tesla’s viability as a company … who knows? That's kind of the point here. Tesla could easily fail as a company. Consumers could decide that dealerships are more localized and reliable, and Tesla could either go through dealerships or fold. And its cars might suck. So might its customer service.

But hey, why let the market decide, Jim? Car dealers and their politician friends have a far better idea of what’s good for consumers than you do. Obviously.

Not in my state,

This is dF

Cars are also scary. 

Just ask Keith Gordon.

Or James Brolin.



I don’t wanna go to the Devil,

This is dF

“Eternal Rectangle” = The good guys, the bad guys, the Stingray and a million dollars.



See also: 



Yes, that IS Luke Skywalker and the Ghostbusters receptionist.

I remember going to see this solely because Mark Hamill was in it.

Which is something you don’t hear a lot of people say.

Little red corvette,

This is dF

Storytime, children. 



FUN FACT: This was actually an “answer song” to “Hot Rod Race” by Arkie Shibley and His Mountain Dew Boys, which was about two hod rod drivers racing each other on the street only to be overtaken by “some kid in a Model A”. The above song – written by Charlie Ryan and WS Stevenson (not Commander Cody) is from the POV of the Model A driver.

Fast cars,

This is dF

And now, Robert Mitchum sings the Ballad Of Thunder Road!

Moonshiners! Revenoors! The Devil! Kingston Pike!



FUN FACT: A different version of this song served as the theme song of the film. Mitchum recorded his version later.

FULL DISCLOSURE: This is one of my favorite Robert Mitchum films.

DISCLAIMER: That's not actually Kingston Pike in the movie, which was filmed in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Quench the Devil’s thirst,

This is dF

As opposed to some guy with no talent and poor spelling skills (unless “Denver” is actually spelled “Demver” and I never knew it).



[Via Seibei]

Which raises a point, or course – is this the product of someone with no sense of body proportion, or a deliberate attempt at pin-up surrealism? Or a satirical comment on the city of Denver?

Discuss.

No tailgating,

This is dF

ITEM [via BoingBoing]: Next time you need to fill the tank on yr rental car, only to realize you have no idea what side of the car the gas cap is on, here’s a helpful tip:

Check the arrow next to the gas tank icon on yr fuel gauge.



I know, most of you don’t drive rental cars. But I usually rent them when I travel to the US on holiday, and I almost always run into this problem the first time I pull up to a pump. I could have used this nugget of info. So I’m passing it on.

WARNING: Not to be confused with the chain email saying that you can tell which side the gas cap is on by seeing which side of the gas pump icon the handle is on. That’s false.

DISCLAIMER: While we’re at it, I have no idea how true the above tip is, or how universal it is. The article says yr more likely to see an arrow on newer cars. But I can’t tell you if every single auto maker does it for every new model.

Anyway, those of you with new(ish) cars, feel free to test this notion and report back to me if I’m wrong.

Fill ‘er up,

This is dF

Good morning. It’s Monday.

However yr weekend went, you’ve probabluy earned a photo of Pat Priest posing with the Munstermobile.



Yr welcome.

Hot rod rally,

This is dF

I used to think the rush-hour traffic jams in Nashville were pretty bad.

Then I moved to Hong Kong, where traffic jams are constant thanks to ad hoc road design and constant road construction.

Then I made a few trips to Bangkok, where the traffic jams are legendary and make HK look like it’s not really trying.

But at least they didn’t last over ten days. Like this one outside Beijing.


The pictures in that story are worth viewing.

Anyway, next time yr stuck in traffic, remember: it can always be worse.

And if it’s any consolation, Warren Zevon knows how you feel.



Let’s get moving,

This is dF

ITEM: Just look at this boss collection of bōsōzoku-style cars from Pink Tentacle.

More here, here, here and here.

I can’t say how practical the designs are from a speed POV – especially those exaggerated front spoilers – but they LOOK awesome. Which is kind of the point.

I’m not a gearhead, but as someone who grew up in the 70s – the last decade when cars had personality – I think I know a bad-ass car when I see one. They don’t make them like this anymore. Maybe they should.

Pimp my ride,

This is dF