You may be thinking about skipping out on that oil change or getting those brakes checked, but you should not. You should never skip out on your scheduled car maintenance in Rochester. The fact is, having reliable transportation in Rochester is a must, and skipping out on maintenance puts that reliability at risk. All the vehicles in the United States, including Rochester, travel trillions, yes trillions of miles, every single month. The reliability of your vehicle to take you the miles you need to go is directly related to how well you maintain your vehicle.
Road Worthiness
A road-worthy car is a car that you can take anywhere. In Rochester, your car has to be ready for anything from bad winter weather to summer storms. Having a car that is ready for the road whenever you have a place to go is essential to keeping up with your obligations. Sometimes simple things like replacing worn windshield wipers can make your car less than worthy to be on the road.
Skipping out on car maintenance in Rochester can mean missing out on having a car that you can count on to be ready to hit the road when you are. Taking the risk of getting on the road when your car is not road worthy puts you and other drivers in danger.
Car Maintenance is All About Dollars and Cents
About four out of five car repairs are done for durability reasons. Keeping your vehicle up to date on maintenance in Rochester ensures that your vehicle stays durable and reliable. You can avoid costly repairs by addressing the maintenance needs of your car. For example, it is a lot cheaper to replace brake pads than it is to wait to replace your brake pads after you have ruined the rotors and other parts of your brake system.
Car maintenance in Rochester saves you money. By staying on top of your car’s maintenance needs you can avoid costly unexpected breakdowns. Even the simple maintenance of having regular oil changes can extend the life of your vehicle by years. Keeping the car that you have is always cheaper than buying a new car. On-time maintenance keeps your car reliable and on the road.
Safety Should Be a Priority
A well-maintained vehicle is a safe vehicle. When you take your car to the mechanic in Rochester for maintenance, the mechanic does a full inspection of your vehicle and makes note of any parts that need to be replaced. For example, the mechanic will check your brake pads and tires for wear and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about replacement.
A recent study provided by the Department of Highway Safety found that as much as 30% of the accidents on the highway system were relative to faulty parts on the vehicle. Maintenance can help to reduce the risk of accidents by keeping the parts on your car in good condition.
Of course, staying safe as you travel around Rochester also means avoiding breaking down on the roadside. In 2018, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, 21 people were killed on the side of the road after they broke down by other cars on the road. Car maintenance reduces the risk of breaking down.
Get Familiar With Your Maintenance Schedule
There is likely a lot you do not know about your car that you can learn about in your owner’s manual. If you have an older model car that you bought used that did not come with a manual you can look it up online. It is important that you learn all the little details about your car maintenance and safe operation that the dealership (both new and used dealerships) likely left out when you bought the vehicle. For example, if you drive a truck and pull a trailer you may not know what the safe operation weight is. Experts recommend that if your loaded trailer weighs more than 50% of the total weight of your truck you should use a weight-distribution system and likely will need more frequent oil changes.
Don’t skip out on vehicle maintenance in Rochester. Take care of your vehicle and it will take care of you.
Rochester is no different than any other city in the U.S. when it comes to pedestrian safety. Pedestrian safety is given a high priority position in Rochester to help protect citizens. The Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP, see below for more information) is an NYS DOT plan to improve pedestrian safety on Long Island and Upstate, which includes some changes in Rochester. What can you do both as a motorist and as a pedestrian to improve pedestrian safety in and around the City of Rochester?
PSAP And What You Need to Know
The PSAP is a $110 million, five-year plan to improve pedestrian safety. The Department of Transportation will be working in identified areas to improve the visibility of crosswalks, improve signaling, add curb extensions, and more.
The goal is to help reduce motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians. Motor vehicle accidents are the most frequent cause of personal injury, totaling about 52% of all personal injury cases. Pedestrians that are hit by motor vehicles and even a motorbike sustain serious injuries about 47% of the time. A combination of this program and driver and pedestrian awareness can improve pedestrian safety in Rochester.
As a Pedestrian Do This
There are ways you can protect yourself as you are walking around Rochester. One of the most common ways to be injured as a pedestrian is to not pay attention to where you are walking. Life is hectic for everyone and we often do not pay attention when we are rushing to our next appointment.
The U.S. is a fast-paced lifestyle. About 31 million people moved in 2019, proving that we are always on the move somewhere. The first order of business as a pedestrian is to slow down a bit and keep aware of your surroundings. More pedestrians are hit by cars because they step in front of a moving vehicle. Yes, you do have the right of way as a pedestrian, but you do have to be responsible and keep an eye on where you are going.
Pay attention to the traffic lights. Walking across the street against a red light is risky behavior, and illegal. When the light is not in your favor, stay still until the signal changes. Always walk on sidewalks when they are available. When sidewalks are not available, stay as far away from traffic as you can. When you have to walk on the side of the road, be sure to walk with oncoming traffic facing you. Pedestrians must yield to traffic if they are not at a crosswalk. If you are crossing mid-block and you are not in a crosswalk area, it is your responsibility to wait for all the traffic to pass.
If you have questions about pedestrian safety in Rochester and how you can do your part, there is a wealth of information online. There are about 900,000 new domains that are registered each week and there is always a way to find the information you need online.
As a Motorist
The real burden of safety for pedestrians in Rochester falls on the driver. As a driver, it can be frustrating when you constantly have to stop for pedestrians that are “jaywalking”. However, you must stop. Rarely if ever, if a driver hits a pedestrian, it is the driver not found at fault. Keep your eyes on the road and allow pedestrians the right of way. Distracted driving even for a few seconds can turn into a very tragic situation. Do not text and drive, do not eat and drive, do not do anything but drive when you are in the driver’s seat.
When you come to a crosswalk, even if the light is green for you, slow it down and prepare to stop if necessary. Pedestrians always have the right of way in a crosswalk and you must yield to them.
Working together we can make Rochester a safer place for both pedestrians and drivers. A little kindness on the road and following the rules can go a long way in reducing risk for everyone.
According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA), there are approximately 1.5 million deer-related car accidents annually, leading to 175 to 200 fatalities each year. Of course, this number pales in comparison to the number of human pedestrians killed in traffic accidents each year (4,700), but in certain areas of the country, deer collisions are a real threat.
As much as Rochester residents have grown used to rough winters, colder weather can nonetheless be rough on all of us. It’s become particularly difficult to prepare for winter snowstorms due to the yearly fluctuations in temperatures, making them harder to predict. In this past season, the wintertime has already been expensive due to regular costs. Usually, you can expect to have about 42% of your utility bill made up through heating, though these costs can of course rise during particularly harsh winters. However, the seasonal costs will only rise due to the recent snowstorm. Many of them will be associated with damage done at home, and will, therefore, be taken care of by individual homeowners by and large. A big concern, according to a consumer survey, will be roofing — 65% of homeowners reported that this was their major concern following weather damage, and a snowstorm can certainly do a good bit of damage to a typical roof.
Day by day, technology grows. Back in 2016, there were over 3.5 billion internet users. Over just three years, that number has increased to 4.33 billion. Not only is technological growth shown in internet usage, but in vehicles as well. In recent years, more and more consumer electric vehicles have been introduced and developed. With more than two dozen models now commercially available, some 800,000 Americans have made the switch to driving electric. These unique vehicles will supposedly help reduce fossil fuel consumption and curb carbon emissions over time. Keep in mind, if you plan on going off-roading, you’re going to need certain tires. There are four main types of off-road tires: all-terrain, mud-terrain, snow/winter, and sand. However, is this really the case? What are the benefits of driving electric? Like any vehicle choice, electric cars come with a series of pros and cons.
People of color in central New York aren’t getting a fair number of jobs in the construction industry, a local study finds. According to a new study by the Urban Jobs Task Force and the Legal Services of Central New York, there’s a major racial disparity in the New York construction industry despite people of color making up a quarter of the state population.
Many of you have noticed our extended hiatus and have begun asking if this is the end for RocSubway. I didn’t think it would be necessary to say anything about it. But for those of you who had followed this blog like religion for so long, you deserve some closure.
A little while ago I lost my job and decided to start my own web design business instead of going back to work for someone else. That was the best decision I ever made for myself. But it also means I now work pretty much nonstop with little time for anything else. What extra time I do have, I put into growing Reconnect Rochester . Reconnect is a nonprofit organization doing amazing work to change the way transportation is viewed in Monroe County. It’s something I’m very proud of. And it began with a seed planted right here.
So I’m not going away, really. I just won’t be posting much here for the foreseeable future. In the meantime you’re welcome to join me over at Reconnect . Or perhaps I’ll run into you somewhere else, helping to make our community better in your own way.
Before I sign off, I want to say thank you.
I’ve gained much more from every RocSubway reader I’ve met (virtually and in person) than what I’ve given on these pages. Always remember there are important lessons for the future buried deep within our past. Everywhere you look in this city—behind every wall and within every person—you will find a beautiful story. We’ve only scraped the surface.
On a recent trip to New York City (my previous home) I came across a poem in the subway by former U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins. I cannot think of better words to close with…
As you fly swiftly underground
with a song in your ears
or lost in the maze of a book,
remember the ones who descended here
into the mire of bedrock
to bore a hole through this granite,
to clear a passage for you
where there was only darkness and stone.
Remember as you come up into the light.
Gilbert Hunt was a trolley and bus operator for Rochester Transit Corporation (the predecessor organization of RTS) from 1907 to 1948. When Gilbert retired in 1948 the Democrat & Chronicle published a story about him and his impressive collection of Rochester transit passes which he amassed over his long career. That collection is now up for grabs…
As some of you may have heard, bike share is coming to Rochester. I’ve considered writing about it all sorts of ways. I thought about mentioning how many other cities have it. Or how safe it is. Or even the specific plans for Rochester (warning: PDF). As you may have already guessed, I’m not about to do any of that. Instead, I’d like to discuss what bike share has meant for me over the past decade, and what it might mean for you too.
I don’t know of anyone in the world who loves parking—except maybe Lorraine Baines—but that’s not exactly the kind of parking I’m talking about here…
I’m talking about the hassle of cruising up and down the rows of a Wegmans parking lot, trying to squeeze in next to the hummer who decided he needed an extra couple of spaces, fighting the nine other drivers who won’t even entertain the thought of walking an extra twenty feet to pay $5 for a bottle of water.
When Andrea Chervenak received a letter earlier this year from the Town of Irondequoit notifying her that a sidewalk was being proposed for her street, she was thrilled. Unfortunately for Andrea, her neighbors’ front lawns are more important than her children’s safety. To hammer this nonsensical point home, some people even made lawn signs…
RG&E’s Beebee power plant was one of the most formidable structures in Rochester. For half a century, this cluster of buildings covered an 8 acre site along the floor of the High Falls gorge – climbing up the west rock wall and looming hundreds of feet in the air over Platt Street and the neighborhood below…
Do me a favor. If you’re at home, step outside for a moment and take a good, long look at your driveway and garage (Don’t worry, the Internet will still be here when you get back). If you don’t have a driveway or garage, step outside and catch me a Charmander!
Did you do it? Did you stare intently at your driveway/garage situation? Great! Now, think about it for a moment and answer honestly: Does your car have a bigger bedroom than you do? Seriously. What percentage of the space that you own/rent/occupy is dedicated solely to vehicular storage? Your car isn’t paying rent. Why does it get the biggest room in the house?!
What else could you do with that space the garage sits on? A jam space for your band? Art studio? Game room? Greenhouse? The possibilities are many…
The Rochester Subway stopped passenger service on June 30, 1956. To mark the 60th anniversary of the subway’s closing the New York Museum of Transportation will host a two-day weekend event filled with talks, trolley rides, demonstrations of the Subway’s fully restored “Casey Jones” speeder, food, and vendors…
This fully restored vintage Greyhound bus appeared in the movie Race, the recent film about Jesse Owens’ fight to compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games where he won four gold medals. The bus will be open for visitors and tales from the restoration and filming of the bus will be told next Sunday at The New York Museum of Transportation…
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After the Erie Canal was rerouted south of downtown Rochester, the Rochester
Industrial & Rapid Transit Railway (the “subway”) was built in
its place as a link between the five different railroads and interurban trolley
lines that served the Rochester area. As the industrial landscape of Rochester
changed, and highways replaced the railroads, the Rochester subway gradually
became a relic of a bygone era. In 1956 the subway was abandoned and much of
its route was converted into Interstate 490 — built to connect Rochester
with the New York State Thruway (I-90). Read more about the history of the Rochester Subway.
RochesterSubway.com exists to help spark
public dialogue around how we can better connect the neighborhoods of Rochester
NY, surrounding communities, and their cultural offerings. Rochester’s
future is written in her past. Let's rediscover it.
![Subway Poem [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/subway-poem.jpg)
![Gilbert Hunt was a trolley and bus operator with Rochester Transit Corporation for 40 years. His collection of transit passes is up for grabs. [IMAGE: From the collection of Gilbert Hunt]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/Gilbert-Hunt-1948-02-22_D&C.jpg)
![Map of potential bike share stations [PHOTO: Zagster]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/wp-content/uploads/Bike_share_map.jpg)
![For Park(ing) Day is tomorrow. [IMAGE: Provided]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/parking-day-2016-01.jpg)
![Some neighbors who live along this road in Irondequoit would like sidewalks. Others would not. [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/no-sidewalk-sign-01.jpg)
![RG&E Beebee power station prior to demolition. Rochester, NY. Summer 2016. [IMAGE: Anonymous]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-rge-beebee-station-00.jpg)
![For Park(ing) Day this year, some folks want to turn a downtown parking lot into a public art gallery space. They are asking for submissions of visual art, in any form, showing how you would transform one unused place in the city of Rochester. [IMAGE: Provided]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/parking-day-2016-request-for-art-01.jpg)
![Midtown Plaza Under Construction [PHOTO: Buffalo Courier-Express 6/4/1961]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/wp-content/uploads/Midtown_Under_Construction.jpg)
![Cobbs Hill Aerial [PHOTO: City Hall Photo Lab contemporary collection]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/wp-content/uploads/Cobbs_Hill_Aerial.jpg)
![The Rochester subway station at Monroe Avenue (June 1956). The Rochester subway ended passenger service on June 30, 1956. [PHOTO: Rochester Municipal Archives]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-subway-monroe-avenue-station.jpg)
![This 1948 Greyhound bus from the NY Museum of Transportation recently appeared in the movie 'Race' and is now open to museum visitors. [IMAGE: Provided]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/nymt-greyhound-race-bus-01.jpg)
![High Speed Rail for Rochester [PHOTO: Laura Wilder]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/wp-content/uploads/DSCF0191.jpg)
![Rochester Inner Loop North [PHOTO: Author]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/denker/links/Rochester_Inner_Loop.jpg)
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