Welcome to Must Read, where we single out the best stories from around the automotive universe and beyond. Today we have reports from Car and Driver, The New York Times, and Forbes.
The Worst Car in LeMons History: The 30,884-Mile Tale of the K-It-FWD Plymouth Reliant Wagon – Car and Driver
LeMons cars are a headache. That's basically a qualification. But this is the heartwarming story of a 1986 Plymouth Reliant station wagon that was an especially big pain for the team K-it-FWD.
It killed seven engines, stranded drivers in the Mojave Desert in 122°F heat and in eastern Wyoming at -21°F. It also created a close-knit group of friends around the continent, a group who will always see the memories of this profoundly bad car as the impossible-to-remove weatherstrip adhesive that keeps them stuck together for life. It was a long and twisted road for this car and its enablers.
Driving Under the Influence, of Marijuana – The New York Times
It's a problem that's going to keep coming up with more cities and states going the legalization route.
As more states legalize medical and recreational marijuana, distinctions like these will grow more and more important. But science's answers to crucial questions about driving while stoned — how dangerous it is, how to test for impairment, and how the risks compare to driving drunk — have been slow to reach the general public.
By Helping Detroit, Did The UAW Lose Its Future? – Forbes
The sting from workers at Volkswagen's Tennessee plant voting against organizing with the United Auto Workers last week hasn't let up. It has a lot to do with the fact it was a surprise defeat for the UAW. But should it have been a surprise?
One key question being asked in automotive and labor circles is whether the UAW gave up its future when it helped the Detroit carmakers get back on their feet.
The discussion stems from the two-tier wage provisions in contracts governing union workers that have been hired since since the 2009 bailouts at General Motors and Chrysler.
Top photo: Flickr/greggjerdingen