A-Class Driving School - Bristol's Motoring Blog for learners, licence holders and driving instructors

Browsing Archive: November, 2011

Mark Webber backs F1 Red Bull Racing charity

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 30, 2011,

Red Bull Racing F1 driver Mark Webber tells the Telegraph about items he's donated to an auction to raise cash for the spinal injury charity.

Items worn and used by both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in the 2011 Formula One season are going under the hammer on Thursday to raise money for charity....


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Join our battle to say no to more fuel tax

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 30, 2011,

The fight goes on until the Treasury realises the damage that fuel duty rises do to the economy , says Quentin Willson.

Sitting on the soft green leather benches of the House of Commons chamber this month (a rare and special honour granted by the Whips), I mused that kitchen-table protest campaigns don’t gather momentum as effectively as this.

Ten months ago, Peter Carroll of the Ghurkha campaign fame asked me to be a fi...


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Telegraph campaign: Freeze fuel duty

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 30, 2011,

The Government wants to add 30p to a gallon in 2012, an injustice that will hurt the entire country. We say: enough is enough .

Telegraph campaign: Freeze fuel duty

Parliament has finally woken up to the public anger at rising fuel costs, after being confronted with an e-petition signed by more than 110,000 motorists, which forced the Commons to hold a debate this month. The Government, however, stood firm after the debate. Vince Cable, the Business ...


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David Coulthard supports charity auction

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 29, 2011,

Former Formula One driver, David Coulthard, believes that the Wings for Life auction on December 1 is an important way of raising funds.

Through my career in motor racing I have known and met many people who have had accidents and suffered from spinal cord injuries.

I myself have been lucky on more than one occasion. I survived some major shunts, as well as a serious plane crash. Others were not so lucky.

My first contact wit...


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Drivers renting out cars to pay costs

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 29, 2011,

Cash-strapped families are renting out their cars to raise money,

Facing ever escalating motoring costs, 3,500 drivers have signed up to a service which enables them to hire out their vehicle rather than leaving it in the garage or on the driveway.

WhipCar, which started over a year ago, has grown dramatically and now operates not only in major cities but even in remote parts of Britain, such as the Isle of Mull.

Prices var...


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Britain facing pothole plague

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 28, 2011,

Britain is facing an epidemic of potholes even before the winter sets in, the AA has warned.

Its army of 1,000 streetwatchers have shown the problem getting worse as councils struggle to make ends meet.

Last year each streetwatcher found an average of 12.9 potholes, this year the figure has risen to 14.9, suggesting that local authorities have been overwhelmed by the problem.

The AA’s study showed that north east England ...


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Seat's new model line-up revealed

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 28, 2011,

Seat will unveil a heavily updated version of its Ibiza supermini in 2012, as well as an all-new Toledo and the next generation Leon.

Seat's new model line-up revealed

Seat president James Muir has revealed details of the four new models that will form the Spanish car maker's new product offensive for 2012.

Following the VW Up-based Mii city car will be a heavily revised version of its best-selling model, the Ibiza supermini, which among other things g...


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The Sweeney stays loyal to Ford

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 27, 2011,

Film remake of the 70s TV show uses the new, high-performance Ford Focus ST hatchback.

Film remake of The Sweeney to use new Ford Focus ST hot hatchback
 

A film remake of The Sweeney will feature the new ST version of the Ford Focus

Flying Squad detectives Jack Regan and George Carter (Ray Winstone and Ben Drew taking on the roles made famous by John Thaw and Dennis Waterman) will drive the hot-hatchback as they give chase to London's crimina...


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Villager paints speed limit sign to slow traffic down

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 27, 2011,

For the past two years Tim Backhouse has been infuriated by cars speeding past his home in rural Devon.

Villager paints speed limit sign to slow traffic down
The sign is 15-feet high and covers the entire side wall of the end of terrace property Photo: Andrew Lloyd/Splash News

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The Sweeney stays loyal to Ford

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 27, 2011,

Film remake of the 70s TV show uses the new, high-performance Ford Focus ST hatchback.

Film remake of The Sweeney to use new Ford Focus ST hot hatchback
 

A film remake of The Sweeney will feature the new ST version of the Ford Focus

Flying Squad detectives Jack Regan and George Carter (Ray Winstone and Ben Drew taking on the roles made famous by John Thaw and Dennis Waterman) will drive the hot-hatchback as they give chase to London's crimina...


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Cost of motoring increases at three times rate of inflation

Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, November 26, 2011,

The cost of motoring has risen by 14pc in a year, according to new figures from the RAC.

A woman fills her car with petrol - Cost of motoring increases at three times rate of inflation

This increase is almost three times the current rate of inflation and is another blow to Britain's cash-strapped households.

The latest annual figures mean motorists now face annual costs of nearly £6,500 – or around £129 per week or 55.74 pence per mile – to own and run their vehicles. Drivers now pay an average of £1,556 per...


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Correction – trainer booking facility article in Despatch

Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, November 26, 2011,

The article about the trainer booking facility in the November issue of Despatch contained errors.

The article incorrectly referred to the ‘online’ trainer booking facility, whereas this service is presently only available by telephone or fax. The article should also have specified that the service is only for motorcycle and vocational (LGV/PCV) trainers.

DSA apologises for any confusion this may have caused.


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Andrew English drives DC100 concept that will replace Landrover Defender

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 25, 2011,

Andrew English is quietly impressed with the new gadgets that could go on the replacement of the classic car, as he gets to drive it in Los Angeles.

Land Rover has refuted criticism that its Defender replacement, the DC100 concept, is too effete and overdesigned, saying that the vehicle is more than tough enough for the rough life and that its basics, such as ride height, and entry and departure angles, are actually better the current Defender model.

"We are...


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Motoring costs soar above inflation

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 25, 2011,

The cost of owning a car has risen by more than £800 a year over the past 12 months, a study has found.

Drivers have been hit by soaring fuel prices, a rapid rise in the cost of insurance, higher garage fees and the fall in cars’ resale value.

As a result motorists are now paying 14 per cent more than they did a year ago to run their cars; the increase is nearly three times the rate of inflation.

The figures, produced by the RAC and based on 17 different new c...


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DVLA wants to cash in on private parking tickets

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 24, 2011,

The DVLA is looking to cash in on motorists by selling their names and addresses to wheel clampers and private parking companies at a profit.

The agency wants to plug a £100m gap in its finances by charging more than the current £2.50 administrative fee.

Last year the agency sold details of 1m motorists to more than 150 parking enforcement companies, angering driving groups.

However, according to Simon Tse, the DVLA’s chief...


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Motor insurers draw up plans to ban young drivers from driving late night

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 24, 2011,

The Association of British Insurers has drawn up plans to keep young drivers off the road at night.

The Association of British Insurers, which represents Britain’s motor insurers, wants stricter rules imposed on drivers under the age of 25.

It said that drivers under that age should be restricted in the hours when they can drive to cut the high level of deaths and serious injuries involving young drivers. It also prop...


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Three dead in 52 vehicle pile-up on German motorway

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 23, 2011,

The crash which involved 52 vehicles happened on Friday night near the city of Muenster after fog settled over the stretch of autobahn 31 creating visibilty of just one metre.

Police are trying to establish if the bad weather is the only factor that triggered the huge accident which closed a 6 mile-long section of the motorway on Saturday. ...


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The November issue of Despatch is out now

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 23, 2011,

This month, read about the DSA National Driver/Rider Training Standand™ – a new framework setting out the skills and knowledge that all driving instructors and motorcycle trainers should be able to demonstrate.

We also preview the proposals to modernise the driver training industry that could form part of a consultation next year, and we find out how drink-drive rehabilitation courses are set to be improved.

For this and more, click on the link below:


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Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder goes rear-wheel drive

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 22, 2011,

Purist version of the open-top supercar revealed.

It's the car keen drivers have been waiting for – a rear-wheel-drive version of the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.

The new LP 550-2 Spyder combines open-air driving with the 5,204cc V10's 550bhp directed to the rear wheels instead of all four. The headline performance figueres are a top speed of 198mph, with 0-62mph in 4.2sec. The purist version of the Gallardo ...


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Building the ultimate Lego car

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 22, 2011,

With more than 2,000 pieces to assemble, the Lego Technic Unimog is no mere toy, as Chris Knapman discovered.

Let’s get one thing straight: the Lego Unimog is not a toy. It is an engineering project, or possibly even a work of art. At one-twelfth the size of the real thing, it’s also the biggest Technic model ever, a point that becomes abundantly clear when I crack open the box to be greeted by a dozen clear plastic bags of bits and no fewer than five instr...


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Has Brighton plugged into electric cars?

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 21, 2011,

With an ambitious plan to provide public recharging infrastructure, a Green-led council and a Green MP, Brighton & Hove should be a hot-bed of electric motoring.

With the country’s first Green Party MP and a Green-led local council, Brighton & Hove can justifiably lay claim to the title of the most environmentally-friendly city in the UK. It’s home to many eco initiatives, from a zero-carbon building community to per...


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Exclusive £1.14 million supercar goes on sale

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 21, 2011,

A rare Zenvo Automotive ST1 supercar that can reach speeds of 233 mph and has 1,250 horsepower could be yours for a tad over one million pounds.

There are only 15 of the £1.14 million STI Zenvo Automotive supercars in the world.

The president of the Emporio Motor Group in New Jersey, Bobby Khan, who is selling three of the cars, said the fight to own one of the cars has already begun.

"The demand is big because it's only 15 units. And think about it, 15 for the whole ...


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IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon to be honoured in memorial race

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 20, 2011,

Dan Wheldon, the British driver who was killed in multiple pile-up at the Las Vegas IndyCar 300 last month, is to be honoured by friends and family at a memorial kart race near his hometown in Buckinghamshire.

IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon to be honoured in memorial race

Dan Wheldon, the British driver who was killed in an IndyCar race last month, is to be honoured by friends and family at a memorial karting event near his family home of Emberton in Buckinghamshire.

The rac...


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Driving the new Land Rover Defender

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 20, 2011,

Behind the wheel of Land Rover's Defender replacement, the DC100 Sport concept car.

Driving Land Rover's DC100 Sport concept car

Whatever you think of the Land Rover DC100 (and we know that readers of The Daily Telegraph have some strong opinions), there's no denying that this drop head "Sport" version looks the part on Santa Monica beach in California. It was probably a lot grittier and colder 63 years ago in Anglesey, Wales when Maurice Wilkes sketched out the fir...


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Roadside drug testing device developed by academics

Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, November 19, 2011,

A hand-held device which can detect whether a driver has taken drugs from the sweat on a finger has been developed by academics.

The innovation comes as the Government looks to introduce roadside drug testing within two years.

Invented by Intelligent Fingerprinting, a spin-off company at the University of East Anglia, the device is capable of detecting whether a motorist has taken cannabis, cocaine or heroin.

The comp...


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Motorists paying "excessive" green taxes

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 18, 2011,

Soaring motoring taxes mean that individuals are paying nearly £300 a year each more than they should, a report has found.

Motorists paying more than their fair share in taxes report claims

It estimates that drivers paid the £31.5 billion raised from drivers in 2009 not only dwarfs the amount spent on roads but also the environmental cost of motoring.

The figures by the Taxpayers’ Alliance will be rekindle the debate over motoring taxes ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn St...


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Rallying back in the spotlight

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 18, 2011,

This weekend's World Rally Championship showdown in Wales is the climax of the series' return to attracting a wider audience.

Rallying back in the spotlight

For this week only, one of international motorsport's biggest and noisiest circuses has taken over a small market town in mid-Wales. The FIA World Rally Championship has descended upon Builth Wells for the 13th and final round of the season.

Unlike the Formula One Drivers' championship, which was all d...


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Pass!

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 17, 2011,
Congratulations to Anna for passing yesterday over at Brislington test centre with just one minor!  Well done Anna, be safe and see you on the road.

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Honda Asimo robot advances in leaps and bounds

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 17, 2011,

A raft of cutting-edge technologies make the Honda Asimo humanoid robot even more human.

In what Honda claims is world-first technology, its Asimo robot is now able to move without being controlled by an operator.

A significant improvement in intelligence and the physical ability to adapt to situations takes Asimo another step closer to practical use in an office or public space, according to Honda.

The robot was introduce...


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Classic Motor Show heads to Birmingham

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 17, 2011,

Birmingham NEC has more than 1,650 vintage cars and bikes on display this weekend for the Footman James Classic Motor Show.

More than 1,400 cars and 250 motorcycles are on display at the NEC in Birmingham this weekend at the Footman James Classic Motor Show.

Seven halls will brim with meticulously restored machines presented by many of Britain's best motoring clubs and marque specialists. The organisers promise a broad sel...


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Closing road during Remembrance services infringes drivers' 'human rights'

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 16, 2011,

A request to close a busy road to mark a two minute silence during the forthcoming Remembrance services was refused by police as it would infringe motorists' “human rights”, the British Legion claimed.

For nearly 90 years, officers have helped the organisation hold the brief services in peace, by stopping traffic near the junction in Stockbridge, Hants.

But last year police ref...


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Are green cars good for your wallet?

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 16, 2011,

Are eco versions of popular hatchbacks really worth their higher price tags?

Are green cars good for your wallet?

In May this year Gerhard Plattner, an Austrian economy-driving specialist, covered 1,246 miles in a Skoda Fabia on a single, 45-litre tank of diesel. That equates to 127.8mpg on a journey from Reutte in Austria to Bov in Denmark and back again.

Even the most ardent global warming sceptic can’t fail to be impressed by such figures, if no...


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How to travel 57 miles for less than 64 pence

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 15, 2011,

At the recent Future Car Challenge, Gordon Murray's T.27 electric city car put in a performance equivalent to returning 350mpg.

Gordon Murray's T.27 wins Future Car Challenge

It is billed as "the world's most efficient electric car" - and Gordon Murray Design's T.27 electric city car has proven its eco credentials once again after topping the awards at the weekend's RAC Future Car Challenge.

The T.27 travelled the 57.13 miles f...


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Ferrari: green is the new red

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 15, 2011,

Ferrari's new stop/start system makes the supercar more environmentally friendly - but does it work on the high street?

The eco Ferrari

Worrying about the environment is not a concern you’d historically associate with Ferrari, but no one is immune from the global responsibility to decrease carbon emissions, not even niche manufacturers, and the Italian stallion must play its part.

Hence a fiv...


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Scrap fuel duty rises, Chancellor told

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 14, 2011,

George Osborne is under mounting pressure to cancel next year’s planned fuel duty increases, which could add seven pence to a litre of petrol.

Businesses joined motoring organisations in urging the Chancellor to scrap the rises to kick start the economy which is in danger of sliding into another recession.

Two fuel duty increases are scheduled for next year, which are likely to add at least seven pence to a litre of p...


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Most powerful Astra unveiled

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 14, 2011,

Vauxhall’s latest Astra VXR breaks cover, with a turbocharged engine producing 276bhp.

Most powerful Astra unveiled

Vauxhall has released the first pictures and details of its latest hot hatch, the Astra VXR.

Based on the latest Astra GTC three-door, the VXR uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine producing 276bhp and 295lb ft of torque, making it the most powerful production Astra the company has ever built.

The high performance engine is mat...


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M5 crash: 'fog' unlikely to have been caused by fireworks display, claim pyrotechnics experts

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 13, 2011,

Britain’s worst motorway crash in 20 years was unlikely to have been caused by smoke from a nearby fireworks display, pyrotechnics experts have claimed.

The scene on the M5 motorway close to Taunton in Somerset following a 27 vehicle pile-up

Seven people died and more than 50 were taken to hospital on Friday after dozens of vehicles smashed into one another on the M5 motorway just before 8.30pm.

Thick ‘fog’ was reported on the road just before the incident.

Police are investigating Taunton RFC ...


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M5 crash: why variable speed limits are the way to stop crashes

Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, November 13, 2011,

Seven people died on Friday following one of Britain's worst motorway pile ups. It has led campaigners to call for the Department of Transport to rethink plans to raise the speed limit to 80mph. The Daily Telegraph's Transport Editor David Millward explains how variable speed limits could save more lives.

Variable speed limits where drivers are asked to slow down depending on conditions could be the best way of preventing fatal accidents

The horrific carnage on the M5 poses the first test for the new Transport Secretary, Justine Greening.

Ove...


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M5 crash may bring rethink on raising motorway limit to 80mph

Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, November 12, 2011,

A full risk assessment is needed of measures to increase the maximum motorway speed limit from 70mph to 80mph, a motoring group said today.

The M5 tragedy has put the spotlight on Government proposals to raise the limit to 80mph.

Today, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) called on the Government to pilot an 80mph limit on a controlled and managed motorway ''to assess its practicality and safety and road users' rea...


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Motorists warned cost of tank of petrol 'to hit £100' by 2015

Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, November 12, 2011,

Motorists have been warned that the cost of filling up their cars is to rise dramatically within a few years and could hit £100 per tank of petrol, leading economists warn.

Motorists warned cost of tank of petrol 'to hit £100' by 2015

Struggling families were told to brace to expect the average cost of unleaded petrol to rise from an average of £1.34.8 today to £1.54 within four years.

Experts said this would the cost of filling up a Ford Mondeo, which has a 70-litre tan...


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M5 crash: coma girl 'unaware she is an orphan' after Somerset smash

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 11, 2011,

A teenage girl, Emma Barton, injured in the M5 motorway pile-up, which has claimed seven lives, is thought to be in a coma and unaware that her father and sister are among the dead.

Emma Barton from Windsor, Berks. She is detained in hospital following the horrific M5 crash: M5 crash: coma girl 'unaware she is an orphan' after Somerset smash

The 19 year-old remains in a medically-induced coma in hospital after Friday night's multi-vehicle collision near Taunton, Somerset.

Her father Michael, believed to be 67, and her sister Maggie, thought to be 23, died in the smash. It...


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Classic cars: a better investment than gold

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 11, 2011,

Where should the rich invest their money? In classic cars, according to a new index.

Classic cars: a better investment than gold
A 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 RS is a fine investment Photo: ALAMY

Warren Buffett, also known as the world’s greatest inves...


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Rugby club fireworks show under investigation over M5 crash

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 10, 2011,

A rugby club fireworks display is being investigated as the potential cause of Britain’s most devastating motorway accident for 20 years.

Avon and Somerset Police confirm that the pile-up involved 34 vehicles and caused at least seven deaths

Seven people were killed and 51 injured after more than 30 cars smashed into each other on the M5 in Somerset on Friday night, causing explosions and large fires.

Victims include a father and daughter, a father of five and an elderly couple. The identities of the final two vict...


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Graphic: London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 10, 2011,

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running motoring event in the world. Each year there are more than 500 entries for the endurance run that sees pre-1905 cars tackling the near 60-mile route.

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running annual motoring event in the world. Each year there are more than 500 entries for the endurance run that sees pre-1905 cars tackling the near 60-mile route from Hyde Park in central Lond...

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M5 motorway crash: 'it was like Afghanistan'

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 9, 2011,


The death toll in the worst motorway accident for 20 years is expected to rise as police continue to search the crash site for the missing.

Avon and Somerset Police confirm that the pile-up involved 34 vehicles and caused at least seven deaths
Image 1 of 5
Police confirmed that the pile-up involved 34 vehicles and caused at least seven deaths 
...

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M5 motorway crash: 'people were crying for help but the fire was too intense'

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 9, 2011,

It was, according to those who survived, a scene of utter carnage. In the space of a few seconds, the northbound carriageway of the M5 near Taunton was turned into a raging inferno of wrecked cars, vans and lorries.

M5 near Taunton was turned into a raging inferno of wrecked cars, vans and lorries.
M5 near Taunton was turned into a raging inferno of wrecked cars, vans and lorries.  Photo: Christopher Jones

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M5 crash: seven dead in 'worst ever' smash in Somerset

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 9, 2011,

Seven people are confirmed dead and dozens injured, several seriously, after one of Britain’s worst ever pile-ups on the M5 motorway in Somerset.

At least 34 vehicles crashed on the northbound carriageway of the M5 near Taunton, causing several explosions.

Police confirmed that "some" people had "tragically lost their lives" amid...


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Bond cars on display

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 7, 2011,

The National Motor Museum announces a new Bond In Motion exhibition, starring 50 vehicles used in the James Bond films, which opens in January.

Bond In Motion: exhibition of 50 vehicles/gadgets used in Bond films, at National Motor Museum, Beaulieu from Jan - DEc 2012.

An exhibition of 50 vehicles used in the James Bond films will go on display from January 18 a the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the New Forest.

The Museum and EON Productions, the UK-based production company which makes the James Bond films, announced the display in celebra...


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Men of many parts

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 7, 2011,

An Aviva survey reveals that we are storing junk in our garages instead of our cars, which are actually worth something.

Aside from a home, most Britons will find that their single most valuable possession is a car. Odd, then, that so many owners who have a garage claim they would rather leave their vehicles on the drive or in the street than tucked up indoors. This might say something about the modern need to flaunt one...


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HR Owen issues profit warning on supercar delays

Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, November 7, 2011,

Luxury car dealer HR Owen issued a profit warning on Monday, blaming a fall in demand and delays in the delivery of new models for denting its hopes of a strong second half.

The company said that demand had "deteriorated in recent weeks" and it now expected to "record a small loss at trading level for the second half of the year".

The shares fell 3½ - 5pc - to 64p.

HR Owen forecast in March that 2011 would bring "a h...


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Another Pass!

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 4, 2011,
Congratulations to Humphrey for passing his driving test yesterday at Southmead with just 2 minors!  That's three passes this week.  Well done Humphrey and see you on the road.

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Shorter version of independent driving video published

Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, November 4, 2011,

DSA has published a shorter version of the video that explains what independent driving is. It focuses on what candidates have to do during the independent driving section.

The original version explained what the test was like before October 2010. It also included feedback from candidates that took part in the independent driving trials.

If you put the original video on your website or link to it, please update your links to the new video. 

Watch the shorter version of ‘Independent d...


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Users of mobility scooters could face eyesight test

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 3, 2011,

Drivers of mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs could have to take eyesight tests, the Government has said.

The introduction of a minimum eyesight requirement is being considered in an attempt to improve safety, Norman Baker, the local transport minister told MPs in a Commons written reply.

Imposing the tests is one of a number of changes under consideration in Whitehall amid concern over the risks posed by the use...


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Winter tyre advice: don't get caught out

Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, November 3, 2011,

With winter approaching now is the time to think about changing to suitable tyres.

As the nights shorten and you start searching the internet for getaway holiday sunshine, you might first consider clicking on the less glamorous but infinitely more practical tyre distributor websites.

Because if this winter's weather is anything like it has been for the past couple of years, winter (or, more precisely, cold weather) tyres...


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Pass!

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 2, 2011,
Congratulations to Gayle for passing yesterday at Southmead test centre.  That's two passes in two days!  Well done Gayle and see you on the road!

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Jeremy Clarkson: injunction 'pointless' after Twitter rumours

Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, November 2, 2011,

Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter, has revealed that he lifted an injunction banning the publication of details about his alleged affair with his ex-wife after the claims were outed online.

Last night Clarkson said the gagging order became "pointless" when his name was linked with the allegations on websites including Twitter.

"If you take an injunction out it isn't an injunction because Twitter and Facebook mean ...


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Pass!

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 1, 2011,
Congratulations to Sophie for passing first time testerday at Southmead test centre.  Well done Soph, see you on the road.

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New standards for driver and rider trainers

Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, November 1, 2011,

A new framework setting out the key competences expected of driving instructors and motorcycle trainers has been published today by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

The National Driver/Rider Training Standard™ sets out the skills, knowledge and understanding required to deliver driver and rider training programmes for cars, light vans and motorcycles, both before and after a candidate has passed their test.

The standard sets out what instructors need to be able to do, and the k...


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Will Dracott


This blog is for everyone and anyone who has an interest in driving. We have all the latest from the DSA, High Way Code news, Motoring Headlines and Car Reviews. If you're a learner, motorist or driving instructor, we welcome your input in the topics we bring you.
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