MOTORING NEWS - I lived out in the country with a lot of dirt roads. Several people told me that if you drove across the washboard surface of a dirt road really fast the ride would be smoother. They said the wheels wouldn't have enough time to fall down into the ruts.
Clearly, these people had watched too many episodes of TV-series The Dukes of Hazzard. However, The Mythbusters confirmed that in some circumstances, you get a smoother ride by going somewhat faster over a washboard road.
My uncle told me that you were supposed to "upshift" when you pull out to pass on a highway. This is the same uncle who sold me his old 1988 Mazda B2200 with a 5-speed and three cylinders with operational compression. I almost died.
I asked my aunt what would happen if she chose the wrong gear. She told me the car would explode. Not "spun a rod" explode, but the Hindenburg on the 405 explode.
It's a nagging fear that has stuck with me since.
Article: Jalopnik
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