Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sorry gaffer, computer says no
GPS technology can do so much more than just help you find your way successfully from Land’s End to John o’ Groats – it’s now being used to sell car insurance to young drivers in the form of a telematics box and it may even help England win the European Championships in 2012.
Yes, I know this last statement sounds wildly spurious and optimistic but it’s true, if only you’ll read on.Jack Wilshire, widely considered to be the greatest creative young midfield prospect we’ve produced since Paul Scholes – some even rate him as better – has said that he won’t go to the European Under-21 Championships after being warned off competing by the little GPS black box he has fitted to his body every time he plays.
It says that he’s getting tired, worn out and risks injury and exhaustion if he continues to play on through the summer’s under-21 tournament, having already clocked up more pitch minutes than any other Arsenal player this season.
As such, he’ll be free to rest, relax and have a summer holiday like any other person this summer. As a full international and Arsenal regular, he’s no longer a novice student of the game, so his decision to not compete will earn him a well-deserved break and be one that hopefully helps us come the 2012’s senior tournament.
Image © Ronnie Macdonald via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, Jack Wilshire, young drivers
Friday, May 27, 2011
Watch out, watch out there’s windy weather about
It’s been unusually windy recently in the UK and after two driver deaths caused by falling trees, experts are warning motorists to be careful when travelling in high winds.
It also says that strong gusts can blow cars, cyclists, motorcyclists and even horse riders off course and is most likely to happen on open stretches of road exposed to crosswinds or when a road user passes a bridge or gap in a hedge or fencing.
Advice contained within the code suggests that vehicles may be affected by turbulence created by large vehicles and that motorcyclists are particularly susceptible.
However, the road safety regulations document does not appear to offer warning to motorists about the risks of falling trees and the debris caused by high winds.
The recent gale-force winds experienced in the UK are not usually experienced in late May and trees heavy with leaves and buds have been particularly affected. Accidents have been caused by boughs and branches breaking and falling into the road and onto cars.
Young drivers and inexperienced motorists are therefore reminded to be extra careful during high winds in spring and summer as the risk of a car accident may be greatly increased in such conditions.
Labels: gale-force winds, inexperienced motorists, young drivers
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Making the capital’s roads safer for cyclists
Many young drivers have probably, at one time or another, been active cyclists on UK roads and, as such, may be all too familiar with the dangers that a large lorry can present.
So, it may come as good news to many that the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) has launched a petition calling for all London councils to commence cyclist-awareness training for lorry drivers based within their boundaries.As the petition was handed to London Assembly members at City Hall, Caroline Pidgeon, Chair of the Transport Committee, commented, "Cycling in London needs to be made far safer. More than one cyclist a month dies on London's roads – that is a shocking figure and is unacceptable.
"The Mayor is always talking about promoting cycling but the harsh fact is that much more needs to be done to tackle the dangers facing cyclists."
According to statistics quoted by the LCC, lorries and their drivers have been implicated in 50 per cent of London road traffic accidents involving cyclists in “recent years”. Yet, lorries only account for five per cent of the capital’s traffic.
Perhaps it is the dangers of cycling on UK roads which causes so many young adults to want to get their driving licences as soon as possible and this could be seen as a contributory factor in the high number of young driver car accidents. If this is the case, local councils and the government should surely wish to do all they can to make the roads safer for cyclists.
Image © Salim Virji via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: cyclists, lorry drivers, young drivers
A buzzar problem
If you think petrol prices, car maintenance, road tax and insurance premiums are a problem – one motorist forgot about them all for a while when she came outside to find that a large swarm of bees had landed on her car and the little creatures were making themselves comfortable.
The woman driver, from Somerset, explained, “My neighbour knocked on my door to tell me a swarm had landed. I could hardly believe it – it was an incredible sight.
“I have no idea why they picked my car. There was no food for them here, but they seemed to be attracted by the fuel cap at the back of the vehicle.”Bees are occasionally seen clinging to vehicles and other strange objects, much to the surprise of passers-by and the owners, during their spring reproductive cycles. Sometimes they are looking for a sheltered place to make a hive.
The woman waited to see if they’d buzz off (sorry), but eventually after two hours she called a bee-keeper to move them on.
If you go to your car one day to find a swarm of bees attached to it – don’t try to move them yourself. Wait to see if they leave without help and then, if they don’t, call a bee-keeper who can safely remove them for you.
That way, you have your car back, and the bees can go on to find a safer place to settle.
Image by kaibara87 via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, insurance, maintenance, motorist, petrol prices, premiums, road tax
Monday, May 16, 2011
More bad press for young drivers
Oh dear! Once again, young drivers do themselves no favours in the press by admitting some really stupid things in response to a survey.
The Belfast Telegraph reported statistics from an unnamed source which stated that two out of every five young drivers felt it was okay to travel ten miles an hour, or more, faster than a speed limit set at 30mph.
It also stated that almost a quarter of the motorists questioned believed drinking up to one and a half pints of beer, or corresponding amount of alcohol, and then taking control of a car is acceptable.Apparently, 500 young drivers, 16 to 21 years of age, were questioned and the results were revealed to coincide with the launch of the United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety Campaign.
Sadly, 58% of those polled thought that young motorists drive more dangerously when they are transporting their peers and this statistic is almost certainly borne out by the numbers of young drivers, and their young passengers, who become victims of car accidents.
Julie Townsend, spokesperson for road safety charity, Brake commented, "We're calling for a commitment from Government for action to tackle young driver crashes, and the needless casualties that result. Young drivers and their behaviour hold the key to the future extent of carnage on roads."
Image by jepoirrier via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car accidents, young drivers
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Surprised speed camera
Getting caught speeding is nothing to be proud of – but one 28-year-old man was very pleased when he made a Hastings speed camera flash in East Sussex.
The reason for his jubilation was probably that one, he won’t be issued with a fine, and two his 40mph speed was something of an achievement – the man was on rollerblades.The speeder, a professional in-line skater, cannot be issued with a fine because the speeding law only applies to motorists. It seems that the government hasn’t taken into account that some other modes of transport could also go over the speed limit in some 20 or 30mph areas and might be a danger to road users around them.
However, although this stunt might seem like a good laugh, it was, according to road safety organisations, a very irresponsible thing to do on a public highway.
“Having reviewed the footage, it is obvious that this stunt is nothing short of extremely foolish,” a Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) member stated.
"It is almost inconceivable anyone would attempt such a dangerous stunt at night, dressed mostly in black, on a road that's in use, just to prove a point.
"This sort of activity should always take place off the road under supervised conditions, ideally with protective clothing being used.
"Motorists also won't be expecting to see someone on roller skates in the road, and other road users would find it incredibly difficult to accurately judge speed."
It’s nice to read some amusing news every now and then, but, as the SSRP stated, had circumstances been different there could have been a serious accident.
View a video of the stunt here. However, be warned though, there is swearing in the last few moments of the footage.
Image by Kenny Hindgren via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: motorists, mph, speed camera, speeding
Friday, May 6, 2011
A royal flush of sentiment
Although it might have been a struggle to see them beneath the assorted pieces of riotous headgear, young people were out in force at the Royal Wedding.
From an insurance perspective having all those young and wealthy aristocrats in one place must have been an underwriters’ nightmare. Add to that the array of Bentleys, Rolls Royces, Aston Martins and custom-made limousines and it becomes clear that it must have cost a fortune to insure the whole extravaganza.Whatever your view on Royalty – time-honoured British institution or anachronism turned glorified celebrity circus? – it was hard not to be swept along by the sentiment and collective goodwill which the spectacle engendered – moving out concentrically from Westminster Abbey to streets and lounges across the nation. One friend of mine, a newly-qualified young woman driver and avowed monarchist, shocked everyone, including herself by breaking into empathic tears of happiness as Will finally managed to lock the ring onto Kate’s finger, which appeared to have swollen with nerves.
Perhaps all of us who’ve been reared on fairy tales, Disney movies and Jane Austen costume dramas are hardwired to be susceptible to the prince-meets-girl-makes-princess formula – no matter how cynical we may claim to be on the outside.
The only time I felt remotely cynical was when the newlyweds rolled out of Buckingham Palace in my dream car. My resistance to envy can only withstand so much taunting. I wouldn’t even be able to realistically afford the car insurance for the Aston Martin, let alone the vehicle itself.
Image by it’s a foot! via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, newly qualified, young woman driver