I am a second assistant engineer in the Merchant Marines, and this photo was taken aboard the ITB Baltimore, a 680-foot oil tanker powered by two V-16, 16,500-bhp, Enterprise medium-speed diesel engines. I am standing on top of the Number 2 left-bank piston of the port main engine. We had to remove the cylinder head due to a bad head gasket. We currently operate on the West Coast, typically between Cherry Point, Washington, and Long Beach, California. So chances are, we may have delivered some of the gasoline or diesel fuel that you are currently using in your project vehicles. I am an avid reader from Addison, Maine, and I have my girlfriend send all of my copies to me while I am on the ship. Your magazine has been a great help to me while I have been building my '78 Chevy Blazer.
Harold E. Beal
* Turns out those pesky daytime running lights do more than just annoy people. They save lives, according to General Motors, which has equipped virtually all its vehicles with them since 1996. A news release from GM points out that of the nation's 42,636 roadway deaths in 2004, about 11 percent were pedestrians. The number of pedestrians injured and killed in traffic crashes has steadily declined for several years, and data suggests daytime running lamps are a factor. Additionally, a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration using federal crash data showed that daytime running lamps reduced pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in single-vehicle crashes by about 12 percent.
* More statistical trivia for you: The National Insurance Crime Bureau has released its list of most-stolen vehicles for 2004 (the most recent year statistics were available). The good news: Japanese cars topped the list. The bad: The Chevy C/K pickup, Ford F-150, and Dodge Ram occupied Numbers 4, 5, and 6 on the list. According to the FBI, total auto thefts decreased 10 percent in the Northeast and 4 percent in the Midwest, but jumped 36 percent in the West.
* Remember the item we ran a couple months ago from Jeep that decried how few people knew the words to the "Star Spangled Banner"? In further evidence of our stupidity, another research study backed by Jeep has found that 87 percent of Americans are unable to name all four presidents on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
* Congratulations to Rancho Suspension and ARB for capturing New Product Awards at the 2005 SEMA Show. Rancho won Best New Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive Product for its Hummer H3 suspension system, while ARB took Best New Exterior Accessory Product for its Bushranger X-Jack. SEMA also named the Dodge Ram Mega Cab the "most accessory friendly truck" at the show.
Good news: Following recommendations made by SEMA (which watch-dogs these things for us), the U.S. Forest Service announced new regulations for (OHV) use in national forests and grasslands. Under the new policy, local agency officials are required to seek public comments from state and local officials and other stakeholders in determining routes open to OHV use. The new rule will provide for increased involvement from the OHV community in the designation process. Currently only half of the 155 national forests and 20 grasslands have designated roads and trails open to OHV use, which include more than 200,000 miles of forest roads and 36,000 miles of inventoried trails. As recommended by SEMA, USFS will also consider "user-created" routes in the review process. Many of these routes came into existence during "open" management and serve a legitimate need and purpose, and do not pose an environmental threat. The final rule addresses more than 80,000 comments received by USFS, most in strong support for setting aside routes and areas for OHV use. USFS anticipates that it will take up to four years to complete the route designation process.
And more good news: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released draft management rules for OHV use within California's 160,000-acre Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area. The rules would apply to 33,000 acres of space that will replace OHV access lost in 2000. Under the proposed rules, OHV use will be permitted but limited to no more than 525 vehicles a day and not open to overnight camping. Other provisions in the proposed rule: Access to the 33,000 acres will only be permitted between October 15 and March 31 each year; individuals seeking to enter these areas must first obtain a permit from BLM, obey posted boundaries, and display a permit flag under the vehicle's existing approved safety flag; and permit applicants must complete a short resource conservation program, which will include a written test to demonstrate knowledge of the rules and regulations for the designated area. Proposed penalties for violating these rules include fines to up $1,000 and/or up to 12 months imprisonment.