July 9, 2012
JUSTIN BIEBER CAUGHT SPEEDING TWICE IN ONE DAY

Teen icon Justin Bieber was caught by police driving at speeds of 80mph in a 60mph zone.

A former LAPD employee who was an eyewitness said “Bieber was driving like a maniac. He was weaving in and out of traffic…I would have arrested him for reckless driving.”

Bieber told cops he was trying to escape from paparazzi, the second time he was pulled over that day, a car carrying photographers were also pulled over for speeding. He was driving his Fisker Karma Hybrid at the time, as the name suggests maybe it was Karma for the paps that were following him and causing him grief.

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July 6, 2012
ONLINE CAR MANUALS

Research has shown that an ever increasing gap in the market has allowed companies to produce car manuals that can be viewed on Pc’s.

The manuals will include the top 50 most popular cars, which will cover a large variety of how to and maintenance tips and videos to help customers to maintain their beloved cars.
 
The online manuals will be widely available once mass produced and will include cars such as the Mini and Ford Fiesta.

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July 5, 2012
Great Britain

With reduced budgets some of us are looking to go on vacation at home this year. Whilst we may feel a bit gutted that the Algarve and the Bahamas may be out of reach this year,  don’t despair.

There are so many great things to see in the UK. Of course there are the major cities, Leeds, Liverpool and London. But then there are places we might not think about going to. What about Edinburgh or Dublin? You can get to these cities relatively cheaply by flying on local airlines like, Flybe, Jet2 and EasyJet. Going on sites like Airbnb or Googling cheap hotels, you should be able to find some good deals.

Then there are other beautiful places like St Ives, Blackpool and Stratford upon Avon. Sure, the weather may not be great but there is plenty of other things to see and do. Taking the time to visit the sites of Britsol and the rich history in Oxford is a lot of fun.

If you are planning on driving to these cities, take the time to plan your route. Check how much parking will be at your hotel. See if the car park is safe and secure too. You may want to have a look at taking a train or coach to certain place. Booking trains in advance work out to  be cheaper, and sometimes a lot cheaper, then booking them on the day.

We wish you happy summer travels!

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July 4, 2012
THE UNIVERSAL F SIGN

There are plans for a new magnetic plate similar to that of the “L” or “P” plate to be introduced to the Highway Code and it will display a black “F”.

It would be used to show drivers on the roads, cars that are following a funeral procession. More often than not when family and friends are following a hearse and the family cars other road users do not know who is with the procession and who is not.

We all want to show our respect but it’s hard to know who belongs in the line up, this is an easy solution that would hopefully take away any further stress to the bereaved.

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July 3, 2012
Warm Weather

So often in England we are dealing with cold weather. When it comes to driving, we are most concerned about the weather when it is raining. When it rains and the condensation starts it requires you to be extra cautious; you need to also think about braking and your increased stopping distance.

One of the few things we think about though is driving in hot weather. Hot weather can have an effect on us too. You can feel drousy, which is of course, never a good thing. To prepare your self for the heat, always keep yourself hydrated. Have a few bottles of water stashed away in the car. This will come in useful when you get into your car after shopping or visiting friends. If you do feel sleepy avoid driving and take some time to hydrate yourself.

When you are driving keep a constant flow of air coming in through the car. Should you be travelling long distances, plan for breaks at service stations. You don’t even need to buy anything. By simply getting out of the car and walking around a little you will benefit from the fresh air. Try and avoid travelling during rush hour when you are likely to be stuck in traffic.

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July 2, 2012
YOUR DRIVING LICENCE IS MADE UP OF TWO PARTS

It is exciting stuff receiving your provisional licence in the post and I am sure most people rip of the photo card and pop it in their purse or wallet. Worryingly though, people don’t appear to realise that the paper that the photo card comes on is actually the second part of your licence also known as the counterpart.

The DSA have said that more and more candidates are arriving at theory test centres and practical test centres without the counterpart, which results in them not being able to sit the test. Students must be able to produce both parts of their licence.

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June 29, 2012
INSURANCE PREMIUMS, READ THE SMALL PRINT

Insurance premiums… we all know the feeling when the renewal letter comes through the post. But what about the extra costs involved.

Just recently my car needed a replacement windscreen, so I got on the phone to my insurers and asked about the cover on my policy. They said I was covered and it would cost an excess of just £75. I wasn’t so sure on their wording ‘just £75’ but started the process of organising someone to come and replace the glass.

I was put through to various departments before somebody could help me and was told I would need to wait 4 days before someone could come out. Any driver knows that 4 days without a car is torture, so I took to calling around for some private quotes.

I got various prices all rather high so went back to my insurers. I had spoken to friends who warned me that claiming for the replacement windscreen would affect my future premiums so thought I would double check. The surprisingly pleasant lady on the phone (I have not had great experience before) said: “no, no, it won’t affect your premium”. I asked her if she was sure and could send me something in writing quoting this, so she said she would double check. She came back apologising for misleading me and said it has to go down as a claim for the next 5 years, but shouldn’t affect the price greatly.

As you can imagine I got straight back on the phone and called one of the private companies again. So I guess the point to this article is to warn drivers to check their policy carefully, to ask questions if you are not sure and to not be afraid to ask for a second opinion.

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June 28, 2012
Babies on Board

For those of us who had our babies before we took to the road and had a car, you will remember the times we were waiting at bus stops, in the rain, fighting against the masses of people to get a place on the bus. It’s these memories that makes us feel so utterly happy when we have our car. Even if we have to face the traffic, the fact that we have the kids tucked away in the car away from the horrid weather, buckled up and with the radio on, it makes us feel so happy.

That doesn’t mean we are always in a peaceful mind though. As we all know, children can get bored when you are driving and they need attention. It’s important to remember that although children need attention you need to be fully aware and be able to concentrate when driving.

If you have to travel with children often and the drives are often long distant, it is well worth preparing for these journeys. For younger kids, ensure you have the right booster seats, there are cushions you can haveto attach to the seat belts so it is more comfortable for them. You may also think about having some story book cds in the car to play to keep them occupied whilst you are driving. Assure them that you need to be able to concentrate when driving and it’s important to keep calm. When on a long journey plan to have regular toilet breaks. A quick freshen up can work wonders.

We hope that you find these tips useful.

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June 27, 2012
MOBILITY SCOOTER DRIVER DIES AFTER COLLISION WITH A BUS

An elderly man from Burton-on-Trent suffered serious injuries and died in hospital after he was hit by a bus whilst driving a mobility scooter.

The man was airlifted to hospital and despite best efforts from the trauma team at the hospital died shortly after arriving.

The bus driver along with all passengers on board, were not injured in the collision.

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June 26, 2012
Temper Temper

It’s fair to say that we all get annoyed at some point when we are driving. You’ve just been cut up, you were over taken dangerously, the person behind is driving too close, or that silly person did not indicate. These are all things that drive us a little barmy. The thing we need to remember though is that these things will always happen. There’s always going to be silly drivers on the road. Remember though, the majority of people on the road are safe drivers. Just think of each time you drive, there are a lot of people who, when they drive, do so carefully and safely.

We have all been there, on our way to work  and had to deal with someone acting dangerously. The best thing to do is stay calm. Remember that you are always in control of yourself, it’s never worth ruining your day because of someone else’s bad driving. The best way to deal with these drivers is to be prepared. Just by driving safely and been aware you can prepare for yourself for bad drivers and avoid accidents. If someone cuts you up, ease back a little. If someone is driving erratically let them carry on. And with that, we wish you a really good day of driving.

Keep calm. Keep driving.

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