Today, after I turned left at a stoplight, I saw another red Nissan Leaf, stopped behind me at the light. I slowed down a little bit, hoping that the other red Leaf would catch up to me.
Sure enough, the driver stopped beside me at the next traffic light. I rolled down my window, and he rolled down his. We conversed about our cars. We both love them, and think they are the best car ever.
Then that light turned green, but we got caught by the next one. In our next conversation, I told him that I'd had mine since July, and he said he got his in September. Then there were no more stoplights, and we eventually went our separate ways.
Showing posts with label cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cars. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Friday, July 15, 2011
Leaf Beliefs
My younger sister is a professor of religion, who focuses on environmental ethics, so she has been really interested in hearing what I am feeling about the ethical implications of owning and operating an electric car. Since I have had it for a grand total of nine days, I of course feel inherently qualified to discuss all the ethical implications of the Nissan Leaf. (*grin*)
As I said before, I felt a strong ethical impulse to buy the car, and it went further than simple carbon footprint reduction. I have enough disposable income that I can afford more than just the basic necessities, and I like to choose ethical ways in which to spend my money. This is why I buy a share in a local farm -- I support the local economy and get tasty fruits and veggies to eat. I also want to spend my money to encourage more good works, which is why I donate to good causes (e.g., GLBT equality).
I feel that buying a Nissan Leaf helped me to further both these goals. It is ethical to avoid buying gasoline -- the instability in the Middle East is fueled by our insatiable appetite for petroleum. (Of course there are ethical issues with the way that electric power is generated, but I think this is the lesser of two evils.) By being one of the earliest adopters of the technology, I am monetarily encouraging a company that is taking a bold ethical step.
My sister also asked me whether I felt "less-polluting joy" every time I drove the car. I told her that yes, I do feel a certain sense of joy every time I get into my coal-powered car. (Most of our electricity comes from coal.) Sometimes I just feel like, "Oh hey, I can drive anywhere I want! I am not polluting at all! I will never walk anywhere again!"
Except, yeah, I'm still polluting. It's not coming out of my tailpipe. It's coming out of a smokestack instead. While it is less than what would come from a tailpipe, even if it's 100% coal powered, that doesn't mean you are absolved of responsibility for pollution.
But since it is hard to see those emissions, it is hard to feel guilty when you step on the pedal and accelerate a little more than you would have otherwise. And it does accelerate so smoothly and so instantaneously...
As I said before, I felt a strong ethical impulse to buy the car, and it went further than simple carbon footprint reduction. I have enough disposable income that I can afford more than just the basic necessities, and I like to choose ethical ways in which to spend my money. This is why I buy a share in a local farm -- I support the local economy and get tasty fruits and veggies to eat. I also want to spend my money to encourage more good works, which is why I donate to good causes (e.g., GLBT equality).
I feel that buying a Nissan Leaf helped me to further both these goals. It is ethical to avoid buying gasoline -- the instability in the Middle East is fueled by our insatiable appetite for petroleum. (Of course there are ethical issues with the way that electric power is generated, but I think this is the lesser of two evils.) By being one of the earliest adopters of the technology, I am monetarily encouraging a company that is taking a bold ethical step.
My sister also asked me whether I felt "less-polluting joy" every time I drove the car. I told her that yes, I do feel a certain sense of joy every time I get into my coal-powered car. (Most of our electricity comes from coal.) Sometimes I just feel like, "Oh hey, I can drive anywhere I want! I am not polluting at all! I will never walk anywhere again!"
Except, yeah, I'm still polluting. It's not coming out of my tailpipe. It's coming out of a smokestack instead. While it is less than what would come from a tailpipe, even if it's 100% coal powered, that doesn't mean you are absolved of responsibility for pollution.
But since it is hard to see those emissions, it is hard to feel guilty when you step on the pedal and accelerate a little more than you would have otherwise. And it does accelerate so smoothly and so instantaneously...
Monday, July 11, 2011
More About Leaf
I have been enjoying the new car immensely. Scarlet drives like a dream. This weekend my dad came for a visit and I took him for a spin in it. He was very interested in how it all worked.
I have discovered some more cool features on the owners' portal website. First, you can plan routes, making sure that you have enough range to do the entire route, and then send those routes to the car's navigation system. Tomorrow I have to go somewhere unfamiliar for work, so I availed myself of this feature. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Second, you remember the little trees you can earn for driving efficiently? Well, it turns out that it records the number of trees you earn and then rates your performance. I apparently drive okay but there is a lot of room for improvement. I am ranked number eight-hundred-something out of all the drivers. Number one gets nearly an order of magnitude more miles per kilowatt than I do. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or they are doing right.
I have discovered some more cool features on the owners' portal website. First, you can plan routes, making sure that you have enough range to do the entire route, and then send those routes to the car's navigation system. Tomorrow I have to go somewhere unfamiliar for work, so I availed myself of this feature. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Second, you remember the little trees you can earn for driving efficiently? Well, it turns out that it records the number of trees you earn and then rates your performance. I apparently drive okay but there is a lot of room for improvement. I am ranked number eight-hundred-something out of all the drivers. Number one gets nearly an order of magnitude more miles per kilowatt than I do. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or they are doing right.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
All About Leaf
I am pleased to report that as of Tuesday afternoon, I am a proud owner of a Nissan Leaf! We named her Scarlet, because she is a beautiful red. The car is a she, because it is awesome, innovative, and pioneering.
I'm not usually one to just jump in and be an early adopter of technology. After all, I've had a text-enabled cellphone for less than a year. But I feel so strongly that electric vehicles are the only thing that will help our transportation-related carbon emissions to cease, that I wanted to support the effort.
I am fortunate enough that I have a good job that allows us to support ourselves comfortably and still afford this car. It is not cheap. There are some tax breaks (including a $7500 federal income tax rebate) but that only goes so far. The cost of charging up is a lot less than the corresponding cost of gasoline, but even then, since I drive so little (the Beetle just crossed the 35,000-mile threshold) this saves me maybe $40 per month. I anticipate that we will take this car on errands around town, instead of our other car, so we should save a little more than that. Still, less than $100 in savings.
Anyhow, onward to the car!
This is Scarlet, parked in our carport. You can see the home charging station installed by two electricians beginning at 7:30 am this past Tuesday. I had to get the charger installed before I was allowed to bring home the car.
Another view of the car.
Check out that headlight. It has a fin on it, for aerodynamics purposes I assume.
Another view, trying to show that fin.
I think the fin is pretty clear in this photo. Maybe the cars of the 1950's had something going for them!
A view from the driver's seat. That little window between the side and the windshield doesn't buy you much.
Here's a view across to the other side.
Between the seats. That is one tiny shifter as we will see later.
The console can show a cool map telling you how far you can go without running out of charge, and a bunch of other things.
To start the car, depress the brake pedal and push the power button!
Here's the view you get: On the left is the battery temperature. On the right is the battery charge and the number of miles it estimates I can go. At the top center is a gauge for how much power I am drawing (or regenerating). In the center it tells me how long it will take to recharge at various voltages, and the odometer.
At the top, above the steering wheel, you can see the speedometer in the center. On the right is a clock and temperature gauge, and on the left is a gauge telling you how efficiently you are driving, and rewarding you for your efficient driving by generating little trees. The more trees, the better. Unfortunately, they all get reset every time you turn the car off.
Here I am shifting into reverse by moving the shifter to the left and forward. You shift into drive by going left and backward. Of course this all makes perfect sense! I double check which gear I'm in every time before I release the brake because I am so confused.
When you put it in reverse, a rear-view camera comes up on the console. This is handy because the rear window is tiny. The stripes are not part of my driveway decor; they represent distance.
A little light reading that came with the car. I've made it through one of those books so far!
So I made it to work now. I am a cheapskate and since my workplace provides free charging, I am going to take advantage of it! So, I pull the lever to open the charging compartment, located on the front of the car just under the place where you open the hood.
Here's what it looks like when it is open. On the right is where you plug in the 240V charger, which is what we have at home and at work. The one on the left is for the 480V charging stations, which do not actually exist yet, but when they do, I will be able to drive this car to see my Dad, with a short stop to recharge on the way there.
I opened the cover for the 240V socket, and this is what it looks like.
Here is the charging station, which looks almost exactly like what I have at home...
...except that, for this charger, you have to activate it with your magic card. The electrons are free in exchange for tracking my usage information.
It's ready to go...
So I remove the plug from the dock...
...start plugging it in.
... and I push it in until I hear a click...
It's in!
We are charging!
A view of the trunk. It is pretty big. That black bag is a 120V trickle charger that you can plug into a regular wall outlet in a pinch. There is no spare tire, but there is a tire repair kit in the left wheel well.
As you can see, I am not the only person with a Leaf at work. The Head Honcho has a Red one like mine, and several other VIPs have them as well. My car schmoozes with other cars belonging to important people!
Nissan has an owners' portal, where you can check the status of your car. You can also program it to start the climate control while plugged in, saving your battery from doing all that work. It's handy if you want your car to be comfortable just before you leave work, for example.
Here I set the timer to start cooling the car at 3:45 this afternoon...
...and it's set.
Huh? There's a message on my cellphone!
It's from Scarlet, telling me that the vehicle's status has been updated.
It's 3:45 and the AC is on! Nice of Scarlet to let me know!
Time to go home! If you get in the car while it is still plugged in, you will see this warning on the dash. It won't let you go anywhere while still plugged in, but as I found out this afternoon because I was too obsessed with snapping pictures to pay enough attention, it will let you go with the charging door still open.
I unplug the charger, and notice as I am putting it back on the dock that I have received a text message:
The climate control stopped when I unplugged it.
I hopped into the car and came home. It is really a great car. It has good acceleration and other than being so quiet, it really seems just like a regular car. In fact, it is so quiet that at speeds of 19 mph or below, it generates noise so that pedestrians can hear it coming. Another interesting thing is that because it is so quiet, you can hear a lot of noise coming from the other cars around you. At stoplights I hear everyone else's music.
Anyhow, it is great and I am really enjoying the car. I hope you enjoyed a vicarious taste of this awesome car!
I'm not usually one to just jump in and be an early adopter of technology. After all, I've had a text-enabled cellphone for less than a year. But I feel so strongly that electric vehicles are the only thing that will help our transportation-related carbon emissions to cease, that I wanted to support the effort.
I am fortunate enough that I have a good job that allows us to support ourselves comfortably and still afford this car. It is not cheap. There are some tax breaks (including a $7500 federal income tax rebate) but that only goes so far. The cost of charging up is a lot less than the corresponding cost of gasoline, but even then, since I drive so little (the Beetle just crossed the 35,000-mile threshold) this saves me maybe $40 per month. I anticipate that we will take this car on errands around town, instead of our other car, so we should save a little more than that. Still, less than $100 in savings.
Anyhow, onward to the car!
This is Scarlet, parked in our carport. You can see the home charging station installed by two electricians beginning at 7:30 am this past Tuesday. I had to get the charger installed before I was allowed to bring home the car.
Another view of the car.
Check out that headlight. It has a fin on it, for aerodynamics purposes I assume.
Another view, trying to show that fin.
I think the fin is pretty clear in this photo. Maybe the cars of the 1950's had something going for them!
A view from the driver's seat. That little window between the side and the windshield doesn't buy you much.
Here's a view across to the other side.
Between the seats. That is one tiny shifter as we will see later.
The console can show a cool map telling you how far you can go without running out of charge, and a bunch of other things.
To start the car, depress the brake pedal and push the power button!
Here's the view you get: On the left is the battery temperature. On the right is the battery charge and the number of miles it estimates I can go. At the top center is a gauge for how much power I am drawing (or regenerating). In the center it tells me how long it will take to recharge at various voltages, and the odometer.
At the top, above the steering wheel, you can see the speedometer in the center. On the right is a clock and temperature gauge, and on the left is a gauge telling you how efficiently you are driving, and rewarding you for your efficient driving by generating little trees. The more trees, the better. Unfortunately, they all get reset every time you turn the car off.
Here I am shifting into reverse by moving the shifter to the left and forward. You shift into drive by going left and backward. Of course this all makes perfect sense! I double check which gear I'm in every time before I release the brake because I am so confused.
When you put it in reverse, a rear-view camera comes up on the console. This is handy because the rear window is tiny. The stripes are not part of my driveway decor; they represent distance.
A little light reading that came with the car. I've made it through one of those books so far!
So I made it to work now. I am a cheapskate and since my workplace provides free charging, I am going to take advantage of it! So, I pull the lever to open the charging compartment, located on the front of the car just under the place where you open the hood.
Here's what it looks like when it is open. On the right is where you plug in the 240V charger, which is what we have at home and at work. The one on the left is for the 480V charging stations, which do not actually exist yet, but when they do, I will be able to drive this car to see my Dad, with a short stop to recharge on the way there.
I opened the cover for the 240V socket, and this is what it looks like.
Here is the charging station, which looks almost exactly like what I have at home...
...except that, for this charger, you have to activate it with your magic card. The electrons are free in exchange for tracking my usage information.
It's ready to go...
So I remove the plug from the dock...
...start plugging it in.
... and I push it in until I hear a click...
It's in!
We are charging!
A view of the trunk. It is pretty big. That black bag is a 120V trickle charger that you can plug into a regular wall outlet in a pinch. There is no spare tire, but there is a tire repair kit in the left wheel well.
As you can see, I am not the only person with a Leaf at work. The Head Honcho has a Red one like mine, and several other VIPs have them as well. My car schmoozes with other cars belonging to important people!
Nissan has an owners' portal, where you can check the status of your car. You can also program it to start the climate control while plugged in, saving your battery from doing all that work. It's handy if you want your car to be comfortable just before you leave work, for example.
Here I set the timer to start cooling the car at 3:45 this afternoon...
...and it's set.
Huh? There's a message on my cellphone!
It's from Scarlet, telling me that the vehicle's status has been updated.
It's 3:45 and the AC is on! Nice of Scarlet to let me know!
Time to go home! If you get in the car while it is still plugged in, you will see this warning on the dash. It won't let you go anywhere while still plugged in, but as I found out this afternoon because I was too obsessed with snapping pictures to pay enough attention, it will let you go with the charging door still open.
I unplug the charger, and notice as I am putting it back on the dock that I have received a text message:
The climate control stopped when I unplugged it.
I hopped into the car and came home. It is really a great car. It has good acceleration and other than being so quiet, it really seems just like a regular car. In fact, it is so quiet that at speeds of 19 mph or below, it generates noise so that pedestrians can hear it coming. Another interesting thing is that because it is so quiet, you can hear a lot of noise coming from the other cars around you. At stoplights I hear everyone else's music.
Anyhow, it is great and I am really enjoying the car. I hope you enjoyed a vicarious taste of this awesome car!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Electric Car Update
I was supposed to get my Nissan Leaf this month. Unfortunately, with the earthquake in Japan (where this year's Nissan Leafs are being manufactured -- if you buy one next year it will be made in Tennessee) that date got pushed off until July. It is too bad because the last time I filled the tank of my Volkswagen Beetle it cost me more than $41 -- and that was with a $0.50/gallon discount.
But July is better than never, and really, there are so many worse things that earthquake did than delay the arrival of my car by two months, that I can't complain. It's just that I'm really excited about getting it so it kind of stinks that I won't get it as soon as I had thought.
But July is better than never, and really, there are so many worse things that earthquake did than delay the arrival of my car by two months, that I can't complain. It's just that I'm really excited about getting it so it kind of stinks that I won't get it as soon as I had thought.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Is this Thing On?
Sorry, vast blogging audience, that I just up and left you hanging there. February was a long month, even though it was only 28 days. And, I didn't hardly even do anything remotely interesting or significant. It just seemed to never stop. But, here are a few things that have happened:
- I found out that we will be getting our Nissan Leaf in May. I am so excited about it!
- I test drove a Nissan Leaf over the weekend. I'll post a longer entry about the test drive, but the main thing I was concerned about was whether it had sufficient headroom for a long-torsoed driver such as myself. The good news is, there was room to spare! So I am all set!
- The bad news is that we discovered that there is a big leak or crack in the foundation of our house. We have a finished basement, but the leak is in a room that was just a storage room we rarely went into. We did not realize the extent of the problem until we cleaned the house and emptied that room and saw all the nasty mold growing on the wall. Jeff took out the drywall and a friend who is a home inspector came over to assess the damage. It was nasty enough that we have two foundation experts coming next week to give us quotes. Our friend will be there too. It is likely that the estimates will be in the low five-figure range. I am hoping (but seriously doubting) that our homeowner's insurance might pay for some of this.
- We paid some people to come and give our house a good cleaning from top to bottom. We were just sick of it being kind of grungy and grimy. The house sparkles now (apart from the nasty part with the water damage). We are going to try to keep it clean, and maybe even hire a maid service to come in regularly as well.
- We are having bad luck with plumbing right now. The tank on the back of one of our toilets decided to stop filling. There's either a problem with the pipe that connects to the toilet or with the apparatus inside the toilet, because water just trickles into the tank. Then, the stopper in the bathtub decided to get stuck and not come out. And then, the handle for the cold water in the kitchen sink decided to not turn off fully. It has been a little frustrating, to say the least.
- I've been wiped out by some sort of nasty cold or flu bug. I actually had a fever on Tuesday, so I went home from work early and then I stayed home yesterday and today. I am feeling better now and plan to go back to work tomorrow, but I am still not fully recovered.
Well, hopefully I will have the time to write about the test drive. It was a great experience!
Monday, November 08, 2010
Electric Car Update
A few weeks ago I got an in-home inspection to determine whether I was eligible for a free charging dock for my Nissan Leaf. And it turns out, I am! So, that's $1500 that I don't have to spend to install a charger.
The charger is at the same high voltage level as the plug that connects to your range or your dryer, and it takes about 8 hours to charge the car from 0% to a full battery. Using a regular wall plug, it would take 18 hours. Using a fast 400-Volt charger, it takes about 30 minutes to charge from empty to about 80%, but that's not what they install at your house.
It'll cost me a dollar at most to fully charge my battery. My employer is installing special charging stations at work, so I may charge even less than that at home.
And I am now able to order my Nissan Leaf! I am really excited about it. I talked to the dealership last week. The good news is, they are not tacking anything onto the price above the MSRP. The bad news is, I'm not sure when the car is arriving. Depending on when I get it, I have to make different financing plans. I'll be eligible for a $7500 tax rebate, but if it comes after January 1, then I'll have to wait a while before I get my money back, and the car payment for a (roughly) $35K car is not cheap.
So, I have to talk to the salesman and find out when it arrives. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be December 31 or earlier.
The charger is at the same high voltage level as the plug that connects to your range or your dryer, and it takes about 8 hours to charge the car from 0% to a full battery. Using a regular wall plug, it would take 18 hours. Using a fast 400-Volt charger, it takes about 30 minutes to charge from empty to about 80%, but that's not what they install at your house.
It'll cost me a dollar at most to fully charge my battery. My employer is installing special charging stations at work, so I may charge even less than that at home.
And I am now able to order my Nissan Leaf! I am really excited about it. I talked to the dealership last week. The good news is, they are not tacking anything onto the price above the MSRP. The bad news is, I'm not sure when the car is arriving. Depending on when I get it, I have to make different financing plans. I'll be eligible for a $7500 tax rebate, but if it comes after January 1, then I'll have to wait a while before I get my money back, and the car payment for a (roughly) $35K car is not cheap.
So, I have to talk to the salesman and find out when it arrives. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be December 31 or earlier.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Electric Cars of the Past and Future
First of all, let me say how much I cannot wait to get my new Nissan Leaf. Thanks to my employer, we are among the first markets for its release.
But it's not an original idea. My sister alerted me to the fact that a century ago, there was a company that released a line of electric cars aimed at doctors and women (because electric cars didn't have to be cranked before starting). The cars had a rage of 80 miles between charges -- only 20% less than the advertised range for the Nissan Leaf. I don't know how fast these cars could go, and I suspect that the Leaf is a bit safer.
Speaking of the Leaf, you might worry about the fact that water and electricity do not mix, but the batteries have undergone extensive testing. And in other news, I may be eligible for a free charging station installation in our garage, but I just need to call the company who's determining the eligibility back sometime soon.
But it's not an original idea. My sister alerted me to the fact that a century ago, there was a company that released a line of electric cars aimed at doctors and women (because electric cars didn't have to be cranked before starting). The cars had a rage of 80 miles between charges -- only 20% less than the advertised range for the Nissan Leaf. I don't know how fast these cars could go, and I suspect that the Leaf is a bit safer.
Speaking of the Leaf, you might worry about the fact that water and electricity do not mix, but the batteries have undergone extensive testing. And in other news, I may be eligible for a free charging station installation in our garage, but I just need to call the company who's determining the eligibility back sometime soon.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Vehicular Velocity
A few weeks ago, I had our GPS in the Beetle for a couple of days. The GPS has a spedometer feature on it, and I observed that the speed the GPS reported was lower than the speed on the car's spedometer. In fact, it was about 5% off.
I didn't know which one to trust, but then I observed that the radar speed reader that the police put out also put me at about 5% slower than what my spedometer read. So I'm thinking my spedometer reads 5% faster than the actual speed.
This explains the times when I've been driving along at the speed limit and other cars have come along and driven right behind me, like I'm driving too slow. I guess I really was going about 5% too slow even when I thought I was going the speed limit.
I didn't know which one to trust, but then I observed that the radar speed reader that the police put out also put me at about 5% slower than what my spedometer read. So I'm thinking my spedometer reads 5% faster than the actual speed.
This explains the times when I've been driving along at the speed limit and other cars have come along and driven right behind me, like I'm driving too slow. I guess I really was going about 5% too slow even when I thought I was going the speed limit.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Turning Over a New Leaf
Last weekend, we went to Nashville to see the sights and to see the Nissan Leaf:
It's an electric car with a range of 100 miles on one charge. One hundred miles may not sound like much, but your average commuter drives less than fifty miles a day. So, it would be a really good commuter car, but not particularly useful for long trips.
Here are some pictures of the car from different angles:
As you can see, it's a regular sized car -- it can hold up to five people. The trunk is pretty large.
This place in the front of the car is where you plug it in to recharge it. The recharge from completely empty to full takes 8-12 hours at 110 V (regular outlet) or 4-6 on a 220 V outlet (the kind your range or other large appliances are hooked up to).
You can get this 220 V recharger for extra, plus you have to get an electrician to put in a 220 V line out to your garage:
Here's what the charger looks like:
I'm on Nissan's mailing list for the Leaf. In the spring, they'll send me a message letting me know when I can sign up on the waiting list (and put down a deposit). I'm very interested in buying one of these cars, because it will eliminate all the carbon emissions from my commute to work. Of course, that will mean we'll have to continue making car payments when we could just be done paying for a car (the Beetle will be paid off next year). But I think it will be worth it to encourage the production of cars like these that eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and reduce carbon emissions. Oh and it's also going to be built right here in Tennessee -- another reason to buy one!
It's an electric car with a range of 100 miles on one charge. One hundred miles may not sound like much, but your average commuter drives less than fifty miles a day. So, it would be a really good commuter car, but not particularly useful for long trips.Here are some pictures of the car from different angles:
As you can see, it's a regular sized car -- it can hold up to five people. The trunk is pretty large.
This place in the front of the car is where you plug it in to recharge it. The recharge from completely empty to full takes 8-12 hours at 110 V (regular outlet) or 4-6 on a 220 V outlet (the kind your range or other large appliances are hooked up to).You can get this 220 V recharger for extra, plus you have to get an electrician to put in a 220 V line out to your garage:
Here's what the charger looks like:
I'm on Nissan's mailing list for the Leaf. In the spring, they'll send me a message letting me know when I can sign up on the waiting list (and put down a deposit). I'm very interested in buying one of these cars, because it will eliminate all the carbon emissions from my commute to work. Of course, that will mean we'll have to continue making car payments when we could just be done paying for a car (the Beetle will be paid off next year). But I think it will be worth it to encourage the production of cars like these that eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and reduce carbon emissions. Oh and it's also going to be built right here in Tennessee -- another reason to buy one!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Too Busy and Very Late
Sorry for the dearth of posts. I've been extremely busy at work lately, and also at home.
At work, as of the beginning of last month I am no longer in charge of all the software on our machines. Instead, I was put in charge of a very high visibility, high-pressure project that reports to some Really Important People in the Gubmint. In some sense, this is a promotion, because I have a lot more responsibilities and I get to rub elbows with these Really Important People. On the other hand, my job title and pay grade have remained the same, so it's just piling more work onto the same old person.
At home, I've been trying to spend more time with my family, and also I've been baking a lot of bread lately. We've gone through a really cold spell over the past couple of weeks, so hot homemade bread has really been nice. I made a "sourdough starter" (which really wasn't sourdough, just a nice little colony of yeast I've been feeding once a week). I've been using it about once a week to make some round loaves of bread, which turn out really crusty and delicious, about 12 hours after I start making the bread. I've been using the mixer for the mixing and kneading but otherwise it's been made by hand, which is time consuming compared to using a bread machine. But it's been worth it.
I missed binary day (1/11/10 -- although there will be more binary days this year and next) and Elvis' birthday because I have been so busy. But one thing I will not be missing is the tour of the Nissan Leaf, Nissan's new electric car that's scheduled to be released at the end of this year. I RSVP'd to see it when it comes to a nearby city on Monday. So, my vast fan base, stay tuned for pictures (assuming they let me take them) and my impressions of the car!
At work, as of the beginning of last month I am no longer in charge of all the software on our machines. Instead, I was put in charge of a very high visibility, high-pressure project that reports to some Really Important People in the Gubmint. In some sense, this is a promotion, because I have a lot more responsibilities and I get to rub elbows with these Really Important People. On the other hand, my job title and pay grade have remained the same, so it's just piling more work onto the same old person.
At home, I've been trying to spend more time with my family, and also I've been baking a lot of bread lately. We've gone through a really cold spell over the past couple of weeks, so hot homemade bread has really been nice. I made a "sourdough starter" (which really wasn't sourdough, just a nice little colony of yeast I've been feeding once a week). I've been using it about once a week to make some round loaves of bread, which turn out really crusty and delicious, about 12 hours after I start making the bread. I've been using the mixer for the mixing and kneading but otherwise it's been made by hand, which is time consuming compared to using a bread machine. But it's been worth it.
I missed binary day (1/11/10 -- although there will be more binary days this year and next) and Elvis' birthday because I have been so busy. But one thing I will not be missing is the tour of the Nissan Leaf, Nissan's new electric car that's scheduled to be released at the end of this year. I RSVP'd to see it when it comes to a nearby city on Monday. So, my vast fan base, stay tuned for pictures (assuming they let me take them) and my impressions of the car!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Today's Milestone
Today, I had the opportunity to cross a major threshold with our 2005 VW Beetle. Here is a snapshot of the odometer when I was stopped at a stoplight, just before it happened:
And here it is, a couple of blocks down the street, when we had just rolled over to the 20,000 mile mark:
No, I wasn't driving when I aligned the camera to take this picture. In fact, I was stopped at a stoplight. Unfortunately the first picture I took was too blurry, so I just left the camera where it was and took another picture while I was driving.
It was a particularly auspicious day for my odometer, because as I approached a gas station a few miles later, I noticed that the price for a gallon of gas (in cents) and the number on my trip odometer matched. I took it as a sign that I should fill up.
And here it is, a couple of blocks down the street, when we had just rolled over to the 20,000 mile mark:
No, I wasn't driving when I aligned the camera to take this picture. In fact, I was stopped at a stoplight. Unfortunately the first picture I took was too blurry, so I just left the camera where it was and took another picture while I was driving.
It was a particularly auspicious day for my odometer, because as I approached a gas station a few miles later, I noticed that the price for a gallon of gas (in cents) and the number on my trip odometer matched. I took it as a sign that I should fill up.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Question of the Day
Will the dealership fix my window this time, or will I be taking the car in a fourth time for the same problem?
Monday, March 09, 2009
Doing Our Part to Keep the Economy Strong (Part 1)
A new-to-us vehicle:
In case you can't read that, it's a Toyota Highlander Hybrid (2006 model, with all the bells and whistles). It's some sort of gold or copper color that doesn't photograph very well. We bought it a week ago and it seems like a really good vehicle so far. (Priscilla the blue Chevy Impala is going back to the dealer after her lease is up next month. They wanted way too much for us to justify keeping her.)
In case you can't read that, it's a Toyota Highlander Hybrid (2006 model, with all the bells and whistles). It's some sort of gold or copper color that doesn't photograph very well. We bought it a week ago and it seems like a really good vehicle so far. (Priscilla the blue Chevy Impala is going back to the dealer after her lease is up next month. They wanted way too much for us to justify keeping her.)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Electric Cars
So I saw some new electric cars on the market. The Green Vehicles are cool-looking, but only one model is street-legal on roads with speed limit above 35 mph. The aforementioned model costs about the same as a VW Beetle. It has a 100-mile range and takes about 5 hours to charge up from completely empty.
I would totally buy one if I thought I could. You end up paying something like two cents per mile in electricity. Compared to about twelve cents per mile for my current vehicle (figuring roughly 30 mpg and $3.60/gallon), that is a steal. Plus, we have extremely low electricity rates thanks to TVA, so my cost could be even less. So we're talking order of magnitude lower cost of operation.
But it looks like they are mostly focusing on California markets, and the cars are in great demand, so I would have to wait a long time before there would be one available for me to buy. It's probably not a bad idea to wait anyhow, to make sure that the cars actually work as advertised.
I would totally buy one if I thought I could. You end up paying something like two cents per mile in electricity. Compared to about twelve cents per mile for my current vehicle (figuring roughly 30 mpg and $3.60/gallon), that is a steal. Plus, we have extremely low electricity rates thanks to TVA, so my cost could be even less. So we're talking order of magnitude lower cost of operation.
But it looks like they are mostly focusing on California markets, and the cars are in great demand, so I would have to wait a long time before there would be one available for me to buy. It's probably not a bad idea to wait anyhow, to make sure that the cars actually work as advertised.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
More on Communting Costs
Thanks, everyone, for your feedback!
Just a little more information for y'all:
Just a little more information for y'all:
- There is no public transportation available.
- There are showers in my building, not 50 feet from my office. I could certainly use the showers after I got to work, if necessary.
- From what I understand, if it has working bicycle pedals and can't travel any faster than 20 mph under its own power, then it counts as a bicycle and no licensing is required.
- Supposedly, technology has gotten better and the electric motor is much quieter.
- I can't actually move much closer to work. It's five miles from the gate to my building, so that half of the distance can't be eliminated. The land surrounding the lab property either belongs to an industrial park, a neighboring lab, or it's contaminated, undeveloped land. The closest houses are probably seven miles from my building, which is still too far for me to walk, or bike without assistance.
- I could carpool; there is a woman down the street who works at the lab and she drove me to work during the weeks my arm was in a cast last summer. But I sometimes keep strange hours; if I'm on a roll on something I hate to quit just because it's 5:00. So I was hoping I could find an alternative method of transportation that would cut down on pollution but still make it possible for me to retain my working-hours autonomy.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Commuter Costs
My daily commute is more than twenty miles round-trip. I drive a VW Beetle, which gets 30-33 mpg, but I'm always wanting more. I have optimized the manner in which I drive, which is why I'm able to hit 33 mpg more often than not.
My gas tank is almost empty at the moment, and I'm not looking forward to shelling out the big bucks to fill it. I'm always looking for a better solution -- better for the environment and my health, in addition to my pocketbook.
Ideally, I'd like to walk. I enjoy walking and I used to walk to the university several times a week (more than 2 miles) when I was a graduate student. But we're talking an order of magnitude more distance here, and an order of magnitude less free time, so this isn't a viable option.
I talked to a guy I know who rides a motorcycle to work every day. The idea is appealing -- I'd get twice the gas mileage, I'd be able to park in a better parking space -- but it would require a multi-thousand-dollar investment and I'm terrified of being in a motorcycle accident. He told me about a motorcycle course you can take, and I might do that sometime, because it would be worth $75 (the cost of the course) to see if this is even an option for me.
Another idea would be to ride a bicycle to work, but that doesn't seem within the realm of possibility for me. There are big hills between here and there, and I'm no Lance Armstrong. (Also, I don't like to sweat.) Some people park just outside lab property and bike in the rest of the way (just over 5 miles), which might be doable, but it would be a big challenge for me.
I discovered recently that there are motor-assisted bicycles, which got me thinking. The motor kicks in when you're going up a hill or pedaling hard, getting you through those difficult places where I would otherwise have to get off the bike and walk it. The question that remains in my mind is whether they work as advertised.
Some cost as much as a motorcycle, placing them firmly out of my price range. But others cost as little as $800. If it costs $45 to fill my gas tank, then an inexpensive motorized bicycle would pay for itself after the equivalent of 18 tankfuls. If I fill my gas tank every four weeks, then it would take 72 weeks -- less than a year and a half -- for the bicycle to pay for itself.
But I don't know. I'm reluctant to just buy one, in case I bought the wrong thing. Furthermore, even $800 is a lot of money to spend on anything.
So I ask my vast readership: do you know anything about electric-powered bicycles?
My gas tank is almost empty at the moment, and I'm not looking forward to shelling out the big bucks to fill it. I'm always looking for a better solution -- better for the environment and my health, in addition to my pocketbook.
Ideally, I'd like to walk. I enjoy walking and I used to walk to the university several times a week (more than 2 miles) when I was a graduate student. But we're talking an order of magnitude more distance here, and an order of magnitude less free time, so this isn't a viable option.
I talked to a guy I know who rides a motorcycle to work every day. The idea is appealing -- I'd get twice the gas mileage, I'd be able to park in a better parking space -- but it would require a multi-thousand-dollar investment and I'm terrified of being in a motorcycle accident. He told me about a motorcycle course you can take, and I might do that sometime, because it would be worth $75 (the cost of the course) to see if this is even an option for me.
Another idea would be to ride a bicycle to work, but that doesn't seem within the realm of possibility for me. There are big hills between here and there, and I'm no Lance Armstrong. (Also, I don't like to sweat.) Some people park just outside lab property and bike in the rest of the way (just over 5 miles), which might be doable, but it would be a big challenge for me.
I discovered recently that there are motor-assisted bicycles, which got me thinking. The motor kicks in when you're going up a hill or pedaling hard, getting you through those difficult places where I would otherwise have to get off the bike and walk it. The question that remains in my mind is whether they work as advertised.
Some cost as much as a motorcycle, placing them firmly out of my price range. But others cost as little as $800. If it costs $45 to fill my gas tank, then an inexpensive motorized bicycle would pay for itself after the equivalent of 18 tankfuls. If I fill my gas tank every four weeks, then it would take 72 weeks -- less than a year and a half -- for the bicycle to pay for itself.
But I don't know. I'm reluctant to just buy one, in case I bought the wrong thing. Furthermore, even $800 is a lot of money to spend on anything.
So I ask my vast readership: do you know anything about electric-powered bicycles?
Sunday, January 20, 2008
More on Cars
I am extremely obsessed with figuring out how to get the best gas mileage out of the car I drive, for a variety of reasons.
First, I think about my contributions to global warming every single day as I make my trip to work. (If only they would make a solar-powered car capable of driving at least 15 miles on a trip, I would be all set.) Second, I am an amateur physicist and I want to understand the workings of the vehicle in which I spend more than five hours a week.
But most relevantly, I am a mathematician, and the idea of optimizing gas mileage as opposed to other possible variables in the equation of driving (such as time or number of miles traveled) sounds really fun and challenging to me, because in the car I drive, I can only ascertain this indirectly.
The car has a manual transmission, so I can control which gear it is in. It also has a crude tachometer, which I can read only to the nearest 125 RPM, a speedometer which I can read to the nearest half-mile per hour, and an odometer which measures distance traveled to the nearest tenth of a mile. Can I use only these tools to optimize my gas mileage on my daily commute?
This is what I've been trying to figure out, actually. I wish I had a good answer. The problem is that I am currently lacking a good intuitive understanding of the way the car works. I've been reading up on torque, horsepower, and RPM, and trying to put it all together. I'll let you know when I finally get there.
First, I think about my contributions to global warming every single day as I make my trip to work. (If only they would make a solar-powered car capable of driving at least 15 miles on a trip, I would be all set.) Second, I am an amateur physicist and I want to understand the workings of the vehicle in which I spend more than five hours a week.
But most relevantly, I am a mathematician, and the idea of optimizing gas mileage as opposed to other possible variables in the equation of driving (such as time or number of miles traveled) sounds really fun and challenging to me, because in the car I drive, I can only ascertain this indirectly.
The car has a manual transmission, so I can control which gear it is in. It also has a crude tachometer, which I can read only to the nearest 125 RPM, a speedometer which I can read to the nearest half-mile per hour, and an odometer which measures distance traveled to the nearest tenth of a mile. Can I use only these tools to optimize my gas mileage on my daily commute?
This is what I've been trying to figure out, actually. I wish I had a good answer. The problem is that I am currently lacking a good intuitive understanding of the way the car works. I've been reading up on torque, horsepower, and RPM, and trying to put it all together. I'll let you know when I finally get there.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Farewell, My 1990 Volvo Station Wagon
Dear Gundar,
I'm sorry we had to part under such circumstances. It was hard to let go of you, my 1990 Volvo 740 Turbo station wagon. We had such fond memories of good times together.
You were only eleven years old when we first met, a mere youth in the lifetime of a Volvo. I saw the classified ad in the paper, and I knew I had to have you. The woman who was selling you lived in Champaign, but you really came from Missouri. I still don't know what color you are – gold or copper, perhaps? – but I do know that it was love at first sight. We got you evaluated by our Volvo expert Bill, and thankfully you passed with a clean bill of health. So we bought you.
Compared to our other car, Ingrid the 1982 Volvo 240, you were brand new. You rode so smoothly, and I always felt confident that you could take me wherever I needed to go, safely. We drove you on countless trips – to Chicago, to Kentucky, to Iowa – and hauled cargo around town – an electric piano, a huge television, pavers from Menard's, caution barriers we borrowed from the city – in the spacious area that resulted from folding the back seats forward.
At one point, your speedometer gave out and wouldn't work unless the undercarriage of the car was wet. I knew of a big puddle in a parking lot at the University, so we drove you through that puddle and the speedometer would work once more, until it dried out again! Eventually we got your speedometer fixed – it was just a simple cable that needed to be replaced.
When I moved to Tennessee, I drove you down here, without a care in the world. You were my trusty fifteen-year-old Volvo, and nothing could stop you.
Alas, the long drive had a negative effect on you, and you were never the same after that. Your tail-light went out and had to be replaced. You began refusing to start at the most inconvenient times. And you broke down on me at the airport. I got you repaired, but there were still problems that we couldn't solve. By that point, we were expecting a new addition to the family, and we needed a more trustworthy vehicle in which to transport him or her. So we bought a new Chevy Impala, and relegated you to secondary transportation status. I know you began to get jealous. We tried to make it up to you by replacing your brakes. But you threw our generosity in our faces by squealing every time the brake pedal was depressed.
Look, Gundar, I know it's hard being a teenager. I've been there myself. And you felt like you were being replaced in our affections. But you weren't!
I cried about losing you, and you just kept getting more and more distant and unreliable. You wouldn't start at the most important times. We no longer felt safe driving you. So in November, we bought a 2005 VW New Beetle to replace you as my transportation to work. The Beetle took your parking space in the carport and you were relegated to the side of the road.
I'm really sorry, Gundar. I wish I knew what I could have done to help you! You were always my favorite car. But I think you'll be better off with the National Kidney Foundation of East Tennessee. They will refurbish you and give you to kidney patients in need of reliable transportation to/from dialysis. I hope that you can return to your old dependable ways and give the kidney patients the same sort of good memories that you gave us. You will always have a fond place in my heart, Gundar.
Love,
Rebecca
(Inspired by a blog blast for car blabber)
I'm sorry we had to part under such circumstances. It was hard to let go of you, my 1990 Volvo 740 Turbo station wagon. We had such fond memories of good times together.
You were only eleven years old when we first met, a mere youth in the lifetime of a Volvo. I saw the classified ad in the paper, and I knew I had to have you. The woman who was selling you lived in Champaign, but you really came from Missouri. I still don't know what color you are – gold or copper, perhaps? – but I do know that it was love at first sight. We got you evaluated by our Volvo expert Bill, and thankfully you passed with a clean bill of health. So we bought you.
Compared to our other car, Ingrid the 1982 Volvo 240, you were brand new. You rode so smoothly, and I always felt confident that you could take me wherever I needed to go, safely. We drove you on countless trips – to Chicago, to Kentucky, to Iowa – and hauled cargo around town – an electric piano, a huge television, pavers from Menard's, caution barriers we borrowed from the city – in the spacious area that resulted from folding the back seats forward.
At one point, your speedometer gave out and wouldn't work unless the undercarriage of the car was wet. I knew of a big puddle in a parking lot at the University, so we drove you through that puddle and the speedometer would work once more, until it dried out again! Eventually we got your speedometer fixed – it was just a simple cable that needed to be replaced.
When I moved to Tennessee, I drove you down here, without a care in the world. You were my trusty fifteen-year-old Volvo, and nothing could stop you.
Alas, the long drive had a negative effect on you, and you were never the same after that. Your tail-light went out and had to be replaced. You began refusing to start at the most inconvenient times. And you broke down on me at the airport. I got you repaired, but there were still problems that we couldn't solve. By that point, we were expecting a new addition to the family, and we needed a more trustworthy vehicle in which to transport him or her. So we bought a new Chevy Impala, and relegated you to secondary transportation status. I know you began to get jealous. We tried to make it up to you by replacing your brakes. But you threw our generosity in our faces by squealing every time the brake pedal was depressed.
Look, Gundar, I know it's hard being a teenager. I've been there myself. And you felt like you were being replaced in our affections. But you weren't!
I cried about losing you, and you just kept getting more and more distant and unreliable. You wouldn't start at the most important times. We no longer felt safe driving you. So in November, we bought a 2005 VW New Beetle to replace you as my transportation to work. The Beetle took your parking space in the carport and you were relegated to the side of the road.
I'm really sorry, Gundar. I wish I knew what I could have done to help you! You were always my favorite car. But I think you'll be better off with the National Kidney Foundation of East Tennessee. They will refurbish you and give you to kidney patients in need of reliable transportation to/from dialysis. I hope that you can return to your old dependable ways and give the kidney patients the same sort of good memories that you gave us. You will always have a fond place in my heart, Gundar.
Love,
Rebecca
(Inspired by a blog blast for car blabber)
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Interesting Car Thoughts
Apparently, our Chevy Impala lets you know if you forgot to turn off your blinker. It dings and gives you a little message on the dashboard indicating which turn signal is on. I think that's pretty cool! What will they come up with next?!
I'll tell you what they should come up with next. They need to come up with a car that has a convenient place for a woman driver to stow her purse. Too often, when I have a passenger I have to ask that person to hold my purse or at least let me put it down by their feet. If there were a car in which driver's side door had some sort of purse-sized pocket in it, I would buy that car, even if it sucked in most other ways. Listen up, Detroit! I don't think I'm the only woman who feels this way.
I'll tell you what they should come up with next. They need to come up with a car that has a convenient place for a woman driver to stow her purse. Too often, when I have a passenger I have to ask that person to hold my purse or at least let me put it down by their feet. If there were a car in which driver's side door had some sort of purse-sized pocket in it, I would buy that car, even if it sucked in most other ways. Listen up, Detroit! I don't think I'm the only woman who feels this way.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
