Electric pickup is a real charge (cost of driving isn’t bad either)

By Richard Walker | May 21, 2008 Diesel prices have passed the $5 mark. The price of regular gas, as of Friday, neared the mid-$4 mark.

But you won’t hear a gripe from Brad Pillow of Friday Harbor, especially since it only costs him 31.71 to fill ’er up.

That’s 31.71 cents, not dollars.

Pillow, who’s accustomed to being behind the wheel of a full-size Chevy pickup with a 350 V8, now cruises island streets in a pickup truck made by Zap, an Oregon-based electric vehicle manufacturer.

Pillow bought his Zap pickup April 27, after a dump truck and his 38 mpg Honda Civic had an unfortunate meeting.

Faced with ever-increasing fuel prices, Pillow’s wife, Liz, recommended they look at options. He did some research into electric vehicles, learned about Zap, connected with an owner in Olympia and went for a test drive. He was sold. His pickup cost him $13,000.

Turns out, the smart blue pickup has proven to be an ideal vehicle for tooling around the island. It goes 45 mph and has a 40-mile range on one charge. (The golf cart-like electric cars manufactured by GEM go 25 mph, have a 20-mile range per charge and cost about $18,000.)

Pillow’s pickup is cozy – it has two doors, two seats, seatbelts and stereo. Just how cozy is it? “I like to say that you have to step outside to change your mind,” Pillow quips.

It’s so quiet it has a signal that alerts motorists and pedestrians that it is backing up. A full charge is 4.2 kilowatt hours, at 7.55 cents per kwh. You can top off anytime you want.

It’s built Zap tough: it weighs almost a ton. The batteries have a life of five to seven years. The differential takes one pint of oil a year.

Now, here’s the part that’s anti-Danica. The Zap pickup carries a maximum of 300 pounds – that’s including driver and passenger. The winter cold can affect the battery charge, so you’ve got to park this rod in the garage. And speed and length of battery charge are affected by road grade; the flatter the grade, the longer the ride.

Pillow said the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages.

Zap vehicles are actually classified as motorcycles (they have three wheels). So, to register your vehicle you pay a motorcycle rate. Insurance is a lot cheaper. And, as a “motorcycle,” you can be first on and first off the ferry, Pillow said.

“The savings are astronomical. I save about $100 a month in gas,” he said. “Liz puts her bike in the back, we drive into town together and then she rides her bike to work.”

Pillow’s top reason for recommending that others go Zap: “Social responsibility.”

Wrecks make for hot day on 199

By Adam Madison
Triplicate staff writer
Two major wrecks occurred on U.S. Highway 199 on Wednesday, one resulting in injuries and the other blocking traffic in both directions for more than two hours.
The highway was closed in both directions northwest of Gasquet after a log truck overturned shortly after noon.
Hours later, a Ford Mustang collided with a Dodge truck towing a trailer with a tractor on it in front of Hog-Heaven Motorcycle Resort in Gasquet, owned by the driver of the truck, Keith DeForest.
"I looked over my shoulder and I heard something—I heard gravel—and it hit me," said DeForest, shaken and holding his discolored left arm.
DeForest was turning left toward the gravel driveway of his business when the southbound Mustang, driven by Nathanial Dean Schoeber of Crescent City, collided with the truck, according to the California Highway Patrol. Schoeber was treated and released from Sutter Coast Hospital on Wednesday evening.
DeForest said he had insurance on his truck, which brought a brief smile to his dusty face.
"It jerked me right up on the porch," he said about the collision, still shaken from his experience.
"We're getting ready to take him to the hospital, we think he might have some broken ribs," Summer Calvin, a Hog-Heaven employee and family friend, said Wednesday evening.
After hitting the truck, Schoeber's Mustang slid over a curbed lawn and through a fence before coming to a stop.
Two motorcyclists who were inside Hog-Heaven when the accident occurred were not injured as the truck stopped at the porch—but their motorcycles didn't do as well.
"I was in the store paying for that drink there," said Todd Clendenin, of Crescent City, pointing toward an empty sports drink bottle.
"I heard the impact and saw the truck floating toward the store—I thought it was coming through," said Clendenin. "I was just getting ready to run when it (the truck) stopped."
Clendenin said the heartbreak happened only a moment later. "My buddy looks out and says, "Hey, your bike's underneath that truck."'
He replied with an enthusiastic "yep" when asked if he had insurance, adding, "I've only had the bike for about a year."
Clendenin was riding with Jeff Broderson, whose bike was hit in the chain reaction as well—but didn't end up underneath the truck.
In an earlier wreck, a log truck overturned 10 miles northwest of Gasquet blocking north and southbound lanes of the highway and stopping other travelers in the Gasquet heat.
"As he was coming around the corner the truck started to overturn," said CHP Officer Alton Randall. "I'm not sure whether the cab or the trailer went first."
The logs on the trailer of the southbound truck spilled into the northbound lane after the vehicle tipped.
The name of the truck driver, who was uninjured, was not released Wednesday.
CHP Officer Barry Foster said that no diesel spilled from the log truck, only "a little bit of engine oil."
"When the truck overturned the tanks didn't rupture," said Foster, pointing to a dark pool of liquid that had spilled out from the engine compartment.
People on the way out of town were stuck in the heat for more than two hours.
"We were headed to Medford (Ore.) and Redding," said Roy Magnuson, who was with his wife, Marilyn. "We were headed to pick up a new trailer," he said, pointing to his fifth-wheel camper trailer.
A filmmaker's travels were disrupted as well.
"I'm doing a documentary on hitchhiking for the U.K. (United Kingdom)—sometimes the unexpected happens," said Hamish Campbell from Britain.
Reach Adam Madison at amadison@triplicate.com.

One2Five - Bikesure Steps in to Cover the Sub-125cc 'Uninsurables'

There are also more manufacturers then ever producing them - and this is a problem, as the official ABI database (compiled by the Association of British Insurers) can't keep up with all the new models and marques. Which means many insurers simply can't touch lots of the new 'sub-125's - and owners can find themselves with a real problem getting cover.
Now Bikesure has launched a scheme that will insure any sub-125cc machine, no matter what the brand. Called One2Five, and underwritten by Norwich Union, Bikesure believes it's the most flexible scheme for the small bike and scooter rider.
"One2Five can handle any bike make, any age of driver and any level of cover," says Robert Balls of Bikesure. "We'll not only cover brands that other insurers can't or won't touch, we'll also insure riders and bikes that many exclude - such as a 17 year old on a race style bike."
Despite its flexibility One2Five is very competitively priced - in fact Bikesure believes the scheme delivers some of the cheapest bike insurance premiums on the market for bikes under 125cc.
"If you're a standard rider with a standard bike, you can even buy online," adds Robert Balls. "If the bike is a bit off the wall, or if the rider has any convictions or other special conditions, then it's best to give us a call for the cheapest quote."
Amongst the extras for the Bikesure scheme is a special 'new for old' feature for brand new bikes. If a new bike is written off within six months of purchase, One2Five will replace it with no depreciation.
Bikesure is 100% British owned and based. It has a huge range of specialist policies for the motorcycle enthusiast, including cheap bike insurance schemes for performance and custom bikes, scooters, trikes, quads and bug riders. For details freephone the Bikesure quote line on 0800 089 2000, email the company at bikesure @ adrianflux.co.uk or visit http://www.bikesure.co.uk/
One2Five.doc – May-08Press Enquiries:Toni Turner or Alison Haynes at The Publicity WorksTel: 01263 761000 Email: bikesure @ publicityworks.biz Robert Balls at Bikesure Insurance: 08700 771377 Press information, digital files, photos etc., available on request from bikesure @ publicityworks.biz

Help Protect Your Motorcycle Accident Claim

How often do we find ourselves sitting in a traffic jam waiting patiently in our cars inching forward every few minutes then we suddenly hear the roar of an engine pass our window as we turn and see a motorcycle slice through the commuters hell that is the everyday rush hour?
There is no question that a motorcycle is the ideal way to beat the traffic woes in big cities or large towns. Modern machines are equipped for comfort and are icons of speed to help get the rider to his destination in the quickest time possible. Yet, a motorcycle is still a dangerous way to travel no matter how quickly it makes the journey-time.
Riders of motorcycles are aware of these dangers and obviously protect themselves by wearing the proper bike leathers and safety helmet. However, there are less safety features on a motorcycle than with a car. There is no protective frame on a motorcycle like a car has and in the case of an impact it is the motorcycle and its driver that in the majority of times will come of as second-best.
If you have been in a recent road accident and were a motorcycle driver it is best to seek specialist help if you are looking to claim compensation for your injuries. Nowadays, most personal injury lawyers run these type of claims under a 'No Win No Fee' policy which means that the claimant does not pay anything whether they lose the claim or not.
A professional personal injury lawyer will help build your case for compensation and collect evidence to support your claim by retrieving police accident reports, witness statements, medical reports, costs incurred from the accident such as repair bills for the motorcycle, insurance documents ... everything that is required legally to take your case to trial.
It is most likely that in the majority of cases that the other party will admit negligence for their part in the accident and an out-of-court settlement can be reached. However, it is best to be prepared to go to court to fight your case and an experienced personal injury lawyer should prepare your case and you for this event.
With more and more cars hitting our roads everyday, inexperienced drivers, road rage and confusing road layouts accidents will happen. Motorcycles can be often bare the brunt of a road collision and if you have been a victim of such a motorcycle accident and wish to claim compensation for your injuries then you require the experience of a professional injury lawyer such as The Injury Lawyers.
Paul Steven writes for North South Media an organic SEO Company that offers article writing and submission services.

As Fuel Prices Increase, So Do Motorcycle Sales

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (NBC) -- Standing at a local gas station, watching the numbers roll by faster than his eye can keep up with, Marco Almeida swears this may be one of the last times he fills up his car with gas.

$4.00-a-gallon fuel has financially drained him."That's why I'm switching to a bike," he says. A bike, as in, motorcycle.At the local Harley Davidson dealership, they've been seeing more and more people like Marco just within the past couple of week."The fuel mileage ranges anywhere from 35-miles per gallon to one of the bikes we make that get 70 miles to a gallon," says Andy DaMiano, General Manager at the Harley store.DaMiano says people are still hesitant to purchase a new motorcycle because they're already feeling the financial pinch from higher fuel and food prices, and don't need yet another payment.But pre-owned bikes, he says, he can't keep on the floor. "We're selling every used bike we can possibly get. Everything we trade for, we sell. We're out of used motorcycles right now," says DaMiano.Leslie Kay, who owns an insurance company in Boynton Beach specializes in motorcycle coverage. Her company writes policies in 23 states for everything from scooters to cruisers. Business, she says, is booming."There's a whole group of people out there that are pulling the bike out of the garage that they quit riding 5 years ago and put a cover over and they got too busy to ride because that was their hobby," says Kay, "All of a sudden it's not a hobby anymore."Once considered an expendable-income luxury. Motorcycles are now becoming, for many, an economic necessity."I have no choice but to," says Almeida, "I'm working a part time job and it feels like I'm working to put gas in my car."

Women victimized by motorcycle thieves

Many Yemenis work as motorcycle drivers in order to earn a living; however, others use it to steal women’s purses and harass female pedestrians on the street.There are more than 10,000 motorcycles in Sana’a, nearly all of which have entered Yemen illegally from entry points such as Oman and Saudi Arabia. These motorcycles don’t have any documentation or insurance and are unregistered, notes Yahya Shubail, former head of the Sana’a Traffic Department.Many motorcyclists in Yemen consider it a job in order to make a living, says Yahya Al-Hadtha. “I tried to find a job for nearly a year, but with no success, so one day, I decided to buy and become a motorcycle driver in order to earn money. I don’t have a number for my motorcycle and it’s unregistered.”The real problem in Yemen is that most of these motorcycles are unregistered and have entered the country illegally, so no one can go after these criminals and find them, Shubail notes.This is why the Yemeni government must give some attention to this problem and come up with solutions. Besides Sana’a, Hodeidah governorate and the Tihama region also are experiencing an increased number of motorcycles.Many motorcyclists use their vehicles to steal women’s purses, for sexual harassment and to break the law by not heeding traffic signals, Shubail said.While walking to her home in Al-Qaa’a area of Sana’a one afternoon last year, a motorcyclist came up to Abeer Mohammed and tried to steal her purse. “I fought with him while he was holding my purse. I beat him until we both fell down. Then some people saw us and came to help me and the driver drove away,” she recounted.During the past three years from 2005 to 2007, the phenomenon of hooligan motorcyclists has increased. They steal women’s purses while they’re walking on the street, as well as sexually abuse women pedestrians, and then flee quickly, explains Ahmed Sa’ad, an official at Al-Saba’een area police station in Sana’a.Following such incidents, Sa’ad noted, “We came up with a plan to stop and fight these motorcyclists. In the beginning, it was a very hard job because many of the cycles were unregistered. However, working hand in hand and with the help of security officials, it worked.”After working hard to stop gangs and illegal motorcycles, police succeeded in 2007 in stopping and catching nearly all of the thieves. Approximately 40 to 50 motorcyclists have been caught and imprisoned. While most were organized gangs, some acted individually, Sa’ad added.According to him, “We used to follow them by car and taxi, keeping our eye on them in order to learn more about them and we succeeded. We then sent them to criminal investigation, which transferred them to the attorney general’s office.”Despite such successful action, the phenomenon has begun to reappear in Sana’a and there must be solutions as soon as possible, Sa’ad urged.However, not all motorcyclists are bad; in fact, most work hard to earn a respectable living. At the same time, many people – almost exclusively men – prefer getting around by motorcycle because it’s faster than other vehicles.“They’re fast because no one can follow them because there aren’t any numbers on our motorcycles,” adds Ali Mohammed, who has been a motorcycle driver for almost two years.He explains, “Because I’m poor and couldn’t find a job, I started working as a driver, taking people from place to place.” However, he admitted, “I know many drivers who use their motorcycles to steal from people on the street or to bother women and girls.”Riham Ahmed, 19, was walking to her car with her friend from their friend’s house. She recalled, “The neighborhood was dark. A motorcyclist came from behind and tried to take my purse, but I kept holding onto it so he couldn’t take it. He failed and drove off.”She continued, “I then got into my car and tried to go after him and find him, but without success. Since then, I’ve stopped going out at night alone and started carrying my purse on the side facing the sidewalk so that no one can do anything.”Bushra Al-Liswas likewise had a bad experience seven years ago while walking on Iran Street in Hadda area. She said, “It was 8:30 p.m. and I was walking alone when a motorcyclist carrying another passenger with him came from behind and tried to take my purse by force and he did. I screamed, but when people came to help me, he’d already fled with my purse. I lost my mobile phone and some money.”Eid season is a good time for thieves because everyone goes to the market to buy things. At that time, their purses and pockets are filled with money.For example, during this past Eid Al-Fitr, while Mona was in the market buying some clothing, a motorcyclist came up, hit her hard on the back and seized all of her purchases.Other motorcycle crimesSome girls have encountered extremely dangerous situations involving motorcycle hooligans. One day during Ramadan, a group of girls was in the market when a group of four male motorcyclists suddenly drove past, threw acid on them and then fled. Some of the girls’ clothing [that they were wearing] melted and two girls were injured because of it, Majeda recounted.She continued, “We didn’t report it to the police because we thought that even if we did, nothing would happen because there’s no law to protect us, so we just decided to walk on and be careful.”Besides using their motorcycles, thieves also use weapons. According to A.J., “Last year, I was walking to my friend’s house at sunset to attend her wedding when three individuals came up on their motorcycles, threatened me with knives and demanded all of my gold. Having no other choice, I gave them everything.”Shubail points out that there is a law pertaining to stopping smuggled motorcycles, but so far, it hasn’t been implemented. He concluded, “I recommend creating stricter legislation in order to stop traffic congestion and confusion in order to benefit the public.”

NASCAR Drivers, Virginia Officials Encourage Local Teens to Stop Texting While Driving

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Nationwide Insurance teamed up with NASCAR drivers Clint Bowyer and Landon Cassill, DRIVE SMART Virginia, the Virginia State Police, Henrico County School officials and the Richmond International Raceway to raise awareness among Virginia teens about DWD – Driving While Distracted.
"To remain safe behind the wheel, whether it is on a race track or on the streets, requires 100 percent focus," said Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet and current points leader in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. "If I allow myself to become distracted during the race it can cost me positions on the track, but driving distracted on the streets and highways can be extremely dangerous not only to the driver but to the other motorists on the road."
To drive home the message that multitasking behind the wheel puts drivers and their fellow motorists at risk, Nationwide hosted an event at Hermitage High School. Students and community members were able to see firsthand the impact text messaging has on their driving abilities while racing in a NASCAR simulator.
“Here in Virginia, we are committed to improving the safety of our roadways, and distracted driving is a challenge that we are addressing. Initiatives like Distracted Driving Awareness Day direct our attention to the need to focus our minds and eyes on the important task of driving," said Ralph Davis, Deputy Secretary of Transportation. "We want to urge all drivers to devote their full attention and energy to helping to improve safety on Virginia's roadways."
Officials, including Davis, Virginia State Police Deputy Director of Field Operations Major George L. Daniels, Jr., Superintendent of Henrico Co. Schools Fred Morton IV and the President of Richmond International Raceway Doug Fritz, encouraged teens in Virginia to drive safely and stop driving while distracted.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted drivers account for nearly four out of five crashes in the U.S. The problem is especially bad for young drivers. In a survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance of 1,200 drivers, a third of Gen Y-ers admit to always multitasking while driving and 37 percent send text messages while driving.
“Multi-tasking has become such a daily part of our lives that many people don’t think about the risks to themselves and others when it’s done behind the wheel,” said Major George L. Daniels, Virginia State Police Deputy Director of Field Operations. “It only takes a few seconds to change a CD, grab a drink, dial a cell phone, crash your vehicle and change a life forever.”
Distractions that take a driver’s eyes off the road even for just seconds put drivers and their passengers at great risk.
“At Nationwide, we’re as much in the business of preventing accidents as we are in reimbursing people after an accident,” said Mark Berven, Nationwide’s Regional Vice President for Virginia. “Text messaging comes natural to Gen Y-ers. However, multitasking while behind the wheel is quite different from multitasking while sitting at home.”
Nationwide and the National Safety Council developed www.NationwideSmartRide.com, a Website to provide parents and teens free tools and resources to help develop safe drivers and reinforce smart behavior. It is available free to anyone regardless of whether they are a Nationwide customer.
"The increase in cell phone use and text-messaging by young drivers – and adult drivers as well – makes the "don't drive while distracted" message critical for all communities,” said Fred Morton, IV, Superintendent of Henrico County Schools. “I applaud all the organizations involved in today's event for addressing this very contemporary safety issue.”
Nationwide Insurance was at Hermitage High School as part of its new sponsorship of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In addition to spreading the message of dangers of driving while distracted, the event gave race fans an opportunity to get driver autographs, clock the fastest time in a NASCAR racing simulator, meet local Nationwide agents and win prizes. The grand prize for the sweepstakes at the event was the Nationwide® VIP Experience at the track in Richmond.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series will be at the Richmond International Raceway on Friday, May 2, 2008 for the Lipton Tea 250. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.
DRIVE SMART Virginia (DSV) is the only 501c3 non-profit in Virginia dedicated entirely to making Virginia's roadways the safest in the nation. Founded by automobile insurance companies that represent more than 85 percent of the driving insured on Virginia’s roads, DSV is a formidable presence in the homes and businesses of our Virginia citizens. For more information, visit www.drivesmartva.org.
Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world, with more than $161 billion in assets. Nationwide ranks #108 on the Fortune 500 list. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series logo and word mark are used under license by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. NASCAR® and the NASCAR logo are registered trademarks of the National Association for Stock Auto Racing, Inc. Nationwide SmartRide is a service mark of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Nationwide, On Your Side and the Nationwide Frame mark are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.