October 11th, 2010

New Female Crash Test Dummies, Safety Gets Smart

The US Department of Transportation is now using female crash test dummies for the first time. While this could sound like the beginning of a bad joke, it is far from dumb and could actually save lives. The dummies are smaller in size and will simulate more accurately how cars react in accidents with females inside.

While the US has just begun using female dummies, it is not a new idea. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a non-profit group funded by auto insurance companies, began using female dummies in 2003 when, according to ABC News, “research showed women could be more vulnerable in these accidents.”

Adrian Lund, from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, had this to say: “Smaller people have their seats further forward—that tends to put their heads right in the middle of the window. There’s nothing between their heads and whatever is coming in from outside.”

We wonder then, US Dept of Transpo, what took you guys so long?

October 08th, 2010

Time Capsule: Janet Guthrie from 1976

We unearthed this vintage article from Time Magazine in 1976 about Janet Guthrie’s rookie season in Indy. The following year, in 1977, Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indy 500.

The reporter writes that Guthrie, who was 38 at the time, was “jeered by frequently unsympathetic crowds at every stall or slip…Accused of entering just as a publicity stunt, mislabeled caustically as a women’s libber and once even asked outright if she was a lesbian.” Boy, we’ve come a long way! Guthrie’s response, “I’m a driver, period.”

The article also mentions Leila Lombardi, the Italian driver, who in 1976 was 33 and racing Formula One. Lombardi’s comment was an interesting one, she claimed: “only in the United States have I recently encountered real prejudice. Why do American men say, ‘No, you’re out of it because you’re a woman.’ So many American race drivers behave like male chauvinists instead of men who practice a sport.”

But not every American male was so chauvinistic: Tom Bigelow, and Indy driver at that time, had this to say about Guthrie: “The smoothest rookie I’ve ever seen.”

September 28th, 2010

First Female Truck Driver in Gaza

Leena Ibrahim, 22, from Gaza is the first woman to apply for a truck driving license. She is currently a university student and has been training to drive trucks during her summer break.

Her family had a mixed reaction. While her father was worried about her choosing this profession he was also proud of her. Ibrahim will join other young women in the region who have a passion for cars. There are several young women who are now racing cars in the West Bank.

Ibrahim is a true trailblazer. “I promise you that one day soon you will be seeing me driving a truck as a profession and the next strong girl that will decide to go through this will see easier times than I did, because then it wouldn’t be as weird as now. I started this and many females will follow, just mark my words,” says Ibrahim.

September 27th, 2010

First All-Female Taxis in Cairo

Like in many other countries such as India and Senegal, there are now all-female taxis in Cairo. This service makes women feel more comfortable and prevents them from being sexually harassed.

September 11th, 2010

Why Are There No Female Drivers in Formula One?

The New York Times recently published an article titled: Is Elite Racing for Men Only? While the story didn’t come up with an answer, it did provide some interesting commentary.

According to the article, Lotus driver Heikki Kovalainen said that women are not strong enough to drive F1. Katherine Legge, former Champ Car driver and the last woman to test for F1, disagrees. “The forces [G-force] thing and the strength thing is absolutely 110 percent, categorical rubbish.” Legge went on to say “We just need to be given the opportunity.”

The article also mentions women working in F1 such as Monisha Kaltenborn, the Chief Executive of the Sauber team. Kaltenborn said that one of the team directors thought that she was Peter Sauber’s interpreter because he wasn’t used to seeing a woman with all the directors.

Then there’s Lisa Lilley, Shell Oil Technology Manager for Ferrari F1. She talked about being mistaken for a hostess and having to wear men’s team outfit because the only clothes they had for women were for the female hostesses.

Tina Vajanszki, a tire technician at Bridgestone, probably summed it up best. “It really doesn’t matter in the end if you are a man or a woman, as long as you do your job well.”

September 10th, 2010

If Formula One Was Ruled by the Fashion Industry

This list comes to us from PaddockTalk.com. We love that their racing writers used the word “fierce!” It’s fashion week in New York so we thought we’d print the list for you in it’s entirety. Enjoy!

IF F1 WAS RULED BY… THE FASHION INDUSTRY

1. In line with FIA proposals, team racing budgets would be radically slashed. The surplus would, of course, go to designing killer new uniforms for all the teams. Hmmm… radically slashed – now that gives me an idea for a to-die-for little travel skirt.

2. What’s with having just one season? Are you insane? New look Formula One would have a winter season, a spring/summer and a fall season. All of them would be in Paris, Milan, London and New York.

3. The starting lights would be abandoned in favour of a loudhailer system that counted the cars down the catwalk grid before just shouting “YOU GO, GIRLFRIEND!!”

4. It has come to our attention that a grid girl at a recent race was clearly a size four – this is now forbidden. They must be size zero. Of course we might have to tether them to the track in case they blow away.

5. Each photographer would be required to bring two assistants, four stylists, a make-up artist and more lights than required to illuminate the Singapore Grand Prix. Also they’d all be called Steven or Mario.

6. Qualifying would be replaced by a new format to be known as Formula One’s Next Top Driver. All of the hopefuls would live in the same house, claim all the other drivers were bitches and then cry a lot when voted out by a famous ex-driver with a keen fashion sense.

7. The drivers…. Oh dear. Hair and make-up, quick!!!

8. At the end of every show race, the winning team’s chief designer walk down the catwalk pitlane taking all the applause. Oh, you say that’s already happening… ok.

9. Impressionable teenagers would of course go any lengths to get into the industry, stabbing friends in the back, furiously losing weight to fit into the delicate equipment, and always claiming they’re much younger than than they really are. Oh, that already happens too?

10. Oh, look this is pointless. F1’s clearly fierce enough already. Be fabulous!!!

-Via PaddockTalk.com

September 09th, 2010

Keira Knightley Rides a Ducati in New Chanel Ad

Chanel has decided to go for a beige biker theme for their newest ad. Pirates of the Caribbean actress Keira Knightley, 25, was seen in head-to-toe beige, with a beige helmet, on a beige Ducati.

The ad was being shot in Paris in Place de la Concorde. She was atop a vintage Ducati 750 sport. However, she never actually rode it, she had a stunt double.

Knightley has been the face of Chanel since 2006.

-Shout out to Ducati Wall Ken for the tip, thanks!