T minus one day and counting

[altivo]

Countdown to vacation time. Yay. Fifteen solid days without going to work. Probably I'll be working harder than if I did go to work, but it will be for myself and my mate, or the animals, rather than for sometimes ungrateful library users.

First there's a staff meeting in the morning though. Blah.

Rained just enough that I had to use the windshield wipers on the way home at noon today. Jeez, they sure have made that complicated. The wipers themselves really have no more functionality than the ones in the Jeep did, but the controls seem far more complex. Ditto the headlights.

Found an interesting (perhaps unintentional) feature in the interior design. The floor shape on the driver's side actually has a landing pad for your left foot, to the left of the clutch pedal, such that if you use it, you are unlikely to lift your foot for the clutch and catch your toe under the pedal. This is something that used to happen to me often with the Metro, but not so much with the Jeep's roomier floor space. The Escape is smaller once again, so this is a good discovery.

Events during the approaching vacation: Northern Illinois Horsefest; Horsedrawn vehicle parade in Clinton, Wisconsin; a COE spinning study group meeting; and probably a trip to the movies sometime. Work to do at home: clean office; spin a pound or so of wool up into yarn; music practice; work with Tess; and NO library stuff. I intend to avoid doing any library work and they have promised not to call me unless it is a first class emergency. Ha. I should leave the state or have the phone disconnected just in case.

Comments

[corelog.livejournal.com]

Super-yay for upcoming vacation time for you! :D You sure deserve it. *hugs*

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I dunno about deserving, but I sure want it. I wish I had time and money to make a big tour and see lots of people. You'd definitely be on my list.

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

That "landing pad" to the left of your clutch pedal, is known as a "dead pedal." And a place to put your foot is exactly what it's for. Very European. But, then the Escape is built on the Ford Mondeo chassis, so it had roots over the pond.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

It's a very good idea. The ergonometrics are obvious, I think. But I've never seen it before.

You're such a wealth of information, you know. I'm reminded of the librarian in The Desk Set who was the baseball expert. They referred all sports questions to her and she could just rattle off names numbers and batting averages right out of her head. :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Now that I think of it, you can probably answer this one for me. Certain vehicles often have "clones" that are marketed under different brand names. In the case of the Escape, there's a Mercury version as well (I forget what it's called) and the Mazda Tribute. My Geo Metro was like a Suzuki Swift.

I understand how this happens with two brands that are actually part of the same company, as with Ford and Mercury or Plymouth and Dodge. But how does it happen across corporate lines like Ford and Mazda or GM and Suzuki?

Information avalanche

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute.
Ford owns stock in Mazda. GM owns stock in Suzuki, Isuzu, Subaru, And I'm not sure about Toyota, but GM and Toyota hava at least one jointly owned plant. As did Ford with Mazda in Flatrock Michigan.
That's how we had a Saab, (GM) market a Subaru in disguise. And Isuzu, Chevy trucks, and vice-versa. Oh, there are many marketed this way.
Think Mazda is relativly new ('70s) to America? Watch an old Laurel and Hardy film, and you'll see them as store clerks making a display of Mazda light globes. (bulbs) I think Ford used them early on. I saw an old ad for a Ford dealership with a sign for Mazda bulbs.

Re: Information avalanche

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I knew about Mazda bulbs long before we ever heard of Mazda cars. The bulbs are electronics. ;p

I still associate the Mazda name with that Wankel rotary engine. My dad was an applications engineer with GM Diesel, later Detroit Diesel-Allison I believe, and he was fascinated with the design of the Wankel. The early cars were expensive so we never had one. Do they still use those? I rarely see a Mazda anywhere in parking lots or on the road.

Maxfield Parrish did some magnificent paintings for Mazda light bulb advertising. They were used in calendars and posters. I have a couple of them from the 30s, framed and stored somewhere...

Re: Information avalanche

[quickcasey.livejournal.com]

I meant to touch on the last reponse, that marketing vehicles made by others is a easy way to fill a market niche, without all the tooling involved. People may be loyal to a dealership, and would buy a Tribute, badged as a Mazda, than they would buy an Escape, since they may not like the Ford dealer in their area.
The rotary engine is still available in the Mazda RX-8, which replaced the RX-7. They don't really talk it up, for some reason. It is a good engine. Not very good on fuel usage, though.

[pioneer11.livejournal.com]

Go hoss! 'cation!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Heh. Or rather, stay. Not going anywhere except for a day trip or two, but that's what I like.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

I want a holiday too.

The driver's foot rest (as it's called here) was interestingly enough on most cars sold in Australia after 1988. However....I don't have one >.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Well, it may be on many cars here too, but this is the first time I've encountered it. About what percentage of new cars in Australia still have manual transmissions? Any idea?

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

I'd say it was definitely favouring the automatic in the larger vehicles, and manuals in the smaller ones.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Uh oh. Sounds like you may be headed the same direction the US has gone, just taking longer to get there. Apparently most people here don't know how to drive a manual, and many who do know how think the automatic is easier.

I'm having to get used to somewhat different shifting patterns, but I'm pretty sure they are similar to what the Metro had. It's the smaller engine. Less torque on starting up, or recovering from the slowdown turning a corner. I took corners in third on the Jeep, the Ford really wants second. It picks right back up if you give it that little bit of second to begin with.

New clutch, very tight friction point. I've come close several times, but only stalled it twice I think. The "throw" on the gearshift is very small, probably due to the front wheel drive design, but I'm used to that already. Overall it's quite pleasant to drive except for the overly complicated lighting and windshield wiper controls.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

"Overall it's quite pleasant to drive except for the overly
complicated lighting and windshield wiper controls."

They all say that ;)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Good to know I'm not the only one.

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

I just got back from my own break. I hope you enjoy it, and get a chance to recharge.