NO JOKE! Switzerland Looks to Ban Electric Cars to Avoid Blackouts
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach The Swiss government is planning to limit the use of electric vehicles due to a shortage of electricity supply this winter, this is under a new four-step plan to prevent power cuts and blackouts. The ban in Switzerland excludes cases of “absolutely necessary journeys” in their stage three of […]
The $7,500 Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Is Harder to Get Than You Think
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach The government is offering free money for electric vehicle owners. But how ‘free’ is it? The federal government has been telling Americans that they can earn $7,500 on a new tax credit. The deal comes from the recently enacted The Inflation Reduction Act, where the legislation generated a tax […]
Catalytic Converter Thefts Skyrocketing–Why Thieves Want Them
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach Across the country, catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed in the last few years and they continue to increase. It seems like an odd part to take but it is easy money for thieves. According to data compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) the theft of catalytic converters […]
Your Car is Tracking You! Does this Violate Your 4th Amendment Rights?
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach As the US enters a new era of lawmaking, connected cars could become the new front of legal battles. Most modern cars know their locations better than their owners do. As suites of connected-car apps become mainstream for both emergency functionality or for driver conveniences such as remote start and […]
Funding for Road Infrastructure–Never Seems to be Enough: NMA E-Newsletter #721
Out of the many transportation problems America currently faces, funding infrastructure remains at the top of the pile. Currently, we pay at the pump both a national and state gas tax and in many local counties and cities around the country, we also pay special sales taxes and wheel taxes for infrastructure. It never seems […]
War on Parking Just Got Real: NMA E-Newsletter #717
Back in the 1960s: Joni Mitchell once sang: “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” But city planners who once were blamed for creating space for cars are now reversing direction. The new strategy is to “save paradise and take away a parking lot.” How did we get here? The only way to […]
Is the Car Bubble about to Burst?
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach Car buying is not what it used to be, as shoppers find bare lots and inflated prices. The auto market is still short on supply and high on demand. Beyond the chip shortage there are shortages in tires, wiring harnesses, and plastic components. Government regulations are not helpful either. […]
New California Bill Will Pay Residents $1,000 for Not Owning a Car – This makes NO Cents
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach A new California bill will pay residents $1,000 for NOT owning a car. SB457 has been proposed as a way to reduce traffic congestion and save the state money. While the bill may sound like a great idea on the surface, there are some serious concerns about it. For […]
Gas Tax and Electricity Hikes Inside Inflation Reduction Act
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, passed the Senate on August 9, 2022. Inside the $430 billion bill promoting deficit reduction and climate change, is an increase in your gas taxes. With gas averaging close to $4.00 per gallon across the country, and only weeks removed from record-high prices, this act includes a […]
Asset Forfeiture Reporting Obscures Facts and Undermines Transparency
By Clay Wirestone, a guest columnist for the Kansas Reflector Editor’s Note: The Kansas Reflector recently investigated Kansas’ new database for civil asset forfeiture and found many irregularities. Even though this piece is Kansas-focused, the type of issues Wirestone describes, particularly the lack of accountability and transparency, are traits shared by CAF programs in many other states. […]