John Voelcker
@johnvoelcker.bsky.social
Raconteur. Random cultural, political, sociological, science, tech, #EV, #LGBTQ, British car stuff. "Plucky and good fun."Contributing Editor, CAR and DRIVER, Green Car Reports, others; Cofounder, Tempting Fate Tours.
Welcome to Bluesky. Don’t be a jerk.
Welcome to Bluesky. Don’t be a jerk.
Hey ... I even recognized that #NerdReference ... friend has named his Toyota motorhome the Kobayashi Maru!
November 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Hey ... I even recognized that #NerdReference ... friend has named his Toyota motorhome the Kobayashi Maru!
The fact that the formerly respected @nytimes.com ran this headline says ... something.
I'm grappling for words to figure out what exactly that is.
I do wonder what the women who work at the NYT feel about this ...
I'm grappling for words to figure out what exactly that is.
I do wonder what the women who work at the NYT feel about this ...
November 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The fact that the formerly respected @nytimes.com ran this headline says ... something.
I'm grappling for words to figure out what exactly that is.
I do wonder what the women who work at the NYT feel about this ...
I'm grappling for words to figure out what exactly that is.
I do wonder what the women who work at the NYT feel about this ...
Cloud strata at dawn over the Hudson Valley.
October 26, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Cloud strata at dawn over the Hudson Valley.
Hey, Detroit? If it doesn't come standard with cheese ... IT'S NOT A REUBEN SANDWICH.
You got that? Capische? What is this ... monstrosity ... without cheese? Feh.
#DTW users, you have been warned.
You got that? Capische? What is this ... monstrosity ... without cheese? Feh.
#DTW users, you have been warned.
October 23, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Hey, Detroit? If it doesn't come standard with cheese ... IT'S NOT A REUBEN SANDWICH.
You got that? Capische? What is this ... monstrosity ... without cheese? Feh.
#DTW users, you have been warned.
You got that? Capische? What is this ... monstrosity ... without cheese? Feh.
#DTW users, you have been warned.
Most interesting stat from this GM Q3 earnings slide may concern GM's SuperCruise:
"Continued growth in attach rates for post 3-year pre-paid subscription, reaching a new high of over 40% in Q3"
TL/DR: *4 of 10* SuperCruise users like it enough to fork over $25/month to keep it after trial ends.
"Continued growth in attach rates for post 3-year pre-paid subscription, reaching a new high of over 40% in Q3"
TL/DR: *4 of 10* SuperCruise users like it enough to fork over $25/month to keep it after trial ends.
October 22, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Most interesting stat from this GM Q3 earnings slide may concern GM's SuperCruise:
"Continued growth in attach rates for post 3-year pre-paid subscription, reaching a new high of over 40% in Q3"
TL/DR: *4 of 10* SuperCruise users like it enough to fork over $25/month to keep it after trial ends.
"Continued growth in attach rates for post 3-year pre-paid subscription, reaching a new high of over 40% in Q3"
TL/DR: *4 of 10* SuperCruise users like it enough to fork over $25/month to keep it after trial ends.
We're at W 47th + protest is already at 23rd (photo). AND up here, covering Broadway as well as 7th Ave. I am more inclined to believe 100K now.
October 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
We're at W 47th + protest is already at 23rd (photo). AND up here, covering Broadway as well as 7th Ave. I am more inclined to believe 100K now.
Yeah, well, it seems every 30 or 40 years, the auto industry has to relearn those lessons.
October 13, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Yeah, well, it seems every 30 or 40 years, the auto industry has to relearn those lessons.
Well, damn! "A Son's Journey: How I Became a Automotive Journalist," the film my very good friend Sam Hampton made about me, received an Honorable Mention from the Grand Motoring Film Festival! It won't be screened there, but the recognition is great. Sadly it's not YET available for public viewing.
September 29, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Well, damn! "A Son's Journey: How I Became a Automotive Journalist," the film my very good friend Sam Hampton made about me, received an Honorable Mention from the Grand Motoring Film Festival! It won't be screened there, but the recognition is great. Sadly it's not YET available for public viewing.
There are worse ways to spend a day than driving new Subarus through the parks + trails of the mountains each side of the Columbia River Valley in Oregon.
September 24, 2025 at 7:32 PM
There are worse ways to spend a day than driving new Subarus through the parks + trails of the mountains each side of the Columbia River Valley in Oregon.
Saw one of these signs on a long New England road trip last weekend.
It reminded me: We used to teach people how to drive. And that lanes had different functions.
Tell us about those days, grandpa ... [sobs quietly into beer]
It reminded me: We used to teach people how to drive. And that lanes had different functions.
Tell us about those days, grandpa ... [sobs quietly into beer]
September 16, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Saw one of these signs on a long New England road trip last weekend.
It reminded me: We used to teach people how to drive. And that lanes had different functions.
Tell us about those days, grandpa ... [sobs quietly into beer]
It reminded me: We used to teach people how to drive. And that lanes had different functions.
Tell us about those days, grandpa ... [sobs quietly into beer]
It appears that @linkedin.com has changed. A LOT.
September 8, 2025 at 1:36 PM
It appears that @linkedin.com has changed. A LOT.
Per the always-profane @jefftiedrich.bsky.social:
"Did you ever wonder would would happen if some [REDACTED] factotum at the RNC typed 'Donald Trump in front of a car' into an AI prompt + then farted the results out onto social media?"
Yup. He's in front of a...Lada. The Soviet car. From the USSR.
"Did you ever wonder would would happen if some [REDACTED] factotum at the RNC typed 'Donald Trump in front of a car' into an AI prompt + then farted the results out onto social media?"
Yup. He's in front of a...Lada. The Soviet car. From the USSR.
August 3, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Per the always-profane @jefftiedrich.bsky.social:
"Did you ever wonder would would happen if some [REDACTED] factotum at the RNC typed 'Donald Trump in front of a car' into an AI prompt + then farted the results out onto social media?"
Yup. He's in front of a...Lada. The Soviet car. From the USSR.
"Did you ever wonder would would happen if some [REDACTED] factotum at the RNC typed 'Donald Trump in front of a car' into an AI prompt + then farted the results out onto social media?"
Yup. He's in front of a...Lada. The Soviet car. From the USSR.
[RANT]
Yesterday, I spent 15 mins collecting pieces of wrecked 2006 Versa off the road after 2 young dudes who ran a stop sign got punted across the road by the cable van they hit. Worse than this Copart pic.
No airbags fired. Wonder if they had been pulled out after a previous "incident". (1/4)
Yesterday, I spent 15 mins collecting pieces of wrecked 2006 Versa off the road after 2 young dudes who ran a stop sign got punted across the road by the cable van they hit. Worse than this Copart pic.
No airbags fired. Wonder if they had been pulled out after a previous "incident". (1/4)
July 22, 2025 at 12:30 PM
[RANT]
Yesterday, I spent 15 mins collecting pieces of wrecked 2006 Versa off the road after 2 young dudes who ran a stop sign got punted across the road by the cable van they hit. Worse than this Copart pic.
No airbags fired. Wonder if they had been pulled out after a previous "incident". (1/4)
Yesterday, I spent 15 mins collecting pieces of wrecked 2006 Versa off the road after 2 young dudes who ran a stop sign got punted across the road by the cable van they hit. Worse than this Copart pic.
No airbags fired. Wonder if they had been pulled out after a previous "incident". (1/4)
Interesting GM Q2 earnings deck slide just out. I knew GM powered past Ford to become # 2 #EV brand in U.S. sales (after #Tesla).
But I did NOT realize Cadillac now sells more EVs in the "luxury" category than any other maker (e.g. Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes). Have asked GM how it defines "luxury".
But I did NOT realize Cadillac now sells more EVs in the "luxury" category than any other maker (e.g. Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes). Have asked GM how it defines "luxury".
July 22, 2025 at 11:17 AM
If you want my doppelganger ... look to this guy.
July 16, 2025 at 1:28 PM
If you want my doppelganger ... look to this guy.
Thank you for the kind words! Very fond indeed of the Wagonback, my one old car I'll get into every July and drive 800 mi to TN + the same back, to hang out with Isuzuphiles (aka 'Isuzu weirdos') + listen to live music + drink bourbon + drive The Snake (not in that order). A pic from that event ...
July 16, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Thank you for the kind words! Very fond indeed of the Wagonback, my one old car I'll get into every July and drive 800 mi to TN + the same back, to hang out with Isuzuphiles (aka 'Isuzu weirdos') + listen to live music + drink bourbon + drive The Snake (not in that order). A pic from that event ...
I will admit, I didn't use it while taking the 130-hp Impulse XS Wagonback down The Snake. But still.
July 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM
I will admit, I didn't use it while taking the 130-hp Impulse XS Wagonback down The Snake. But still.