The problem is thorny and disturbing, and the potential causes are many. But credit the reporters at The New York Times for making a brave attempt to explain why and how more than 7,300 pedestrians died in America in 2021 — three in four of them during the hours between sunset and sunrise.

The report, titled “Why Are So Many American Pedestrians Dying at Night?” chronicles the sharp rise in nighttime fatalities over the past 15 years and suggests factors at play here besides merely darkness: the distractions of smartphone use — both by drivers and by pedestrians — fiddling with digital display devices on or near the dashboard; increased use of drugs by drivers; and more people walking along roads that were not designed for pedestrians.

A year ago, Autoblog looked at the same data, and we noted a couple of factors the Times only touches on or does not mention: Like the Times, we highlighted that pedestrians are often dressed in dark clothing, rather than for visibility. We also noted, anecdotally, that pedestrians often don’t exercise the fundamentals of safe walking, sometimes jaywalking or stepping out without making eye contact with motorists. As for roads not designed for pedestrians, we noted that three-quarters of pedestrian deaths occur in a location other than an intersection, where a driver is at higher speeds and would least expect to encounter someone walking. And though we often hear about drunk driving, there’s this surprising statistic: In 32% of fatal crashes, the pedestrian had a blood-alcohol level exceeding 0.08% — too impaired to drive may also mean too impaired to make coherent decisions on foot. In comparison, in 10% of pedestrian fatalities, the driver was drunk.

In Portland, Oregon, the story quotes Dana Dickman, the traffic safety section manager for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, who says, “Now we have folks that are living, working, shopping, going to school directly on these roads that were essentially built as highways.”

“It’s clear that there’s been a particularly American mix of technological and social changes over the past decade and a half,” the Times writers say. “And they have all come on top of a road system and an ingrained culture that prioritizes speed over safety. Whatever has happened over this time has reversed years of progress on daytime pedestrian fatalities, too, leading to a modest increase in deaths.” Then they return to the main thesis: “Nighttime, however, has the potential to amplify so many of these new risks.”

Experts as well are called on to comment on what’s caused “a growing gap” in reports of fatalities between the U.S. and other advanced nations. But there’s no consensus. Reports the Times, “these trends present a puzzle that has stumped experts on vehicle design, driver behavior, road safety and how they interact.”

“’I don’t have any definitive answers for this,’” Jessica Cicchino, the vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told the writers. “Ms. Cicchino, like many observers, has puzzled over how rapidly nighttime deaths have risen. ‘What is it that’s happening specifically in the dark?’”

Could it be that the predominance these days of vehicles that are “wider, longer, taller and heavier” — the letters “SUV” don’t appear in the story here — contributes to the rise in pedestrian injuries?

Not necessarily. “While researchers have pointed toward vehicle size as a factor explaining America’s high overall rate of pedestrian fatalities, several said they were skeptical that it explains much of the increase since 2009,” reports the Times. “That’s because American cars were relatively large even before 2009, and the rate at which new cars replace existing ones is slow.”

There are other details worth exploring in the report, which is available here. A subscription to the Times may be required.

The Times also has a companion piece, called “The Rise in U.S. Traffic Deaths.” It charts the way that vehicle deaths have risen in the U.S. to a rate up to five times higher than that of Scandinavia, Switzerland or Britain.

New York City’s plan to charge motorists driving into Manhattan’s central business district inched forward as a proposed tolling structure received an initial approval from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The MTA’s governing board voted nine to one Wednesday to allow the tolling program to move forward. The agency, which operates the city’s subways, buses and commuter rail trains, is implementing the congestion pricing tolling plan. Passenger cars with an E-ZPass will pay $15 during peak periods, while trucks pay $24 to $36. It’s the first such program in the US.

The initial approval allows the MTA to begin a public comment period on the tolling structure. Officials anticipate congestion pricing will bring in $1 billion annually that the transit agency will borrow against to raise $15 billion for its $51.5 billion multi-year capital budget. That spending plan includes modernizing subway signals, extending the Second Avenue subway to 125th Street and adding escalators and elevators to make the system more accessible for everyone.

Congestion pricing gives the MTA, which already has $47 billion of outstanding debt, a new revenue source to fund necessary infrastructure needs, said Neal Zuckerman, an MTA board member who chairs its finance committee.

“We’re spending 15% of our operating budget servicing that debt,” Zuckerman said. “Congestion pricing is necessary for plugging the gap of the building, the repairing, the fixing we must do.” 

The MTA is eager to get the new toll revenue flowing into its capital budget. It has already delayed a $1.3 billion project to update signals on the A and C subway lines in Brooklyn because its funding relies on congestion pricing revenue. More project delays could come. The anticipated cash from the tolls would account for up 50% of the remaining funding in the MTA’s capital plan.

“We’ve knocked out as many of the projects as we can that did not depend on congestion pricing,” Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chief executive officer, said during Wednesday’s meeting.  “Now we’re coming to the point where we really start to need that money.”   

The goal is for drivers to start paying the toll in May or June, but a New Jersey lawsuit may push out the implementation. Governor Phil Murphy has filed suit to get a court to force the MTA to undergo a longer environmental analysis.   

The MTA can make some changes to the tolling structure. The transit agency will now analyze how to exempt public school buses from the toll after some board members raised concerns. The board also mentioned giving a break to yellow-taxi passengers, although incorporating that type of change could be challenging, Lieber told reporters after the board meeting.

“When you make tweaks to it, it definitely creates diversions, different traffic patterns, which then have to be restudied,” Lieber said. “And in a doomsday scenario, would run afoul of the limits placed by the environmental assessment.”

Related: NYC’s $15 Congestion Pricing Risks Delay From New Jersey Lawsuit

The fee would apply once a day to drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends, with tolls 75% lower during the night. There’s a 50% increase for vehicles without an E-ZPass. The proposal includes a credit for drivers entering the district through certain tunnels.

The plan includes potentially boosting the tolls by 25% during so-called gridlock alert days, which is the holiday season and also the United Nations’ General Assembly.

The toll wouldn’t apply to taxi drivers and for-hire vehicles, but instead charge passengers per ride, $1.25 for taxis and $2.50 to those in ride-shares like Uber or Lyft.

The tolling plan calls for a $5 credit to passenger vehicles entering Manhattan through four tunnels: Queens-Midtown connecting Manhattan to Long Island City, the Hugh L. Carey — a bypass to downtown from Brooklyn, and both the Holland and Lincoln which connect to New Jersey. Small trucks would get $12 while large trucks and tour buses would receive $20.

John Samuelsen, Transport Workers Union’s international president and a non-voting MTA board member, has said the MTA needs to add more express bus routes in underserved areas and more frequent local bus service to get more commuters to take public transportation instead of driving. Samuelsen was on the Traffic Mobility Review Board, which recommended the tolling structure. He resigned last week, saying the program doesn’t include sufficient service changes.

“We’re talking about targeted service increases, perhaps in the far reaches of the outer boroughs, that would encourage those who currently drive to get out of their cars and onto public transit,” Samuelsen told reporters after the board meeting.

For drivers living in Tucson, Ariz., it might be safer to walk to the pizzeria on New Year’s Eve instead of to drive. Alcohol has nothing to do with it.

On the other hand, residents of Minneapolis should have no qualms about taking the car to pickup a pie.

Those suggestions follow the results of a rather unscientific survey taken by GasBuddy to assess driving habits in the US during the holiday season. It found that drivers “are up to 48 percent more aggressive on the roads” during that time of year.

The study ranked the top 50 U.S. metros from most to least aggressive, placing Tucson at the top of the “naughty list,” and Minneapolis as the city with the “nicest” holiday drivers, rising six spots from seventh place in 2022. You can see some of the other most and least aggressive cities in the image at top.

How was the study accomplished? Well, GasBuddy ‘”Drives” is an opt-in, in-app feature that tracks users’ trips and provides a fuel efficiency score by recording aggressive driving habits; those “naughty” habits include hard braking, fast acceleration and speeding. The team looked at 8,149,863 of these recorded trips, or “drives,” across 50 metropolitan areas from November 23 to the 26, over the Thanksgiving weekend, measuring the number of events of speeding, hard braking and fast acceleration.  The organization averaged the amount of aggressive driving events in each city to reach a total, which was then compared to the national average. 

“Driving during the holiday season can be stressful, but it’s important to remember to stay calm and courteous on the road,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Additionally, aggressive driving can negatively impact fuel efficiency, causing drivers to waste money that could be spent on holiday celebrations or gifts for loved ones.” 

We would also add that you should be thoughtful and safe on the roads during the holidays to make sure you get home safely to enjoy them with your loved ones.

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Time and again, American consumers say that one of the biggest barriers to entry to the EV marketplace is range. Compounding the potential for range anxiety in an EV purchase is the fact that estimates are just that, and many have found that their electric cars frequently offer less real-world range than advertised. To help keep them honest, Consumer Reports decided to evaluate the highway range of its EV test fleet and see just how far each of its cars would go until they just couldn’t go anymore. The team tested EVs from the U.S., Korea, Japan and Germany and the best (and worst) performers just might surprise you.

While CR breaks down its results very matter-of-factly, we’re going to (somewhat arbitrarily) arrange them into three categories: those that convincingly beat their estimates (20 miles better than advertised or more), those that didn’t (20 miles or worse than expected), and those that managed to fall almost exactly where CR expected (within 19 miles of their EPA figure). With that out of the way, let’s dive in. 

The good

Score one (or six?) for the Germans. Always eager to sandbag, BMW and Mercedes had excellent showings here, and while we’re at it, let’s give Ford and Rivian some credit for hanging with the luxury brands from overseas. While the R1T is hardly a mainstream pickup, the Mach-E is a bit more bread-and-butter. Just goes to show, you don’t have to spend premium money to get a good EV these days. 

• BMW i4 M50
• BMW iX xDrive50
• Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD Extended Range
• Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic
• Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 350 4Matic
• Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4Matic
• Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 450 4Matic
• Rivian R1T

The bad

This list is surprisingly short, but it’s populated by some big names. Ford certainly won’t be happy to see the F-150 Lightning hanging out down here, especially when you consider that Consumer Reports wasn’t even doing truck stuff when they tested it; things undoubtedly get worse with a payload or trailer to contend with. As for Lucid and Tesla, well…

• Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range
• Lucid Air Touring
• Tesla Model S Long Range

The shockingly accurate

Mona Lisa Vito had a better term for it, but it’s one we won’t print here. Many of the cars CR tested managed to come so close to their estimates that they might as well have been right on the money. Both the Genesis GV60 Advanced and the Kia EV6 Wind beat their estimates by just three miles; others, like the Ioniq 6 SEL AWD, fell short by just a few. All of these were within 20 miles of their prescribed range, however, which is pretty darned good for a real-world result. And while we’re certain Audi and Volkswagen would have preferred to stand alongside their brethren in the “Good” category, this will have to do. 

• Audi Q4 E-Tron Premium Plus
• Genesis Electrified GV70 Advanced
• Genesis GV60 Advanced
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 SEL AWD
• Hyundai Ioniq 6 SEL AWD
• Kia EV6 Wind AWD
• Kia Niro EV Wind AWD
• Lexus RZ 450e Premium
• Nissan Ariya Platinum+ AWD
• Subaru Solterra Limited
• Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD

As always, check out CR’s results for the full figures.

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Green,BMW,Buick,Mercedes-Benz,Toyota,Convertible,Crossover,SUV,Performance

Continue reading Editors’ Picks November 2023: Toyota Grand Highlander, Buick Envista and some lovely luxury vehicles

Editors’ Picks November 2023: Toyota Grand Highlander, Buick Envista and some lovely luxury vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 1 Dec 2023 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Traffic volumes have made a big comeback post-pandemic, and though the post-pandemic high rate of traffic fatalities has started to ease slightly, deaths among pedestrians and cyclists remain on the rise. An annual AAA study sheds light on the type of driver behind these statistics. The news is, the majority of us admitted to bad driving behavior even though we know better.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety interviewed 2,499 drivers for the survey and parsed them into six types, and dived deep into their driving behaviors. The organization asked drivers questions about their attitudes toward safety — as well as their actions behind the wheel in the previous 30 days. Often, attitudes did not match actions, and only 41% of drivers surveyed fell into what AAA calls its “Safe Drivers” category. 

In other words, 6 in 10 of us admitted to unsafe driving, in particular, speeding. The survey categorized 27% of respondents as “Speeding Drivers.”

“Despite acknowledging the dangers, some drivers continue to engage in potentially deadly behaviors, particularly speeding,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Understanding the different types of risky driving behaviors and the characteristics of drivers who engage in them is crucial for developing targeted interventions to achieve safe mobility.”

The Traffic Safety Culture Index (TSCI) report slotted survey respondents into six driver profiles:

• Safe Drivers: Few engaged in any risky driving behavior. 
• Distracted Drivers: Predominantly engaged in all distracted driving behaviors, most notably cellphone use. 
• Speeding Drivers: Predominantly engaged in speeding behaviors. 
• Distracted and Aggressive Drivers: Predominantly engaged in both distracted and aggressive driving behaviors. 
• Impaired Drivers: Predominantly engaged in impaired driving (e.g., drunk driving). 
• Most Dangerous Drivers: Engaged in all risky driving behaviors

According to the 2022 index, 93% of drivers said those who use a cellphone to text or email or read while driving are “very” or “extremely” dangerous. Drivers also agreed that somebody important to them would disapprove if they did it. However, 27% of drivers admitted they have sent a text or email while driving, 38% have handheld a phone during a call, and 37% read a text or email.

Some 83% of those surveyed said driving through a red light was “very” or “extremely” dangerous, while 89% condemned aggressively switching lanes or tailgating. Yet, fewer drivers consider speeding as a dangerous activity and had the “lowest perceived social disapproval,” with approximately half saying they have traveled 15 mph over the speed limit. 

“Many risky drivers in this study were classified into profiles that involved speeding behavior. Focusing on speeding drivers will deter other risky driving behaviors like impaired driving and red-light running. This traffic safety measure will have the greatest impact on safety,” said Yang.

The biggest concern for “very” or “extremely” dangerous driving is drowsy driving, with 93% agreeing this is bad. Nonetheless, in the past 30 days, 18% reported they have driven drowsy. 

And 94% said impaired driving is “very” or “extremely” dangerous. Out of those surveyed, 7% said they have driven after drinking alcohol, enough to qualify for a DUI.

In comparison, 70% of drivers are concerned that driving with THC in their system is “very” or “extremely” dangerous. Only 6% of drivers stated they have driven after using THC within an hour. That percentage is up compared to the TSCI numbers in the 2021 index.

These unsafe behaviors such as speeding, alcohol involvement and non-use of a seatbelt have played a crucial role in the number of traffic deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The rise in pedestrian fatalities has been particularly alarming, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has called this a “national crisis of traffic deaths” and has allocated billions of dollars in infrastructure spending to address it.

You’ll find more details in the full AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index study report. 

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Winter driving is inevitable in cold weather regions and it can become dangerous if you and your vehicle aren’t prepared. With the help of tire chains, you can have a better chance at easily navigating through deep snow. Tire chains are wrapped around the tread of the tires and latch on tightly to prevent slipping and increase traction. Here are the best tire chains that are currently for sale online.

SCC Peerless 0232405 Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain – $79.30 

$79.30 at Amazon

Key Features

• #1 best-selling passenger car snow chain on Amazon
• Fast and easy installation
• Prevents vehicle slipping
• Built-in rubber self-tensioning system
• Self-tightening system
• Meets S.A.E Class S requirements

The SCC Peerless Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain is currently the best-selling tire chain on Amazon. It’s easy to install and stays in place without the need to tighten it after installation. It uses a self-tightening ratchet that tightens and centers the chains automatically. The chains have a Class S requirement given by S.A.E. (Society of Automotive Engineers), which is an organization that rates products in aerospace, automotive and commercial vehicle industries.

TracGrabber Tire Traction Device for Cars & Small SUVs – $59.99  

$59.99 at Amazon

Key Features

• Set of 2
• Reusable and portable
• EPDM rubber block
• Reinforced stitch seams
• Works in snow, mud and sand

The TracGrabber Tire Traction Device for Cars & Small SUVs is a versatile tire chain that works well in snow, sand, ice and mud. These tire chains are made with premium EPDM rubber, reinforced tire straps and heavy-duty “D” rings to handle and terrain when necessary.

Peerless Chain Company Quik-Grip Tire Chains QG2216CAM – $75.57 

$75.57 at Walmart

Key Features

• Ladder-style steel link chain
• Uses CAM locking mechanism
• Chain tensioners not required
• Does not meet S.A.E. Class S requirements
• Manufactured to meet specifications of NACM (National Association of Chain Manufacturers) 

This Peerless Chain Company Quik-Grip Tire Chains uses a CAM style locking mechanism that has pieces of stamped steel on the outside rail of the tire chain to increase traction. With the CAM mechanism included you won’t need to add chain tensioners to the tires.

SCC Security Chain Peerless 0153505 Auto-Trac Tire Traction Chain – $92.55 

$92.55 at Amazon

Key Features

• Set of 2
• Self-tightening polycarbonate ratchets
• Diamond pattern cross chain
• Meets S.A.E. Class S requirements
• Do not exceed 30 mph with these chains attached

This SCC Security Chain Peerless Auto-Trac Tire Traction Chain uses self-tightening ratchets that deliver automatic centering and tightening when being used. The diamond cross-chain pattern increases traction and improves the ride quality of these tire chains. It’s recommended by the manufacturer that you don’t exceed 30 mph while using these chains.

K&K Automotive Snow Socks for Tires – $69.99 

$69.99 at Amazon

Key Features

• Alternative for tire chains and cables
• Won’t damage tires or wheels
• Tear-resistant
• Maximum recommended speed of 25 mph
• Can support vehicles up to 3.5 tons

The K&K Automotive Snow Socks for Tires are exactly what their name suggests, socks for your car. But don’t let the name fool you, they are a strong alternative to tire chains and cables. They increase traction, steering and braking when using them and are very durable. They can support a maximum vehicle weight reaching up to 3.5 tons.

How to install tire chains

Before buying a set of tire chains, make sure they are the right size for your tires. Here is a YouTube tutorial from Ministry of TranBC on how to install winter tire chains.

Do you put tire chains on all 4 tires?

You only put four tire chains on all tires if your vehicle is all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. If you have a front-wheel car then place the chains in the front and place them on the rear tires for rear-wheel drive vehicles.

How fast can you drive with tire chains?

Every tire chain has a different set of rules, but most brands don’t want you driving over 30 mph. Make sure you read the instructions of your chains to know the exact speed limit of your chains.

How effective are tire chains on ice?

Snow tire chains work well in icy conditions as well. According to eTrailer, “Although tire chains are often referred to as “snow tire chains,” they’re also good for ice and mud. Chains handle deep snow better than studded tires or winter tires, and they do just as well at cutting through ice”.

More top picks

• Best snow tires for winter 2022 and 2023
• The best car snow brushes of 2023
• The best snow blowers of 2023
• Winter emergency kit — 20 safety essentials for your car
• Rivian Releases a “Snow” driving profile update

Filed under:
Buick,Automotive History,Coupe,Luxury,Classics

Continue reading Junkyard Gem: 1986 Buick Riviera

Junkyard Gem: 1986 Buick Riviera originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Nov 2023 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did you know that in some states a friendly tap on the car horn celebrating a sports team or just for saying “I’m here” or “goodbye”, can be illegal? The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide on an odd car-related case: whether honking a car horn as a show of support is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The case began in 2017, when 69-year-old Susan Porter of Oceanside, California, honked to show solidarity with protesters outside the office of her local congressman. She was immediately issued a ticket by a sheriff’s deputy. 

“He said, ‘illegal use of horn’ and gave me the ticket,” Porter told USA Today. 

The California vehicle code states that the only two legal uses of a car horn are to give an audible warning to another driver, and as part of an anti-theft device. However, the law is rarely enforced and the practice of honking situations that fall outside those narrow definitions is widespread. In fact, Porter’s case was dismissed in California’s traffic court when the deputy issuing the ticket failed to appear.

However, Porter decided to file a civil suit, arguing that the use of a car horn should be protected free speech under the First Amendment. Both a California District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against Porter in the state of California’s favor, leaving Porter no where to appeal but the highest court in the land.

In the San Diego Tribune Porter’s lead attorneys, Thaila Sundaresan and Andrew Row, argued that presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump both encouraged their supporters to honk during their 2020 campaigns, which were run during COVID-19 lockdowns. 

“The pandemic showed that when restrictions are placed on gatherings, people use cars as extensions of themselves,” Row told the Tribune. This argument also makes a good case for manual transmissions, but we digress.

The National Constitution Center’s blog cites similar cases that have been decided in other states. In Montana and Washington in 1998 and 2001, respectively, state Supreme Courts decided against the honker in two cases where horns were used to show objection to neighbors during disagreements. In 1992 in Oregon, a case similar to Porter’s was decided in the favor of protesters who honked during anti-Gulf War demonstrations. 

The California case, Porter v. Martinez, will be part of the docket during the Supreme Court’s session starting November 27.

It’s Thanksgiving week and with it comes the predictable sluggishness of the holiday news cycle and its corresponding boredom and restlessness. We’d had enough of it by Tuesday afternoon that Riswick turned (figuratively) to Hurd and said, “Hey, why don’t we throw some cars in a post and see what happens?” The creative process works in mysterious ways. Call it boredom, slot-filling or just old-fashioned strangeness, but Hurd managed to turn what would be a conventional “best family haulers” post into the historically confused mess you see before you with one simple idea: Let’s travel for Thanksgiving, but let’s do it while going back in time. No, not like in a DeLorean. But also, yeah, kind of. 

America has celebrated Thanksgiving since it was first declared in 1885, famously inspiring Karl Benz to build the first automobile a year later … in Germany. But in all seriousness, the official declaration of America’s thanksgiving did in fact coincide with the first automobiles scurrying about the compounds of oddball inventors and enterprising businessmen. So of course, we decided to pick our favorite (or most likely, or simply only) options for holiday travel over the past 140-ish years. Sound straightforward? Hardly. Hurd’s involved. And Riswick’s Canadian, so he’ll probably trot out some converted maple syrup hauler from the 1950s. Who knows? Grab some turkey and let’s dive in. It’s going to get weird. 

Today – The 2020s

Riswick: Toyota Sienna XSE

For this entire exercise, I’m going to be picking a new vehicle that can make my former annual Thanksgiving journey drive from Portland, Ore., to Simi Valley, Calif., about an hour outside Los Angeles. I’ll also be making the journey with my wife, 3-year-old son and two 20-pound dogs. We’ll be bringing lots of crap. As we’re just driving, without any need to venture off the beaten path or plug something into a trailer hitch, I’m going minivan all the way here. And since gas prices suck, I’m going with a hybrid. And since we’re talking about a 1,000-ish-mile journey, the plug-in-hybrid Pacifica isn’t as helpful. Ergo, Toyota Sienna XSE. It’s the sporty one, you know. The Super-Long-Slide second row is terrific for providing lots of space for my son to kick about in his chair without bothering us, as well as clearing away loads of floor space for my dogs’ giant dog bed. As it’s a Toyota from 2023, it also has adaptive cruise control (not the best one, to be fair) which is great for long highway journeys.

Hurd: Bentley Bentayga

My family and friends are bit more scattered than Riswick’s, so my choices are going to be a bit more … academic? While rules and structure are important, my reality (one partner, zero kids or traveling pets) allows me to slap “1990 Mazda Miata” into just about every challenge we do here. That may be fun for me in the real world, but it doesn’t contribute much to a discussion like this. So I’m going to play along … to a point. 

Since I don’t have any kids or dogs for my relatives to fawn over, I might as well roll up in something cool. The Bentley Bentayga has the awkward personality of a precocious teenager and costs about as much as middle-class college education, plus the little hole for electricity will surely get the family talking about the future of the automotive industry! Or at least get one or two crazy uncles going about how a 450-plus horsepower hybrid system is somehow proof that China has taken over America, even if Bentley is a British make owned by a German conglomerate.  

The 2010s

Riswick: Ford Flex EcoBoost

My favorite family vehicle of all time is the Ford Flex EcoBoost, so I’m going with that here. I took numerous road trips in a first-year version, including from L.A. to Vancouver, B.C., and loved it. And that didn’t have the 350-horsepower EcoBoost turbo-V6 that utterly obliterated the competition of the time … and actually today, as well. The Flex was a cool people mover that was also better to drive than contemporary large crossovers and usually more spacious than them as well.

Hurd: Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

Zero chance I’m passing up the opportunity to pick this beast, a Cadillac CTS-V Wagon. This is up there on the list of all-time coolest American cars — even among those who don’t own GM performance vehicles. And you folks who need a true family hauler can’t even get mad about this choice; it’s about as brood-friendly as my picks are going to get. Enjoy it while it lasts.  

2000s

Riswick: Range Rover

Good grief, why am I being so damned practical, here? We never said a word about budget, and yet here I am picking Sienna and Flexes while Byron’s rocking a Bentley and CTS-V Wagon. No more! Time to call up what is easily one of the best SUVs of all time, the 2000s-era Range Rover. It is perfection, at least until they needlessly futzed with the styling for the sake of futzing with the styling. No matter. Even then, it was a classic. I drove one once, resplendent in red with the supercharged post-BMW engine, from L.A. to Phoenix and it was divine. I think I’d want one of the earlier versions with the BMW V8, preferably in green.

Hurd: Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG

Hey, a Cadillac station wagon is immensely practical. Also, forget that Range Rover; can I have the house?

Anyway, I spent most of the ’10s road tripping in Ford Mustangs and Mazdaspeed3s, but in this alternate reality where I’m going over the proverbial river and through the woods, I’m going to try something Riswick might more readily approve of: a minivan. Just a casual Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG. In addition to AMG’s 510-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8, it was also available with in-car DVD entertainment, a reverse camera, iPod compatibility, navigation, panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlamps, and more. Not bad for nearly 20 years ago. 

1990s

Hurd: I’m keeping with my previous theme of practical German transportation. This time, a nice family sedan. Based on the video review I found above, it seems like an excellent candidate for long-distance cruising that is simultaneously capable of some light off-roading in a pinch. And it’ll shrug off mild traffic impacts to boot — perfect for the mean streets of the 1990s. Yep, I picked the Audi S8, but specifically this Audi S8:

Riswick: OK, so that made me LOL, Byron. As long as you pronounce it “Oddy” and request a nitrous system for reasons. Just don’t turn your back on that German guy.

Speaking of German guys, I too am sticking to Deutscheland, and will be returning to an old favorite: an E39 BMW 5 Series. Specifically, a 540i Touring wagon. Because it’s basically one of the best cars ever made. I probably could’ve just used one of these in each of the subsequent decades. Sure, the E39 came out towards the end of the ’90s, but it’s also the most obvious choice for awesome family transport.

1980s

Hurd: Lincoln Town Car

This one’s near and dear to my heart. My grandparents had a mid-80s Lincoln Town Car that was always our default loaner car whenever we visited, holidays or not. I can still recite the keypad code for virtually every combination the car allowed. Unlock the doors? Yep. Open the trunk? You betcha. Oh, and it had a 302 under the hood. It wasn’t fast, but it wasn’t slow either. Miss that car. 

Riswick: Audi 200 Avant Quattro

So I was fully prepared to choose some vast 1980s American wagon, but then I thought about the particulars of my once-annual-journey between Portland and Los Angeles and the fact I almost always ended up in some blizzard around Mt. Shasta and the state border. I don’t want to be driving a Country Squire in that. I suppose a Chrysler minivan would be vastly better due to its front-wheel-driveness, but that’s just not me. We’re going back to Germany, sorry. The Audi 200 Avant Quattro is super ’80s, super practical, and per the name, all-wheel drive. Not that I’d need it, but you could even get a third-row seat. A version of this was even driven by Timothy Dalton in “The Living Daylights,” so hey, James Bond car! 

1970s

Hurd: Jeep Wagoneer

OK, I’m clearly swinging back toward the practical side of things here, but that’s OK. My family has always been into Jeeps, and this is probably the closest I’ll come to an opportunity to flex my fetish in a challenge like this one. It’s no Wrangler, but the Wagoneer was certainly a family-hauling staple for decades. I’ll take mine with wood. 

Riswick: Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

Damn it, definitely wish I hadn’t suggested you start going first back in the ’90s. Wagoneer would’ve been perfect. I guess I could go with a Range Rover instead, but I’ve already picked one. I’ve also picked too much German stuff. Time to go Land Yacht, bring along some chains and pray for that annual blizzard to not happen. The 1974 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser seems like an appropriate choice, and as the brochure would attest, if we need to stop along the way and let my son play in a giant hole, it’ll be perfect for that.

1960s

Hurd: Ford Bronco

It may seem greedy of me to claim this one, but like the Town Car above, this was actually one of my family’s driveway ornaments daily get-around cars for three decades. We no longer have it (a sad story; but it went to a good home) but my grandparents’ ’67 Bronco was an absolute stud — a Robin’s Egg Blue Ranger package automatic with the 302 and air conditioning. And it was a Texas car to boot; zero rust. I would have looked good bringing the turkey home in that thing.

Riswick: Oldsmobile Toronado

Screw it, we’re packing light. I want something that’s cool and also front-wheel-drive: I want a 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado. Yes, it’s another Oldsmobile, but they didn’t call this site Oldsmoblog for nothing back in the ’80s. Oldsmobile is always the right choice and I love me some original Toronado. And hey, with the front bench seat, it’s a six seater, so exactly the same as my Ford Flex up there!

1950s

Hurd: Chevrolet Corvette

Swinging back toward practicality for a bit. After all, what other domestic car had lightweight, fuel-efficient fiberglass panels worth showing off to your friends and family in the 1950s? This hypermiling hero would be right at home next to today’s frugal performance hopefuls. Now I just need help pronouncing it. It’s cor-veetee, right? Sounds Italian. 

Riswick: Edsel Villager

Uh oh, we’ve departed my knowledge base, so I really have no clue what I’m talking about. I mean, I’ve picked an Edsel, for Ford’s sake. Nevertheless, a 1958 Edsel Villager painted teal seems like the sort of contrarian, outside-the-box family vehicle choice I could get behind.

1940s

Hurd:Jeep J-0110

 It’s a Jeep thing; you wouldn’t understand. Except in this case, I think you would. This “All-Steel” Jeep Station Wagon (official designation J-0110) looks like an absolute treat. The hardtop will keep all my gear dry and since it’s a Jeep, I know it can be counted on should I wander off America’s more-established roads and onto the rutted byways that made up most of the nation’s prewar infrastructure. There’s a reason cars looked like this back in the day; roads weren’t really roads yet. (Image credit: Jeep)

Riswick: Packard Station Sedan

I really like the sound of “Hey honey, let’s take the Packard!” so I’m going with that. Despite the name, the Packard Station Sedan was actually a “pseudo luxury station wagon” as described by Wikipedia. That sounds right up my alley. More from Wikipedia, it “used a combination of steel framing and body parts along with structural wood panels made from northern birch to crate a ‘woody’ station wagon-like car due to the growing popularity of them after World War II.” Basically, it was like all those revival woodies in the ’70s and ’80s, but with real wood appliques instead of vinyl. Wacky! I love it.

1930s

Hurd: Dodge Eight

I’ve owned one 8-cylinder Dodge, but it was a 2013 Challenger with a six-speed manual and a 6.4-liter Hemi. This is an entirely different animal, but like the Jeep I picked for the 1940s, it’s a hard top with real cargo space — things that mattered back when mud was still an obstacle the average driver needed to worry about on a daily basis. Torque digs you out! After it gets you stuck, at least. Perfect for going over rivers that don’t have bridges yet. (Image credit: Dodge)

Riswick: Citroen Traction Avant

Oh right, I really have to remember that I’m driving from Portland to Los Angeles in the time period in question. That’s getting a lot harder to do. While Interstate 5 was preceded by US 99, I have to imagine it wasn’t the best-kept road, especially in the Cascades. As such, I’m going back to front-wheel-drive, and specifically the world’s first front-wheel-drive mass-produced car, the Citroen Traction Avant. I’m honestly not sure if they sold these in the United States, but we’re in the Depression, I’m sure I could pay someone enough to get it into the country. 

1920s

Hurd: Ford Model T

This one tickles my personal fancy. I’m a big fan of midwest architecture, and nothing symbolized the early days of motoring wealth like an overwrought Tudor Revival mansion. This Model T “Tudor” hits both my architectural and automotive history fetishes. More to the point, it’s exactly the sort of car that would have been in the garage of my 1928 Tudor Revival home, which was built by a man who moved here in 1911 to work for Ford Motor Company. (Image credit: Ford)

Riswick: Pierce-Arrow Model 81 7-Passenger Sedan

While Mr. Bentley up there suddenly gets frugal to match his house, I’m gettin’ all Gatsby. Purely on the strength of having the greatest hood ornament ever, I’m going with a 1928 Pierce-Arrow Model 81 7-Passenger Sedan. Clearly the definition of “sedan” used to be different judging by this and my Packard. Again, this sucker is teal. It also has a manual transmission, so right up my alley. Will me and my family almost certainly plummet to our deaths after sliding off the road somewhere north of Yreka? Probably! But we’ll do so in style.

1910s

Hurd: Stutz Bearcat

With family in the Southwest, where there was virtually no road infrastructure back in the ‘teens, I want something that I know will get me there. Take this Stutz Bearcat, for instance. It’s more robust than a horse, which was really the most important aspect of any car bought before Ford made the automobile affordable for most Americans. This one is being driven between Texas and Arizona. (Image credit: Detroit Public Library)

Riswick: Southern Pacific 2472

My destination in California, Simi Valley, wasn’t really a town in the 19-teens, so I’m not even sure why I’m driving there anymore. Land holdings? Am I farm baron? There was a train depot, though, so I guess it’s time to abandon the automobile … well crap, I’ve just discovered that the Southern Pacific Railroad didn’t start running from Portland to Los Angeles until 1924. Maybe that would’ve been a better idea than the Pierce-Arrow. Too late! Judging by an antique map I found, we could take a train, but we’d have to change trains. And the locomotive pulling it would look like that up there. What kind of locomotive is it? How the hell should I know? I’m an editor at AUTOblog. Googling “Southern Pacific locomotive 1920s” is the best I can do.

1900s

Hurd: Electric Streetcar

In the Year of Our Ford, 1901, most of us were still getting around by means other than the automobile. Streetcars were hopping on the electrification bandwagon, which made them far easier and more flexible to operate. Developers ran them from their subdivisions to work sites and, eventually, to fanciful attractions built to keep ridership high once everybody had populated their neighborhoods. We owe the 20th century notion of the amusement park to the proliferation of street-running electric railroads, but they could get us to grandma’s just fine too. (Image credit: Detroit Public Library)

Riswick: Whatever the hell that is up there

At least I’m not the only one who’s had to switch to rails. 

Googles “Southern Pacific locomotive 1902” 

1890s

Hurd: General Electric Class LE-1

Electrification was a thing in the 1890s too, as it turns out, but the things being electrified tended to have more than four wheels. Allow me to introduce you to the General Electric class LE-1, With tunneling becoming a critical infrastructure move for railroads in the late 19th century, dealing with air quality issues became priority #1 for passenger rail travel. Enter the electric railroad, which helpfully kept its particulate emissions far away from the location where the power was being used — a strategy we still employ to great effect all over the world today. The Baltimore & Ohio Railway claimed the title of first electric rail line in the USA when it opened in 1895. (Image credit: Wikipedia)

Riswick: One of those ships up there. The second one, sure

Those rail journeys sucked, let’s give Option B a whirl. I’m sure we’ll need to stop in San Francisco and who knows where else. And I’m sure sea conditions are just peachy along the Oregon Coast in November. What’s the worst that could happen?

1880s

Hurd: 4-4-0 American

Nominally, cars existed in the 1880s, but unless you were the 19th century equivalent of Doc Brown (or retracing his steps in “Back to the Future Part III”), you didn’t have one in your carriage house. In fact, most people didn’t even have carriage houses, even if they were fortunate enough to own carriages. If you needed to travel long distances to grandma’s house, you were going by horse or train. The 4-4-0 American was the locomotive of the 1800s; in fact, the one pictured above was one of the two present when the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Over the continental divide and through the woods — that’s how that song goes, right? (Image credit: Union Pacific)

Riswick: Chinese Junk bound for Shanghai

Sadly, as this is 1885, the Portland riverfront is an atrocious place to be and while awaiting our 1880s passenger ship to San Francisco, I was shanghaied, forced into becoming a sailor and died of scurvy. My wife, son and dogs made the journey alone. 

So yeah, cars and roads are a good thing. Happy Thanksgiving.