Chrysler Group LLC today announced that the company will expand its support for the U.S. military by adding a $500 “Military Appreciation Bonus Consumer Cash” allowance to the retail purchase or lease of a new, eligible Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck, or FIAT brand vehicle from May 14 through May 31, 2012.

The “Military Appreciation Bonus Consumer Cash” is on top of the $500 military bonus cash that the Chrysler Group already offers to eligible members of the military and their families.

Eligible consumers include active military, active military reserve, retired military (honorable discharge required), and retired military reserve (honorable discharge required). All honorably discharged veterans are eligible regardless of discharge date.

“Chrysler Group and its dealers are proud to support the members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families by offering this additional Military Appreciation Bonus Consumer Cash,” said Reid Bigland, President and Chief Executive Officer – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales. “During this 18-day period, eligible members of the military and their families can take advantage of this $1,000 cash allowance to purchase or lease a new Chrysler Group vehicle.”

This limited-time offer is available on 2012 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brand vehicles, excluding the 2012 Dodge Avenger SE, Chrysler 200 LX sedan, Dodge Journey AVP, Fiat 500 Abarth, all SRT models, and the Viper.

All eligible personnel must present their military I.D., discharge papers (DD214 form), or other documentation that clearly reflects their eligibility status, to a franchised Chrysler dealer in the United States at the time of retail purchase of an eligible vehicle.

Additional information about this special promotion may be obtained from any participating Chrysler Group dealer.

Source Chrysler Group LLC

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For Riders

1. Get Properly Trained and Licensed – Half of all riders today have never taken a proper safety class such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourseSM. Along with training, get your motorcycle endorsement by the DMV. Studies have shown that trained and licensed riders are safer.

2. Wear All the Right Gear, All the Time – Always wear a real motorcycle helmet manufactured to the standards of the department of Transportation. Visit www.helmetcheck.org to ensure you have a proper helmet.

3. Don’t Drink and Ride – Never, ever ride while impaired by alcohol or any kind of drug. Bikes, beer and booze don’t mix. Nearly half of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes had been drinking.

4. Ride Within Your Skill Limits and Obey Traffic Laws – Don’t ride faster or farther than your abilities can handle.

5. Be a Lifelong Learner – Take refresher RiderCourses. No matter how often you ride or how long you’ve been riding, take advanced courses to brush up on the basics and keep working on improving your skills. The MSF has an extensive curriculum with courses for all riders from beginner to experienced.

For Drivers

1. Focus on Driving – Don’t be distracted. Never text or surf the Web while driving. Put down the cell phone or mobile device. Food, pets and even passengers can be bad distractions.

2. Look for Motorcyclists – Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and are often harder to see. But motorcycles are out there and you should expect to see them and try to see them in the mix of traffic.

3. Give Motorcyclists Enough Room – Keep a safe distance when following a motorcycle. Don’t change lanes too close in front of a rider. Motorcyclists and their machines generally don’t just have fender-benders in collisions with cars.

4. Use Your Turn Signals – Always signal your intentions. It’s for everyone’s safety and it’s also the law.

5. Keep it in the Car – Trash, including cigarette butts, should stay in the car, not thrown out where it could hit a motorcyclist. Road debris can kill a rider. Heavier items, especially, should be kept inside the car or truck or should be
very well secured.

Source Motorcycle Safety Foundation

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With May being National Motorcycle Safety Awareness month, keep in mind the following whether you’re on two wheels or four.

1. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don’t “recognize” a motorcycle; they ignore it (usually unintentionally). Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at an intersection.

2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks.

3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots (door/roof pillars) or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc). Take an extra moment to thoroughly check traffic, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.

4. Because of its small size a motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Don’t assume all motorcyclists are speed demons.

5. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more following distance, say 3 or 4 seconds. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.

6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-canceling, thus some riders, (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle’s signal is for real.

7. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.

8. Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle’s better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don’t expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.

9. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can’t always stop “on a dime.”

10. When a motorcycle is in motion, don’t think of it as motorcycle; think of it as a person.

Source Motorcycle Safety Foundation

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Throughout the month of May 2012, the National Safety Council (NSC) is promoting Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to educate the public and help both riders and motorists decrease roadway injuries and fatalities as we head into the busy summer season. As a leading provider of performance protective eyewear systems for military, law enforcement and the general public, Wiley X, Inc. is using this occasion to focus attention on the hazards riders face on the road and the need to protect their precious gift of sight.

“For a variety of reasons, motorcycle riders are at much higher injury risk than passenger car occupants,” said Wiley X Co-Owner Myles Freeman, Jr. “And getting riders educated to wear only ‘safety rated’ protective gear every time they go out is an important part of the Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month campaign. Many people understand the need for a protective helmet and leathers to help prevent serious injury in an accident. Fewer know that taking to the streets or highways on a motorcycle can also be dangerous to the eyes, even during normal, everyday riding,” added Freeman.

Wiley X offers a full line of sunglasses that aid rider safety in several ways. First, they protect riders against harmful UVA/UVB rays while providing the sharp vision and reducing glare to help motorcyclists read the contour of the road. Second, they reduce eyestrain and the effects of Dry Eye Syndrome that can cause eye damage and compromise the rider’s vision during long hours on the road. Third and most importantly, Wiley X’s battlefield-proven High Velocity Protection keeps riders eyes safe from a variety of dangers found on the open road — from airborne debris and flying insects to low-hanging branches and rocks kicked up by passing cars.

Oddly enough, Wiley X is the only premium performance sunglasses brand in street bike dealerships nationwide whose entire line meets the stringent ANSI Z87.1-2003 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety standards, providing road-worthy protection for every rider. Some popular models provide an even higher level of protection, meeting the military’s updated GL-PD 10-12 Standard for ballistic eye protection. Most are also prescription ready, making them ideal safety equipment for riders who require corrective lenses.

Wiley X’s Climate Control Series sunglasses are particularly popular with riders, thanks to the company’s patented, removable, soft foam Facial Cavity Seal that’s designed to seal out wind, dust, debris and cold. New-for-2012 Climate Control models include the WX Echo and WX Gravity, combining cutting-edge styling with the benefits of wrap-around protection. These new models are available in a range of frame/lens combinations, allowing riders to find the ideal pair for their individual sense of style and road performance needs.

Source Wiley X, Inc.

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Honda recently announced that it has successfully developed the first traffic detection technology in the world.

The technology will be able to detect areas of vehicle congestion and alert drivers of the necessary acceleration or deceleration to avoid trailing vehicles too closely, thus alleviating traffic jams. Affordable Motors, a valued Honda dealer in Brooklyn, NY, anticipates the full development and launch of the traffic detection program.

Through intensive research, Honda analyzed the acceleration and deceleration patterns that contribute to traffic congestion. One vehicle has the ability to influence patterns in traffic based on how fast or slow it is driven.

According to a Honda press release, the automaker worked with the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo to test a system equipped with the technology. Results determined that the technology increased speed by around 23% on average, and increase overall trailing vehicle efficiency by 8%.

The automaker plans to start road testing the traffic detection technology in Italy and Indonesia in May and July. Lessening traffic congestion will improve fuel economy, and drivers will be able to connect to servers that will sync with cruise control systems in the event of congestion. Monitoring cruise control will allow vehicles to keep a safe and efficient distance. Vehicle collisions, CO2 emissions and arrival delays will all be decreased as a result of Honda’s latest technology.

Affordable Motors offers new and used Hondas in Brooklyn, NY. The dealership anticipates lessening CO2 emissions and traffic congestion with Honda’s traffic detection technology.

Source Affordable Motors

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