Getting on it again

Happy New Year to one and all!

We start 2014 with what this column has been known for addressing motorists’ concerns and updates on the latest developments in the local auto industry and its peripheral sectors.

Hearing it straight from concerned motorists

 A few months back a concerned motorist came by the STV (Sunshine Television) offices to refer to us a traffic management situation that he felt was not right.

The gentleman, an American is married to a Filipina corporate lawyer and according to him he has been watching our TV show Motoring Today religiously for the past 5 years. When I started encouraging our TV viewers to inform us of any road problem that they may encounter, which we can spotlight on the show for the authorities concerned to act upon, he was one of the first to answer our call for the public to be involved. 

After requesting that he not be named he immediately referred our staff to the traffic lights at the “T” junction of Ortigas and Greenmeadows Avenues where traffic along Ortigas went both ways and allowed to make a left turn on Greenmeadows. That from Greenmeadows was only directed to turn right to Ortigas and not allowed to turn left to the “T” with Ortigas Avenue. This traffic management configuration allowed traffic along Ortigas coming from Meralco Avenue going to C-5 to flow freely.   

Now, the problem is the traffic light that shows a red or green arrow to control traffic flow from Ortigas turning left to Greenmeadows comes with a regular traffic light that turns red and green simultaneously with the arrow making drivers who want to travel straight on to C-5 to either tentatively slow down or stop on their tracks when it turns red making it utterly dangerous especially for drivers closely behind who know that they don’t need to stop at all.

What makes matters worse is at certain times there are reportedly traffic enforcers further down the road just waiting for unwitting drivers to be pulled over for undeserved traffic violation charges like ignoring or disregarding traffic lights and signs—indeed a “mulching trap” aside from being an accident-prone area.

We have aired this motorists’ concern on TV and nothing has happened. Now we’re publishing it for those concerned to hopefully act on it this time.

Close monitoring of speed

Right after that horrifying Skyway accident involving a speeding bus that jumped off the railing, which caused close to 20 deaths that recently included the driver, we came out with an article in this column that zeroed-in on the seemingly unabated speeding at the Skyway and the SLEX most especially by buses that are limited to run at only 80 kph greatly caused by the inconsistent implementation of speed limits by tollways traffic enforcers.

On the same day it came out we received a reaction from one of our readers, Mr. Tomas Ang who suggests a closer monitoring of speeds, especially of public utility vehicles, either by the tollways’ “point-to-point” minimum travel time or with their mandatory use of speed limiters to help avoid a repetition of the accident.

He writes, “I personally believe that speed limit should depend on the type of vehicle and the road. BUT, PUVs should have a strict speed limit since they carry more passengers than your average car (and have less safety features)! Since we cannot depend on our law enforcement, maybe toll operators can impose a travel time requirement for PUVs. (I’ll be using NLEX as an example) If a bus enters Balintawak, it should ONLY BE ALLOWED to exit Dau after 1hour and 10mins. (the NLEX, as per wikipedia, is 84kms long). Perfect solution will be to install a speed limiter on all PUVs.”

I know for a fact that there was a proposed measure to require buses to be equipped with speed limiters, even for those plying traffic-prone EDSA, after a couple of horrific accidents involving speeding buses happened at nigh. For some reason it never flew.

Perhaps if the LTFRB or the LTO are toothless to have this measure implemented, our legislators should get to work for a law to require PUVs to have speed limiters installed prior to registration and a requirement to keep an operator’s franchise.

It’s high time we give this some serious thought, shouldn’t we.

The engine-cleaning fuel

Just a little before Christmas our kind friends from Chevron Philippines, Inc. (CPI), Raeissa Bautista, Arnel Reniedo, Veronica Pangilinan, Marilen Dalistan, Ning Ignacio and Chai Mendoza invited for lunch that turned out to be a learning experience about fuels. Basically we learned that there are fuels and there are fuels and Caltex with Techron presents itself as not just another ordinary fuel.    

Chevron’s product engineering specialist, Jude Porras presented pictures of a test that showed how engines that are fed with low quality fuels become dirty in no time. In contrast, the same test showed pictures of how an engine that regularly uses Caltex with Techron are kept clean and operating at optimum levels. The tests involved 35 cars with at least 25,000 kilometers on the odometer or at least 3 years old. Pictures show build-up of unburned and harmful deposits in piston tops, and intake valves in engines that use fuels other than Caltex with Techron, which is marketed by CPI.   Jude stated, “Over time, deposits can accumulate in your car’s combustion chambers. These deposits can cause knocking or pinging, run-on or reduced performance, particularly if your car has driven over 25,000 kilometers. Deposits on carburetors, fuel injectors and intake valves can cause your car to produce higher emissions, may begin to hesitate and stutter during acceleration, knock or lose power.”

It was further explained to our small group of motoring journalists present that during the tests, cars with engines that showed valves, spark plugs and combustion chambers with heavy deposits were fueled with Caltex with Techron for five days. Tests were again conducted afterwards, which showed significant gains in engine cleanliness. A car with a clean fuel system is more responsive than a car that is choked up with deposits.  Fewer deposits mean less chance of deposit-related engine problems.

We were also made to understand further that only Caltex has Techron, a powerful fuel additive based on the unique compound called polyetheramine (PEA) that works at the molecular level to prevent and clean deposits left behind by other fuel brands.  Other deposit control additives may clean the engine’s intake system but contribute to combustion chamber deposits.  These deposits can cause an engine to need a higher-octane fuel to avoid knock and run-on, or loss in performance. In contrast, Techron is not only unbeatable in fuel system deposit control; it also minimizes build-up of combustion chamber deposits.

Arnel Reniedo, brand manager of Caltex, further emphasized, “Techron is standard in Caltex fuels such as Silver and Gold. Even our Caltex Diesel has Techron D especially made to keep fuel injectors clean in diesel engines. We do not scrimp on our customers. Whether you drive a car, an SUV or jeepney, Caltex with Techron gives you the five-star treatment. Continuous use of Techron will clean engines to provide motorists with the five benefits of Caltex with Techron.The 5-Star Fuel. ”

Indeed, there are fuels and there are fuels. And CPI’s dynamic group that played hosts to the members of the motoring media who came for the luncheon presentation made it clear that Caltex with Techron is no ordinary fuel.

All-video website

For those motoring and automobile enthusiasts who have been consistently complaining about every now and then missing the airing of our TV shows, Motoring Today and Auto Focus, we say just hang on a little bit more because very soon these shows can be watched in the internet anytime of the day, any day of the week and to include past episodes.

Watch out for the opening of both TV show’s all-video websites early this year.

Happy Motoring and Happy New Year!!!

For comments (email) [email protected] / [email protected].