well this doesnt qualify as dorky... because its one of the new diesel electric hybrids running around the south sound in WA, so i call it "Big Brother" http://priuschat.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=716
Unfortunately I saw it on a big 18 wheel flat bed tow truck this morning. Did not know they made flat bed tow trucks that big. Guess the driver got acquainted with the big red triangle.
you mean you saw a hybrid bus being towed?? bummer. i wonder what happened with it. you know, IT transit bought 12 of them things.
Way cool! I had no idea we had such a bus around here! I hope it stinks less than other diesel vehicles... Terrible stench is the only downfall of diesels. I hope that bus is ok....
It doesn’t stink we use biodiesel, thank god. Only problem is if you are on a low Carb diet you get urges!!!
I don't know about that 'it doesn't stink' part... I always know when I'm behind a diesel long before I can see the badging that confirms it. Old ones stink and leave a blue cloud, new ones just stink. My neighbor has a (new-ish) large diesel truck and boy does is stink up my room when the window's open and he leaves or comes home! Maybe the non-stinky biodiesel is only in Olympia??!
the bio diesel is basically experimental fuel. it uses regular diesel and bio diesel. bio diesel can be several different products to include corn, soy, and other plant materials. basically the stuff is processed to make a sort of vegetable oil that burns. as far as how the buses work, the bio diesel mix apparently can only be used at selected times of the year due to ?? (cold weather i think or possibly not in the winter due to lack of bio material??) but these buses in order to protect their investment (these buses were over twice the price of regular buses but the cost was subsidized by several groups) run only on the cleaner diesel that will be required in the US starting in 2006. this type of diesel is basically the same as will be in Europe too. this diesel burns much cleaner because it is more highly refined. the old diesel is the leading cause of acid rain not to mention the sulfur smell we all associate with idling diesels. and another reason why these buses dont smell, is that just like the Prius, these buses do not idle.
I really can't wait til 2006, then. No more stinky buses or vehicles!! You guys must be the testing ground for that biodiesel, because all of our buses stink. They guy that came up with the bio stuff should get an award.
well as i recall, (my memory isnt good... i tried searching for the article in The Olympian but their online search capabilities suck to say the least and i couldnt find it.) WSU, dept of ecology, energy, and a company in Oregon all contributed to the buses besides a federal and state grant. I am proud to live in WA St especially since the new mandate that state vehicles be economical to maintain and operate. what that means is the largest fleet in the state will be making strong moves to hybrids, EV's and fuel cell, plus other types of transportation. it was this mandate that funded part of the hybrid bus system here.
Actually, the little chef next to the Weinermobile is Little Oscar who was played by Jerry Maren. He was also the lollypop tough kid in the Wizard of Oz. http://thegongshow1976.com/Jerry_Maren.htm (Chef Boyardee ... indeed! Humph!)
Yeah, me too. WA state pioneers a lot of new technology and ideas. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
I WISH I had a camera at the time because I PROMISE this is the champion of this thread... I was at IKEA last night and saw a GMC Safari (you know the ugly nice person vans that hold like 9 people?) with what had to be at LEAST 20" chrome rims with SPINNERS!! :Wth: :Wth: :Wth: :Wth: :Wth: No way in hell you can pimp one of those out! Well, I guess you could, but other than the rims it was just a crap colored brown. Nothing else special, I even looked through the windows... just a van... no dvd's or leather or anything...
ok how about a car that is definitely dorky looking but at the same time, one of the coolest cars ever?? not possible you say?? well how about this one. and yes, it is a real working car... http://priuschat.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=774 it is a Taylor Aerocar III. this one is located at the Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, WA. it can be converted from driving to flying in 15 minutes. it can fly at 140 mph and has a range of 500 miles. (its range on land is only half as much). its wings can be folded and towed with the car like a trailer. There are about 250 of these cars in operation around the world.
Is the Taylor Flying Car the one used in the James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun? At age 15, that car made a big impression on me. (Puberty having kicked in, there were other things in that movie that had significant impact on me as well... :roll
