December 2011 Archives

Santa's Sleigh Gets New Michigan Vanity Plate

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 23, 2011 5:27 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
The Michigan Secretary of State got into the holiday spirit this year with a contest to determine what a Michigan vanity plate should say if it was put on Santa's sleigh.

Thursday morning, the SOS announced the winner: BLVINME. 

BLVINME.gif


I like it.

The sentiment is a clear statement of one of Santa's greatest desires, and ours, too.

The winning entry was submitted by Lorie Darling of Eaton Rapids. She gets a commemorative license plate plaque of her entry.

Michigan residents submitted about 500 ideas, say the SOS people. Here is a list of the finalists:


AIRSLED

B GOOD

BELIEVE

BIG ELF

CMN2TWN

CUDEC25

DASHAWY

ELFBOSS

GIFTGUY

GOTTOYS

JOY2ALL

KRINGLE

MOMKSSR

ONDASHR

REDFLYR

RNDRPWR

TOY MKR

TWINKLE

XMASGUY


A jolly Christmas to you.


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Manual Transmissions Prevent Car Thefts

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 23, 2011 4:58 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
An attempted car-jacking in Denver was thwarted this week by a stick shift.

A thief tried to make off with a woman's 2004 Audi, but had to run off instead, because he couldn't work the manual transmission.

Traffic Cam: Florida Keys

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 20, 2011 7:40 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Today's cam is the most southern of the operating traffic cameras this morning in the Florida Keys.

This is U.S. 1 on Stock Island.

live.jpg


(Courtesy: Trafficland.com)

Traffic Cam: New York City

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 15, 2011 7:24 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Actually, I think we might be looking at Brooklyn, because traffic here is eastbound over the George Washington bridge.

GW Bridge NYC.jpg

Traffic Cam: Washington DC

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 13, 2011 8:33 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
When I looked up our nation's capital for traffic cam shots, I was hoping I could find one with a familiar landmark.

The best I could find was 14th Street at E Avenue NW, in which you can see part of the Smithsonian Castle and the Potomac River in the background (cam is looking to the south).

Traffic cam DC

Self-Creating Traffic Jams

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 12, 2011 5:51 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
How many times have you been in a slowdown or backup, only to have traffic return to normal speed without passing a crash, obstruction, or construction? Many traffic backups are what I call "organic" traffic jams: they just happen due to no particular reason.

In traffic circles, some call it the "shockwave" phenomenon. Computer simulations have recreated it. And in 2008, actual drivers created it.

Watch.


Michigan Secretary of State To Assign Vanity Plate To Santa

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 7, 2011 8:51 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
If you have watched FOX 17 Morning News at all, you know that three times a week I feature vanity plates on the show. Called Vanity Shots, I use Michigan vanity plates almost exclusively.

Soon, Santa will have one.

The Michigan Secretary of State's office is running a little contest to determine what vanity plate should be put on Santa's sleigh. As of this writing, more than 200 people had responded to the SOS Facebook post. You can also email your entry.

The prize, as you might expect from a government agency, is modest: you get a commemorative plaque of your winning plate suggestion.

I don't intend to enter. But if I submitted an entry, I would choose something that takes a little thinking to figure out the message:


JK-MNOP used 120709.gif

How should you read this plate?

NOEL. (No "L")





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Traffic Cam: Piccadilly Circus

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 5, 2011 8:39 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Piccadilly Circus

Yes. London. Piccadilly at St. James St. Hey! They're all driving on the wrong side of the road!



Traffic Cam: Key West

By
Robb Westaby, Fox 17 Traffic
on December 1, 2011 8:24 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Where would you like to be driving on the first day of December?

For some reason, Florida came to mind.

Way south Florida.

This is the most southern traffic cam in the Florida Keys.

Key West 120111

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