Like all Americans, Clark was saddened to hear about the terrible train crash in California that looks like it happened because the operator was busy texting instead of monitoring track signals.

When Clark commutes, he's shocked at how many people around him are texting or e-mailing on smart phones. He too was guilty of reading e-mails while he drove until he heard about the train crash. However, he was never crazy enough to try texting while driving.

After all, a car on the freeway travels about 25 yards in just one second. That's a sobering thought.

Nothing is so important that you have to text or e-mail about it while driving. But if it simply can't wait, try Jott.com. This service used to be free, but it now costs $3.95/month. Jott allows true hands-free texting and e-mailing with voice-recognition software that types your message for you (and sends it) as you speak.

Clark recently read about a cool way for government to stretch its dollars in The Los Angeles Times. California has a proposal to sell ads on their electronic traffic signs when they're not in use -- which is the bulk of the day. The money would be used for highway maintenance, bridge building, etc.

Why aren't we doing this all over the country, Clark wonders? We've spent a fortune in tax dollars on these signs, but they're not needed all the hours of the day. Of course, there's always the argument that government would then be competing with private enterprise and its billboards. Even so, Clark believes it makes sense.

Clark gets worried whenever state or local officials say they want to protect us by putting in cameras to monitor our speed while driving. The real purpose of such cameras is to make money.

The Detroit News reports that Arizona will make $175 million this year from speed cameras. They have an Australian contractor who handles everything: installation, ticketing and collections. The contractor gets $30 from every ticket with the remainder going to the state.

In fact, Arizona decided it wasn't making enough revenue from the cameras, so they lowered the speed limit in the state to get more money! These tickets don't come with any points on your license; they're strictly against the car itself and just a form of tax.

Illinois and other states now want to install similar speed cameras. But don't believe the political hype about these cameras being used to reduce the rate of highway fatalities. They're simply designed to stock the coffers so politicians can get re-elected.

And get this -- The Detroit News reports Arizona only puts the cameras on roads that are heavily driven by out-of-state motorists. So the revenue comes from non-voters because the politicians don't want to alienate their constituents!

Clark doesn't deny that speeding is dangerous and also necessitates longer stopping distances in the event of a panic stop. But these cameras are only about the dough. If they were really intended to make you a safer driver, the tickets would be against the driver, not against the car. So get ready to smile -- you may be on candid camera!

Oil demand in June was down just under 6% year over year, according to a new report. That's a massive drop in demand considering most driving was thought "inelastic" by economists -- meaning that it had to be done regardless of the price of gas.

But we've changed our routines to drive less; take fuel-efficient vehicles if we have multiple cars; and buy fuel-efficient when it comes time for another car. An unexpected consequence of driving less has been a drastic drop in road fatalities. The University of Michigan reports we're seeing the lowest number of deaths since 1961.

Fatalities were down 22% in March and 18% in April. Yet our driving is only down about half as much. So what gives?

Clark believes the high cost of gas has forced a lot of teens off the road, which equates to lower fatalities. He's seen that in the case of his own teenage daughter and her driving habits. Meanwhile, many people are driving slower to get better fuel economy. That, of course, also has contributed to the drop in fatalities.

So if you're looking for a silver lining in the dark cloud of high gasoline prices, there it is!

Clark ruffled some feathers in the past when he discussed so-called Lexus lanes. These lanes on the freeway are toll roads that you must pay to access. The benefit to doing so is that you're guaranteed a speed limit ride -- for a price.

Orange County is the pioneer of Lexus lanes. They also use dynamic-demand pricing (aka congestion pricing) based on traffic. When traffic is light, you may pay just 50 cents to use a road. But during rush hour, you may pay up to $6.

The question is, "Are Lexus lanes elitist and harmful to the public?" Clark thinks not. A joint study from UCLA and USC supports his belief. Researchers found that the road was paid for by those who use it -- a logical presumption, but one supported when they actually crunched the numbers.

The idea of roads being free is misleading. You have "freeways" that cost millions to build and maintain. It just seems like a free ride because there are no toll-booths.

In Clark's estimation, Lexus lanes are smart urban planning and can help reduce congestion.

Our senior producer Kim bought her first scooter 8 years ago. Despite her reputation as a bad driver, she's never had a wreck on it. Executive producer Christa, on the other hand, tried to ride Kim's scooter once and crashed it into a bigwig's car at the studio!

Clark's current scooter, a Korean model, ran him $1,499 -- though you can find some for as little as $800. Clark's getting 90 mpg, so even at $4/gallon, the price of gas doesn't matter. Even the most uneconomical of scooters usually gets around 70 mpg.

With speeds of 30-45 mph, scooters are great for running around town. Is it any wonder that sales are up? Just beware of the added safety concerns that go along with riding a scooter.

Meanwhile, ridership on commuter rail and bus lines is also up. Clark recently saw a suburban commuter bus that was standing room only. Typically, those buses are empty in his town. In most metro areas, you can also carpool or vanpool with your fellow commuters to save money.

On the radical side of things, Clark read a Wired report about packs of bicyclists that take to the interstates in California when they hear about a traffic jam. Their aim is to both raise consciousness about commute alternatives and thumb their noses at those stuck in traffic.

What change could you make in your life so that you're not a sitting duck for high gas prices? That's Clark's challenge for you.

Recently while driving, Clark saw a car pull out dangerously close in front of a large truck. Clark was able to notice the driver was on her cell phone and had a zoned-out look in her eyes -- like she was completely unaware of her surroundings.

Too many of us drive and talk on our cell phones at the same. We know it's not safe, but it's one way to alleviate the boredom and loneliness of a long commute.

California is the next state that will ban cell phones while driving. Motorists will have to use a headset if they want to gab on the road. The state says this move should save 300 lives a year, yet the California Highway Patrol only attributes 6 fatal accidents last year to driving while talking. Something about their math doesn't add up…

Clark will sometimes put his cell phone on speaker if he's driving in a state like New York that already has a law on the books. But this raises a question: Do you think it's safer to use a headset (or speakerphone) to take and receive calls while driving?

Clark thinks the distraction comes in simply making or receiving a call -- not in whether you use your hands to do so or not. Be sure to vote in this week's poll to let him know.

Just recently, Clark spoke about Dash technology. This Internet-enabled GPS offers real-time traffic updates directly to the unit while you drive.

He bought the extremely expensive gadget ($399, plus a monthly fee of about $11) and it's already gone missing...his wife loves it so much that she's commandeered it for her vehicle. So is Dash worth the price of admission? Without a doubt -- especially if you travel a lot or frequently face unpredictable traffic.

Clark is amazed by Dash's capabilities. It will show you the speed of travel and traffic if an area is saturated with enough other Dash units. If not, then it's just a glorified, exorbitantly priced GPS unit that can't return that kind of robust data.

So far Clark's Dash has saved him time behind the wheel when there was bridge construction down in Florida.

There's also a novelty factor here. You can use Dash to find restaurants (along with user-generated reviews) when you're traveling in unfamiliar places. The Dash device can also be tracked if stolen, unlike most GPS units.

In related news, GPS units are now selling for as little as $69. You might want to consider a low-end brand to deter thieves from wanting to steal yours! Be sure to unplug your GPS from your cigarette lighter and put it under the seat when not in use. The cost of replacing a smashed window might be more than you pay for a cheap GPS.

In England, people have gone bonkers over cameras on the speedways. These devices calculate your speed, take a picture of your license plate and then mail you a ticket! Driver response has not been favorable; many motorists have repeatedly tried to destroy the cameras.

Now Maryland is poised to install its own speed cameras. They'll be permitted in a handful of places on a test basis because the governor hasn't had a final say yet. Law enforcement claims that these cameras are for safety, but Clark believes the idea is specifically to get money. In fact, the fines go to the car's owner -- not to the person driving at the time of speeding. Clark fully believes we can reduce accidents by slowing down, but he recoils at the idea of having Big Brother overseeing the process.

Clark freely admits that one of his greatest character failings may be that he has a complete meltdown when he faces any traffic. It's gotten to the point that none of his staffers like to travel with him for events in congestion-dense Los Angeles!

The penny-pinching guru has long hoped we'd adopt something similar to what the Germans have on the Autobahn and some secondary roads. They have a system where your cell is tied into a real-time traffic management feed. Your travels can be sensed based on the way your cell signal moves from tower to tower. Drivers can then be notified by text message if they're heading into a tie-up and there's an alternate route available.

We haven't had any similar options available stateside -- until now. About 2 years ago, Clark discussed vaporware from a company called Dash. They were touting an Internet-enabled GPS unit. Each Dash unit would send and receive real-time traffic info. The more Dash users in a metro area, the better the service would work. Well, now San Francisco is one city that's built up a critical mass of users.

How much does it cost? Too much for Clark's taste! Dash units run about $600 and then you still pay a monthly fee to have traffic data sent to you. There would have to be some really painful traffic to get Clark to subscribe at those prices. Early adopters, of course, will help drive the price down.

From time to time, Clark takes his show on the road. But no one wants to go with him to Los Angeles! That's because Clark hates traffic so much that being in L.A. is a nightmare for his staff. He does not do congestion well and basically has a meltdown when he faces it. Clark's executive producer Christa says the anticipation is the worst part of it all; he gets worried about the traffic a day before he has to travel. Clark recalls a book signing near UCLA when he was 45 minutes late. It drove him nuts that people had to wait on him. Now there's a ray of hope on the horizon: L.A. is looking at joining Orange County in building a network of congestion-priced freeways. These so-called "Lexus lanes" will allow people to pay a price for road access, and they'll guarantee a speed-limit ride during rush hour. Our idea of roads being free isn't really free, especially when you think about how much time they cost you.

Clark was recently pulled up at a red light with his children when he heard the faint sound of a siren. As the light turned green, some motorists who couldn't hear the wail growing louder started taking off. Those that did almost had a collision with an approaching fire truck. It seems that technology has caused unexpected problems for motorists -- between people driving while listening to iPods, chatting on their cell phones or blocking out exterior noises with massive sound systems. Sometimes Clark thinks drivers are in a nuclear arms race to see how many speakers they can pack into their vehicles! But what if you could silently alert people to the presence of oncoming emergency vehicles? An Illinois company called Federal Signal Corporation has come up with a device called "The Rumbler" that's being tested in New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia. This noiseless siren system emits low-frequency vibrations that make your car shake. You can feel it from 200 feet away. Clark also read in The Washington Post that D.C. police are using this system in four dozen patrol cars and plan to install Rumblers fleetwide. Technology started the problem of making drivers oblivious with loud music and cell phones; now technology is trumping technology to make the roads safer for emergency vehicles and you!

Clark goes nuts when he has to wait at a red light when there's no traffic in sight. It drives him bonkers that in 2007 we're still not using advanced transportation management techniques on a large scale. "Smart" lights -- which sense the flow of traffic and allow lights to stay green for longer if there are no cars around -- are one example of advanced transportation management. Not having more "smart" lights leads to wasted fuel and air pollution, as motorists unnecessarily sit at red lights when they could safely be traveling.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that the city of Orlando is getting ready to spend $10 million to install "smart" traffic signals, plus a staffed bunker to monitor traffic following major concert and sports events. The staffers will help keep the lights green as needed to prevent buildup. This move will ultimately save a fortune. Of course, you don't want to be that unlucky motorist who comes up on a side street when the people in the bunker are trying to improve traffic flow on a major road. Orlando also plans to put signage on surface streets telling motorists where to go when there are traffic tie-ups. These simple techniques are great for tourist areas where there's already a lot of traffic. Florida also frequently alleviates traffic by building overpasses at the intersections of busy surface streets, not just freeways.

Long commutes have been proven to cause health problems, a new report states. University of California Irvine has been compiling data for three decades and has found that those who drive in long commutes for several years will suffer from higher blood pressure and more illnesses. The longer the commute, the worse the health problems. Another study at Colorado State tested the correlation between long commutes and anger. It showed that sitting in the car for long periods of time or encountering bad drivers on the road increases anger in people.

Clark has always been a fan of German car technology. German drivers can be on the road and get a signal through their cell phones about an accident up ahead. Not only that, but the phone will give instructions on finding an optional route. It’s usually only available in highly-populated areas and it’s been a huge success. Well, there are several competing technologies on the market now for the U.S., which include both urban and suburban areas. So, we’re kind of leap-frogging the German with this technology. One recently written about is called “Dash.” Well keep you posted on when it’s available.

Wouldn’t it be nice to avoid traffic and never get lost while driving? A real-time traffic guide is now available right on your cell phone. Better yet, it’s a free service. If you have a cell phone with Internet or wireless access, you just download the service to your phone. And while you’re driving, you can get turn-by-turn directions. Check it out at google.com/gmm. So, information is going to be more available as you drive. And you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a portable GPS unit. Just be careful when using these devices. They can be fairly difficult to read because they are so small.

American drivers don’t do well in construction zones. If we’re told to slow down in construction zones, we don’t. We just ignore the signs. Illinois has had enough of drivers who can’t be bothered. The company tracks people’s speeds using decoy vehicles in work zones. Your first violation earns you a $175 ticket. The second will cost you $1,000! And if they can identify the driver, it’s a 90-day license suspension. Clark agrees 100 percent. There is no excuse for not slowing down. Red light cameras, on the other hand, are mostly about making money for the local government. But please remember that if you’re approaching an intersection and it turns yellow, you’re supposed to slow down not speed up.

Clark has been waiting for portable GPS units to become affordable so he can take one on the road when traveling. They’ll probably go below $200 – a consumer item price – next Christmas. But until then, there are other gadgets that may suit your needs. GPS real time traffic devices that warn you of accidents are coming out now. They warn you of accidents up ahead and give you alternate routes. According to USA Today, the “Nav 1” is on markets now. It costs $1,100, plus $60 for the up-to-date traffic information. The pricing is a little screwy, but the idea of taking Web tracking and GPS systems on the road is a great advancement. These will be very affordable when his 6-year-old can drive. By then, people will no longer have to decelerate suddenly because of some accident up ahead. Or maybe we’ll have personal flying vehicles by then.

Clark talked recently about tow truck drivers who were camping out on private property, waiting for illegally parked cars to tow away. A number of court rulings had also given tow truck drivers free reign to do that. But the U.S. Congress is now reauthorizing states to set up rules that would allow private property owners to decide who can come on their property. Granted, most tow truck drivers are decent people who work within the law. But there is a rogue element out there. Let’s hope that’s history with the new law.

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In other car news, the state of Virginia allows hybrid car owners to ride in carpool lanes even if there is only one person in the car. California is about to pass a similar law. And the same law that Congress is working on regarding tow truck practices will also make it legal for single hybrid drivers to ride in the HOV lane everywhere in the country. People sitting in regular traffic lanes get furious about it, but it is a great incentive to get people to buy hybrid cars.

Who wants to sit in traffic tie-ups? No one Clark knows, and especially not Clark. He literally freaks out as soon he sees the cars ahead. So whenever he sees stories about trends and technology that help traffic, he wants to tell people about them. The latest story involves a 511 system, which Clark talked about five years ago. The basic idea was that people could call 511 on their cell phones and find out what traffic was like anywhere. There are now 26 systems around the U.S., and apparently they don’t talk to each other very well. It costs $15 million to maintain, but none of the states are compatible. In foreign countries, systems are much more effective and in sync. The systems tell people how far ahead an accident is what speed drivers are going. Honda has something in Tokyo, Japan called the “Car Navigation System.” It talks to drivers about accidents and even offers alternate routes to avoid them. Better yet, it's free for the first six months. How cool is that? Of course, the only downfall is that you have to know Japanese.

You’re late for an appointment or you’re trying to get to work, and all of a sudden you run into traffic. What would it be worth to know you can get where you needed to go on time? We’re about to find out. California, Texas, Minnesota, Colorado and Virginia are a few of the states experimenting with “pay lanes” that allow people to circumvent traffic by paying a fee. The fee is based on the demand to use the lanes. In California, for instance, if traffic is flowing fine in the free lanes it costs only a quarter. If it’s really heavy, drivers may pay $5 to go full speed. Clark gets very freaked out by traffic. He hates sitting in it, but he’s not sure if he’d pay $5. We’ll see when and if he has to pay!

Commute times are increasing rapidly in the U.S. There are now 3.5 million people who are considered “extreme commuters,” which means they spend a minimum of 1.5 hours a day commuting to and from work. And that number has doubled in 15 years. In Washington, D.C., people are commuting from as far away as West Virginia. Areas that never had commuters, such as Boston, now have tons. According to Business Week, for every 10 minutes of commute time, we cut our social connections with others by 10 percent. Oil companies and radio stations are benefiting from our commutes. But our families are suffering. Think about it before you buy that big house!

Clark often talks about traffic tie-ups around the country and Texas A&M has been key in offering research and insight into this topic. The school published its annual study recently and the Top 10 are not surprising. Los Angeles has the worst traffic in the country, and the nearby areas of Riverside/San Bernardino nabbed No. 7. San Francisco and Oakland both came in No. 2 and San Jose is No. 10. So, California has lots of congested areas. The third worst traffic is in Washington, D.C. No. 4 is Dallas; No. 5 is Atlanta; No. 6 is Houston; No. 8 is Chicago; No. 9 is Boston; and Detroit tied with San Jose for the tenth worst traffic in the country. Housing costs have everything to do with these high-traffic areas. People drive out from a city until they reach the exit where they can afford a house. So, people are willing to drive extremely long distances to get to and from work. Some people who work in Washington, D.C. even commute from West Virginia and Pennsylvania to have the house they want. Consider how traffic is affecting your quality of life. Do you spend several hours a day in your car?

A few years ago, Clark talked about a computer driving system in Europe that senses an accident or traffic tie up on the road up ahead. Now, it’s coming to the United States. This fall, Acura will install the system in one of its models, and Cadillac will put it in several of its models. As you drive along, you will be alerted to the problem and directed around it. The New York Times reports that neither company has disclosed what the cars that have these systems will cost. Acura says the system will be free at first and then the company will charge a monthly fee of about $10. But Clark thinks it’s great because it will save truckers and, therefore many industries, a lot of time and money. Eventually, the systems will be in every car out there. How much would you pay for a car with this system?

How many miles over the speed limit do you drive? Most of us drive a couple miles above the limit, and we hate seeing those flashing red and blue lights behind us. But it doesn’t stop us from doing it. Instead of continuing this never ending battle, San Francisco Bay area communities are experimenting with smart technology that will make drivers slow down. They’re using digital monitoring devices to figure out how fast traffic is moving. If most people are speeding, the devices sense that and immediately turn the next light to red. It forces everyone to slow down or stop. The amount of time the light is red adjusts based on how fast people are driving. People interviewed for a story in the San Francisco Chronicle were very upset about the new technology. But Clark thinks it’s a great idea. Driving is a privilege, not a right.