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Justin Hughes

@justinhughes54.com

680 followers 330 following 1.2K posts

A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a nerdy writer, editor, van lifer, motorcycle rider, ham radio geek, and all-around weirdo. Writer at Jalopnik, ADVRider, and elsewhere. a.k.a. Smokey Da Van, Knerd Rider.

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Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · Apr 24

I need to do more to promote myself as a writer. So I’m turning the dormant blog on my professional website into an email newsletter as well as a blog. #writersky #authors #writers #writercommunity

Justin Hughes

I drive stuff, ride stuff, and write stuff.

justinhughes54.com

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Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 11h

It seems auto manufacturers are following the lead of the software industry, releasing buggy software and using customers as involuntary beta testers instead. It's one thing if it's an inconvenient bug in a video game. It's quite another if it shuts down your Jeep while driving down the highway.

Some Jeep Hybrids Bricked After Disastrous Weekend OTA Software Update - Jalopnik

A weekend over-the-air update left many Jeep owners frustrated - and some stranded.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 1d

"Worldwide delivery in 30 minutes or less or your next one is free." That's what was painted on a wall at a Minuteman II launch facility I visited in South Dakota. This isn't that, and I doubt the next one would be free.

Inversion Space Promises Worldwide Delivery Within An Hour - Jalopnik

Naturally, its first intended customer is the military, but Inversion eventually hopes to apply its technology to the commercial sector as well.

www.jalopnik.com

Reposted by Justin Hughes

Wil Wheaton @wilwheaton.net · 2d

Yesterday, I read that, according to Gen Z, when a Millenial puts "lol" at the end of something, it makes them sound old.

They said nothing about Gen X, but, whatever, lol

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Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 3d

Need some extra visibility on the trail? Toyota suggests launching a drone.

Toyota Wants To Take Companion Drones Out Of Concept Cars And Onto The Trails - Jalopnik

While the idea is technologically possible right now, there are some regulatory hurdles to figure out first, and not just flying beyond line-of-sight.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 4d

By Grabthar’s hammer, what a savings.

After Taking Away Turn Signal Stalks, Tesla Will Sell You One For $595 - Jalopnik

This isn't the first time Tesla has made a change that nobody asked for or wanted, then charged us to change it back.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 4d

Imagine this in French, and that’s Montreal in a nutshell.

Jake Tobin @jaketobin.bsky.social · 5d

Why is this every city sign

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 4d

a close up of a person wearing a mask with telediction.tumblr.com written below it

Alt: Guy Fawkes mask from V for Vendetta

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Justin Hughes

Seth Rudy @sethrudy.bsky.social · 4d

Meanwhile in #Portland

Kermit faces off with Hopper in The Muppet Movie

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Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 4d

I read the original study earlier this week, saw that it was a tiny sample size in a small area, and decided not to write about it for a national audience. Others decided to play fast and loose with numbers to push an agenda that the study does not back up.

ivn.us

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Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 4d

Change for the sake of change often works worse than what it's supposed to replace. This is one of those cases.

Volvo May Get Rid Of Its New Key Cards That Nobody Seems To Like - Jalopnik

According to Volvo, the real issue is that the card is only intended as a backup for your phone, which isn't really any better.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 5d

A butt dial is one thing. A butt “go park yourself” is quite another.

This Xiaomi SU7 Owner Did Not Say, 'Hey Siri, Park My Car' - Jalopnik

While it seems clear that the car didn't wander off by itself, the question remains of how a false self-park command could have been sent in the first place.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 6d

Too many overstressed, unpaid air traffic controllers calling in sick and causing major flight disruptions brought an end to the last government shutdown in 2019. That could happen again now, and we're already seeing signs of it.

Unpaid Air Traffic Controllers Consider Calling In Sick, Driving For Uber As Flight Delays Increase - Jalopnik

By their own admission, air traffic controllers are barely holding it together as it is, without a government shutdown taking away their paychecks indefinitely.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 7d

Modern performance trucks are all about off-road prowess. This one is made to stick to pavement and go fast.

Fox Factory Vehicles' Ram 1500 Lowered Has 650 Supercharged Horsepower And, Obviously, Lower Suspension - Jalopnik

This truck's most significant upgrade is a Whipple supercharger that increases the Hemi V8's output to 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 7d

It doesn't help that only the crappy bulbs like you showed are all that Walmart and auto parts stores sell, so that's all people will see is available. I'm very picky about my LED bulbs and only switch when there's a definite improvement. But you're right. Most people won't.

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 7d

I was about to share just such an anecdote, but what you say here is the more important point. Most people won't spend more to order Cyclops LED headlight bulbs, which do put the LEDs exactly where the filaments are supposed to go to keep the light system working properly.

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 8d

Thanks to @techconnectify.bsky.social I now know how to diagnose the same P0420 code in my wife's Toyota 4Runner. Great explainer, and I'm looking forward to more of these in the future.

This Catalytic Converter Deep Dive Explains That Expensive Black Box Under Your Car - Jalopnik

After watching this, I understand how catalytic converters work better than ever.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 8d

Browsing news websites these days is like playing a game of whack-a-mole with endless pop-up ads constantly getting in the way. I wonder how much time I waste doing this each day.

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 9d

It seems like the worst aspects of a car and motorcycle combined with looking like part of a jet fighter. Somehow, it’s actually pretty cool.

Is This Pulse Autocycle A Car, A Motorcycle, Or A Jet Fighter? - Jalopnik

It's almost like a Messerschmitt KR200 for the jet age. It looks strange, quirky, and cool, but what exactly is it?

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 10d

Happy CB Radio Day!

“Hey Bandit, do you know what day it is?”

“That’s a big 10-4”

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 11d

Orange cat on my lap in a Polaris Slingshot

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 11d

This took me back to 1995 when I bought my almost new Mercury Tracer. This is basically the same car, and everything about it looks oh so familiar to me.

This Practically New 1994 Ford Escort On Bring A Trailer Is A Blast To My Past - Jalopnik

I think, as the great Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr. would say, "It belongs in a museum."

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 11d

Since writing this, I’ve read that last second loans will likely let them stay open. Still, it’s a big red flag, and other companies are likely to follow.

Aftermarket Parts May Be Harder To Find After Major Supplier Goes Bankrupt - Jalopnik

First Brands' bankruptcy isn't the end, but it may be alerting us to even bigger problems to come.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 12d

I just went through exactly this myself.

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 12d

To its credit, the San Bruno Police Department followed the law to the letter. Unfortunately, that means they are not allowed to cite robotaxis for traffic violations that would earn a human driver a ticket.

Police Can't Ticket Driverless Waymo For Illegal U-Turn - Jalopnik

"Our citation books don't have a box for 'robot,'" the San Bruno Police Department posted on Facebook.

www.jalopnik.com

Justin Hughes @justinhughes54.com · 12d

Air traffic controllers are overworked, underpaid, and excessively stressed. Being required to work while not getting paid during the government shutdown doesn't help, either.

Delta Commuter Jets Crash Into Each Other On LaGuardia Taxiway - Jalopnik

A pair of Delta commuter planes collided on a taxiway at New York's LaGuardia Airport Wednesday night.