Summer Donation Campaign for Military Members and Families

The people who serve in our military sacrifice much for our country, our well-being and our safety. The Drive for Troops campaign was created to raise funds for service members and their families. Donated funds are given to a number of charities that have a range of focuses.

Leith’s way of contributing to this campaign is to make a donation for every vehicle sold, new or used, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. That means that vehicles bought during the summer have a huge impact in improving the lives of service members and their families. Even if you don’t purchase a vehicle, however, you can still donate directly to the Drive for Troops campaign. You can also vote for your favorite charity; the charity which receives the most votes will receive an extra $50,000.

• North Carolina has one military ocean terminal, five military bases and a Coast Guard base
• NC has the ninth largest population of military veterans —nearly 800,000
• One-third of NC’s population is military, former military or has an immediate family member who is military/veteran

Below is a description of each charity involved, as well as their particular focuses. Vote here for your favorite and please consider supporting this aspect of our community.

Operation Homefront

The Carolinas chapter (OH-C) provides assistance to military families and wounded warriors. OH-C helps with rent, food, utilities, car and home repair, essential baby items, holiday toys, and more.

Patriot Foundation

Patriot Foundation provides college scholarships for children and child care assistance for spouses who need to go back to school to provide for the financial stability of their families.

Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation

The MCSF is the oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to military children. More than 30,000 need-based scholarships valued at more than $80 million have gone to children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen since 1962.

Fisher House Foundation 

Fisher House Foundation provides housing for military and veterans’ families to stay while a loved one is receiving treatment. Donations received from this program will build a new Fisher House at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina.

Hiring Our Heroes

Hiring Our Heroes helps veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment opportunities.

5 Bad Driving Habits Putting Yourself and Everyone Else at Risk

Good driving is more than not having been in a collision recently. Many of us think that we’re basically good drivers, which entitles us to bend the rules here and there. A no-look lane change. A little driving while sleepy. A bottled water while we drive (water’s good for us, right?). A closed-eye sneeze (just kidding, nothing you can do about that).

In reality, however, these small actions create opportunity for collisions and even fatalities. Keeping your safety skills sharp is the best way to avoid complacency, and we’ve composed a list of the biggest driving mistakes currently happening. This list is based on actual driving habits observed and recorded in North Carolina, our own back yard! Look out for your friends, family and neighbors by being a good driver; it’s the best thing you can do.

5. Driving with headphones

This is a big one. It’s also illegal in North Carolina and most other states. Many people like to listen to podcasts, music, news, or even TV and movies while driving. The problem is that headphones and ear buds seal your ears from outside noises, making it very difficult to hear all the things that you’re responsible for hearing.

Even if you keep the volume low and think that you can hear outside noise, your hearing is still severely compromised and can lead to collisions. Like we said, it’s illegal for a reason.

4. No-look backing up

Two reasons for this: a) you’re in a hurry, or b) you know the area. Both are terrible reasons. Backing up without looking is like driving forward with your eyes closed. Even using your mirrors is not a good enough excuse. Your mirrors, and even a rearview camera, are there to help your eyes, not replace them.

The low-speeds of rear driving are enough to cause significant damage to people or cars. Take the time to put your hand on the headrest, twist around in your seat, and look where you’re going before you step on the gas, just like you were taught—or supposed to have been taught—in driver’s ed.

3. Intersection lane-changes

Also illegal in North Carolina. Once you enter an intersection, you are required by law to remain in your lane until you exit, even if the vehicle in front of you stops short. Why? Because it’s an intersection. Inter. Section. Vehicles are intersecting here. A traffic hub is the worst possible place to change your lane because there are vehicles entering lanes from multiple directions.

Unless you have three pairs of eyes or a car made out of marshmallows, don’t do it.

2. Applying make-up/grooming

Ah, looking good. So important to look your best in the morgue, isn’t it? That’s exactly where you or anyone near you could be headed if you mistake your steering wheel for a sink and mirror. Many places in the U.S. now have restrooms available to the public, which means that you could actually find the perfect shade of lipstick or trim that soul patch into nirvana when stationary.

Rather than doing the old “driving with knees or elbows” thing, take a good look at yourself in that mirror and repeat after us: “My self-worth is not bound up in my attractiveness. I value human life more than looking good. I’d rather look scraggy than spend 30 years in the pokey.”

1. Mobile devices

You knew it was coming. Whether it’s texting, calling, or Facebooking, don’t touch your phone. You might recall a widely-publicized study from two years ago that showed thattexting while driving cuts your reaction time in half, making collisions far more likely. A further study showed that a car can travel the length of a football field—100 yards—in the time it takes to read a text.

Our reflexes are at our best when we’re 15-25 years old. Even kids that age, however, have reaction times roughly equivalent to a senior citizen when using a mobile device. You might feel more alive or on point, but it’s an illusion. Your brain can’t keep up with everything at once, and that’s all it takes to ruin someone’s day or life.

So there you have it. Be a better person and take comfort in knowing that you’re making the world a better place, and likely saving yourself thousands of dollars in the process. Pump the brakes, slow down, and enjoy life by taking it in.

Avoid Distracted Driving!

-Put the cell phone down. 

Turn it off if the sound of a text alert or call will tempt you to check it.  This seems like an obvious one, but according to the Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving at ANY given daylight moment in America.

-Don’t eat or drink while driving.  

It’s tempting to swing by a drive-thru and hop back on the road to make good time on your trip. But think about the risks involved–fiddling with wrappers, finding condiment packages, and dealing with the mess made are all distractions that take your eyes off the road.  Think about whether shaving that extra hour off your trip is worth cutting your life or the lives of others short.

-Clean up & fuel up.

Make sure your windshield is clean, oil changed, and vehicle generally maintained BEFORE you start your travels! Seeing your check engine light switch on or struggling with low visibility due to windshield grime is an avoidable distraction–so avoid it

5 Bad Driving Habits Putting Yourself and Everyone Else at Risk

Good driving is more than not having been in a collision recently. Many of us think that we’re basically good drivers, which entitles us to bend the rules here and there. A no-look lane change. A little driving while sleepy. A bottled water while we drive (water’s good for us, right?). A closed-eye sneeze (just kidding, nothing you can do about that).

In reality, however, these small actions create opportunity for collisions and even fatalities. Keeping your safety skills sharp is the best way to avoid complacency, and we've composed a list of the biggest driving mistakes currently happening. This list is based on actual driving habits observed and recorded in North Carolina, our own back yard! Look out for your friends, family and neighbors by being a good driver; it’s the best thing you can do.

5. Driving with headphones

This is a big one. It’s also illegal in North Carolina and most other states. Many people like to listen to podcasts, music, news, or even TV and movies while driving. The problem is that headphones and ear buds seal your ears from outside noises, making it very difficult to hear all the things that you’re responsible for hearing.

Even if you keep the volume low and think that you can hear outside noise, your hearing is still severely compromised and can lead to collisions. Like we said, it’s illegal for a reason.

4. No-look backing up

Two reasons for this: a) you’re in a hurry, or b) you know the area. Both are terrible reasons. Backing up without looking is like driving forward with your eyes closed. Even using your mirrors is not a good enough excuse. Your mirrors, and even a rearview camera, are there to help your eyes, not replace them.

The low-speeds of rear driving are enough to cause significant damage to people or cars. Take the time to put your hand on the headrest, twist around in your seat, and look where you’re going before you step on the gas, just like you were taught—or supposed to have been taught—in driver’s ed.

3. Intersection lane-changes

Also illegal in North Carolina. Once you enter an intersection, you are required by law to remain in your lane until you exit, even if the vehicle in front of you stops short. Why? Because it’s an intersection. Inter. Section. Vehicles are intersecting here. A traffic hub is the worst possible place to change your lane because there are vehicles entering lanes from multiple directions.

Unless you have three pairs of eyes or a car made out of marshmallows, don’t do it.

2. Applying make-up/grooming

Ah, looking good. So important to look your best in the morgue, isn’t it? That’s exactly where you or anyone near you could be headed if you mistake your steering wheel for a sink and mirror. Many places in the U.S. now have restrooms available to the public, which means that you could actually find the perfect shade of lipstick or trim that soul patch into nirvana when stationary.

Rather than doing the old “driving with knees or elbows” thing, take a good look at yourself in that mirror and repeat after us: “My self-worth is not bound up in my attractiveness. I value human life more than looking good. I’d rather look scraggy than spend 30 years in the pokey.”

1. Mobile devices

You knew it was coming. Whether it’s texting, calling, or Facebooking, don’t touch your phone. You might recall a widely-publicized study from two years ago that showed thattexting while driving cuts your reaction time in half, making collisions far more likely. A further study showed that a car can travel the length of a football field—100 yards—in the time it takes to read a text.

Our reflexes are at our best when we’re 15-25 years old. Even kids that age, however, have reaction times roughly equivalent to a senior citizen when using a mobile device. You might feel more alive or on point, but it’s an illusion. Your brain can’t keep up with everything at once, and that’s all it takes to ruin someone’s day or life.

So there you have it. Be a better person and take comfort in knowing that you’re making the world a better place, and likely saving yourself thousands of dollars in the process. Pump the brakes, slow down, and enjoy life by taking it in.

Oh, the Ways You Can Cabriolet!

Drop the top and any trip in a Mercedes-Benz Roadster or Cabriolet becomes positively dreamy. We certainly have a few favorite top-down moments of our own, but what about you? Showing up to your best friend(aka Bridezilla)'s wedding with wind-blown hair? Tanning while commuting? Summertime stargazing? Maybe going on your first single solitary road trip? Share your story with us and have an amazing weekend!

The Pleasurable Business of the 2014 Sprinter Van

About two months ago we reviewed the 2014 Sprinter 2500 Passenger Van, which is not a vehicle that gets a lot of reviews. It’s a tall, long cargo van that focuses more on function and utility than form or comfort. It appears that Mercedes-Benz is moving forward with plans to bring the smaller, luxury-oriented V-Class van to the U.S., but until that happens the Sprinter will remain the only van under the Mercedes-Benz marquee in the States. To supplement our review, we’d like to draw attention to Road & Track’s recent review of the 2014 Sprinter.

Mercedes-Benz is all about luxury. Whether considering a roadster, coupe, sedan, wagon or SUV, this brand is all about providing an excellently-crafted experience with premium materials, controls, technology and design. Beneath all of that there happens to be precisely-engineered machinery and mechanics, but the utility aspect of a Mercedes-Benz is usually overshadowed by the carefully-sculpted surface. Watch any commercial by the automaker and you’ll get this sense: a soothing voice over, a remarkably composed vehicle, an actor wearing just the trace of a smile, and something to suggest rewarding yourself.

The Sprinter is not about luxury. It’s a vehicle for business, not pleasure, and though a very nice business vehicle—Mercedes-Benz gave it a glossy remake for 2014—it is something of an anomaly for the brand. Business owners need to get things done, and they need the following values from a vehicle: reliability, low cost and spaciousness. That’s it. The Sprinter van therefore reflects these values, but being a Mercedes-Benz, it also comes with things that don’t fall strictly within those categories.

There’s a technologically advanced LCD screen for navigation, communication, mobile connection and camera vision. There are safety systems that MB has poured years into developing: Lane-keeping assist, forward collisions alert, blind spot alerts and crosswind assist soon. There’s a highly-efficient and robust four-cylinder diesel that is exceptionally well-made and capitalizes on a seven-speed transmission. Drivetrains this well-made are not typically found in business-class vehicles, which is the point.

We highly recommend Road & Track’s review of the 2014 Sprinter, and that you come by Leith, Inc. to try one for yourself. As the review notes, they’re remarkably easy to drive and open many possibilities for drivers dissatisfied with the familiarity of coupes, sedans and SUVs.

These Cities Swapped Out Freeways for Gardens and It Worked Out Fantastically

Editor’s Note: We are going to acknowledge right off the bat that this post is based on Gizmodo’s fantastic piece, “6 Freeway Removals That Changed Their Cities Forever”

Once upon a time, the automobile was born. Wheat-chewing farmers and cigar-chomping industrialists regarded the new machine with wonder and avarice, respectively. Baseball-loving boys and gradually-liberated girls clambered over the new horseless wagons as the newest plaything. And city councilmen cracked open cases of cigarettes, pouring burnt coffee into environmentally-unsound paper cup after environmentally-unsound paper cup as they stayed late at the office, trying to figure out how their city was going to handle the inevitable coming of the gasoline traveler.

Many of these freeways—like I-440 around Raleigh—handled the new wave of traffic just fine, and have even had to be widened. But some freeways never received the traffic they were built to handle. Other freeways received too much traffic with nearby viable roads receiving very little. In either case, inefficiency was happening. When city freeways are overloaded, it can create smog, pollution, a decrease in health, increase of crime and even a raising of cities’ internal temperatures.

Instead of expanding over strained roadways, some cities have chosen a different route altogether: they've demolished them.

Despite arguments that this would only make matters worse, traffic flowed to other areas of town and created an explosion of nature, good health and a shift in the cities’ cultures. Streams, rivers, bicyclists, joggers, street vendors and pedestrians have all laid claim to these miles of new space. We've included a few photos here, but you should check out the examples in San Francisco, Seoul, Portland, Milwaukee, Madrid, Seattle, and plans for the same in Dallas, Texas and Rochester, New York.

What do you think about this concept? Are there areas in our city that you think could benefit from it? If nothing else, we hope this prompts new thinking about roadways and city development.

Here’s Seoul before…

And here it is after!