The good oil: Toyota using Superman to flog Prius

Toyota's new Prius.

Toyota in Britain is using Superman to flog the new petrol-electric Prius. The TV advertisement shows Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent being dispatched to get a scoop on the new hatchback. He takes to the skies in his caped costume to scour the city for a Prius on the move. Flying above it, he uses his X-ray vision to see through the bonnet and grab a picture of the hi-tech petrol/electric drivetrain underneath. "Big news," shouts his boss back at the office.

* * *

An Aussie mate involved with driver education across the ditch emails: "Your Government better have every available psychiatrist on call if it bans the use of cell phones at the wheel. The collective depression from cellphone withdrawal will cripple Auckland alone. I've never seen such irresponsible cellphone use from motorists anywhere."

* * *

Still plenty of email traffic on the give way to the right road rule and traffic fines. Erin wrote: "To encourage vehicles to turn across the path of moving traffic is not improving traffic flow, but increasing the risk of being hit by another vehicle. Invariably, it is the left-turning vehicles who end up impeding traffic flow." Corran reponds: "I suggest Erin takes lessons on how to drive. If you indicate early [that you are turning left] and position your vehicle so it is obvious, following drivers will quickly cotton on to what you are going to do. I sometimes indicate five to 10 seconds before turning so that following traffic is well aware of my intentions."

* * *

Brendan writes: "The level of feedback is not surprising given the confusion. Plenty of drivers haven't bothered to learn the road rules or have forgotten them. Drivers like your correspondent Jamie, who 'always goes to court to defend himself', is by admission arrogant and ignorant enough to think road rules and courtesy should not apply to himself."

* * *

Robert writes about the fines imposed for not displaying vehicle registration certificates. "I am sure that many motorists would be fascinated to see some comparisons of fines for various offences. I have not researched the issue myself but I suspect the fine for going through a red light would not be as much as $240 - and if $240 is the fine for not displaying the registration certificate, what is the fine for not having a current one at all?"

* * *

Writes Vaughan: "I come from overseas, both left and and right-hand drive environments. New Zealand's 'yield to traffic turning right' rule is one I am struggling with. Every time I get behind the wheel, I deliberately remind myself about this rule. Firstly, it is unique to NZ. It causes drivers to have to consider two possible scenarios instead of just one - what the oncoming and following traffic is going to do - and requires them to trust another driver on the road, one of the quickest ways to have an accident. Where is the wisdom in making a driver's job more complicated? Simplicity should rule."

* * *

Donny Guy probably wishes he'd thought more about how to steal two cash registers from a restaurant in Hickory, North Carolina. His idea was to break in through the back door, load the machines into his car and drive off. But he lived just 50m away. Might as well carry them home instead. Guy, 31, had just got to his apartment when the cops turned up and walked him back to the restaurant - along a tell-tale trail. A spool of paper in one of the machines had snagged on something in the restaurant and played out almost to Guy's door.

alastair.sloane@nzherald.co.nz