Alpha Drive

Half of women ‘have no sense of direction’!

nick — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:11:43 +0000

Nearly half of female car insurance customers have conceded that they have little or no sense of direction. A survey by Boxby.co.uk found that a quarter of ladies regularly get lost while driving, while more than two thirds relying on a Sat Nav to get them to their destination. More than 85 per cent of male car insurance customers, meanwhile, believe that their sense of direction is very good, with just 11 per cent seeing room for improvement. In addition, 72 per cent of males said they would rather drive around until they found their destination rather than stopping and asking for directions, something which three quarters of women find infuriating. More
(AD Comment ~ What would the figures have been in the old fashioned days, before Sat-Navs?.)

Car fuelled by coffee granules unveiled!

nick — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:20:54 +0000

A car that runs on coffee is unveiled today – but it certainly won’t take the grind out of commuting. And at between 25 and 50 times the cost of running a car on petrol, the invention won’t please any motor industry bean-counters either. Nicknamed the Car-puccino, it has been created using a converted 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco bought for £400 and chosen for its resemblance to the time-travelling DeLorean in the movie Back To The Future. The car will be driven the 210 miles between Manchester and London powered only by roasted coffee granules. It has been built by a team from the BBC1 science programme Bang Goes The Theory and will go on display at the Big Bang science fair in Manchester to show how fuels other than conventional petrol and diesel can power vehicles. The team calculates the Carpuccino will do three miles per kilo of ground coffee – the equivalent of about 56 espressos per mile. The journey will use about 70 kilos of ground coffee which, at supermarket prices of between £13 and £26 a kilo depending on brand and quality, will cost between £910 and £1,820, or between 25 and 50 times the £36 cost of petrol for the journey. More
(AD Comment ~ An expensive way to travel, but the aroma around the car might be more pleasant than petrol or diesel fumes!)

Traffic wardens ticket car after it rolls 6ft out of drive!

nick — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:16:48 +0000

A traffic warden placed a parking ticket on a car after it rolled out of a driveway and onto a yellow line when its handbrake failed. Instead of alerting the owner of the blue family car that it had rolled out of the drive and into the street in Croydon this week he issued at £60 ticket. According to locals the owners of the car are on holiday and the car had only trundled about 6ft before coming to a halt on a yellow line. One neighbour said: “It was totally ridiculous. Here was a car that had simply rolled about 6ft out of a driveway and into the street. “The handbrake had obviously failed and that was pretty clear from the situation, but this warden just turned up, saw his chance and stuck a ticket on the car without even checking the house where it was parked. More
(AD Comment ~ Just another over zealous official who can be proud of a job well done!)

Students develop aid to spotting potholes!

nick — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:18:44 +0000

Potholes can cause significant damage to vehicles and lead to claims on car insurance policies; however, drivers may find it easier to avoid them in future if the brainchild of two Italian students is adopted. Domenico Diego and Cristina Corradini have developed a new project called the “Street Safe Initiative” which involves placing a brightly-coloured layer of asphalt beneath the surface of the road. If and when the road surface cracks and potholes begin to develop, the asphalt would be exposed and motorists will be able to see it in plenty of time and avoid it. More
(AD Comment ~ Sounds a good idea in principal. But as the authorities seem reluctant to spend money on laying/repairing roads properly in the first place, you would imagine they would not invest in this idea, even though it would be of grat benefit to motorists.)

Ferrari unveil electric hybrid 599 sports car!

nick — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:39:15 +0000

For decades, Ferrari has made its name selling the sort of testosterone-packed cars that get petrolheads hot under the collar. But now the Italian car-maker is ditching its famous red livery – temporarily at least – as it experiments with going green. The company yesterday unveiled the Ferrari 599, a 200mph electric hybrid vehicle that aims to cut pollution and fuel consumption while retaining the brand’s breathtaking acceleration and performance. But it remains to be seen whether the 599’s ability to start silently and run on a zero-emission electric motor will put off car enthusiasts who delight in the explosive roar of an old-style Ferrari firing up. The prototype’s appearance at the opening day of the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland stunned visitors. The hybrid vehicle – which uses the electric motor to back up a more traditional 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine – even sported a bright metallic green paint to reinforce its environmentally friendly credentials. The aim is to have the green technology as an option across Ferrari’s entire range of cars by 2015. More
(AD Comment ~ At almost double the cost of a petrol version, its a high price to pay for doing you bit for the evironment!)

IAM offers advice for pregnant women on correct seat belt use!

nick — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:51:56 +0000

Awkward but necessary, driving while pregnant can be an uncomfortable experience. The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) advises mothers-to-be on how to drive safely and comfortably. Peter Rodger, IAM Chief Examiner, said: “It seems obvious, but we do urge pregnant women to keep wearing their seatbelts while driving. “The steering wheel hitting the abdomen is the main danger for pregnant drivers in a collision, and the seatbelt is the only thing stopping the driver flying forward.” Mr Rodger added: “A lot of women don’t like the way belts feel and, without realising the danger, let the shoulder strap or the lap belt ride up into the middle of the abdomen.” The law requires you to wear a seatbelt, even if you’re pregnant, and wearing a seatbelt while pregnant will not harm your baby – in fact the risk of injury could be reduced by up to 70 per cent if you are involved in a crash View advice
(AD Comment ~ Good advice from the IAM, as incorrect useage could give problems, if involved in a crash.)

Driving examiners striking 8/9 March 2010 – candidates advised to attend tests!

nick — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:42:55 +0000

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union is asking its members to take strike action on Monday and Tuesday, 8 and 9 March. If you have a driving test booked for either day, we ask you to attend as scheduled. We won’t know the effects of the strikes until the day as not all of our examiners and staff are members of the union. We don’t know at this stage who will attend for work, which is why we ask that you arrive for your test regardless. You don’t need to do anything and there is no need to contact DSA. If you can’t take a test because of the action, you will have the test rebooked automatically, free of charge, and an appointment confirmation will be sent by email or post. DSA Press Release
(AD Comment ~ Lets hope that the situation is resloved so no tests are missed. Some of those tests booked on those days, may well have delayed because of recent weather, meaning a further delay for candidates.)

Now motorists to be fined for leaving the engine running!

nick — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:24:22 +0000

Motorisits are being fined for parking with their engines running under a new scheme aimed at reducing polution. A council has told traffic wardens to issue £20 penalty notices to drivers who keep their engines on after pulling over – and the charge could double to £40 if it is not paid quickly. Anyone found to have their engine running “without reason” could be fined under the scheme, run by North Lincolnshire Council. The move has been billed as an attempt to reduce pollution from car exhausts, but angry motorists said the fines were “petty” and a waste of resources. Nigel Humphries, a spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said: “It’s just an absolutely ridiculous money-making scam. “What business is it of the council whether we leave our engines running or not while we are stationary. “Engines do not use much fuel when they are idling. This is an insignificant and inappropriate use of resources. “Better to warn drivers that getting out of the car while the engine is running is not the brightest idea because someone might steal it. In these days of council expenditure cuts they should have better things to worry about.” North Lincolnshire Council insisted wardens would only issue penalty notices as a last resort if drivers refused to co-operate. A spokesman said: “All motorists found to have left their engine running without reason will be in the first instance asked by a council officer to switch their engine off. “The council would not target motorists who leave engines running for just a few seconds. More
(AD Comment ~ Just another stealth tax on motorists. Is this a move to really cut polution, or just to get more revenue int the coffers?)

Flood-hit cars in York are given parking tickets!

nick — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:28:23 +0000

THEY say bad luck comes in threes and for the owners of these flooded cars the old adage seems to have come true. The cars, which were parked up on the riverbank at Queen’s Staith, in York, fell victim not only to the rapidly rising river water over the weekend, but also a zealous parking inspector. A taxi driver called The Press to say he had seen the cars being ticketed at about 9.15am yesterday morning after the floodwater from the Ouse had subsided. Shaun Binns, landlord of The Lowther pub which is on the opposite bank of the river on Cumberland Street, said his staff had a good view of the incident. More
(AD Comment ~ Lets hope that the council will show common sense and cancel the fine, but then in this day and age common sense and authorities does not always go hand in hand!)

Calls for L tests to include more `Green` driving!

nick — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:45:50 +0000

Learner drivers should be examined on ‘green’, smoother driving techniques as part of the standard driving test, according to a business group. The CBI says that each motorist could make fuel savings of 5-10% through efficient driving practices, reducing carbon emissions and saving up to £250 a year. And the group argues in its Tackling Climate Change Closer to Home report that the “smarter” skills needed to make such savings should be a mandatory part of the driving test. Although it does not provide a detailed outline, the CBI suggests that eco-driving “is about driving in a style suited to modern engine technology”. It claims that changing gears more smoothly and avoiding sharp braking and acceleration can cut fuel consumption by up to a third. Other proposals made in the report – which has the stated aim to “pave the way for low-carbon cars and homes” – include an agreement between the Government and manufacturers for long-term carbon dioxide (CO2) limits, and moves to encourage the sustainability and development of biofuels. And despite praising the Government’s forthcoming £5,000 purchase subsidy for ultra-low emissions vehicles, the CBI says that even more can be done to stimulate the take-up of low-carbon cars, including using tax from higher-polluting vehicles to incentivise consumers looking for more efficient options. Peter Rodger, chief examiner at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, told Admiral News that the main aspects of eco-driving – looking ahead and planning early – are already part of general good driving practice. More
(AD Comment ~ In the past few years, there has been marks and advice given on eco-driving by examiners. At this stage though,it is only advisory. If the test is changed, candidates will have to demonstrate new greener skills to pass, but will all those who pass their test carry on, for the remainder of their driving career driving in the same economical way?)

Man loses licence for walking dog while driving!

nick — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:21:18 +0000

County Durham man banned from driving after cyclist reported seeing pet being dragged along country lane. A dog owner too lazy to walk his pet has lost his driving licence after getting caught walking the animal while driving his car. Paul Railton, 23, of County Durham, had wound down the window of his Nissan Navara to exercise his lurcher when police caught him. Officers reported seeing him driving at 5mph along a country lane. Yesterday, at Consett magistrates court, Railton pleaded guilty to not being in proper control of a vehicle. Sharon Lowrie, prosecuting, said a cyclist alerted police that two men were dragging a dog along from a car. She said: “The driver was hanging on to the dog’s lead through the driver window, approaching a blind summit.” Railton was told to put the dog in the back of the car and was allowed to go, but five days later police turned up at his home to charge him. A police statement read out to the court said that “due to the narrow road there was no area for other cars to pass ng pet being dragged along country lane. More
(AD Comment ~ An unusual way to lose your licence.)

Speeding couple fined after saying they couldn’t remember who was driving!

nick — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:01:13 +0000

A millionaire entrepreneur and his interior designer wife have been ordered to pay a combined fine of more than £1,000 for failing to identify which of them was driving their speeding Land Rover. Ian and Jayne Oliphant-Thompson were both prosecuted after they told police it was “immoral” to continue asking who was driving when they could not remember. Exeter magistrates’ court was told the vehicle was clocked at 40mph in a 30mph zone. Photographic evidence was unable to prove who was behind the wheel and the couple, both 43, were asked to inform police who was driving. The couple, who wrote a series of letters to safety camera officials saying they were unable to remember, did not attend the court hearing. In their absence, they were each ordered to pay a £525 fine, £100 costs, and a £15 victim surcharge. They were each also given six penalty points, double the usual number. The usual fine is £60. Philip Alcock, prosecuting, said: “We cannot be sure who was driving and they have not been able to assist. “The answer they gave is not uncommon but the owners of a vehicle that is used by many drivers need to have some kind of log. “Even a married couple, if they habitually use the vehicle and swap around driving responsibilities, they need to have something in place to ensure they know who was driving.” More
(AD Comment ~ Perhaps they thought they might get away with it. But the authorities are very happy, as they have claimed two large fines, instead of one small one!)

DVLA celebrate 10-series personalised plate success!

nick — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:40:29 +0000

The first day of March will be a date motorists will instantly be aware of… thanks to the 10 indicator encased in new style registrations. And with DVLA Personalised Registrations selling more than 9,000 since the 10-series were available to buy on December 1, 10’s should be seen on virtually every street corner! Those sold by the DVLA will, of course, be further boosted by those registrations automatically assigned to new cars and not purchased as private number plates. Damian Lawson, DVLA Personalised Registrations’ Marketing Manager, said: “The simplicity of adapting 10 into the new style registrations in order to make up a personalised registration like a family or company name has clearly proved to be successful.” Introduced in September 2001, the current style of registrations comprises two letters, a two figure age identifier, a space and three letters ” 10 simply identifies new cars registered and released in 2010. The second releases of the year, on the road from September 1, will be identified by 60. More
(AD Comment ~ A good chance for motorists to grab some new combinations, with the 1 & 0. But more importantly raises a substancial amount of cash for the government, will any of this be redirected to help our ailing road?)

Britain suffers attack of the cones!

nick — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:57:06 +0000

Road engineers are calling it the perfect storm; road users are calling it gridlock Britain. New figures reveal that February has seen an unprecedented leap in the number of roadworks, due to bad weather, council deadlines and a backlog of work. According to research compiled by the Electronic Local Government Information Network (Elgin), this February has seen 10 times as many roadworks as the last, and more than three times as many as in January. The roadworks, defined as causing moderate or severe disruption, are likely to continue into March. Overall, Elgin found that the number of actual and planned roadworks taking place in the first three months of this year will exceed the total for the whole of 2009. The surge, set to cause misery for millions of motorists, is due to a number of factors, according to Elgin. Severe weather in November and December damaged roads and caused many councils to postpone planned roadworks for those months. To minimise disruption, councils are also rushing to spend their road repair budgets before the financial year ends in April and before the summer holiday season gets under way. Other factors include ongoing preparations for the 2012 Olympics, and hedge-trimming, which has to be done outside the bird-nesting season. Elgin, which examined figures for roughly half the councils in Britain, including those in London, Yorkshire and Humberside, the east Midlands, Wales, the east of England and the southwest, found that in the first three months of 2010 there would be 6,833 serious roadworks, 3,204 of those in February. That compares with a total of 6,290 for the whole of 2009. The company says those figures would be higher if all councils were included. More
(AD Suggests ~ Judging by the state of some of the roads, we could be in for some delays over the next few months, as repairs are carried out.)

Motorist caught driving at 70mph and flossing teeth!

nick — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:59:47 +0000

A WOMAN driver was caught flossing her teeth at 70mph on a motorway, it was revealed yesterday. Stunned traffic police spotted the 36-year-old driver on the M4 using dental floss to clean her teeth in her rear view mirror. Her brush with the law cost her £60 after she was pulled over, lectured about careless driving and given a fixed penalty notice. Police say it is the latest example of people risking their lives for a moment of high-speed vanity. A spokesman said: “We’ve caught women applying lipstick, make-up and checking their hair in the mirror and even men using an electric razor on their way to work. But this is the first time we’ve seen someone flossing their teeth at the wheel. It was a quite bizarre sight. “It is particularly dangerous because you need to use both hands, which clearly should be used to drive the car.” Traffic officers often say some people’s driving is mental but one joked: “On this occasion it was dental.” The woman was caught by Gwent Police near junction 24 of the M4 at Coldra, Newport, during an eight-day clampdown. Officers in an unmarked car caught 57 drivers committing offences. More (AD Suggests ~ Strange what people will do, especially when travelling at such a high speed, with the potential for causing much danger to themselves and others.)

Mystery of ‘Windermere triangle’ solved!

nick — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:17:13 +0000

A mystery phenomenon that has left motorists in a popular tourist town unable to unlock their cars has been solved. For around 18 months, drivers parking up in one of the Lake District town’s busiest shopping areas have found their electric key-fobs will not work. Telecom watchdog OFCOM decided to investigate and sent field engineer Dave Thornber to Windermere with specilist scanning equipment. He discovered that motorists’ key fobs were being jammed because they were on the same wiresless frequency as the till in the nearby Lazy Daisy Lakeland Kitchen cafe. Mr Thornber said:”People thought it was a spook or some newly installed traffic lights but it is the till and the way waiting onstaff imput meal orders.” He added: ” We used what is called a spectrum analyser to make a sweep of the locality.” “The source of the interference was a wirless order taker in the cafe. “The device used the same frequency as modern car key fobs which operate central locking.” “The key fobs use a very low power source to protect the life of the batteries inside and so their use was drowned out by the power of Lazy Daisy.” More Previous
(AD Suggests ~ If residents have to go to such measures to help calm the traffic, perhaps the authorites should be taking the lead in improving road safety. This countrry seems to go overboard with petty health and safety issues, but doesn`t always takle the serious issues.)

Garage forecourt closed to protect motorists from clampers!

nick — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:07:20 +0000

A garage has closed off its own forecourt to prevent motorists falling victim to a team of clampers it hired itself. National Tyre and Autocentre took the action after receiving dozens of complaints about the behaviour of White’s Car Park Solution. But the clamping company has responded by threatening legal action for breach of contract, saying the garage is stopping them making money. It says it has a one-year contract to patrol the site and insists it will not walk away from the lucrative £150 pounds-a-time release fee. The dispute arose when visitors to a local takeaway, whom the garage owners allowed to park on the premises out of hours, left their cars on the forecourt overnight. A former manager asked WCPS to tow away the offending vehicles and signed a one year contract allowing them to manage the site in the city. Signs warning clamping is in operation were put up around the site and neighbouring businesses were issued with free parking permits to give to customers. But bosses at the National Tyre and Autocentre head office tried to terminate the contract when people reported being clamped before they had time to collect their permits. More
(AD Suggests ~ Sounds as though they are carrying out their contract very well. Doesn`t help the motorist, that there is no flexability or consideration, in the over zealous and lucrative application of the rules.)

Amazing Drink Driving punishments around the world!

nick — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:52:01 +0000

Drinking and driving is one of the world’s most dangerous combinations. Some commentators liken drunk driving unto a driving accident just looking for somewhere to occur. As results, administrations of various countries have adapted various measures and rules in an attempt to stem the scourge of drunk driving. Now, these laws are affected by various issues such as culture, religion and the level of drunk driving. As a result, some of the laws adapted will vary from country to another with some even being unbelievable. More
(AD Suggests ~ Very harsh punishments in some countries. Presumably in those regimes, the offending rate is very small.)

Government grants of upto £5,000 offered for electric cars!

nick — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:43:07 +0000

Pioneering motorists will receive up to £5,000 to buy an ultra-low carbon car, and the roll-out of supporting infrastructure will begin in selected regions, the Government announced today. The Plug-in Car Grant will be distributed directly to the consumer at the point of purchase and will be available across the UK from January 2011, by which time a range of eligible vehicles is expected to be available. Also included in the Government’s plans is the roll-out of a £30m fund for a network of electric vehicle hubs – called Plugged-In Places – which will see charging infrastructure appearing in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres, as well as on the street. The first Plugged-In Places were today named today as London, Milton Keynes and the North East; and between them they will be installing over 11,000 vehicle recharging points during the next three years. The initiatives are part of a £450 million Government strategy to support the creation of a flourishing early market for ultra-low carbon vehicles. The programme will help to meet the UK’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions from transport; as well as creating new business opportunities for UK-based companies in the automotive and charging infrastructure sectors. Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said: “Decarbonising transport isn’t an aspiration – it’s a reality. By this time next year, cutting edge motorists will be on the roads with these next generation cars they’ve purchased because of our help. “And thanks to the Plugged-In Places we will have in place infrastructure to support this growing early market. “Transport has a huge part to play in helping the UK meet its stringent emission reduction targets and today’s announcement is another step on the road to putting the UK at the global forefront of ultra-low carbon vehicle development, manufacture and use.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Incentives will help the start the process of changing to electric cars. When all the development of battery power storage is complete, the economy benefits of electric, will mean in a few years electric cars will be in the majority, rather than minority of new vehicles.)

Thousands of parents guilty of ‘fronting’ children on their car insurance!

nick — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:01:49 +0000

Around 36,000 parents are breaking the law by naming sons and daughters as a ’spouse’ or ‘partner’ on their car insurance policy, our own research has found. swiftcover.com contacted policyholders over concerns with their cover and found that one in four admitted to ‘fronting’ by not putting down their offspring as a ‘named driver’. We estimate that the number of parents taking this fraudulent action has almost doubled in the last two years, with as many as 36,000 mums and dads guilty of doing so. Robin Reames, our claims director, warned those who front that insurers are clamping down on such behaviour, which ultimately ends up costing those who abide by the law and purchase car insurance honestly. “Trying to buck the system by fronting is not only illegal, it actually ends up costing law-abiding motorists if they are involved in an accident with a fronted driver who is actually an underinsured driver,” he added. More (AD Suggests ~ Policy holders may think that saving a few pounds justifies a little bending of the truth, but the insurance companies will not pay put in the event of a claim, if the policy is not correct. Everyone must make sure that all details are correct, then there is no trouble in the future.)

Road safety charity calls for specific drug-driving offence!

nick — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:56:36 +0000

Road safety charity Brake has renewed its call for a specific charge of drug-driving in the wake of the “shockingly low” conviction rates revealed in new crime figures. It is demanding that the Government makes it an offence to drive with illegal drugs in the body, allowing the police and the justice system to effectively target the “scourge” of drug-driving – something it says may now be as significant as alcohol-related motoring offences. According to the statistics from the Ministry of Justice there were 1,644 convictions in England and Wales for drug-related motoring offences in 2008. This compares to 71,449 for drink-related offences – the vast majority of which relate to the specific charge of ‘driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit’, for which there is no drug-driving equivalent. Although drug-driving is illegal, there are no prescribed ‘limits’, meaning the prosecution must prove that a motorist was ‘unfit to drive’ through the use of drugs. Brake argues that this is more difficult than being able to refer to the “simple statistical fact” that a test would offer. It says that the Government must approve kits that would enable police to carry out roadside tests on motorists suspected of drug-driving. More
(AD Suggests ~ We are all aware of the measures used to takle drink driving, now something needs to be put in place to educate against drug-driving. To back this up new laws/guidlines need to be put in place, and enforced, to make the roads a safer place)

Potholes give danger for drivers!

nick — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:51:45 +0000

Half of UK drivers have had a crash or a near-miss while swerving to avoid a pothole, according to a survey carried out by road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist. Committed to the safety of all road users, GEM developed the survey due to the huge rise in the number of potholes on UK roads since the bad weather and snow. However, despite the high percentage of drivers affected by potholes, GEM was shocked to find that almost 70pc of those surveyed had never reported a pothole in their area to the local council. Despite not taking the time to report dangerous potholes, nine out of 10 motorists believe that local councils were not doing enough to repair the damage to the roads. Reports show that there is already a huge backlog of repairs needed in all areas of the country and the widespread cold and frost has added to the problems. Certain estimates put the total cost of repairs at £100m. The survey shows that more than half of UK drivers have suffered damage to their cars from potholes but only 5pc have made a claim against the local council for the damage. This is largely due to ignorance as 88pc of motorists admitted they were unaware of the procedure to follow to make a claim if their vehicle was damaged as a result of a pothole. Some also did not know they could claim for this type of damage at all. More
(AD Suggests ~ This is a major problem, and is getting worse. Some of the hotholes are so deep, they are more like craters and can casue serious damage. We just need to be careful when avoiding the holes, and think of others on the road before taking action to steer round.)

Vandals target speed camera bird box!

nick — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:17:28 +0000

Vandals will not stop the bird man of Newbottle and his battle against flying motorists. Bill Angus has repaired his “speed camera” bird box after it was damaged in a vandalism attack. As reported in the Echo, the 64-year-old’s cunningly-designed bird house in Sunderland Road, Newbottle, put speeding motorists in a flap as they caught sight of the device in his garden. The speed-trap lookalike won praise from neighbours and road safety chiefs, and it was even hailed by Radio 2’s Chris Evans. A weekend raid on the contraption left the plywood box with a hole in the side. But the hi-tech “bird hotel” is now back in action after a few repairs and wildlife-lover Bill has added a sign asking would-be vandals to think of his feathered friends before doing damage. “I’m really rather angry about it,” said the retired detective. More Previous post

Ex-copper slows traffic with bird box speed camera!

nick — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:01:46 +0000

A bird box resembling a traffic camera has put the brakes on speeding motorists racing through a village. Retired police officer Bill Angus placed the box on a pole at the edge of his property in order, he says, to offer a little help to the local birdlife. The birds may or may not be grateful – but his fellow villagers certainly are. Since the bright yellow box – pictured right – went up, the number of drivers doing 60mph through the 30mph zone has come down. Mr Angus insists – without so much as a hint of a smile – that the effect on speeders is no more than a happy coincidence. ‘Why does everyone think it’s a fake speed camera?’ he asked. ‘It’s a bird box and has been designed this way to stop people stealing it. It’s a bright colour, too, to attract the blue tits and finches. ‘Since I have put it up, the traffic is keeping to 30mph. If people want to think it is a camera, that is a matter for themselves.’ Mr Angus said villagers in Newbottle, near Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, have long campaigned for a speed camera, but were told it was not a priority site. More Update
(AD Suggests ~ If residents have to go to such measures to help calm the traffic, perhaps the authorites should be taking the lead in improving road safety. This countrry seems to go overboard with petty health and safety issues, but doesn`t always takle the serious issues.)

Poorer all-round car visibility leads to safety concerns!

nick — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:42:34 +0000

As cars are becoming safer and stronger, drivers’ views are becoming more restricted, says Which? Car as it reveals the best and worst car visibility scores. All-round visibility is generally worse than it was around 15 years ago. Car roof and door pillars have been strengthened and have grown from barely noticeable strips to thick chunks of metal. Our photos of a cyclist from the driver’s seat of the popular Vauxhall Astra, right, clearly show the problem. Vehicle blind spots account for around 1% of all accidents. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) calculates that eliminating them would prevent around 25 fatal accidents each year. More
(AD Suggests ~ This is very noticable if you spot older vehicles, with their larger back windows. Whilst the occupants in the vehicle are much safer, potential dangers for pedestrians cyclists are greatly increased.)

M4 to become a new “Hydrogen Highway” its revealed!

nick — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:36:17 +0000

The government has today announced its latest Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA), unveiling plans to establish Wales as a major hub for the development of alternative fuel technologies and build so-called “hydrogen highway” along the M4 that will provide refueling infrastructure for zero emission vehicles. The award of the LCEA status is intended to establish Wales as the lead area in the UK for the development of alternative fuels and was kick started by the announcement that 15 hydrogen demonstration projects have been awarded a share of £7.2m from the Technology Strategy Board. In addition to new funding, the LCEA will also aim to bring together all the necessary infrastructure, skills development and incentive programmes necessary to accelerate the development of alternative fuel technologies in the region. An industry-led steering group will now begin work on driving specific projects forward, and the Welsh Assembly said that talks were already underway with carmakers, fleet and bus operators to encourage them to locate new R&D projects and vehicle trials in Wales. “Hydrogen presents exciting opportunities for low carbon energy and we want the UK to be at the forefront,” said Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. The Government is committed to encouraging and supporting growth through our low carbon industries, skills base and supply chain. That’s why we’re creating this Low Carbon Economic Area for hydrogen energy led by South Wales in close collaboration with the South West.” The new LCEA status has also been backed by the announcement of a flagship project to extend refueling infrastructure along the M4 corridor. Under the proposals, backed by a £500,000 government grant, electric car plug in facilities and hydrogen, compressed natural gas and bio methane refueling points will initially be installed along the Welsh section of the M4. More
(AD Suggests ~ Schemes like this are the way forward, but a mssive expense to roll out over the whole country.)

Congratulations Ben!

nick — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:18:51 +0000

Well done on passing your driving test today in Bedford, after taking your driving lessons in Bedford with Alpha Drive. A great acheivement after the disappointment of a test cancelled due to the recent bad weather.

Uk`s un-insured driver hotspots announced!

nick — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:05:56 +0000

If you’re worried about getting hit by an uninsured driver, you might want to avoid these places. Listed below are the ten areas with the highest proportion of uninsured driver convictions. With uninsured driver accidents becoming an increasingly big problem for both motorists and insurers, price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com analysed almost 3 million car insurance quotes over a year and identified the places with the highest convictions. It said that the Scottish town, Sanquhar, in Dumfriesshire tops the list, with male motorists between the age 22-25 the main culprits. Amazingly, almost 30% of searches for insurance there showed up a conviction. Hebden Bridge, in West Yorkshire, and Glasgow were placed second and third in the list. Once again males in their early twenties were the main offenders. In fact, in all of the top ten areas men were the main offenders, except Bedfordshire – the only area with a female profile in the top ten. A surprise addition was London’s posh W11 postcode, where offenders were also older than the norm. Steve Sweeney, head of car insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: ‘It seems men under 25 are not only the country’s ‘boy racers’ but also ‘law breakers’. With half of the top ten profiles for uninsured drivers being males under 25, they are more likely to flout the law by driving without car insurance. ‘Unfortunately, the high cost of car insurance, especially for younger drivers could be the overriding reason for this.’ See the table of results
(AD Suggests ~ Punishments for uninsured drivers need to tougher, and enforcement on the roads more visable and effective.)

Motorway hard shoulders to become extra lane!

nick — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:52:45 +0000

The Highways Agency has given the go-ahead to projects to open the hard shoulder on six stretches of motorway. The hard shoulder of miles of motorway will be opened to traffic in a cut-price solution to the nation’s gridlocked multilane carriageways. But the solution — which even in its budget-constrained guise will still deliver a £2 billion taxpayer-funded windfall to six road companies in the private sector — has not yet been extended to many notorious bottlenecks. The Highways Agency has given the go-ahead to projects to open the hard shoulder on six stretches of motorway. Contractors will upgrade hard shoulders to motorway driving standards and then manage the extra lanes, opening them when needed. The Highways Agency is trumpeting the scheme as “congestion-busting” and says that it will improve safety and make journey times more reliable on key sections of England’s motorways. The “managed motorway” contracts come after a successful pilot scheme from 2006, when use of the hard shoulder was tested on the M42 south and east of Birmingham. It remains in place. That led to the go-ahead for two schemes being delivered on the M1 in Bedfordshire and on a stretch of the M6 north of Birmingham. Now, after the Department for Transport (DfT) published a “roadmap” to a more efficient motorway network last year, the Highways Agency has sanctioned the use of additional hard shoulders, including an extension of the M6 scheme further south; on the M1 east of Sheffield; on stretches immediately east and south of the M4/M5 interchange in the West Country; on parts of the M60 and M62 around Manchester; and on another stretch of the M62 south of Bradford. The idea is that using hard shoulders and managing their use is far cheaper than approving huge projects to widen motorways. The DfT notes that the hard shoulders can be delivered faster. More (AD Suggests ~ A sensible idea, but will may give problems and reduce safety for those unlucky to breakdown on busy motorways.)

Report shows 10 of the riskiest occupations to insure!

nick — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:31:24 +0000

Your job says a lot about you, particularly to an insurance company. Obviously by their very nature, there are some professions that are considered riskier than others purely because you and your car will be covering a lot of miles. But there are occupations that some insurers won’t touch. Aviva, for example, says it doesn’t insure journalists because it believes they’re very often rushing to get to a story. And people in the entertainment industry are also far too high risk. Many of their miles are covered at night while their cars are likely to be left vulnerable in dark club and pub car parks. Professional footballers are deemed too high risk by some insurers as well. They’re young men driving fast cars, often surrounded by other young men who can be equally high or higher profile. Paying out on personal injury claims from a supercar full of multi-million pound valued players is the stuff of nightmares for insurers… But in the main that’s just a perception. The reality of life is a lot less glamorous when it comes to the professions that are the most frequent claimers. We canvassed a panel of the biggest brokers to find out what are really the riskiest occupations. See the top 10
(AD Suggests ~ You can understand why some of the occupations are higher risk of claims than others. On the otherside there must be many safer risks to insure.)

Driving test examiners cautious over Toyotas with safety problems!

nick — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:04:51 +0000

Thousands of learner drivers are facing test day disappointment if they turn up in a Toyota because worried examiners are refusing to get into the cars. The Driving Standards Agency has sent out an urgent warning to all 400 test centres in the country banning staff from sitting alongside novices at the wheel of any car subject to a safety scare. The alarm follows the recall of 320,000 of the cars by the manufacturers following mechanical problems – in the case of Toyotas, it has been discovered that the accelerator could jam. But one disappointed teenager was left in tears when a frightened examiner refusing to take her out on a test even though the makers insist her Toyota was not affected. More
(AD Suggests ~ Bit of an over reaction in this case, but a major problem for many who have Toyotas, with their well publicised problems)

9,000 parking tickets uncollected due to computer error!

nick — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:02:04 +0000

Almost 9,000 parking tickets have gone unpaid in a cash strapped town after a computer blip which went on for a year. An IT bottleneck meant the legal department collecting fines was not passed the essential information it needed about the £30 fixed penalties. The blip cost taxpayers in Oldham, Greater Manchester £283,000 in lost revenue as a result of fines not being paid. It was discovered whilst finance officials were budgeting for road improvements – but they claimed it could not be resolved due to technical difficulties. The Liberal Democrat run council – already facing a £5m legal bill for the bungled fraud prosecution of a local businessman – blamed ‘’system failure” and insisted the fines would now be pursued. But local Labour councillor Peter Dean said: ”This is clearly incompetence by the Lib-Dem-controlled council, who have failed to collect monies owed. ”This leaves a big hole of £283,000 in the council’s already very tight budget and is mismanagement on a gigantic scale.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Good news for many, who may have been surprised to have been let off!)

AA warns of errors with number plates on insurance documents!

nick — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:25:02 +0000

AA Insurance has seen a sharp increase in the number of drivers being stopped by police because simple number plate errors have been made on their insurance record. Such mistakes are coming to light as police automatic number plate recognition (anpr) equipment – used to identify uninsured drivers – becomes more widespread. Motorists who have made simple registration errors on their insurance applications are being stopped by police – and occasionally having their cars confiscated as a result. Mistakes, such as transposing letters or numbers or getting a 0 and O mixed up, may mean that automatic number plate recognition (anpr) technology, which is increasingly carried both on police vehicles and at fixed roadside locations, won’t recognise that the car is insured. Comment Simon Douglas, director of AA Car Insurance, says: “Over the past few months we have seen a sharp rise in the number of ‘mistaken identity’ cases. Where we used to get one or two calls per month from police to verify whether a motorist they have stopped is insured for this reason, it’s now 20 or more per week. “I see this as encouraging because it also means that police are becoming increasingly successful at catching genuine uninsured drivers as well as people who’ve made simple mistakes.” He points out that drivers are usually sent on their way after confirming they’re covered. But in extreme cases cars have been confiscated until a correct insurance document can be provided along with a statement confirming the car was insured at the time. “If you’re applying for your car insurance online, it’s easy to confuse letters and numbers such as 0 and O. It’s also surprisingly common for drivers to transpose digits. If you are applying for cover by telephone, similarly-sounding letters (such as N and M) can also be confused. Insurance staff can make mistakes too.” Douglas points out insurers send every customer a summary of cover, which includes all the information it has about a customer and his or her car, as well as the insurance certificate itself. “It is really important to check that this information is correct – especially the registration number. The data is used to update the national Motor Insurance Database, which is used by the police anpr equipment to check whether your vehicle is covered. He says: “Simple errors can result in a lot of wasted time and inconvenience for you, the police and your insurer – quite apart from the risk of temporarily having your car confiscated.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Always wise to check that all your documents are in order, as mistakes can easily be made anywhere in the arranging of insurance.)

Irish relaunch bid to ban smoking in cars!

nick — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:55:00 +0000

A relaunched bid in Ireland to ban smoking in cars carrying under-16s is supported by 80% of adults, campaigners claimed. Campaign group Ash Ireland said passive smoking can be up to 23 times more toxic in a vehicle than in a house due to the confined space. It said the voluntary code is not enough and urged a change in the law to save children from the risks of smoke in cars. Campaigner Dr Angie Brown said 14% of Irish children are exposed to the Group 1 cancer-causing carcinogen – passive smoke. The Department of Health said it will keep the issue under review but does not currently plan a ban on smoking in cars carrying children. More
(AD Suggests ~ A total ban on driving and smoking will surely arrive in time. Seems strange there can be very over zealous fining for blowing nose while stationary in a traffic queue, when smoking can be a major long term distraction to driving, and lighting up in a similar situation is acceptable.)

Candidates who pass on second driving test, shown to be safer drivers!

nick — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:22:09 +0000

Motorists who pass their driving test second time round are the safest on the roads, a study revealed today. Researchers have found those who pass on their second attempt have fewer points on their licence, are less likely to suffer road rage or be stopped by police. They are also less prone to being cautioned for using their mobile phone behind the wheel, have had the fewest accidents in the last five years, and are unlikely to scare passengers with their driving. However, the research found that those who took more than two attempts to pass have more bad driving habits. Drivers who need a dismal four, five or six efforts before making the grade have the worst record behind the wheel. They run more red lights, admit to driving the wrong way down one-way streets and have been stopped by police for speeding more than any other driver. They have also had their car clamped, hit stationary objects whilst trying to park their car and claimed on their insurance more than anyone else. Guy Frobisher, director of safety at Continental Tyres which surveyed 6,200 motorists on their driving history and skills said: ‘It seems that second time around is perfect when it comes to the best drivers. ‘Second time passers appear to fare better, especially when it comes to driving safely and considerately. ‘Perhaps this is down to concentrating more and taking into account different road conditions and other drivers. ‘First time passers know how to handle a car but some might be over-confident and that can quickly lead to recklessness. ‘Safety should be the priority for all drivers, this includes making sure the car is road-worthy before you set off and being aware of issues such as stopping distances being affected by weather.’ The nationwide survey of 17-65 year old motorists quizzed them on 20 aspects of their driving life, including who would feel confident teaching others to drive, who have been issued parking tickets and how often they take their eyes off the road. More
(AD Suggests ~ Many candidates may not come through their first test, through nerves or making a one error. The additional practice before a subsequent test, will only make the learner better and more expereinced, benefitting from additional tutition before passing on the second test)

San Francisco getting reading to be America`s green capital!

nick — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:55:18 +0000

All new buildings to be wired with chargers ahead of release of new vehicle models marketed to middle-class families. San Francisco has adopted building codes requiring all new homes and offices to be wired for electric car chargers, in an attempt to position itself as America’s green car capital. The move comes in advance of the release this year of the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, which promise to deliver driving distances of 40 miles or more on a single battery charge and are being marketed to middle-class families. Local authorities are launching a lending scheme next month to encourage homeowners to install their own charging stations. “If you want to put an electric charging station in your home in anticipation of all these electric vehicles, you can do it through this green financing programme,” said San Francisco’s mayor, Gavin Newsom. Newsom bought his own electric car a decade ago, and car charging stations were installed outside city hall last year. The move further solidifies California’s reputation as America’s greenest state. Over the past 30 years it has led the country in putting limits on vehicle emissions, and imposing higher efficiency standards for homes and appliances such as flatscreen TVs. Few people are predicting widespread adoption of electric cars by Americans – at least in the immediate future. But the launch of the electric vehicles is also concentrating minds in other cities, such as Houston, San Diego and Portland, Oregon, which are expected to lead demand for the new technology. More
(AD Suggests ~ Electric cars will be the way forward, schemes like this will become more common with time.)

3 Motorists claim victory in court against clamping firm!

nick — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:11:53 +0000

THREE motorists have claimed “victory for the common man” after successfully overturning car clamping fees. The trio took on car clamping company GMD, which imposed hundreds of pounds in release fees after the motorists parked on private land belonging to a hotel in Halifax. Claire Jowett, 32, Susan Ashman, 50, and John Wharton, 65, were celebrating after district judge Alex Foster sided with them and told GMD boss George McDicken to pay more than £700 following a day-long hearing at Halifax County Court. Mrs Jowett and Miss Ashman accepted they were not authorised to park at the Imperial Crown Hotel and were liable for the £100 clamping fine. However, they objected to a £200 fee imposed for “towing and removal” – despite the fact their vehicles were not removed from the car park. Both women said they never saw the warning signs positioned on the walls of the car park which is for use by hotel guests and staff. Mr Wharton objected to a £100 fine imposed on him after he turned up at the hotel last June in his vehicle – purely to pay a release fee imposed on his partner who had parked there. The court was told Mr McDicken had been “vindictive and bloody-minded” when he clamped Mr Wharton and did it purely to “teach him a lesson” after the pair became involved in a heated argument. More
(AD Suggests ~ Good news for these three, and will also help those in the future not to be cash cows for similar dodgy operators)

Welsh rugby star bailed over golf buggy incident!

nick — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:48:33 +0000

WALES rugby player Andy Powell was last night charged with driving a golf buggy while over the alcohol limit, hours after helping Wales beat Scotland.arrested for taking and driving a golf buggy from the team hotel to a motorway service station. He is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on March 2 South Wales Police said Powell was bailed until next month’s court appearance. The other man was released without charge. Last night 28-year-old Powell issued a statement through his agent apologising and saying he would “face up” to his mistake. Powell was arrested, along with another unnamed man who is not part of the Wales squad, by South Wales Police at 6am yesterday at a service station off junction 33 of the M4. The Cardiff Blues and Lions star’s agent Mike Burton said: “Andy Powell is disappointed to find himself in this position. “He doesn’t excuse or condone drink-driving in any form. He didn’t think he’d be over the limit the next day. “What appears logical and reasonable at the time can be a different matter when viewed in the cold light of day. “It was a misjudgement for which he is sorry and to which he will face up.” The golf buggy was taken from the plush Vale of Glamorgan Golf and Spa Resort, where the Wales rugby team are based. More
(AD Suggests ~ May well have been a lark at the time, but could have ended with more serious consequences.)

Poll shows that Tailgating annoys motorists the most!

nick — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:03:55 +0000

Tailgating is the number one irritant to motorists, according to a poll. The habit of driving too closely to the vehicle in front topped the list of the most-hated road habits, the survey from automotive repair company Kwik-Fit found. Next-most annoying habit was failing to indicate, followed by dangerous overtaking, jumping traffic lights and lane hogging. Last-minute braking, hesitant driving and “undertaking” – overtaking on the inside – were also among the top 10 hates. Based on responses from 1,000 adults, the poll showed that women were even more annoyed than men about tailgating. However, female drivers were more tolerant than males about dangerous overtaking, hesitant driving or lane hogging. Kwik-Fit customer services director David White said: “It’s clear that the root of this frustration is the danger that these habits pose.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Tailgating can be very dangerous, and can be a form of road aggression, rather than allowing faster progress on journeys.)

New technology developed could aid next generation of cars!

nick — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:01:29 +0000

A nano-scale material developed in Britain may one day yield wafer-thin cellphones and light-weight, long-range electric cars powered by the roof, boot and doors, according to researchers. For now, the new technology – which is a patented mix of carbon fibre and polymer resin that can charge and release electricity just like a regular battery – has not gone beyond a successful laboratory experiment. But if scaled up, it could hold several advantages over existing energy sources for hybrid and electric cars, according to the scientists at Imperial College London who developed it. Lithium-ion batteries used in the current generation of plug-in vehicles are not only heavy, which adds to energy consumption, but also depend on dwindling supplies of the metal lithium, whose prices have risen steadily. The new material, while expensive to make, is entirely synthetic, which means that production would not be limited by availability of natural resources. Another plus: conventional batteries need chemical reactions to generate juice, a process that causes them to degrade over time and gradually lose the capacity to hold a charge. The carbon-polymer composite does not depend on chemistry, which not only means a longer life but a quicker charge as well. Because the material is composed of elements measured in billionths of a metre, “you don’t compromise the mechanical properties of the fibers,” explained Emile Greenhalgh, an engineer at Imperial College and one of the inventors. As hard a steel, it could in theory double as the body of the vehicle, cutting the weight by up to a third. More
(AD Suggests ~ When the technology is refined and mas produced, could change the car industry and many others significantly.)

Sat-Navs effected by stronger radiation from the sun!

nick — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:33:14 +0000

Britain’s satellite navigation networks could soon experience problems and disruptions caused by higher levels of radiation coming from the Sun, scientists warn. Researchers said satnav devices were facing the threat from an expected increase in solar flares from the Sun that could cause unpredictable errors in navigation. Experts said the bursts of radiation caused by the flares interfere with signals from satellites orbiting the earth, causing receivers to fail and lose track of their position. Now British scientists say the Sun is on its way to another “solar maximum”, which will cause the stronger levels of radiation to hit the earth. It is feared this will cause satnav receivers to be blinded for minutes at a time and could result in drivers becoming lost or involved in accidents. It could also cause problems to emergency services, high-precision surveying, shipping and even military operations, they added. Prof Cathryn Mitchell, from the University of Bath, said while the sun’s effects on navigation were difficult to project, the errors could last hours or even days. “It varies quite a lot across the Earth; looking at the UK it will be about 10-metre errors in the positioning,” Prof Mitchell told the BBC. “Ten metres out is probably going to be OK for a satnav system in a car but if you’re using the system for something safety-critical like ships coming into harbour for navigation or possibly in the future landing aircraft, you’re looking for much greater accuracy and more importantly, much greater reliability.” Bob Cockshott, a director of the government-funded Digital Systems Knowledge Transfer Network, said the problem would be more “troublesome than dangerous”. “You might find for a number of hours or even a day or two you couldn’t go out surveying or be able to dock your oil tanker at the deep-ocean oil well,” he said. “It’s more at the annoyance level than something that’s going to bankrupt your business.” The news could explain why systems unexpectedly lose the signal when they had perfect reception only moments before. More
(AD Suggests ~ May effect those who rely too much on technology, more than those who can still use the traditional maps and road signage to navigate)

Motorists using hand-held mobiles while driving up 27%!

nick — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:26:39 +0000

Drivers ignore obvious dangers by continuing to use mobile phones while they drive. The proportion of motorists using hand-held mobile phones while driving has jumped by 27 per cent, casting serious doubt on the effectiveness of enforcement against law-breakers. Over the past year the number of drivers using phones increased from 1.1 per cent to 1.4 per cent for car drivers, and from 2.2 per cent to 2.6 per cent for van and lorry drivers, according to figures from the Department for Transport. The Institute of Advanced Motorists said that motorists were clearly ignoring advice about using hand-held phones while driving. “Along with consistent and high-profile policing, drivers need to be educated about how and why driving on the phone is so dangerous,” said Neil Grieg, IAM director of policy and research. “Deaths and injuries linked to mobile pone use wreck lives and are completely avoidable. The majority of road users deserve to be protected from an irresponsible and selfish minority. “Enforcement is the key weapon against them. More high-profile policing is the answer but unfortunately many police forces appear to be cutting back in this direction.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Education is needed to bring home message of loss of concentration while talking on a hand held mobile. But also enforcement to back up the laws, but little of either is forthcoming sometimes )

Ultimate `lads` car key costs £21,850!

nick — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:11:20 +0000

James Bond has had watches with saws, garrottes, lasers and grappling hooks, but even he might be green with gadget envy at the sight of this Jaeger-LeCoultre – especially as it works with an Aston Martin. A £21,850 optional extra with the forthcoming four-door Rapide model, the titaniumandpink-gold AMVOX2 Rapide Transponder will enable wearers to lock or unlock their car doors by simply touching the sapphire-crystal face. Sadly, due to Bond’s contract with Omega, it’s unlikely he’ll ever get to use one… More
(AD Suggests ~ An expensive optional extra, especially when lots of new cars that are bought are less than half the cost of this gadget.)

Traffic wardens reported to set targets for ticketing motorists!

nick — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:16:33 +0000

Traffic wardens are allegedly still being set ticket ‘targets’ by the country’s biggest parking enforcer – in breach of Government guidelines outlawing the practice. NSL – formerly NCP – patrols the streets for 60 councils across the country. But a leaked memo from one of its regional managers complains that staff are not issuing tickets at a high enough rate. It singles out wardens who are not handing out fines at the required ‘0.9 per hour’ – about seven a day – and says disciplinary action should be taken against those who fall behind. The leaked note from regional manager Emma Collins to a colleague in London’s Kensington and Chelsea borough has provoked outrage among councillors who accuse NSL of breaking statutory guidelines which ban target setting. It has also caused anger in neighbouring Westminster where Miss Collins also masterminded the parking ticket regime – before being stripped of the contract earlier this month. Councils across the UK were urged last night to ensure parking contractors are not setting targets. Under the heading ‘Royalty Performance’, the note from Miss Collins, one of NSL’s top managers, was sent in November to Jeff Myles, in charge of wardens in Kensington and Chelsea. In it she writes: ‘There are still a significant number of people issuing at a rate of below 0.9 per hour.’ She sets out a list of seven wardens who are not booking enough motorists and asks for the relevant paperwork to be sent to her office, urging: ‘We should not be uncomfortable about using the disciplinary process’. More
(AD Suggests ~ We need to issue tickets for major parking problems, not follow targets to lever money out of motorists who fall foul of over zealous wardens)

‘Windermere Triangle’ causes problems with cars locking systems!

nick — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:02:30 +0000

Some put it down to interference from a set of traffic lights, others suspect an unwitting radio ham may be responsible. The local baker even blames a mischievous ghost named Albert. Whatever the explanation, something is playing havoc with the electronic key fobs of cars in the Lake District town of Windermere. Hundreds of visitors to the popular tourist destination have found their cars won’t lock or, worse still, won’t unlock after they return with their shopping. Signal failure: Mr Revell was baffled when he couldn’t get into his car The phenomenon – or rather the spot where it occurs – has been nicknamed the Windermere Triangle. Local stores have seen a steady stream of baffled motorists asking for help, while a motor dealer has been inundated with requests for replacement batteries foe key fobs. The local council sent in engineers to check whether the traffic lights at a new pedestrian crossing were playing up, but they found no evidence of a link. Residents have nicknamed the goings-on after the mysterious Bermuda Triangle because they only affect a triangular area of parking opposite the bakery. Four bays form the epicentre of the blackspot, but several times a day a visiting motorist is caught out. Yesterday teacher Paul Revell, 48, tried to lock his Subaru Forester. ‘I just stopped off to pick up some groceries, but the doors just wouldn’t lock,’ he said. Anthony Dean, whose shop, AD Wines, is closest to the bays, said: ‘It doesn’t matter what sort of car it is or what time of day. ‘People are always coming in and saying they can’t get their car locked or unlocked. Some of us think it’s the traffic lights, because it didn’t happen before they were installed a couple of years ago. ‘Recently a lady couldn’t get into her Lexus, so I suggested she tried pressing the crossing button, and the moment the lights changed to amber, the lock worked.’ More Update
(AD Suggests ~ Strange happenings, will we ever learn the reason for the problems?)

2 Humpback bridges damaged by drivers each week!

nick — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:59:31 +0000

At least two humpback bridges are being struck by cars each week, leaving British Waterways to foot a £2.5 million annual repair bill, it has been revealed. As most motorists drive away without reporting the accident, the cost of fixing the bridges is diverting funds from maintaining British Waterways 2,000 miles of canals and rivers. The firm look after 1,800 bridges, with some as old as 200 years. Nigel Crowe, head of heritage at British Waterways, said: “Whenever you go over a humpback bridge in Britain you are likely to be going over a canal. Often officially listed as being of special architectural or historical significance, these bridges have to be painstakingly repaired at considerable cost. More
(AD Suggests ~ Drivers will also have to repair vehicles as well, adding to the expense.)

Youngest drivers twice as likely to crash survey reports!

nick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:43:39 +0000

The youngest drivers are twice as likely to have an accident as the average, new research suggests. And crashes involving young drivers are five times more likely to result in an injury. The findings come from a study of two million Admiral car insurance policy holders, which found that 13.2% of 17-year-olds and 12.8% of 18-year-olds had a crash, compared to a 6.5% average over a similar one-year period across all other ages. By contrast, just 2% of those over 50 had an accident in a typical year. In addition to the increased chance of being involved in an accident, claims relating to the youngest drivers also tend to be significantly more expensive, the research found. According to Admiral, the average cost of an accident involving a 17- or 18-year-old driver is almost £3,500 – twice the overall average of £1,741. The insurer said that the expense and injury data pointed to young drivers having “more serious crashes at high speed”. “From our point of view driving experience makes a huge difference and is the main reason older motorists have lower premiums,” said Admiral managing director Sue Longthorn. “It isn’t until motorists reach 25 that their accident statistics improve substantially, but it really is the youngest ones who are the biggest risk.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Lack of experience is always a problem for new drivers, but for younger drivers distractions and over confidence can only distract from road safety)

Motorists to receive warning rather than parking tickets for minor offences!

nick — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:18:03 +0000

Westminster Council is overhauling its parking rules to give its parking attendants the option of “soft enforcement”. However, drivers who park on double yellow lines, pedestrian crossings or cause an obstruction will still face a £120 fine. But the council will be more charitable for minor transgressions. In some cases a first-time offender will get a warning, perhaps for overstaying at a parking bay. However should the motorist do the same thing again, then a fixed penalty notice would be issued. More
(AD Suggests ~ The most sensible move in a long while. Let`s hope that warnings will help change drivers attitude, rather than drivers playing the system)

Salt stocks again to be stretched as more cold weather beckons!

nick — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:06:15 +0000

BRITAIN faces the risk of renewed snow chaos after councils admitted yesterday that salt supplies are “stretched”. With heavy snow forecast from tomorrow until the end of the week, councils revealed they may need to share salt with neighbouring authorities if stocks get low. One source warned: “This is serious” while the Local Government Association cautioned that everyone, including central government and the Highways Agency is going to “have to carefully manage the way they use salt”. It said councils are replenishing salt stocks but stressed: “They can only restock as fast as salt suppliers can dig salt out of the ground.” The warning came as the Met Office issued an advisory of “severe or extreme weather”, forecasting up to six inches of snow across the South-east on Thursday and up to four inches on Friday. It warned next week could bring “more substantial” snowfalls as weather fronts move in. The country also faces a series of frosty nights which could also make roads treacherous. At the same time, the Tories revealed official figures showing huge variations in the salt stocks of local councils. Figures from late last month show they ranged from just 54 tons and 62 tons in the London Boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets to 5,659 tons at Kent County Council. The Welsh Local Government Association said that many councils across the country have not managed to rebuild stocks since last month’s cold spell. The chronic shortage in places raises fears of a repeat of last month’s chaos when large parts of the country ground to a halt in the face of heavy snow. Salt stocks ran so low that the Government’s emergency Salt Cell ordered the Highways Agency and councils to cut usage by up to 50 per cent. More
(AD Suggests ~ Have no lessons been learnt from recent experiences.)

New “amfibus” tested as possbile passenger ferry!

nick — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:31:44 +0000

It was not a sinking feeling exactly. But Stagecoach’s hopes that its trials of a new amphibious bus would go off without a hitch were dampened on Monday when the vehicle had to be dry-docked for repairs. The “amfibus”, seen here testing the water between Renfrew and Yoker on the River Clyde, developed a minor technical glitch after its second crossing – forcing the trial to be suspended while the vehicle was repaired. “The driver noticed an issue with the suspension,” said a Stagecoach spokesman. “An air-bag became disengaged.” He stressed that the air-bag was “not a buoyancy aid”. Stagecoach is testing the Dutch-built £700,000 amfibus as a possible replacement for passengers who face the loss of the existing ferry service between Renfrew and Yoker from the end of March. While such buses are already in use for tourist “splash” tours, Stagecoach chief executive Brian Souter said the proposed service would be a “Scottish and UK first” – the first amfibus commuter service. More
(AD Suggests ~ Good idea, as a versitile multi-purpose vehicle. May need a lot of work to get operational and keep in service.)