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Subaru funds Center For Pet Safety crash testing for dogs [w/video]

Crash-testing new vehicles to evaluate their ability to keep humans safe in accidents is nothing new, but thus far there has been little in the way of crash testing for dogs. Subaru, a company that portrays itself as pet friendly, hopes to raise awareness on the issue of pet safety by funding initial crash testing by the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety, Automotive News reports.
Real dogs were not used in the crash tests; three dummy dogs representing a 25-pound terrier, a 45-pound border collie and a 75-pound golden retriever were used. There are a variety of devices for sale that are supposed to restrain dogs from entering the front-seat area and distracting the driver - tethers, cages, nets and crates - but their effectiveness in a crash is unknown.
In Subaru's crash test, performed at a Virginia laboratory that tests child seats on a device that speeds down a track and stops abruptly, the results show that devices such as dog tethers are prone to break in a crash, sending the dog rocketing into whatever is in front of it. Rather alarmingly, the organization reports a 100-percent failure rate. In other words, "None of the harnesses were deemed safe enough to protect both the dog and the humans in the event of an accident." Yikes.

This or That: 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 vs. 2005 Subaru WRX STI [w/poll]

Some cars, due to ultimate desirability, particular rareness, or spectacular performance/prestige eventually become collectible. It's darn near impossible to know which ones will make it into the rarefied stratosphere of collectibility – why is a late 1960s AMC AMX so affordable these days, whereas prices for late '70s Pontiac Trans Ams are soaring? – but there are some useful indicators to keep tabs on. We're not exactly experts on investing, but we do know cars. As such, we've decided to take our non-expertise on one hand, combine it in the other with our knowledge of all things automotive, wad it up, throw it out and ask for your forgiveness. Or something like that. I've challenged Senior Editor Seyth Miersma to choose a car he thinks will become a future collector's item that's not more than 10 years old, and for no more than $25,000. I've done the same, and we vigorously argued for and against each other's picks. I feel good about my choice, but I don't have the best track record in these contests (I've lost three times, won twice, but they've all been pretty close), so, while I'm not going to beg (please vote for me!), I do hope you find my argument convincing. But first, let's hear from Seyth: Miersma: Ten-years old or newer makes this challenging. At that age most vehicles feel like a plain old used car to me, few hit the "classic" button. But the Subaru WRX STI has always been a special car, and the 2005 cutoff year proves to be very attractive for the parameters of our contest. It's rare; with fewer than 5,000 STI models sold that model year. It's probably the best looking WRX STI ever sold in America; narrowly avoiding the dreadful "horse collar" front fascia. And it's got one of the more die-hard car-geek followings out there. For $25,000, you can also still find examples that have reasonable miles, are in good condition, and haven't all been molested by grown-up Initial D wannabes. With the street racers hacking up collectable examples every day, I like my odds for steep appreciation by way of conservation. I couldn't agree more. It really is difficult to predict what cars will catch the eye of collectors, and the WRX STI seems like a pretty good choice. But I think mine is even better, and I can't let him know that I'd love to park just such an STI in my very own garage. And so goes my argument: Korzeniewski: I like your choice as a driver, Seyth. I'm less convinced of its status as a sure-fire collectible.

Police bravely rescue mannequin from cold car

Police in an upstate New York town broke into a car last week to save an elderly woman only to discover she was a lifelike mannequin. Police in Hudson, NY, got a troubling call on Friday, December 16, that a woman had frozen to death in a car, ABC News reported. HPD rushed to the scene and found what appeared to be an elderly woman unresponsive in a snow covered Subaru. The weather was bitter cold, and police feared the worse. Sergeants leaped into action and smashed out the car's rear passenger window. That's when first responders realized that the supposed victim in the front seat wasn't a person at all, but an extremely lifelike, life-sized mannequin. The mannequin was dressed in a sweater, blouse, slacks, and shoes and had an oxygen mask covering its nose and mouth. Glasses, lifelike hair, teeth, and even a smattering of liver spots on the hands and face completed the illusion. Eventually, the Subaru's owner showed up and explained the strange situation. He told police he was a sales manager for a medical supply company, and that the mannequin was a CPR training device. He told the officers that he regularly transports the mannequin buckled into the front seat of his car. The HPD was not particularly happy with this explanation, while the Subaru owner was annoyed that his car was smashed open. "I can't put what he said on air, but he was not very happy with the police department for forcing entry into his car," Hudson Police Department Sergeant Randy Clarke told WTEN. "If it was a joke, it was a very poor tasteful joke. If it was a matter of convenience for him, it was a station wagon, carry your mannequin a little bit better. The mannequin was in the front seat with a seat belt and appearing to be a passenger in the car." There are no charges pending in the incident, HPD said. Related Video: News Source: ABC News, WTEN Auto News Weird Car News Subaru hudson