WomanOnWheels.ca

BMW ConnectedDrive: It's about the downloads, not the driving

I remember when a cool car was one that was fast, or fantastically styled. These days, it's all about how connected it is. BMW's ConnectedDrive will take dictation, send tweets, connect your passengers to the Internet, and ... what, no coffeemaker? Read all about it in my Toronto Star story by clicking here.

You Can, But You Shouldn't ...

It has Buick-style chrome portholes, too.

Bugs, bags, and a cork company that built cars ...

That happy-looking gentleman is Jujiro Matsuda, who took a cork company and turned it into an automaker. That, along with information on the VW Beetle, Mercedes-Benz's tie-in to a piano company, airbags that aren't necessary in Canada and a few other items, are part of my Toronto Star trivia column this time around. Find out more by clicking here.

You Can, But You Absolutely SHOULD NOT!

Now, if you visit this site regularly, you'll know that I often post pictures that show that You Can, But You Shouldn't. And some of them are pretty incredible examples of what people can do when they go a little crazy with self-tapping screws and two-sided tape.

But every now and again, you come across one that's so far out there, it would take an Academy Award if such a category existed. And thanks to a tip, I found it. I can't repost it here, because it isn't my photo, but it just has to be seen. Don't say I didn't warn you. One ... two ... three ... click!

A look at the Honda Ridgeline

Hard-core truck fans may look down their noses at it, but the Honda Ridgeline is a decent vehicle for those who want a medium-duty machine. If I ever replace my aging half-ton pickup, it's going to be a difficult decision between the Ridgeline and the Nissan Frontier. Read why in my Toronto Star review by clicking here.

Seatbelt safety: Let's teach from other's mistakes

Okay, I'm going to go out in a direction that may make some people uncomfortable. And if you know the people in my story, I'm sorry that you're dealing with this grief. But I think it needs to be said.

Earlier this week, a 17-year-old girl was killed, and her 17- and 18-year-old friends were airlifted to hospital in critical condition, when they were involved in a single-vehicle crash in the Toronto area.

The girl who was killed, and one of those critically injured, were ejected from the van because they weren't wearing seatbelts.

The three attended a Catholic school, and so in addition to offering grief counsellors for other students, the school held a meeting to pray for the three.

And I say, all that is fine. But after the prayers were done, there should have been a police officer brought up in front of all the students to say, "This is what can happen when you get into a vehicle and you don't wear your seatbelt. This is why it's the law, and this is why we tell you, over and over, to buckle up. No one should have died in this crash. Wear your seatbelt, so you don't end up dead as your classmate did."

Tough love? Oh, yeah. But sometimes, that's what people need. No one expects they'll ever crash, or be ejected from a vehicle. But when there's an empty desk in your class, when you realize your friend isn't coming back, that it happened to someone you know - then the message has a chance of getting through.

When incidents like this happen, we should use them to educate that person's peers. We often do things that may initially be unpopular, or even seem heartless, but we temper them with, "but if it saves one life, it's worth it." This tragedy, had it been used to educate, could have done exactly that.