When You are Washing Your Vehicle in the Driveway

Remember You're Not Just Washing Your Car in the Driveway .....



What's the problem with car washing?

There's no problem with washing your car. It's just HOW and WHERE you do it. Soaps and detergents, even biodegradable products are lethal to fish and other aquatic life in relatively small amounts. When you wash your car in the street or driveway, the soap along with dirt, oils, metals, and other pollutants washed from your car, the driveway, and the street, flow into nearby storm drains which flow directly to our lakes, streams, and the ocean without treatment.

Here's some tips on how you can reduce the environmental impact of washing your car.

Recommendation from Sammy the Steelhead, "Go to a commercial car wash when your car needs cleaning to conserve water and prevent stormwater pollution." Commercial car washes recycle water and send wastewater to treatment systems where it is treated before being discharged into a waterway.

If you must wash your car at home, use the environmentally friendly car washing tips listed below to reduce water use and prevent stormwater pollution:

• Use a bucket and special biodegradable soap. Use as little soap and water as possible. Look for products that do not contain nonylphenol surfactants that act as endocrine disrupters that change the sex of fish and phosphates that contribute to algal blooms and low oxygen levels in waterways. When you are done, dump your bucket of soapy water into a sink, drain, or toilet that goes to a treatment system or into a vegetated area.


• Use a trigger spray nozzle to control water flow from the hose and reduce water use.


• Wash the car on a grassy area or other porous surface where soil microbes and vegetation can filter and break down pollutants and keep wash water out of the street and storm drains.


• You can also dike off your driveway and direct wash water into a landscaped area or vacuum it up with a ShopVac rather than allowing it to run into the street.


• Support environmentally friendly charity car wash events that block off nearby storm drains, use minimal amounts of water, and divert wash water to the sanitary sewer or nearby landscaping.

Auto transport companies in California - CA

1. All America auto transport - Auto transport company

7514 Wisconsin Ave.

Bethesda, MD 20814

1-800-227-7447

1-800-CAR-SHIPPING

Fax: 877-859-4500 (toll free)

Website: http://www.aaat.com

Car transport quote: http://www.aaat.com/quote.cfm

2. American Interstate Crossings - Auto transport company

14661 Myford Road, Suite C
Tustin, California, 92780

Daytime phone: 949-480-3762
Fax: 714-734-0537

website: http://www.viatruck.com and Car Transport quote

3. American Transportation - Auto transport company

25055 Starr St
Loma Linda, California, 92354

Daytime phone: 909-583-4220
Secondary phone: 909-583-4993
Fax: 909-796-0594

Website: http://www.americanautotransportation.com and Car Transport quote

4. Ats Transportation Services - Auto transport company

1355 Heritage Way
Gilroy, California, 95020

Daytime phone: 408-842-5341
Secondary phone: 800-229-9781
Fax: 408-842-1692

Website: http://www.atstransport.com and Car Transport quote

5. Auto Transport 4 Less - Auto transport company

PO Box 39926
Downey, California, 90240

Daytime phone: 310-227-2861
Fax: 310-263-1208

Website: http://www.autotransport4less.com and Car Transport quote

6. Big Brothers Auto Transport - Auto transport company

3335 Placer Street #132
Redding, California, 96001

Daytime phone: 877-235-2330
Secondary phone: 530-243-2330
Fax: 530-243-2322

Website: http://www.bigbrotherstransport.com and Car Transport quote

7. Bullseye Auto Transport - Auto transport company

18900 Live Oak Rd.
Red Bluff, California, 96080

Daytime phone: 530-529-6972
Secondary phone: 530-529-6986
Fax: 530-527-8122

Website: http://www.bullseyeautotransport.com and Car Transport quote

8. D&B AUTO TRANSPORT - Auto transport company

3610 BANBURY DR #2D
RIVERSIDE, California, 92505

Daytime phone: 951-534-2002
Secondary phone: 951-500-5262
Fax: 951-479-8718

Website: http://www.dbautotransport.com and Car Transport quote

9. Nationwide Carriers - Auto transport company

6359 seastone way
sacramento, California, 95831

Daytime phone: 877-251-4394
Secondary phone: 916-613-4588
Fax: 916-422-5877

Website: http://nationwidecarriers.com and Car Transport quote

10. Reliable Carrier Group - Auto transport company

6233 Ravenna Way
Elk Grove, California, 95757

Daytime phone: 800-381-2068
Secondary phone: 916-230-3659
Fax: 916-200-0193

Website: http://www.rcgauto.com and Car Transport quote

11. Wise Auto Shipping - Auto transport company

41002 Langerfield Curt
lake Elsinore, California, 92532

Daytime phone: 866-604-6414 x704
Secondary phone: 951-240-5726
Fax: 866-401-2324

Website: http://www.wiseautoshipping.com and Car Transport quote

Inspection of Vehicles and Parts by a Qualified Car Club Representative

As a Qualified Car Club Representative you shall:

• Only inspect vehicles not owned by you or any immediate family member;
• Only inspect vehicles that are of the type, era, make and model that the Recognized Car Club you are a member of specializes in;
• Not charge for the inspection or for completion of the Inspection Statement;
• Immediately notify the Department of Motor Vehicles, Driver and Vehicle Records Division if you relinquish your membership in the Recognized Car Club that has designated you as a Qualified Car Club Representative.

Inspections you conduct shall include:

• Verification of the origination of each major component part on the vehicle. Major component parts include: the engine, transmission, cowl, door, frame, body, rear clip or nose;
• Verification that each non-original part is essentially the same in design and material to that originally supplied by the manufacturer for the specific year, make and model of vehicle, including the appropriate engine, body material, and body shape. A modification from the original specifications may be permitted if the modification is of historic nature and essentially the same in design and material to that originally supplied by the manufacturer for vehicles of that era or if the modification could be considered to be in the category of safety features. Safety-related modifications include hydraulic brakes, sealed-beam headlights and occupant protection systems. A modification involving accessories shall be limited to those accessories available in the era to which the vehicle belongs; and
• Completion of a Recognized Car Club Representative Inspection Statement for Classic Assembled Motor Vehicles.

Completion of the Qualified Car Club Representative Inspection Statement for Classic Assembled Motor Vehicles:

• Section 1 shall be completed by the vehicle owner;
• You will need to complete Section 2 by indicating the vehicle year, make, model and serial numbers for all major component parts. If a part does not have a serial number, be sure to indicate this on the statement;
• Indicate in the appropriate area, which of the major component parts are not original parts for the vehicle you are inspecting;
• Indicate in the appropriate area, whether or not the parts listed on the inspection statement are essentially the same in design and material to that originally supplied by the manufacturer for the year, make and model of vehicle;

2009 New Luxury Cars Make Companies

List of car making companies released new luxury cars 2009, 2010.

Acura


Hyundai


Maserati


Rolls Royce

Audi

Infiniti

Maybach

Saab

Bentley

Jaguar

Mercedes-Benz

Toyota

BMW

Lexus

Porsche

Volvo

Cadillac

Lincoln

NHTSA, CPSC and Evenflo to Announce Recall of Embrace Infant Car Seat/Carriers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in cooperation with Evenflo Company Inc., today announced a recall of the following consumer product. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.)

Name of Product: Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seat/Carriers.

Units: About 450,000

Manufacturer: Evenflo Company Inc., of Vandalia, Ohio

Hazard: When used as an infant carrier, the handle can unexpectedly release, causing the seat to rotate forward. When this happens, an infant inside the carrier can fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries.
Incidents/Injuries: Evenflo has received 679 reports of the handle on the car seat/carriers unexpectedly releasing, resulting in 160 injuries to children. These reports include a skull fracture, two concussions, cuts, scrapes and bruises.

Description: The recall involves Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seat/Carriers made before April 8, 2006. The recalled car seat/carriers have model numbers beginning with 317, 320, 397, 398, 540, 548, 549, 550, 556, 597, 598 or 599. The model number and production date information can be found on a white label on the bottom of the carrier and on the top of the convenience base. Models beginning with “5” are units sold with the travel system (compatible stroller). “Evenflo” is on the carrying handle and car seat base. Embrace infant car seat/carriers made on or after April 8, 2006, are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Department and juvenile products stores nationwide sold the car seat/carriers from December 2004 through September 2006 for between $70 and $100 when sold alone and between $140 and $200 when sold with a compatible stroller.

Manufactured in: United States and China

Remedy: Consumers should not use the handle until the repair kit has been installed. The product can continue to be used as a car seat when secured in a vehicle. Contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit that strengthens the handle latch. Recall notice will be sent to all registered owners of the recalled product. The recalled units should not be returned to the retailer.

Pass a Driving Test : Tips for Making Turns in a Vehicle

Classes of License

The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license classifications:

Class A - Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

Class B - Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.

Class C - Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.

10 Steps to Buying a New Auto Car

Step 1: Getting Ready to Buy a New Car

Step 2: New Car Incentives and Rebates

Step 3: Finding Your New Car

Step 4: Getting the Best New Car Price

Step 5: The New Car Test Drive

Step 6: Trading In Your Old Car

Step 7: Negotiating with the Car Dealer

Step 8: Finishing the New Car Deal

Step 9: Signing the Paperwork

Step 10: Driving Your New Car Home

Race Car Crashes on the Race

Automobile Emissions: An Overview

Cars and Pollution

Emissions from an individual car are generally low, relative to the smokestack image many people associate with air pollution. But in numerous cities across the country, the personal automobile is the single greatest polluter, as emissions from millions of vehicles on the road add up. Driving a private car is probably a typical citizen's most "polluting" daily activity.

Sources of Auto Emissions

The power to move a car comes from burning fuel in an engine. Pollution from cars comes from by-products of this combustion process (exhaust) and from evaporation of the fuel itself.



The Combustion Process

Gasoline and diesel fuels are mixtures of hydrocarbons, compounds which contain hydrogen and carbon atoms. In a "perfect" engine, oxygen in the air would convert all the hydrogen in the fuel to water and all the carbon in the fuel to carbon dioxide. Nitrogen in the air would remain unaffected. In reality, the combustion process cannot be "perfect," and automotive engines emit several types of pollutants. "Perfect" Combustion: FUEL (hydrocarbons) + AIR (oxygen and nitrogen) ==>> CARBON DIOXIDE + water + unaffected nitrogen Typical Engine Combustion: FUEL + AIR ==>> UNBURNED HYDROCARBONS + NITROGEN OXIDES + CARBON MONOXIDE + CARBON DIOXIDE + water

Exhaust Pollutants

HYDROCARBONS: Hydrocarbon emissions result when fuel molecules in the engine do not burn or burn only partially. Hydrocarbons react in the presence of nitrogen oxides and sunlight to form ground-level ozone, a major component of smog. Ozone irritates the eyes, damages the lungs, and aggravates respiratory problems. It is our most widespread and intractable urban air pollution problem. A number of exhaust hydrocarbons are also toxic, with the potential to cause cancer. NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx): Under the high pressure and temperature conditions in an engine, nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the air react to form various nitrogen oxides, collectively known as NOx. Nitrogen oxides, like hydrocarbons, are precursors to the formation of ozone. They also contribute to the formation of acid rain. CARBON MONOXIDE (C0): Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion and occurs when carbon in the fuel is partially oxidized rather than fully oxidized to carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon monoxide reduces the flow of oxygen in the bloodstream and is particularly dangerous to persons with heart disease. CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2): In recent years, the EPA has started to view carbon dioxide, a product of "perfect" combustion, as a pollution concern. Carbon dioxide does not directly impair human health, but it is a "greenhouse gas" that traps the earth's heat and contributes to the potential for global warming.

Evaporative Emissions

Hydrocarbon pollutants also escape into the air through fuel evaporation. With today's efficient exhaust emission controls and today's gasoline formulations, evaporative losses can account for a majority of the total hydrocarbon pollution from current model cars on hot days when ozone levels are highest. Evaporative emissions occur several ways: DIURNAL: Gasoline evaporation increases as the temperature rises during the day, heating the fuel tank and venting gasoline vapors. RUNNING LOSSES: The hot engine and exhaust system can vaporize gasoline when the car is running. HOT SOAK: The engine remains hot for a period of time after the car is turned off, and gasoline evaporation continues when the car is parked. REFUELING: Gasoline vapors are always present in fuel tanks. These vapors are forced out when the tank is filled with liquid fuel.



What Has Been Done to Control Automobile Emissions?

The Clean Air Act of 1970 gave EPA broad authority to regulate motor vehicle pollution, and the Agency's emission control policies have become progressively more stringent since the early 1970's. EPA standards dictate how much pollution autos may emit but automakers decide how to achieve the pollution limits. The emission reductions of the 1970's came about because of fundamental improvements in engine design, plus the addition of charcoal canisters to collect hydrocarbon vapors and exhaust gas recirculation valves to reduce nitrogen oxides. The advent of "first generation" catalytic converters in 1975 significantly reduced hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions. The use of converters provided a huge indirect benefit as well. Because lead inactivates the catalyst, 1975 saw the widespread introduction of unleaded gasoline. This resulted in dramatic reductions in ambient lead levels and alleviated many serious environmental and human health concerns associated with lead pollution. The next major milestone in vehicle emission control technology came in 1980-81.

In response to tighter standards, manufacturers equipped new cars with even more sophisticated emission control systems. These systems generally include a "three-way" catalyst (which converts carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water, and also helps reduce nitrogen oxides to elemental nitrogen and oxygen), plus an on-board computer and oxygen sensor. This equipment helps optimize the efficiency of the catalytic converter. Vehicle emissions are being further reduced by provisions of the 1990 Clean Air Act. Mobile source provisions include even tighter tailpipe standards, increased durability, improved control of evaporative emissions, and computerized diagnostic systems that identify malfunctioning emission controls.

What Has Emission Control Meant for Air Quality?

• Efforts by government and industry since 1970 have greatly reduced typical vehicle emissions. In those same years, however, the number of miles we drive has more than doubled. The increase in travel has offset much of the emission control progress.


• The net result is a modest reduction in each automotive pollutant except lead, for which aggregate emissions have dropped by more than 95 percent.


• With ozone continuing to present a persistent urban air pollution problem, future vehicle emission control programs will emphasize hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide reductions. Carbon monoxide control will remain critical in many cities, and limits on vehicle-generated carbon dioxide may become important in the future.

Flex-Fuel Vehicles

Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85%

ethanol (E85). Except for a few engine and fuel system modifications, they are identical to gasoline-only models.

FFVs have been produced since the 1980s, and dozens of models are currently available. Since FFVs look just like gasoline-only models, you may have an FFV and not even know it. To determine if your vehicle is an FFV, check the inside of your car's fuel filler door for an identification sticker or consult your owner’s manual.

FFVs experience no loss in performance when operating on E85. However, since a gallon of ethanol contains less energy than a gallon of gasoline, FFVs typically get about 20-30% fewer miles per gallon when fueled with E85.

Your Car’s Emergency Kits

You never know what might happen on the road, so it’s best to be prepared. Keep these items in a box in your trunk:

• battery powered radio and extra batteries


• flashlight and extra batteries


• AAA or roadside emergency card


• blanket


• booster cables (also called jumper cables)


• fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type)


• first aid kit


• bottled water


• non-perishable high energy foods, such as: granola bars, energy bars, trail mix, dried fruit, raisins, crackers


• maps


• shovel (in case you need to dig your car out of the snow)


• tire repair kit and pump


• flares

Performance of Golf Car Announcement

PRODUCT: Golf Cars - Club Car, Inc. of Augusta, Ga. is voluntarily recalling about 7300 model year 2002 Club Car gasoline-powered DS Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles for fuel tank replacement. The recalled vehicles are serial numbers 0229-169750 through 0236-197543. The serial number is located on a decal just above and to the right of the accelerator pedal. The golf cars were sold from February 2002 through April 2002 through authorized Club Car dealers nationwide for $4000 to $9000.

PROBLEM: The fuel tank may leak, posing a potential fire hazard.

INCIDENTS/INJURIES: Club Car and CPSC first announced a recall/inspection program of these cars May 7, 2002 after two reports of leaking fuel tanks. Since that announcement, Club Car has received eight additional reports of leaking fuel tanks. No injuries or property damage have been reported.

WHAT TO DO: Consumers should stop using the recalled vehicles immediately and inspect the tank and storage areas for any sign of leakage prior to use. If signs of leakage are present, consumers should discontinue use of car and contact the nearest Club Car Dealer immediately. The fuel tank replacement will be done free of charge. Club Car has notified consumers directly about this updated recall to schedule tank replacement. For more information, contact Club Car at (877) 252-7682 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.




CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

What should I do if someone is injured in car?

The law requires you to give reasonable assistance to anyone who is injured. For example, you may need to call an ambulance, take the injured person to a doctor or hospital, or give first aid—if you know how.

If you are not trained in the appropriate first aid procedures, do not move someone who is badly hurt; you might make the injury worse. However, you should move someone who is in danger of being hurt worse or killed (for example, in a car fire) even if you do make the injury worse.

To help prevent additional collisions, try to warn other motorists that an accident has occurred. Placing flares on the road (only if there are no flammable fluids or items nearby), turning on your car’s hazard lights and lifting the engine hood are usually good ways to warn others on the road. Arrange to get help for anyone who is injured, and try not to panic.