RoAb #135 - Porta-Ben

One legendary gangster’s Cadillac is headed to the auction block.  A new technology prevents drivers’ cell phones from working and alerts the cops at the same time!  Plus later in the show we’ll introduce a brand-new segment featuring THE Safety Advocate, Donald Bloomberry.

Brought to you by Amazon.com and Advance Auto Parts

Play RoundAbout Episode 135

Download MP3 | | |

Featuring: Michelle Naranjo, Josh Lewis, Craig Cole and Ben Sanders

With additional research and assistance from: Mark Malonzo

Video after the jump!

RoundAbout records LIVE on Fridays at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT. Visit RoundAboutShow.com and click Watch Live to watch our webcast and look in on all the antics.

Show Notes

Experimental headlamps make rain, snow and ice invisible!
Rain and snow can make roads a slippery mess.  Precipitation’s visibility-reducing abilities are just as dangerous.  But driving blinded by weather may soon be a thing of the past.  According to Gizmag.com, a group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing a new headlamp that can actually make rain and snow nearly invisible.  This interestingly-fangled technology is made up of several components including a digital light projector -- the part that functions as the actual headlamp -- as well as a video camera and something called a beamsplitter.  Basically how it works is the camera can see precisely the area the projector illuminates -- it knows right where the headlights are shining.  As a raindrop enters the camera’s field of vision a computer calculates its trajectory and is able to selectively deactivate the projector’s output in sync with the drop.  The way I read this is that the system is actually eliminating reflections by carefully turning off parts of the light beam that correspond where raindrops or snowflakes are falling.  Neat-o!

You Owe This Woman Your Life, All Of You
Some people are just awesome and some are just middle of the road. One woman, who hailed from Riverside County, California, is the definition of middle of the road because she is responsible for the lines that remind drivers everywhere to keep to their sides of the road. Dr. June McCarroll’s idea was at first ignored by the county but after “painting” her road with cake flour, an extensive letter writing campaign and much ado about something from supporters, the painted markings on California roads became law in November, 1924. Now you know!  

Teepee Poles Impale Car Windshield as Driver Survives
Marco... POLEEEE!!! You ever had that feeling driving down the road behind a truck with tons of metal poles, trees, port-a-johns, or whatever else, that something was going to fall off and fly through your windshield? Yeah, well you’re about to have your fears confirmed, but in a different way: Donald Bloomberry would be flipping out over this safety issue...

According to police in Deming, Wash., a woman driving a white Toyota Camry was driving behind a station wagon with a trailer full of "Teepee poles" when the station wagon slowed down to allow a dump truck to turn. The driver of the Camry did not notice the station wagon slowing, and slammed into the trailer of poles. Holy tits...

Sounds to me like Toyota now need a new unintended situation to happen: braking...

You can own Al Capone's bulletproof 1928 Cadillac
Another article about a vintage auto-mo-bile you say?  Don’t mind if I do!  What we’ve got here is a Duesy, no not really, but it is pretty awesome nonetheless.   According to Autoblog, Al Capone’s 1928 Cadillac sedan is up for sale.  This armor-plated beauty is powered by a flathead V-8 engine and features a fold-down rear window so scofflaws could shoot at would-be pursuers.   It used to be lined with some 3,000 pounds of armor plating, but it was removed in a previous restoration.  The car is going up for sale with RM Auctions at the Concours d’Elegance of America in Plymouth, Michigan later this month.  The last time this green and black four-door changed hands was six years ago and it sold for more than $621,000!  Will it go for that much?  Who knows?  But it’s estimated to sell for anywhere between $300,000 and half a million bucks.

Last Call- A Hummer I Wouldn't Want To Get Edition
The over the top Hummer featured on Hooniverse has to be a Photoshop job. Is it the bulldog perched on the front? Is it the many swans a swimming around the roofline? No. It is obviously Photoshopped because it is not in a handicap parking spot!

New Technology Blocks Driver's Mobile Signal, Informs Cops
Leave me alone when I’m in my car, damnit! It’s not my fault there are other morons out there who can’t drive for crap. If I talk on my phone, I’m rather good at still knowing what’s going on around me, because I have this crazy thing I can do... it’s called multitasking.

According to an Edmunds’ Inside Line reports, and according to their just the facts part of this article:

• Researchers at India's Anna University of Technology have developed hardware that blocks a driver's mobile signal, yet allows passengers to use their phones.
• The system triggers a jammer and an antenna above the driver seat to block the mobile signal.
• An embedded transmitter also alerts police when the driver uses a phone, so their infraction has the potential to earn them a ticket.

How about teaching people how to drive cars properly first, huh?

THE SAFETY ADVOCATE

MEET YOUR ROADMATES

Old Lifted Suburban

91 Lexus LS

Restored '79 Dodge Truck

RoundAbout Episode 135