Browsing Archive: June, 2012
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 30, 2012,
LONDON Mayor Boris Johnson has given qualified support to bold plans by Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone for a London Grand Prix. The proposal includes a route which would pass some of London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. Mr Johnson said he was "broadly positive" about the plan as long as air quality and noise issues were addressed. Speaking as he launched a new cable car system across the River Thames in London, the Mayor said: "I am always intere... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 30, 2012,
MOTORISTS who eat-and-drive risk more than just having egg on their faces, it was revealed today. As many as 20% of motorists eat meals in their cars on journeys to and from work, leaving them liable to possible prosecution, a survey by The Co-Operative Motor Group found. While it is not unlawful to eat in a car, motorists can be charged with careless driving or not being in proper control of their vehicle. The poll of 2,000 motorists showed that around half eat on a long journey, more than 11% ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 29, 2012,
NISSAN is to attempt to break the world record for the fastest mile driven in reverse – by sending a Leaf electric car backwards up the famously tricky Goodwood hillclimb. The plug-in family car, piloted by professional stunt driver Terry Grant, will have to negotiate all the course’s corners and obstacles as well as keeping the throttle pinned and the car facing the wrong way. In theory, its single-speed drivetrain will allow the Leaf to go as fast backwards as it does forwards, and the co... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 29, 2012,
The DSA has published its annual report and accounts, detailing the agency's achievements for 2011-12 and its ongoing commitment to improving road safety. Some of the key achievements include: meeting 24 out of 26 performance measures delivering around 1.6m practical car driving tests and 1.6m theory tests keeping ISO9000 accreditation for the quality assurance of the car practical test introducing new case studies into the driving theory test and stopping the publication of live questions to try ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 28, 2012,
HALF of freight and at least 12% of car journeys must transfer from road to rail if Britain is to have any chance of meeting emission-reduction targets, a leading union said today. A study for the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said such a huge shift would bring social and economic benefits worth more than £150 billion by the year 2050. Road congestion would be cut and accidents and emissions reduced, but there had to be a "complete change of direction" by the Government, said the un... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 28, 2012,
The Highway Code applies to England, Scotland and Wales. It's essential reading for everyone. Here's a reminder about road junctions. Rule 178 Advanced stop lines. Some signal-controlled junctions have advanced stop lines to allow cycles to be positioned ahead of other traffic. Motorists, including motorcyclists, MUST stop at the first white line reached if the lights are amber or red and should avoid blocking the way or encroaching on the marked area at other times, e.g. if the junction ahead ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 27, 2012,
SUPERMARKETS Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco are again cutting the price of petrol. From Tuesday customers at Asda's 196 filling stations will pay no more than 127.7p a litre for petrol and no more than 132.7p a litre for diesel. Asda said this was the lowest price for a litre of fuel since February 2011. The latest cut means Asda has shaved 14p off the cost of a litre of fuel since the end of April, reducing the cost of filling up a family car by almost £10. Asda's petrol trading director Andy Peak... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 27, 2012,
THE NEW Seat Toledo will be a hatchback built slightly larger than the old saloon, but with greater fuel economy courtesy of the latest engine technology. Initial details show a car that will share its chassis and running gear with the forthcoming Skoda Rapid, including the excellent 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol TSI engines. At 4.48 metres long it’s 40mm longer than the old Toledo, released in 2004. The wheelbase, however, is 80mm longer than that of the old car and is designed to give both bett... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 26, 2012,
The largest motoring garden party in the world returns to celebrate all things automotive - and this year a spectacular collection of Lotus cars will be the key attraction. Fans young and old feel the need for speed at Goodwood (Picture: Rex) Nearly 200,000 people are expected to descend on Sussex for the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place from June 28 to July 1. This time the festival is celebrating the achievements of much-loved British brand Lotus. In the company's 60th annive... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 26, 2012,
BRITISH brand Bentley will have something special to offer the home crowd at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as the Continental GT Speed makes its international debut. Powered by an uprated version of the mighty twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine, the GT Speed offers 616bhp and 590lb.ft of torque. With the power channelled to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox the GT Speed can reach 60mph from rest in 4.0 seconds and go on to a remarkable 205mph. To make the most of the per... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 25, 2012,
SOMETIMES you get an invitation to something that sounds so bizarre, you simply have to follow it through out of pure curiosity. This was just such an invitation: “We’re shooting a viral video of professional golfer Jake Shepherd hitting a golf ball down the runway at Dunsfold and David Coulthard is going to catch it in a Mercedes-Benz SLS.” It was not to be refused. The sun was beating down at Dunsfold – probably better known as the Top Gear test track – and the light winds made for... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 25, 2012,
Sign up to get a weekly reminder of Highway Code rules by email. Each weekly email focuses on a different rule. You’ll need your email address to sign up - it takes about 1 minute to do. The Highway Code applies to England, Scotland and Wales. It’s essential reading for everyone. It is important that all road users are aware of the code and are considerate towards each other. This applies to pedestrians as much as to drivers and riders. Many of the rules in the code are legal requirements, an... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, June 24, 2012,
ONLY three European countries have worse rush-hour traffic congestion than the UK, according to new figures. London, Manchester and Liverpool were all among the most congested cities in Europe last year, statistics from traffic information company INRIX showed. Based on rush-hour commute-to-city travel in 2011, the figures revealed that UK drivers spent 32 hours of the year stuck in traffic, although this was four hours less than in 2010. Heading the congestion list last year was Belgium where d... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, June 24, 2012,
Driving instructors who pose a significant threat to public safety will face immediate suspension under new legislation that was put forward in Parliament on Wednesday. Under the current legislation, it takes a minimum of 45 days to prevent an instructor from continuing to give paid driving instruction. However, from 13 July, the registrar of approved driving instructors will have the power to immediately suspend the registration or trainee licence of an instructor who presents a significant d... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 23, 2012,
PARENTS are getting "incorrect and potentially dangerous advice from retailers" on how to fit child car seats, according to Which? Mystery shoppers visited seven branches of each of the five major child car seat retailers. No more than two of the seven stores from each of Halfords, Mothercare, John Lewis, Mamas & Papas or Babies R Us gave the correct advice when it came to correctly installing the seat, Which? said. It added that no retailer had more than three of their visited stores asking wha... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 23, 2012,
Aston Martin has taken the wraps off its latest model- with James Bond likely to be salivating at the prospect of his next company car. Sharp and speedy: The new Aston Martin Vanquish The stunning Aston Martin Vanquish is the replacement for the outgoing DBS, the car of choice for Daniel Craig in his first two Bond movies. Bond drives a 1960s DB5 in the latest film, but it will only be a matter of time before 007 gets his hands on the £189,995 Vanquish. Under the bonnet of the new model has a m... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 22, 2012,
THE PRICE of petrol at the pumps is continuing to fall and should dip even further soon, the AA said today. Although diesel is also cheaper, it is still "stubbornly high" compared with the rest of Europe, the company added. Average petrol prices in the UK are now 132.65 a litre - almost 10p lower than the record 142.48p in mid-April. The average price of diesel is 138.10p a litre compared with the peak figure of 147.93p. The AA said a two-car family is spending £20.87 less on petrol a month than... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 22, 2012,
TESCO has apologised to motorists whose cars broke down after a tanker driver accidentally put diesel into petrol pumps at one of its filling stations. The supermarket giant has offered to pay for repairs following the gaffe at its Catterick Garrison garage in North Yorkshire. Around 25 drivers are believed to have been affected in the mix-up on Thursday, but the retailer says it may take some time to establish exact numbers. A Tesco spokesman said: "There has been an isolated incident where a s... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 21, 2012,
There are two million uninsured vehicles on the roads in the UK. If you're in an accident with one of them, where do you stand? British drivers can choose between three levels of car insurance: Third-party cover: in the event of an accident, this protects third parties (drivers, pedestrians and other members of the public) if you injure them or damage their property. It provides no cover for your car. Third party, fire and theft (TPFT) cover: This extends third-party cover to include theft of yo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 21, 2012,
SKODA has released further details of its fast-approaching Rapid compact saloon, following a concept image some months ago. Sized in between the Fabia and Octavia, the Rapid aims to capture sales in a corner of the market it currently doesn’t serve. It’s likely that it will end up sharing a lot of parts and technology with the Volkswagen Jetta. However, the Rapid is the first Skoda to showcase the next generation of the company’s styling. Despite being smaller in every direction it looks ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 20, 2012,
NISSAN has begun a prestige model offensive using the branding of its performance wing, Nismo, starting with a hotter Juke. Nissan Motorsport International Limited, to give the performance subsidiary its full name, is well known in Japan and in performance car circles in Europe, and as part of its Le Mans programme Nissan has announced a commercialisation of the brand. Executives from Nissan Europe and the global headquarters in Japan held court at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, where the move was ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 20, 2012,
THE VAUXHALL Astra range has been sharpened up with more aggressive styling and a new hot diesel version of the three-door GTC. Prices for the facelifted range are to stay the same, with deliveries starting in September to coincide with the ‘62’ number plate. Both the five-door hatchback and Sports Tourer estate have a redesigned grille and a new lower bumper, along with new looks for the indicators and fog lights. The rear now features a chrome lower moulding and is styled to match the new ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 19, 2012,
BRITAIN’S roadsides are becoming a "linear" rubbish tip, according to Bill Bryson, the writer and president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). The Notes From a Small Island author said littering has become so bad it was becoming the default position. Research from the car breakdown company Green Flag suggests 29 million cigarette butts are thrown from cars each year and the CPRE has renewed calls to make it easier to fine people for littering from vehicles. The research also show... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 19, 2012,
STAFF at car giant Ford are to stage a 24-hour strike in a row over pay and pensions. Unite, which represents about 1,200 white collar employees at the carmaker, said the walkout will start at 6am on Monday, affecting sites across the country including Dagenham in Essex, Bridgend in South Wales, Halewood on Merseyside and Southampton. The union said staff were "furious" at plans to close the final salary pension scheme to new starters and lower their rates of pay. Unite national officer Roger Ma... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 18, 2012,
UK petrol prices have for the second month running fallen by more than 4p a litre, the AA said. It is a reduction not seen since the price collapse of late 2008, but AA Fuel Price Report research shows that in late April diesel car owners could have enjoyed pump prices much closer to petrol's for the first time in two years. The AA said it believed the Transport Secretary Justine Greening's calls for fuel price transparency, after an intensive AA campaign, may have helped contribute to a more r... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 18, 2012,
Watch out for emails claiming to be from the DVLA asking you to verify your driving licence details via an online link – it's a scam. The DVLA has not sent any such email, so if you get one delete it immediately. This is a copy of the email that is circulating: From: DVLA Subject: Update Your License Details We are currrently upgrading our database and all drivers are required to update and verify there driver's license details.To complete your license verification with us, you are required to ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 16, 2012,
THE NUMBER of cars built in the UK last month increased by more than 40% over the same time last year to the highest May total since 2004, new figures showed today. There were 141,146 cars manufactured in UK factories, a rise of 42.2% over May 2011, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Car production has increased by 17.3% in the year to date. Paul Everitt, chief executive of the SMMT, said: "Car manufacturing in May hit the highest level of output since 2004 posting 42.2%... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 16, 2012,
The UK car industry continued to buck the economic gloom reporting its highest output in eight years. Figures released by the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show the car production market is experiencing a golden spring. In May 141,146 cars were built in the UK, with a further 9,445 commercial vehicles rolling off the production line. Production of the new Astra will remain at the Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port. This represented a year-on-year increase of 42.2% and the ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 15, 2012,
Congratulations to Billy for passing first time yesterday at Southmead test centre with just 4 minors. A great drive. Well done Billy, see you on the road. Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 15, 2012,
Careless drivers will be targeted under new proposals announced for consultation by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. The proposals would make fixed penalty notices available for careless driving, giving the police greater flexibility in dealing with less serious careless driving offences and freeing them from resource intensive enforcement processes. The fixed penalty will also enable the police to offer educational training as an alternative to endorsement. Drivers would still be able to ap... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 15, 2012,
There
are many green reasons to choose electric cars over petrol or diesel
cars, but are they really the most economical cars to run? Here we
will look at some of the hard facts.
With
petrol at over £1.40 a litre many people will be considering whether
they could save money by going electric. Obviously they are of little
use if you spend time driving on motorways however it you use your
car primarily to commute to work, say up to 50 miles a day, then
owning an electric car makes a lot of... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 14, 2012,
GOLD medal-winning Olympians have recreated The Italian Job's much-loved Mini chase, transporting the action from Turin to London. Some of the team behind TV's Top Gear helped to create the short film ahead of London 2012, starring triple jumper turned broadcaster Jonathan Edwards and rowers James Cracknell and Matthew Pinsent. The film, The Britalian Job, was shot around numerous landmarks, including the Olympic Stadium. The original 1969 movie - starring Sir Michael Caine - is considered a Bri... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 14, 2012,
WE'RE constantly being told that downsizing is the future. In order to save fuel, money and the planet, small has become big business. Skeptics will no doubt have visions of large cars with small, asthmatic engines, but modern technology - turbochargers, superchargers, trick fuel injection - can work miracles with only a handful of cubic centimetres. You'd expect such an approach in city car circles, however a good indicator of progress is when the technology goes mainstream. And you can't get... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 13, 2012,
MOTOR firms are aiming to break manufacturing records in the next few years following recent multi-billion pound investments at factories across the country. Car production will be expanded, new models introduced and thousands of jobs created as a result of the investment unveiled in the last 18 months. Figures released ahead of an international automotive summit run by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed the UK could surpass the 1972 record of 1.92 million cars produce... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 13, 2012,
SUPERMARKET giants Asda and Sainsbury's are cutting up to 3p a litre from the price of fuel. The retailers said the new prices would come into effect tomorrow. Asda said an ease in global oil prices has enabled it to pass those savings on to motorists. Drivers filling up at any of Asda's 195 forecourts nationwide will now pay no more than 129.7p per litre for unleaded and 134.7p per litre for diesel. Andy Peake, Asda's director of petrol trading, said: "Motorists will be pleased to know fuel is n... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 12, 2012,
SOME PEOPLE say the art of making great small cars is all but lost, but that just isn’t true. Here’s a little Skoda that proves the point. To celebrate 100 years of the Monte Carlo rally Skoda has come up with the Fabia Monte Carlo, a trim level based on the mid-range SE, with five doors by default and pepped up with some very nice extras. It looks the business thanks to black 17-inch alloy wheels, black wing mirror housings, matching black side sills, wheel arch extensions and bumper skirt... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 12, 2012,
DRIVERS dole out more than £9 million over a motoring lifetime to repair damage caused by back-seat driver distractions, it was revealed today. As many as 66% of motorists have been victims of unwanted attention from back-seat drivers, a survey by insurance company Confused.com found. Distractions caused by such interference has led to accidents for almost a quarter of drivers, who have to fork out up to £500 to repair the resultant damage during their driving life. More than two in three wome... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 11, 2012,
THERE’S no greater pressure than being a success. Just ask Peugeot, who face the unenviable task of creating a supermini that lives up to the legacy of the 205. That car is still fondly remembered (despite not being as perfect as the fog of nostalgia leads us to be believe) but the 206 that followed it did even better: an incredible 7.7 million were sold worldwide. The outgoing 207 was a good car, but couldn’t match either the charm or sales success of its predecessors. So have a little s... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 11, 2012,
It may only have three wheels, but this Reliant Robin comes complete with tank tracks and machine guns and has been built with Jeremy Clarkson in mind. Bernard Reeves, 67, got so fed up with the flak the Top Gear presenter would give the model on his show that he decided to spend six months converting the three-wheeler. The "Rugged Reliant" has tank-like tracks and a machine gun. Image- SWNS. Now that his work is complete the retired restorations specialist has named the vehicle “Rugged Robin... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, June 10, 2012,
DRIVING test examiners and coastguards will hold lightning strikes today in disputes over jobs and closures. Members of the Public and Commercial Services union at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Driving Standards Agency will strike for between one and two hours in the latest phase of a month of action by thousands of transport workers. The union is protesting at plans to close a number of coastguard stations it says will cost 140 jobs, while the PCS fears job losses through the closure ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, June 10, 2012,
KIA will use the 2012 Motorexpo to debut its second generation Cee’d family hatchback. Located at Canary Wharf, the popular London motorshow gets underway on June 11. The new Cee’d, which went on sale at the beginning of June, has a stronger focus on design, ergonomics, fuel efficiency and standard equipment. Prices start at £14,395 on the road, and there’s a sub-100g/km CO2 diesel variant to attract company car drivers. Visitors to the show will also have the opportunity to drive Kia’... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 9, 2012,
ITALIAN car maker Fiat has had a lot of success with its cute 500 city car, and now the numbers have been crunched in the UK after four and half years of sales. Overall the little car has racked up 100,000 sales since its launch, and follows on from April’s official UK sales figures in which the 500 was placed inside the top 10 best sellers with 2,600 vehicles sold. Delving deep into the data, Fiat’s experts have discovered that 80 per cent of all 500 sales have been 1.2-litre petrol engine... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 9, 2012,
NEW CAR sales accelerated ahead last month, official figures showed today. There were 162,288 new registrations in May - a 7.9% rise on the May 2011 total, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Last month's increase was the largest for 23 months, boosted by 14.3% growth in private sales. The May rise took the total for the year so far to 868,166 - a 2.6% rise on the January-May figure last year. SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: "May's increase is good news for the mot... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 8, 2012,
It draws lots of attention but Renault’s urban runaround is more suited to an island in the Med than cold, rainy London. “Dave, look at this”, yelled a scaffolder to his colleague as I passed below on Monday. “Wassat?”, his colleague replied. “Dunno; Renault,” said the first man, as they squinted from their lofty perch. The Twizy electric quadricycle must be doing wonders for the French brand – it’s the first time in years anyone has so much as glanced at a Renault, and I had... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 8, 2012,
Satnav systems sometimes send motorists the wrong way but they can also impair their driving ability, according to a study by academics. Drivers' performance was affected when listening to satnav-style directions in an experiment carried out by Lancaster University and Royal Holloway, University of London. Volunteers were set tasks by a computer which mimicked the instructions given by a satnav. The results showed that when people were following complicated satnav instructions they tended to dri... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 7, 2012,
BRITISH motorists are becoming more patient and polite, according to a survey. Far from the image of a nation of road-rage drivers, more than a third (34%) of those polled said they smiled at other motorists when pushing in a queue or jumping lanes, while 20% use a friendly wave. Only 3% admitted to losing their temper and swearing, with motorists aged 45 to 54 the worst offenders. More women than men are prepared to use their charms by smiling at other drivers but motorists aged over 55 are the... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, June 7, 2012,
CASH-STRAPPED car owners are cutting corners to save money, according to a survey. As many as 10% of motorists are delaying their MoT test until after its due date to preserve cash, the poll by InsureMyExcess.com showed. A further 16% are holding off doing repairs to their vehicle to save money, with one in five of 18-24 year olds delaying attending to faults. More than half of the 1,000 drivers polled said they were worried about paying for repairs needed during an MoT inspection, while around ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 6, 2012,
A Ferrari originally built for Stirling Moss has sold for a world record £22.7million. The Ferrari 250 GTO, which was owned by UK-based businessman Eric Heerema, has been sold to a businessman in the US for the eye-watering sum. It is one of eight classic Ferraris to change hands over the past six weeks for a staggering £97million ($150 million), with demand in the classic car market showing no sign of relenting. The car was made by the Ferrari factory in 1962 for Moss. The Ferrari 250 GTO ha... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, June 6, 2012,
A classic car dealer is selling the perfect Jubilee gift for a patriotic petrolhead - the union flag-covered Jaguar E-Type used by Austin Powers. The stylish 1970 convertible was one of two Jaguars used by film studios for the 1999 comedy ‘The Spy who Sh***d Me’. The classic car went under a full restoration in 1999 and has been driven just 6,500 miles since filming finished. It is now being offered for sale by Dutch dealer ER Classics for £71,000, just in time for this weekend's Diamond ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 5, 2012,
FUEL prices could increase if the Government does not step in to help save an oil refinery from closure, ministers have been warned. Unions and an MEP said it was in the national interest to keep open the Coryton refinery in Essex, which supplies 20% of the fuel to London and the South East.The refinery has gone into administration and faces being shut down within weeks, with the loss of several hundred jobs. Unite and the GMB said the Government should take urgent action to save the site, whil... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, June 5, 2012,
POLICE have launched a summer anti-drink-drive campaign warning motorists they face checks in the morning as well as at night-time. The month-long campaign by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) will also target those who take drugs and then drive. Acpo said tests will be carried out at all times of the day and night, including first thing in the morning. During last year's campaign, which also ran in June, 88,629 people were stopped and breath-tested, with 6.1% testing positive or r... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 4, 2012,
AN EXTRA £10 per year is being added to every policy by the "dysfunctional" motor insurance market, a trading watchdog has said. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is concerned that insurers are focusing too much on pushing up rivals' costs and it wants to see firms concentrate on the quality and value of the service they provide to customers. The industry has come under fire for soaring motor insurance premiums, which rose by 12% between 2009 and 2010 and a further 9% in the first three quarter... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, June 4, 2012,
Engineering outfit Gemballa is known for taking super-fast Porsches and turning them into even quicker vehicles, but now the German company has switched its attentions to above the bonnet with equally impressive results. It’s launching the world’s first diamond coating service for the inside and outside of cars. Although the firm has refused to reveal the exact price of the paint job, a spokesperson revealed it could comfortably exceed the value of one their cars- which typically cost in ex... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, June 3, 2012,
SHELL forecourts are reviving a decades-old tradition by reintroducing attended service, where customers can have their cars filled up for them. The system was phased out many years ago but Shell has chosen to bring it back to improve its customer service. “We recognise that forecourts haven’t always been the most customer-friendly retail environments, and we want to try and do something about that,” said David Wood, Marketing Manager at Shell UK. Many drivers will remember when attended ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, June 3, 2012,
A FORMER Government chief drugs adviser has suggested that there should be alcohol sensors in every car. But the call by Professor David Nutt was described today as "impractical" by the AA. Under Prof Nutt's proposal, all drivers would have to breathe into a device and be within the legal drink-drive limit before their car would start. Prof Nutt is president of the British Neuroscience Association and a professor at Imperial College, London. He was sacked from his post as Government chief drugs a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 2, 2012,
THE GOVERNMENT is to take action to get petrol companies to pass on cuts in global oil prices to motorists at the pumps. Transport Secretary Justine Greening has called on fuel retailers to set up their own code of practice so consumers can monitor daily petrol or diesel prices. If the industry does not do it, then the Government plans to introduce legislation. Motoring groups and campaigners have long complained of the slowness of filling stations to lower pump prices if world prices fall. Ms Gr... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, June 2, 2012,
The latest issue of Despatch - the ezine for road safety professionals - has been published. In this issue: driving tests during the Olympics sample HPT clips - your comments Highway Code app launched Mark Magee - the DSA's new ADI Registrar and director for regulation, standards and development check tests dos and dont's a round-up of this month's news Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 1, 2012,
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is urging all practical driving test candidates booked to take a test on the afternoon of either 8 or 15 June to attend as usual. This is despite the potential for strike action by driving examiners who are members of the Pubic and Commercial Services (PCS) union. The DSA's chief executive Rosemary Thew said: "All candidates have the opportunity to change or cancel their practical test by giving the DSA three clear working days notice. "Not all examiners are mem... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, June 1, 2012,
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has published its response to the consultation proposals to amend the minimum medical standards for eyesight and epilepsy in relation to driving. GET STARTED The DVLA has published its response to the consultation proposals to amend the minimum medical standards for eyesight and epilepsy in relation to driving. There will be some changes for drivers and riders with epilepsy and to the vision standards required for driving. There will be no chan... Continue reading ...
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Will Dracott
| A-Class Driving School |
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