parked

In 1986 a man parked on the wrong side of the gas station. That day he solved an embarrassing problem for all drivers

by

The history of innovation It’s full of big names and epic breakupsbut also of silent advances born from minimal errors, from everyday mistakes that anyone could have made. Sometimes, a small mistake reveals a problem so common that no one had thought of it or knew how to formulate it, and it is enough to look at it differently to find a solution that ends up benefiting millions of people without it being barely noticed. In this case, one man saved millions of drivers from embarrassment. A universal problem. Maybe his name doesn’t sound familiar to you, but the story of Jim Moylan It is more important than it seems. The story begins with a scene as trivial as it is recognizable: a Ford engineer (Moylan) soaked by the rain, standing at a gas station, realizing that he has parked in the wrong side of the pump. Where anyone would have felt frustration or perhaps some embarrassment, he saw an everyday problem that could be solved elegantly, cheaply and definitively, and in a matter of minutes. wrote a memorandum proposing a small symbol on the instrument panel to indicate which side the tank was on, a simple idea born from personal experience and the conviction that eliminating that doubt would save time, inconvenience and, yes, small humiliations for millions of drivers. The path to a great idea. Moylan was not a media figure or a senior manager, but an engineer with a long and discreet career within the all-powerful Ford Motor Company, a man, yes, professionally obsessed. with instrument panels and with making them as clear and useful as possible. Thus, after sending his original proposal in 1986, the man did not think about it again, but the company did: the symbol he had scribbled on a page quickly went into development, it was approved without much resistance. and ended up integrating in the first models of the late eighties, demonstrating that in large organizations there was still room for a good idea, no matter how small and coming from whoever it was, to cross the hierarchy and become a reality. From Thunderbird to the entire world. Months passed until the first public appearance of the arrow came, an almost imperceptible moment, hidden in the instrument panel of a Ford Thunderbird 1989. It didn’t matter, its power lay precisely in that simplicity. It was so obvious and useful that the competition It didn’t take him long to copy itand in a very short time it went from being an internal Ford solution to becoming a de facto standard in the global automobile industry, and it did so to the point that today it appears in practically any car in the world, including electric ones, where it points to the side of the charging port with the same unbeatable logic. The inventor without a patent (or ego). Unlike other innovators, Moylan He never patented his idea nor did he ask for financial compensation or public recognition, content simply to see how his arrow worked and helped people. For decades, millions of drivers benefited from his invention without even knowing his name, while he silently watched as that little “walk of shame” at gas stations disappeared, getting closer sometimes to strangers to explain the usefulness of the symbol, but without ever mentioning that it had been his doing. Late recognition. I remembered a few weeks ago the wall street journal which was not until many years later, thanks to a chance investigation from a podcast and to the rescue of internal files, when Jim Moylan’s name came to light and he was publicly recognized as the author of one of the most discreet and universal innovations in the automobile. The man died without having sought famebut he left a legacy that lives on every time someone stops at a pump and, with a simple glance at the instrument panel, knows exactly where to stand, reminding us that sometimes true genius lies in solving the obvious in the simplest way possible. Image | Josh In Xataka | An engineer decided one day to put the BMW airplane engine in a car. The result was tremendous In Xataka | When an engineer wanted to cross Africa by car, he invented a wooden one. It would be the beginning of the end

one with the supercars of Saudi millionaires parked badly

by

One of the most important tasks of the traffic police of any big city. Cars in double rows, speeding, parking in wrong places, etc. However, as how they collect British media, this task has intensified especially in the wealthiest area of ​​London, where the great Saudi sheikhs and magnates notice the insignificant amount of a parking fine, less than the tip they leave for the waiter who parks their car. In this context, the recent scene of a Saudi Rolls-Royce raised on a crane and that of a convoy of hypercars blocking the sidewalk in front of a luxury hotel summarizes well the fight that is being fought between the Westminster authorities and an elite that uses the street almost as a private garage. London and the problem of Saudi supercars In the Mayfair neighborhood, near the former US embassy, ​​Westminster City Council has begun to act more harshly against luxury cars parked directly on the sidewalk next to The Chancery Rosewood five-star hotel. “The vehicles are registered abroad (the ones we photographed have Saudi registration plates), so the chances of recovering the costs are practically nil. The owners of the vehicles, which include Rolls Royces and Lamborghinis, are so rich that the fines have little effect,” said a spokesperson for Westminster City Council. According to they explained sources from the council to the British The Standardneighbors complained about wealthy guests parking their luxury cars on sidewalks “Pedestrians should not have to face a sea of ​​illegally and selfishly parked supercars when trying to walk through Westminster.” The response of the authorities has gone one step further and instead of continuing to accumulate fines that many millionaires do not even pay, they have chosen to remove the vehicles with a tow truck when they block the path of pedestrians. Source: Westminster City Council Recently, a Saudi Rolls-Royce valued at about $330,000 was removed with a crane and moved a few streets further, a scene that became for a few minutes an unprecedented urban spectacle, while serving as a warning to navigators of those who decide to park their luxury cars in inappropriate places. The hypercar “sandwich” in front of the hotel However, the joy was short-lived for traffic authorities. A few hours after that withdrawal, the sidewalk opposite the one where the Rolls-Royce retreat took place was once again filled with raised mobile phones, this time to photograph a convoy of four very special cars. Two Bugatti Chirons parked in front of the door of the luxury hotel, flanked by a huge Mercedes-AMG G 63 6×6 and a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Tap on the image to go to the original message The set, which occupied practically the entire pedestrian space, easily raised more than 9 million dollars on the pavement if the base prices of each model are added. The Bugatti Chiron is announced with a starting price of $2.5 million, including no customization, more than doubling its initial price. For his part, the Mercedes‑AMG G63 6×6 It hardly goes below a million dollars in the most exclusive second-hand market and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan starts at around $325,000 in its basic version. Faced with such a display of supercars (and millions of them), the authorities preferred not to move and, this time, the tow truck did not appear. A luxury that goes beyond the car: the “1 V” license plate Beyond the value of the cars, there was a detail that went unnoticed by many pedestrians who could not help but raise their cell phones to capture the unprecedented moment to upload it. to your social networks: the Saudi license plates, and in particular that of the white Bugatti Chiron that was part of that convoy of supercars. Only a number and a letter were read on its plate, “1 V”, an extremely rare format in Saudi Arabia and which is part of a lucrative market for personalized license plates managed by the Saudi General Directorate of Traffic through electronic auctions. As and how he published Gulf Newsin one of those auctions held on the government platform Absher, the “1 V” license plate reached a bid of more than 10 million Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately 2.3 million euros at the exchange rate, becoming one of the most expensive license plates that have been auctioned. Tap on the image to go to the original message Behind this bid is Yazeed bin Mohammed Al Rajhi who, in addition to being businessman and rally championis the son of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi, co-founder of Al Rajhi Bankone of the largest Islamic banks in the world. Thus, the cost of that small metal rectangle is close to the price of the car, turning this license plate into a symbol of wealth, luxury and exclusivity almost as powerful as the Bugatti Chiron itself. In Xataka | The richest king in the world: his empire covers 17,000 properties, 38 private jets and a collection of 300 luxury cars Image | Westminster City Council, Bugatti

A Volvo S80 has been parked in the middle of a lake for 13 years. And it has become a tourist attraction

by

Google Maps is a tool that can take us on a trip through the most unusual places without leaving the sofa. The great pyramids, the Canadian tundra or even Everest are ‘visitable’. But if we enter the coordinates 41.35474 – 88.79789, there seems to be an error. A car in the middle of a lake? It’s not a normal car, it’s a Volvo. What’s more, it is THE Volvo. On the outskirts of Ottawa, about 130 kilometers from Chicago, there are a tiny artificial island that is just the right size to house a Volvo S80 silver from 2001. And if you are thinking that someone forgot it parked there when the area flooded or any other strange story, you should know that the story has a much simpler explanation. And also much more fun. Volvo Island Year 2012. Scott Mann, local citizen and owner of a couple of car repair shops, owned the land of an old open pit mine which had been abandoned and flooded, forming an artificial lake. As sometimes it seems that advertising has no limitsMann had an idea: place a car in the middle of the lake. We do not know if the result of a “because you don’t have noses” or because it really seemed like a good idea, the businessman conceived this as a marketing strategy to promote his workshops. As? Well, I don’t have the slightest idea, but he must have had it very clear. Their plan was to place the car there in the middle and organize a contest for people to guess how it got there. Actually, placing the Volvo was very simple: since the land is his, he towed the car to the end of a spit of land and, later, removed the segment that connected the peninsula with the rest of the continent. Ready, the Volvo S80 was already in its new home, and there it was abandoned waiting for someone to wonder how it happened. There are a couple of things that are wrong with that plan, and it turned out that someone in the office questioned whether it was really a good decision. Tiffany Warren, office manager, explained to the local media The Times They started doing it with the idea of ​​the contest, but in the end they abandoned the idea because “It was actually quite dangerous.”. The reason is obvious: the ground is not the most stable, there is 12 meters of depth around the car and if someone tried to reach it for whatever reason, misfortune could occur. So, the idea of ​​the contest was abandonedjust like the Volvo and any other genius marketing plan Mann might have in his head. The Internet did what the Internet does best For a few years, Volvo Island remained a local curiosity, but in 2015… it exploded. appeared in Google Maps and Street View and the Internet did its job. The place went viral and, although it can only be seen from afar because it is still private property, hundreds of fans have come to contemplate this work that could be another of the wonders of the modern world. In fact, the most delirious thing is that on Google Maps it appears as a “Tourist Attraction”, and has accumulated 455 reviews at the time of writing this with a score of 4.9 out of five stars. The reviews are for a laugh, but don’t think that people simply write a review and that’s it: they actually go to the place, take photos and upload them to the platform. “Photos simply don’t do this place justice. I feel truly blessed to have seen Volvo Island with my own eyes. I drove to Volvo Island in a Volvo for an incredibly immersive experience. As I drove away in my wife’s Volvo, I was overwhelmed with the emotion of what I had just witnessed: Volvo Island in all its glory,” says someone in the Google system. There are also more serious questions, such as how is it possible that, after so much time, the bodywork is still in that state, without signs of corrosion when it has been outdoors for at least 13 years. And people who claim that the island is the Grand Canyon of the Midwest or the Taj Mahal of Western civilizationa mandatory place if you go to the United States and a recommendation: go early because there is a line. Jokes aside, the truth is that it is most curious that Google Maps shows the icon of a car in the middle of the lake. It’s also a great example of how the Internet becomes a cultural phenomenon? something so unexpected that it has not only inspired digital tourism, but also physical one. And it appears that Mann has no intention of removing the vehicle or modifying the island. It has taken, as we say, measures to prevent people from accessing the islet due to both the depth and the sudden changes in terrain below the surface, but everything indicates that this failed “announcement” will remain there for a long, long time. He should have put up a sign for his workshop, or something. At least… he gets that publicity. In Xataka | All your worst nightmares have been captured by the Google Street View car. Here you have the proof

if you can leave your bike parked on the landing

by

If you live in a building and share a landing or doorway, you have probably come across the scene. When you get home you find that the tenant across the street has left his bike parked in the hallway, right next to his door. Maybe it’s not a bicycle, but an electric scooter, a baby stroller, a shopping cart or any other armatroste useful that (for whatever reason) the person you share the landing with decides not to store inside their own home. And then the question arises: Can he do it? Nothing new under the sun. Since the existence of neighborhood communities, there has been friction over the use of common areas. It is nothing new, although it is true that in recent years, as extended The use of bicycles in cities, the doubt about whether or not they can be parked in doorways (hallways, corridors, halls and other shared spaces) seems to arouse special interest. If you live in a building you may have seen it in person. If not, just Google to find a good number of guides, articles and even some other news on the subject, such as the scuffle that aired For this same reason, a few months ago the ‘Neighbor Troubles’ account was published in Click on the image to go to the tweet. LPH Word. When the spark flies, as in that case, the usual thing is to ask what the law says. And in terms of neighborhood coexistence and buildings, the reference standard is Horizontal Property Law (LPH), designed precisely to facilitate coexistence in the blocks. Specifically, throughout its vast articles there is a particularly interesting section for cases such as the one disclosed in X. Which? He article 9.1which indicates the obligations of the owners. The first, “respect the general facilities of the community and other common elements, whether for general use or for the exclusive use of any of the owners (…), making appropriate use of them and avoiding at all times causing damage or damage.” And in case there were any doubts about what exactly the “common elements of the building” are, the Civil code makes it clear that the facades, portal, patios, goals… and (exactly) stairs and corridors can be understood as such. “Proper use”. The LPH is important because it conveys a fundamental message: neighbors must not damage the facilities they share with the rest of the owners and are also obliged to make “appropriate use” of them, which leaves doubt as to whether or not it is appropriate to park a bicycle in a space that (in the case of a landing, corridor or stairs) is designed for the passage of people and that must remain clear both for comfort and for emergencies. It is not the only reflection that arises Horizontal Property Law. Another is whether occupying a hallway with particular goods (a cart, a bicycle, a scooter) implies ‘appropriating’ of him, even if only temporarily. The rule also states that common spaces cannot be “altered” without permission. Click on the image to go to the tweet. That’s all? No. Leaving things on landings (especially bikes) is so common that on the Internet you can find property management that they explain how should you respond the community. Not all guides are the same, but they do tend to agree on one key aspect: what the statutes of each block say is essential. After all, there may be communities that expressly prohibit it in their regulations while others accept it or even assign special areas. “In many cases the community bylaws may establish specific rules on the use of common spaces, including the possibility of temporarily leaving objects in certain areas, as long as they do not hinder passage or pose a risk,” explains Group 91, which insists on the importance of knowing the regulations of each block. Similar message Atico07 transfers by pointing out that they must establish rules for coexistence and the use of shared areas. Better to get healthy. This last administrator points out another fundamental idea: to avoid misunderstandings, headaches or arguments that can end in the courts or with sanctionsit is best to play it safe. “If the statutes do not explicitly prohibit leaving bikes in common areas, the next step would be to request permission from the community of owners. This is generally done in a meeting where a proposal can be presented,” points out the signature before advising that the permission be recorded in the minutes. Is it that common? A quick Google search reveals that the topic generates interest, something that coincides with the increase in urban bicycle use, especially during the pandemic and his hangover. Although its boom seems to be losing steamhe Bicycle Barometer 2024 shows that almost 23% of the population uses the bike weekly. Of course, not everyone takes it home (Madrid either Barcelona They have shared services) and not everyone parks it in the hallways. Nor is it something that only Spain deals with. In other countriessuch as the Netherlands, Denmark, Berlin or Germany, where urban bicycle use is widespread. Mietrecht remember For example, in the latter country (Germany) it is not unusual for people to park in stairwells to avoid theft or protect them from the elements, although the rest of the owners are not always obliged to accept it and they can capture it in the internal regulations or rental contract. Images | Ayman Bondoki (Unsplash) and Katerina Plakhova (Unsplash) In Xataka | “Garage squatters”: there are people parking their cars every day in parking spaces that are not theirs

The “best mechanic in Spain” says that leaving the car parked for a long time causes “irreversible damage.” It’s not as terrible as it seems

by

Any object that uses mechanical components is something that should be used from time to time. Although we are talking about cars here, it is not exclusive to cars. If you have one bicyclesome automatic watch either photo cameras old, it is something that you most likely have in mind. And the thing is that, with the passage of time, the liquids dry out or become stuck and the components can begin to suffer from corrosion. That’s exactly what happens to a car. When a vehicle is not movingthe moving parts lose lubrication and the liquids always remain in the same places. It is also easier for corrosion to appear. In short, it is the same case as the previous ones. With the difference that a car is an object that usually weighs between one and two tons and is designed to move at high speeds on the road, leaving aside its maintenance clearly puts our health and that of the rest of the drivers we meet on the road at risk. But what should we fear and what can we not worry about? For the best mechanic in Spain in 2023, the problem is obvious: “irreversible damage may occur.” a long, long time In 2023, Javier Sendín, from Talleres Cardiocar de Salamanca, was chosen as best mechanic of Spain for The Official Workshop Community. This award delivered annually and over the years it has brought together more than a thousand participants. The winner is chosen after online tests in which theoretical questions are presented and, phase by phase, it ends up deciding who is the best in Spain. In The Vanguard They have contacted Sendín to ask him about some risks that we should not overlook when maintaining our car. Whoever was the best mechanic in Spain has remembered the importance of not forgetting of a vehicle because we cannot expect that after a long time without starting, the car will be in perfect condition. “Although it may not seem like it (leaving the car still for weeks), this can be harmful. Components such as the suspension are affected, since the silentblocks and other rubber pieces tend to dry out or warp when left in the same position for weeks or months. It is also very negative for the battery, both in thermal vehicles and, especially, in hybrids and electric vehicles (…) there is a risk of irreversible damage.” What “the best mechanic in Spain 2023” claims is undoubted. The question is how much time has to pass for the damage to be especially noticeable. The truth is that if a car remains stationary for a few weeks, the damage is still minor. For example, it is not good for tires spend a lot of time supporting the weight of the car in the same position as deformities may arise. Despite this, in less than a month you will not notice substantial changes. Of course, keep an eye on its pressure so that when you get going again everything is in the best state. The battery is the other problem that can appear when the car has not moved for a long time. Especially if its useful life is already on its last legs, it is not a good idea to leave the car stationary for a long time. Yes indeed, if only a few weeks passthe worst that can happen is that the battery is completely discharged. However, if the battery is in good condition, may take more than two months to download. If we contemplate this happening, a good idea is to unplug the battery completely. So, when should we start paying real attention to our car? The American Automobile Association recommends that we put more emphasis on car care when they pass more than 45 days immobile. In that case, you should try to keep the car indoors and in a dry place. In this way, the car is more protected from corrosion and components that suffer from changes in temperature and humidity, such as tires, are more protected. Among the advice given from RACE There is checking the levels of the car’s fluids: brakes, coolant or oil. And with the passage of time, part of them may evaporate or have dried out in some specific points. Keep in mind, however, that again we are talking about months with the car stopped and not a few weeks. In that case, do not force the mechanics excessively when putting the car back into operation since we will not be risking any breakage. In fact, it is estimated that until after three months Since the car came to a complete stop, the components will not start to cause real problems. That is why possible damage from having the car stopped is not the most common case. Yes indeed, from the RACC They also recommend paying close attention to gasoline. First of all, we should not rush the tank to the maximum since impurities always remain at the bottom of it and it is easier for them to end up damaging a component such as the spark plugs. But if the car has been stopped for a long time it is not good to leave it loaded with fuel either. Over time, it loses properties. If we have a classic car that we use a few times a year, it is best to leave some gasoline in the tank but renew it shortly after we get going. You don’t have to use up the tank but you also don’t have to leave the car forgotten with a full tank. We talked, once again, about leaving the car sitting for months. Photo | Felix Neudecker and Sten Rademaker In Xataka | The “one minute rule” or how to always keep your car ready and avoid breakdowns worth 3,000 euros

A Google engineer moved to a truck parked on the company’s campus. The rent was saved and 90% of its salary

by

The price of housing, whether rent or purchase through a mortgage, represents the main disbursement For anyone. However, it is an expense that we assume because it is not to anyone anyone sleeping outdoors. However, not everyone faces the issue of housing in the same way. Better a van. Business Insider History collected last year From Brandon, a 23 -year -old software engineer, who moved to San Francisco in 2015 to do summer practices at a Google branch. However, he met A Rent market for clouds. Instead of renting an apartment, Brandon opted for an unusual solution: living in a truck to save and pay their student loans Before buying a house. 2,000 dollars for sharing room. When Brandon moved to San Francisco, he agreed to one of the corporate flats that Google has in the city. There I had to share a two -bedroom floor with four people, for which I paid about $ 65 per night. That was about 2,000 dollars a month. “I realized that I was paying an exorbitant amount of money for the apartment in which I was staying, and I was almost never at home,” Brandon declared Business Insider. At that time, the young man began to gestate how his home would be for the future. Housing plan on wheels. The following year, Brandon He returned to work in Google Full time, but the young man was not willing to burn his savings. So He drew a planfacing the following year. Before starting his new adventure in San Francisco, Brandon bought a 2006 Ford truck with more than 252,000 for $ 10,000, using the advance they had given in Google for the signing of their contract. That would be his new home and had parked him in the parking lot of the office, so the young engineer says he never is late for work. With everything you need to live, but cheaper. His only fixed expenses were $ 121 per month for truck insurance, since he has no electricity costs and Google pays his mobile telephone line. The truck box provided a space of 12 square meters, more than enough space To sleep and save your personal belongings. The young man says that he only needs a battery lamp to illuminate the interior of the truck, and a portable battery of 15,000 mAh in case the mobile drums or headphones are spent, and that recharges at work. The interior of the truck was furnished in a simple way, with a bed, a dresser and a coat rack to hang clothes. Actually, that truck already offered him more space than he had on Google’s floor paying $ 2,000 per month. Live in Google. Brandon has created a blogin which he tells how his day to day living in a truck. The engineer tells that, as in his first year of practices, he spends all day In Google facilities. The young engineer says he makes all meals in the canteen for Google campus employees, where he also has showers in the campus gym. That allows you to minimize your daily expenses. Thanks to this strategy, Brandon can save approximately 90% of your net salary, allocating these funds to the payment of their student loans and investments. As the vast majority of US students, Brandon has to pay a student debt of $ 22,434, of which a good part has already covered. As a conservative estimate (and taking into account the bonuses), I hope to finish paying it in the next six months, saving thousands of dollars compared to the standard amortization plans of 10 and even 20 years, “Brandon declared the North American environment. Another way of living San Francisco. Brandon says that living parked just a few minutes from your office has many advantages, and allows many of San Francisco’s bad things to be skipped. One of them is the rush hour In the morning, turning his daily journey to work on a simple walk. Not having to drag the economic burden of a monthly rent has allowed him to go to dinner at different restaurants and enjoy the city atmosphere much more. It is not the first time that happens, and Google’s security knows. As Brando himself account on your personal blogIt is not the first time that a Google employee chooses to live in his parking lot. Brandon did not have to see them with Google security staff until the third month of “residence” in its parking lot when, in the middle of the night, it was approached by Google security personnel. However, the situation was resolved without problems after showing its corporate accreditation and confirming that there was an error in the vehicle registration. Clarified the misunderstanding, the safety of the Google campus apologized for waking him and never bother him again. At least, Google will not have to demand Brandon go to the office against your will. It is as at home. In Xataka | A 17 -year -old is the digital nomad par excellence: he lives in trains (and does not get expensive) In Xataka | Help the waiter collect the table seems like a kind gesture: psychologists see something much deeper *An earlier version of this article was published in August 2024

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.