Brad_Jones's Blog

This morning, we ran a story about how people are cutting back on their spending.  Are you? 

 

I'm spending more time in our old Honda, instead of the Gas Hog SUV.  It's not very glamorous but it feels better when you fill up.  We're also cutting out a lot of shopping trips.  Who needs a new pair of jeans or a shirt when you've already got stuff in the closet?  It's mainly just food and fuel these days - and I find that we're asking about whether to spend money on the extras before we do it.  Usually, the answer is - NO!

 

How are you cutting back at your house these days?  Can any family afford to act like its "business as usual"?   

This week's Cutting Edge segment takes a step into the future of fuel - we checked out the Hydrogen Road Tour as it passed through Durham.  A caravan of cars heading across America to showcase hydrogen as a fuel source.  Check out the story today at 5:00 and on our website!  These cars stopped traffic everywhere because people are intrigued by the idea of using something new.  Hydrogen can be generated almost anywhere, so there wouldn't be a need to ship it halfway around the world.  It's also very green - with the only emissions being a little water out of the tailpipe.  While it's still in the experimental stage, manufacturers like Volkswagon, Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, BMW and Toyota are working on ways to use this home grown alternative.

 

Here are some of the common questions - and hopefully a few answers...

 

Can I buy one now? --- No, there are a few on the road, but they're still in the experimental stage.  Honda is leasing some FCX models in California, and BMW has about 100 of the Hydrogen 7 cars on the road... but they are not available for purchase.

 

When will they hit the market? --- The engineers told me 4 to 10 years.  Reliability has to be worked on, as well as fuel range (currently 180 - 280 miles per tank with the 5000 psi tanks being used).  Plus, the fuel infrastructure has to be built up.  There are just over 60 places in the U.S. where you can buy hydrogen, and that would have to increase to make them practical.  On the Hydrogen Road Tour, they carried tanker trucks with their own fuel.

 

How much will they cost? --- They'll be more expensive than a regular vehicle - perhaps 5 thousand dollars over the cost of a gas powered model.  That's similar to the current premium you would pay for a hybrid version of a car.  The fuel cell models use platinum in the fuel cell, so that's obviously an expensive component.

 

How fast will they go? --- The ones we saw are limited to 90 mph, but they will go faster.  As far as acceleration, the smaller compact models will do 0-60 mph in about 14 seconds.  The larger ones, like the BMW with a 12 cylinder engine, will accelerate like a current 7 series model.

 

How safe are they? --- Lots of people hear about hydrogen in a car and wonder what will happen in an accident.  The engineers I spoke with say they have developed storage tanks and shut off systems that would isolate the fuel if anything happened.  One said, they worked on safety first, and everything else second. 

 

What kind of fuel economy do they get?  Can I save money driving one? --- First, hydrogen isn't cheap - the cost compares to gasoline at $3 to $5 a gallon.  But its a more efficient fuel.  An SUV that gets 20 miles per gallon would get about 50 miles per kilogram of hydrogen (that's a comparable measure of fuel).  So, you would get about 2 1/2 times the fuel economy, and if the price of hydrogen could be lowered by newer methods, it would save even more.

 

Bottom line, hydrogen is a fuel that's available anywhere - no depending on a foreign source for it, and its a clean green fuel.  What do you think?  Do you think automakers are heading in the right direction with this?  Can we wait 4 to 10 years for it?  Watch our story and tell us what you think.

We have a story today as part of our Cutting Edge segment about the new 2008 Dodge Challenger - a retro musclecar that is just showing up at dealerships. 

 

People went crazy when they first saw the concept car years ago and many car nuts have been waiting for the Challenger to arrive.  Some are paying thousands of dollars over the sticker price to own one.  There's a bit of good news though - the 2009 Dodge Challenger will be here in a couple of months, and you'll be able to order it with a variety of options and 3 different engine packages.  One is a V6 that gets gas mileage in the mid to upper 20's.  The other two are V8's - one has a multi-displacement system which shuts off half the cylinders at highway speed to save gas.  The other one?  A full out SRT version - 392 cubic inch hemi with 425 horsepower!

 

So - is this the car that America needs right now?  What's more important to you - saving on gas or raw performance? 

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If you've seen the commercial, you may have wondered -- who would actually park their car or SUV for a week and live on a scooter?

I did it. I AM SCOOTERMAN!

Made the commute to work, went to the store, ran errands for my wife, dropped by to see Mom --- everything! For one week - no car, just a scooter. Why? Mainly to see if it could be done. You can ask the question, but there's no way to find out unless you do it yourself.

I'm like everyone else; tired of high gas prices and searching for an alternative. My wife and I try to combine our trips and I have changed my driving style to be more fuel efficient. Still, its tough to pay $80 to $100 for a tank of gasoline. A lot of people are willing to do anything to get some relief, and they're finding a scooter can do a lot of those trips as easily as the gas hog!

Watch our Scooterman stories this week and find out more about how to make the transition.

What about you? Could you park your car and live on a scooter? Or do you have to have A/C and your favorite music on the morning commute? Is it worth it to give up a few comforts to cut your gas bill by 75% or more?

When you go shopping - you're making a choice with each item that goes into your cart.  For most people, price is their first concern (now more than ever!).  But there are a lot of other things that go into your buying decision - size of the container, whether you've used the product before, advertising, even whether its environmentally friendly.  That last criteria is the subject of a story you'll see Tuesday night on the FOX 8 10:00 News ... greenwashing!  

Some manufacturers make claims about their products being a safe choice that's good for the earth.  Most of those claims are legitimate - some are not.  Those companies know people will pay a little more to feel good about the product they're using - so if they can stick a green label or green sticker on the package, they'll probably sell more to consumers.  Marketers calling it "greenwashing".

Environmentalists don't like it - because it takes attention away from legitimate products that are made to a higher standard.  Now the federal government is looking at new rules that would require companies to back up their claims.

What do you think ... have you ever seen a product label "lie" to you?  Do you shop for greener, more environmentally friendly products?  

If you're looking for the truth behind the label - how to find out if you've been greenwashed - watch our story tonight (Tuesday) at 10:00. 

How much is it worth to be comfortable?

 

At least one airline thinks its worth five bucks - US Airways will begin offering air travelers the option of paying extra for an aisle or window seat.  For five dollars, you can make sure you avoid the center seat (which often means less leg and elbow room).  That's five dollars per ticket, so it would mean twice as much for a round trip.

 

When a lot of families buy a car, they're willing to pay more for a bigger model.  They need more room!  So is a five dollar charge too much to ask when airlines are facing tough times?  US Airways is upfront about the reason for the extra charge... they're paying more for fuel and have to find small ways to increase revenue.

 

Is extra comfort worth the cost, or would you put up with a little discomfort to save some cash?  I love to save money, but I think I would pay the five bucks and stretch my legs....

 

What do you think?

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We have a story in our newscast this morning about your right to keep and bear arms - its guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. However, there's one place where you can't carry a firearm... inside a National Park. The only people who can carry a loaded weapon are park rangers. What do you think? Should your rights extend to all places? Or in a time of increased national security should we all accept fewer liberties? What do you think?


Click image to watch the story

We lead an interesting life. Mostly due to the places we go and the people we meet. As a friend of mine once told me, "to breathe the priviledged air". That happened this week when I had the opportunity to talk with a couple of our local representatives - Mel Watt from the 12th District, and Virginia Foxx from the 5th District.

Watt was returning to the district to hold a town hall meeting and spend a few days talking with constituents and trading places with them by doing their jobs. Foxx had just returned from a trip to visit US Troops in the war zone and had some impressions on how things are going over there.

While I had a chance to talk with both Watt and Foxx about their latest endeavors, I was struck by something else. They're both pretty engaging to listen to. I would also add Howard Coble to the mix. Although he wasn't on the guest list this week, Howard has developed a reputation over the years as someone who is never at a loss for words.

I know that we get discouraged sometimes by the news out of Washington and tend to lump politicians in the same basket with crooks and traveling salesmen. That's not the case.

These folks are well versed on the issues, especially international news and how it affects people in their district. They're in touch. They seem to be pretty good listeners. Of course, that's their job and its why we elect them, but in a pretty cynical world its refreshing to find that we have people like that representing us.

Politics aside, they are interesting to listen to. I'm sure that a prepared speech on the floor of the US House can drone on, but one on one, they could be quite the party guest.

Now if they would only bring a side dish...