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I
THOUGHT that they had already solved the traffic jam
that occurs almost every day right in front of the
Manila City Hall.
But no,
the traffic light on the busy section of the highway has
only created a monster of a traffic jam.
On
Monday I saw four accidents involving cars coming from
two directions, one from Taft Avenue and one from
Intramuros. All the vehicles converge in front of the
city hall where jeeps and buses fight one another for
passengers.
The
baulking jeeps and buses plus that traffic light, which
seems to justify their stay on that very busy section,
cause the accidents. And that’s what happened when four
different vehicles bumped into one another that Monday
afternoon.
The
northbound lane is problematic and it’s the same with
the southbound lane, since most of the jeeps and buses
bunch up in the middle of the road, almost totally
blocking the entrance to the Lagusnilad.
It’s
total bedlam out there, especially during rush hour.
Traffic is still bad even at 9 in the evening as the
jeeps and buses wait in the middle of the road for
passengers trickling out of the underpass.
Authorities at the scene don’t seem to notice the
problem.
ANDROS
VILLARAZA of Cats Motors e-mailed this one:
“Startech, born from the makers of Brabus
high-performance tuning and design for Mercedes-Benz
cars, now unveils its masterpiece for the legendary
Chrysler marque: the Chrysler 300C Startech limited
edition with only 20 units available in the country.
“A proud
and prestigious vehicle since its introduction, the
Chrysler 300C’s reinvention has won accolades for its
distinctive styling, roomy interior and powerful
performance capabilities, which include a 250-hp
3.5-liter V6 engine under its hood as well as a 340-hp
Hemi V8 engine. The Chrysler 300C is designed with
technology that combines both intuition and innovation.
“The
exterior styling, beginning with the Startech Signature
Chrome Grille with Matrix Design, emphasizes crisp-edged
luxury that lends a sporty yet elegant design to the
Chrysler 300C’s already commanding exterior. Already
standing out with its stylish 18-inch wheels and HID
headlamps, a grand entrance is reinforced further by the
addition of the Startech Illuminated Door Sills, the
Startech Aluminium Pedal Set and the Startech Rear
Spoiler.
“Staying
true to the intent of transporting you in spacious
stateliness, the interiors are a testament to the
comfortable and gracefully designed ideals that the
Chrysler 300C is known for. A long list of interior
conveniences includes premium leather seats,
Electronic
Vehicle Information Center, sunroof and a killer
276-watt digital amplifier with the Boston Acoustics
sound system.
“Overall, the commanding character of the Chrysler 300C
Startech Edition is reaffirmed with the official
Startech badge seen on the sides and the rear of the
vehicle. Combined with the brand’s provenance and
Startech’s innovation, the Limited Edition 300C is
clearly destined to make automotive history as a vehicle
that stands for what automobiles can and should be. For
more information, call Chrysler Makati at 815-2222 or
Chrysler Greenhills at 723-5808.”
THE race
to develop ultra fuel-efficient cars is on and the prize
is a whopping $10 million or P400 million in cold cash,
put up by the X Prize Foundation and Progressive (an
insurance company) during the New York International
Auto Show.
The
newly renamed Progressive Automotive X Prize is an
international competition designed to inspire a new
generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles. The
independent and technology-neutral competition is open
to teams from around the world that can design, build
and bring to market 100 MPGe (miles per gallon energy
equivalent) vehicles that people want to buy and that
meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety
and performance.
The goal
of the Progressive Automotive X Prize is to inspire a
new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles
that offer more consumer choices. Ten million dollars in
prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a stage
race for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed
100 MPGe. The Progressive Automotive X Prize will place
a major focus on affordability, safety and the
environment. It is about developing real,
production-capable cars that consumers want to buy, not
science projects or concept cars.
A
summary of the current guidelines stipulates that the
competition will comprise two vehicle classes,
mainstream and alternative. Mainstream vehicles will be
required to carry four or more passengers, have four or
more wheels and allow for a 200-mile range.
Alternative-class vehicles will be required to carry two
or more passengers, have no constraints on the number of
wheels and allow for a 100-mile range. The competition
will culminate with two dramatic, long-distance stage
races in 2009 and 2010—a Qualifying Race and the Grand
Prize Final Race.
Racecourses will reflect typical consumer driving
patterns during numerous stages, in varied terrain,
communities and weather conditions. To win, vehicles
must complete both races with the lowest overall time
averaged over all scoring stages while still meeting the
requirements for 100 MPGe fuel economy and low emissions
of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The $10-million
prize purse will be split 3:1 between the winners of the
mainstream and alternative classes.
There
are already 60 teams from nine countries that had taken
up to the challenge. Local challengers are also free to
join. |
