And How Would You Like That Dashboard: Analog or Digital?
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I bid you welcome gentle readers, and of course, a warm and
sincere welcome to our assigned reader of all things NASCAR. Does everyone have
his or her shopping done? How about wrapping? How many pending trips remain to
the Mall? The market? Amazon.com? Time is about to run out on the latter source
of last-minute thoughts. You’ll be happy to know that my gift to you will be
the same as it was last year… seriously. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,
these pages will carry the same story I’ve told for oh, so many years now. “The
Christmas Story My Mother Told.” Try not to miss it! It means the world to me.
Ah, but that is next week, and this is… yep, you guessed it…
this week, and today we’re going to share a bit of dialogue concerning the two
terms that appear in this article’s title above. Those terms are “Digital” and
“Glass”, and our concern today is how each term relates when the object of its
modification is the dashboard of an automobile.
We’ve all heard, I’m sure, our illustrious leader, Brian Z. France,
casually toss out the term “Glass dashboard” several times between 2012 and
now, as we stand on the threshold of 2016. As of August of this year, NASCAR
gave the OK for those that so desired, to start using the dashboard they began
testing at various tracks last April. These dashboards are “Digital
dashboards”, but with a twist.
We’re all familiar with the difference between digital and
analog when it comes to clocks. We simply see the same information in numbers
rather than hands or pointers. My car is a not too impressive little Chevy
Cobalt, vintage 2010, but its dash is digital. You have to keep pushing a
button on the steering column to make the info change or to “reset” as in trip
mileage and such, but it gives some handy info, such as how long my oil is good
for, what the PSI in each tire registers, mileage total and trip mileage.
That’s all cool, but sometimes there were things from 50 years
ago that never should have changed. I far prefer having gauges on my dash,
telling me what my water and oil temps are reading, and indicating how long
until I run out of fuel and have to call AAA. Instead, if my car boils over or
the engine seizes from lack of oil or super-overheated oil, all I would get is
a red light telling me what the problem is. Here’s a clue… if I had a gauge to
show me that info, there would BE no problem! I would have long since done
something to avert the disaster.
Back in the 50s and 60s, we called them “idiot lights” and no
one with a functioning brain cell bought a car with just lights. But wait!
Before you think that I’m completely negative and against the new dashboards,
let me show you some interesting things about these “Digital Dashboards.”
Our first illustration is of the dashboard used by Kurt Busch,
driver of the #41 entry from Stewart-Haas Racing at Darlington back in
September of this year.
The digital display is fairly easy to read… probably easier for
Kurt than for me, as he’s closer and younger. The row of lights up at the top,
I assume are for measuring pit road speed and not exceeding it. I’ve heard
these discussed many times by drivers protesting that they “never got into the
red.” That is the eternal flaw with idiot lights. By the time you get at or
precariously near that red light, NASCAR has already nailed you!
Remember, NASCAR gives them 5 miles over the designated pit road
speed as a buffer. Of course, all the teams know that, so those lights will be
calibrated not to the actual pit road speed e.g. 45 mph, but to the tolerated
speed of 50 mph. That leaves absolutely no room for error, human or mechanical.
NASCAR’s 50 mph might actually be set at 49.90 mph. I’ll take a gauge every
time.
The next illustration shows a very similar dash that Jamie
McMurray tested back in April. The major difference we see here is the
ascending strip under the idiot lights, which I’m guessing may have been judged
a bit difficult to read.
Now, I’ll share a bit of fun that someone had at the expense of
this particular view. Some of the younger readers might not remember this, but
the old-timers on the Internet will laugh until tears flow.
That my children, is the infamous Microsoft Word Paper Clip… the
singly most annoying entity ever to evolve from the brain of Bill Gates. When I
was new to this game, it took me the better part of a year to learn how to
shoot down that sucker!
Ah, but now I have something else to show you! See, and you
thought this was going to be so boring,
didn’t you? Remember, I’m the same lady that gave you pictorial displays of
camber, caster and tire stagger, so that everyone reading could understand it.
I’ve even shown you the inside workings of the SAFER barrier and explained how
and why it works so well. Now, feast your eyes on what Jamie McMurray says (and
NASCAR corroborates) he can do with that dash by simply flipping a switch!
Now gentle readers, in my estimation, that is a switch worth
flipping! Even an aging dummy like me can understand what the gauges tell me,
and the idiot lights have disappeared! Except for those, I really find either
configuration acceptable, but because of them, I find the latter illustration
more to my liking. Your results may vary, as the saying goes.
So, with the digital dashboards, which are what NASCAR will
mandate in 2016… in another attempt to save the teams money, I’m sure… this fan
sees few or no problems, other than the cost factor. A kinder, gentler
sanctioning body would have phased these in as old cars were replaced by new
ones.
Now, just for a few moments, let’s discuss the term “Glass
dashboard” that BZF keeps tossing about as though he knows what he’s talking
about. We’ve seen the Digital version depicted two ways, but neither
configuration comes close to the actual meaning of a glass dashboard.
This entity operates almost exactly like a video game might, employing the concept of HUD, or Heads Up Display. The
entire display occurs within or beneath a single sheet of glass… similar to
your cell phone, but displaying more features at one time. And… much like an
actual video game, that glass is an interactive touch screen! No, seriously! Here’s a very informative video done
on the glass dashboard of the Tesla Model S, the luxury electric car, conceived
in 2012… the same year Brian France began talking about glass dashboards.
Coincidence? Your choice.
Now, when you’ve finished watching all or part of that video,
tell me what you think the chances are that someone driving a racecar, oft
times in excess of 200 mph, could find time to drive with one hand while using
the other hand to roam back and forth between the various screens and modes,
without wrecking in the first corner. A great number of those reading have not
conquered the skill of using two hands to type on a cell phone… this one
included… but racecar drivers are expected to handle this with ease? I think
not, gentle readers!
As you can readily see, there is a vast difference between the
two… the digital dash and the glass dash. Quite honestly, in an age where
states are rapidly banning texting while driving (Whatever happened to common
sense?) because it’s been proven beyond a doubt to distract the driver well
beyond the point of car control, how does this idea get past anyone’s Highway
Patrol? Sure, it’s cute… even cool… but safe for driving? Not in my estimation.
What say you, my gentle readers? Would you feel safe knowing that a driver
coming from the other direction was using one of these “controls?” I shudder at
the thought… but then, I won’t answer my cell phone until I find a safe spot to
pull over. Then, I call back.
The cute little banjo means that it’s time for our Classic
Country Closeout. Funny, I never noticed before that he bears somewhat of a
resemblance to that accursed paper clip… but much cuter.
Of course, with Christmas rapidly approaching, this week our songs
will reflect that, as I share with you some of my favorite Country Christmas
Carols.
First up, if you all thought that Elvis was the first to record
“Blue Christmas”, think again. The
song was written in 1948 by Bill Hayes and “maybe” Jay Johnson, though I’ve
read differently. It was recorded for the first time by Hugo Winterhalter and his orchestra, but it was recorded in 1949
by Ernest Tubb, who took it to #1 on the Country charts. I’ve always loved this
version because it uses all the verses. Please, enjoy!
Next up is a song that has been sung by anyone and everyone, but
for me, no one sings it with such heart and feeling as does Johnny Cash. The
name of it is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
It stands today as a Christmas Carol, but was originally penned
on Christmas Day in 1863 out of anger and despair at the wounding of his son
and death of his wife, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It speaks of the
atrocities perpetrated brother upon brother and friend upon friend in our own
war between the states. It was set to music in 1872, and I honestly don’t know
when Johnny Cash recorded it the first time, but since hearing him sing it, no
one else does it as well. Please enjoy Johnny as he sings this old standard.
(Complete words follow… not all are ever included in the Carol version)
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth,
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and
deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Next we’ll be hearing one that probably no one remembers but me.
It’s a real oldie, recorded by Tex Ritter in 1946. My fading memory is sure
that it came originally from a movie, but Tex made so many, I haven’t a clue
which it might have been. It doesn’t really matter anyway, so here is Tex doing
his Christmas best, “Christmas Carols by
the Old Corral.”
What’s that Jim? One more? But I have hundreds of Christmas
favorites! Yeah, gotcha! One more folks, and from the
many I choose another old Christmas song… not a carol this time, but a fun tune
for young and old alike. Many will tell you this was written by the singer,
Gene Autry, but it was not. “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” was
the creation of well-known song writer, Johnny Marks. Gene was the first to
sing and record it, with the first performance coming to us live on his popular
CBS Radio program, Melody Ranch on
October 8, 1949.
In case you haven’t visited our Home Page lately, we’re playing
Christmas Carols 24/7 all through the days leading up to Christmas. Do stop by
and you can listen to music while you work.
http://www.racefansforever.org/
In case you didn’t know the way to the Home Page
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks
so good on you!
~
PattyKay