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Fill up at the hose? A myth

Question: With gasoline prices hovering in the stratosphere, I have been desperately looking into ways to save fuel. Recently I've heard that it might be possible to convert my car so that it can be fueled by water. Is there any legitimacy to this? Can I really be using H2O as my fuel instead of gas?

- Carrie Mildreth, Los Angeles

Answer: Wouldn't it be great to drive right up to the hose in our front yards, instead of pumping all of our discretionary income into our tank at the gas station, Carrie? Unfortunately, we are not yet to the point where we can swap a tank of gasoline with a bottle of Arrowhead.

If I remember my chemistry 101, water tends to be resistant to most reactions. So while it is possible for water to create energy if some high energy compound is added, like calcium carbide or boron, water itself does not have the capability of creating energy on its own.

While it might also be possible to extract energy from water through nuclear fusion, I don't see too many of us driving around in vehicles the size of a small city block in order to house the mechanisms that would be required for that reaction.

There are several Web sites out there that claim they can show you how to turn your car into a "water-hybrid," which will function on a combination of gasoline and water. While the concept is noble, the only proofs of their assertions are testimonials from clients who claim to have successfully transformed their vehicles.

It should be noted that one site refers to the people who have used the method as "experimenters."

I can't help thinking that my vehicle was way too substantial of an investment for me to risk on something that is considered experimental. I prefer to wait until there is some officially sanctioned proof of the safety, longevity and legality of such a conversion.

Q: I have to go to traffic school, and I thought I'd like to do it online. I do have a few questions and neither the DMV nor the court was able to give me answers. How much will it cost to do it online? What if I do not pass the test? If that happens, will I be able to go to a class?

- Chickie Kaitz, Rancho Cucamonga

A: Every online school has different prices, Chickie, with fees ranging from $15 to $35 for the equivalent of an eight-hour course. Nearly all online schools will give you the option to take the final quiz as many times as needed to pass without additional charge, so you would really need to choose either a classroom traffic school or an online one; there would never be a need to attend both.

Michelle Pearl is a longtime traffic-school instructor and the owner of InterActive Traffic School Online, www.trafficinteractive.com. Send questions to drivetime@dailybulletin.com or write to DriveTime, c/o the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, PO Box 4000, Ontario, CA 91761. Some reader questions will be answered in print.