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Video: Nissan had to re-edit this commercial two times to placate Aussie ad watchdog [w/poll]

Filed under: Budget, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Hatchback, Nissan, Australia

Nissan Australia was required to re-edit its Nissan Pulsar SSS commercial three times before it satisfied the government.

Nissan recently aired a commercial in Australia for its Pulsar SSS hatchback – think of it as a five-door relative of our Sentra – in which a couple is seen hastily making their way to the hospital ahead of giving birth. But the ad you can watch now isn’t the same ad that aired originally – in fact, Nissan had to re-edit the commercial twice before the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) would accept it.

According to Go Auto, the original ad received complaints that it depicted unsafe and reckless driving, including speeding, following cars too closely and screeching to a halt upon arriving at the hospital. One of the complaints reportedly read: “The advertisement promotes driving behavior (rapid acceleration/deceleration/changes of direction) that is counter to sound medical advice regarding the carriage of heavily pregnant women in motor vehicles.”

In the first edit, Nissan lowered the vehicle’s engine noise, removed the woman’s speech urging the man to drive faster (“Go, go, go!”) and inserted a disclaimer that read “Filmed under controlled conditions,” according to Go Auto, but all of that still wasn’t enough to appease the ASB.

Nissan went back for some more editing, which resulted in the tamer commercial that’s airing in Oz today. Nissan even removed extra shots to fit in slightly slow-motion video of the Pulsar driving, to be sure viewers don’t think it’s speeding. Even so, there’s still an enjoyable hook to the ad – watch it by scrolling below.

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Continue reading Nissan had to re-edit this commercial two times to placate Aussie ad watchdog [w/poll]

Nissan had to re-edit this commercial two times to placate Aussie ad watchdog [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steering wheels are nine times dirtier than public toilet seats

Filed under: Etc., Safety

international interior and steering wheel

Have you ever driven a vehicle that had a sticky steering wheel? It’s probably one of the most disgusting feelings there is, and a report in IBN Live shows that the adhesive can be more than just grape jelly. Researchers at Queen Mary University in London claim that there are, on average, 700 different kinds of bacteria per square inch of steering wheel. That compares to 80 distinct bacteria types on a public toilet seat. Even worse, the trunk has 1,000 bacteria types per square inch. The most common form of bacteria was bacillus cereus, which can cause food poisoning.

The reason cars are filthy is simple; we simply don’t clean them. While we vacuum, dust and disinfect our home on a semi-regular basis, only one third of study participants cleaned their vehicle once a year or more. That sounds pretty crazy (and a bit lazy), but think about it. You may jettison the trash and vacuum the carpet on a somewhat regular basis, but how often do you wipe down that nasty steering wheel? And when you think about how many Americans regularly eat in their vehicles, our cars could be a solid reason why we are sick as often as we are. Now we know why valet parking attendants tend to wear white gloves.

Beyond cleanliness, the study also shows that many drivers know next to nothing about their vehicles. For example, two-thirds of us don’t know how to change a tire, while one third of those surveyed don’t even know how to put air in the tires. It’s a sad, sad world.

[Source: IBN Live | Image: Zach Bowman/AOL]

Steering wheels are nine times dirtier than public toilet seats originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ohio police use Tazer seven times on driver in diabetic shock, dislocate his shoulder

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Ohio police use Tazer on diabetic driver – Click above to watch video after the jump

According to the Cincinnatti Enquirer, motorist John Harmon was on his way home from work when his blood-sugar got too low. As a diabetic, this meant trouble, and Harmon’s vehicle veered into another lane. A nearby Hamilton, Ohio sheriff’s deputy spotted the unintentional maneuver and pulled him over. The officer then approached the car with his gun drawn and screamed at Harmon before smashing his window open. Harmon, 52, was then cut out of his seatbelt and dragged him to the ground. On the way down, his elbow was severely dislocated but the pain didn’t end there. During this process he received seven shocks from a Tazer and kicked in the head… all while cowering on the ground in pain. According to the account, an Ohio Highway Patrol Officer arrived on the scene and was shocked to find Harmon being treated in this manner. He separated the officers from Harmon, only to discover Harmon’s diabetics.

Harmon is currently suing the sheriff’s office, but the officers are all still working. In fact, the original officer on the scene filed felony charges against Harmon and his boss signed off on them.

The Highway Patrol video of the incident is available after the jump. A word of warning, however: While you can’t see the commotion, you can hear Mr. Harmon’s anguished voice.

[Source: Cincinnati.com]

Continue reading Video: Ohio police use Tazer seven times on driver in diabetic shock, dislocate his shoulder

Video: Ohio police use Tazer seven times on driver in diabetic shock, dislocate his shoulder originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1941 Tatra T87 named The New York Times’ Collectible Car of the Year

Filed under: Classics, Sedan, Etc., Europe

The web has spoken and a 1941 Tatra T87 has been voted The New York Times 2010 Collectible Car of the Year. The rear-engined, air-cooled V8 Tatra beat 30 finalists (overall, there were 651 entrants), including noteworthy cars from Packard and Checker. The T87’s owner, Paul Greenstein, was shocked to hear that his car – one of three Tatras he owns – came out on top. Greenstein says the Tatra has a unique allure that can’t be matched by other manufacturers. For Americans, rarity factors into that, as the Czech marque was never sold in the United States.

Greenstein picked up his car in 2001 for the princely sum of $8,000. At the time, the fin wasn’t in show-quality condition, so he had the T87 shipped to the Czech Republic for a full restoration. Fringe benefits of having the work done in the old country included cheap labor and parts availability that couldn’t be matched in the U.S. Three-and-a-half years and $60,000 later, Greenstein and his girlfriend had their T87 back. Don’t scoff at the cost; recent examples have sold at auction for as much as $125,000. Fortunately, the Times’ Collectible Car of the Year award includes a $5,000 check along with the trophy.

Head over to the The New York Times to read the full story, and be sure to also visit Clunkbucket for a few shots of Paul Greenstein’s T87 taken prior to its restoration.

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Clunkbucket]

1941 Tatra T87 named The New York Times’ Collectible Car of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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