Friday, September 30, 2011
A beautiful ending to a rubbish summer
The heat-wave spreading over the UK the past week brings a brilliant and unexpected close to our somewhat disappointing summer. Contrary to recent reports of early snow set for October, we can relax and bask in the sun.It’s not just sun-worshippers who are enjoying the benefits either. Apparently supermarkets are stocking up on burger baps and rosé wine to keep up with eager shoppers who are jumping in their cars in the pursuit of items for the barbeque.
The supermarkets may be onto something as temperatures are predicted to rise as high as 28 degrees Celsius on Saturday, which will give workers with the weekend off the opportunity to dig out their summer clothes again.
Even flowers have been making the most of the sunshine by blooming for the second time in a year – experts believe that they have been fooled into thinking spring has already returned!
It is thought that thousands of Brits will be driving down to the beach over the weekend to make the most of the glorious rays, and I am definitely considering joining in. Now, if only my car was a convertible!
Photo © schreiblockade via flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: barbeque, beach, blooming, cars, convertible, flowers, rays, spring, summer, sun, supermarkets
Monday, September 26, 2011
Flying high in the sky with my beautiful balloon
Here’s a novel way to save on your young driver car insurance costs – travel by helium balloon.
American pilot Jonathan Trappe has proved that it can be done and has carried out two epic journeys powered solely by wind and the lift of a multitude of colourful balloons.
Last year he crossed the English Channel and his most recent trip saw him crossing the Alps in a 12-hour journey which covered 94 miles.For the mountain crossing he used 54 balloons which allowed him to have one of the best views imaginable of the sun rising over the Alps as he drifted in silence at 15,000ft.
Setting off from Gap in France and landing near to the Italian town of Andezeno, the daredevil flyer said, “I would have probably died had I come down while flying over the Alps in the dark.
“Not just because it was dark, but because the terrain is so rugged there would be no place to land.
Adding, “The experience was just amazing though and it goes to show you can accomplish your dreams.”
The video of his ballooning experience does look amazing and I guess he was lucky to have had such a perfect day, but I don’t think I’ll be swapping my nice warm car any time soon for a bunch of balloons and a harness, no matter what the savings would be on motoring costs.
Image © katerha via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: helium balloon, motoring costs, young driver car insurance
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Space debris warning – Antarctica is the only safe place to be
There’s plenty of danger on the roads for Britain’s young drivers without the potential threat of redundant space hardware dropping onto the road in front of them, but it’s a distinct possibility say Nasa.
Apparently, the space bods have been tracking a six-tonne satellite which, they say, could fall to earth on Friday 23rd September, give or take a day or so.
Scientists reckon the UARS (upper atmosphere research satellite) could break up into around two dozen pieces as it closes in on earth and although there is a one in 3,200 chance that one of these chunks could hit someone on earth, Nasa officials believe that the risk to individuals is “extremely small”.Gene Stansbery, Nasa’s orbital debris chief (cool job title), said, "Things have been re-entering ever since the dawn of the space age; to date nobody has been injured by anything that's re-entered."
If you want to be completely safe, the only continent on earth that isn’t at risk of a debris strike is Antarctica, but that’s a long way to take your car. Let’s just hope that should your vehicle be hit by the falling wreckage, you have full young driver car insurance and any damage caused will be repaired as soon as possible.
Image © Joe Hastings via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Nasa, satellite, young driver car insurance, young drivers
Monday, September 19, 2011
Crooks exploit pregnant roadside pause
One young driver and mother-to-be got a huge shock last week after having her sapphire-blue Porsche 911 stolen by a couple of opportunistic and morally-deficient thieves on a motorway in Northamptonshire.
The 28-year-old driver had pulled over after realising that she had a flat tyre. Heavily pregnant and worried about having to wait around too long, she was delighted when a couple of men pulled over in a white van and offered their services.
However, after putting a fresh tyre on, they waited until the woman had her back turned then sped off – one in the white van, the other in the Porsche.
The woman was so distressed she worried she might go into premature labour. She said, “It’s absolutely disgusting – these men have no morals. They couldn’t have cared less about leaving me stranded, even when it was obvious I’m just weeks away from giving birth.”
She added, “The man who got out was a bit of a Jack the Lad, very chatty. There was nothing that alerted me to what was really going on until he got in the car. It all happened so quickly.”
Now it is possible that the young woman will not see her Porsche 911 again, in which case she’ll have to make a claim on her young driver car insurance.
Image © Ed Callow [ torquespeak ] via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Porsche 911, woman, young driver car insurance
Friday, September 16, 2011
The world’s youngest driver?
A YouTube clip of a 4-year-old Chinese girl driving a car has caused an internet sensation.
In the video, the girl, perhaps the youngest driver in the world, sits in the driver’s seat as she calmly drives along a motorway in Shandong Province – an area not noted for its safe and sedate driving.
Amazingly, she is seen overtaking other vehicles as she drives at speed, while her parents appear completely nonplussed, occasionally interacting with her from the backseat until her father says, “Jia Zeng, stop the car. Let daddy drive.”
As someone with young nephews and nieces, as much as I’m shocked to see a 4-year-old allowed behind the wheel, I’m equally astounded at how well-behaved she is. It’s usually at the point that you ask a young child to do something that it throws itself headlong into a tantrum – certainly not something you’d particularly want if it was piloting a car down the motorway.
Once she’s pulled over to let her daddy drive, he pops out of the back seat and removes some wooden blocks from the accelerator – meanwhile she returns to being a normal 4-year-old and pops a sweetie in her mouth.
I’m not familiar with motoring law in China, but I find it hard to imagine that it wouldn’t be an offence. I’m also certain that Chinese car insurance companies don’t offer car insurance to drivers as young as four.
Poor girl, it might look like fun, but it is impossible not to fear for her safety.
Labels: 4-year-old, car insurance, Chinese girl driving a car, young, youngest driver in the world
Monday, September 12, 2011
Curry and tea
If your car was 100 years old and ran on ginger curry and tea – that would definitely be something wouldn’t it!
No, car manufacturers have not started making vehicles that run on Indian food and British beverages. Sorry.
But here’s something else just as impressive.
The worlds oldest marathon runner – 100 years of age – has stated that it is his 10-mile-a-day training regime and diet of ginger curry and tea which has given him his long and healthy life.
We must admit, despite our reservations about running ten miles a day ourselves, he does seem very happy.
He stated, “I am not a learned person in any shape or form. To me, the secret is being happy, doing charity work, staying healthy and being positive.
“If someone says I must stop running I ignore them – invariably they're younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free.
“If there's something you can't change then why worry about it? Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.”
Very wise words we think. Now if you will excuse us, we’re off to order a ginger curry and a cup of tea.
No, car manufacturers have not started making vehicles that run on Indian food and British beverages. Sorry. But here’s something else just as impressive.
The worlds oldest marathon runner – 100 years of age – has stated that it is his 10-mile-a-day training regime and diet of ginger curry and tea which has given him his long and healthy life.
We must admit, despite our reservations about running ten miles a day ourselves, he does seem very happy.
He stated, “I am not a learned person in any shape or form. To me, the secret is being happy, doing charity work, staying healthy and being positive.
“If someone says I must stop running I ignore them – invariably they're younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free.
“If there's something you can't change then why worry about it? Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.”
Very wise words we think. Now if you will excuse us, we’re off to order a ginger curry and a cup of tea.
Photo by Nico* via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, ginger curry, manufacturers, marathon runner, tea, ten miles
Monday, September 5, 2011
Twenty raccoons in the car boot
Do you sometimes find it difficulty to get your dog into the car boot for a trip to the V-E-T?
Well, spare a thought for a family in Portsmouth who choose to share their home with 20 raccoons!
They spend £3,000 a year on them, and don’t go on any holidays because, let’s face it, it’s not like asking someone to pop in and feed your goldfish every day or so is it.“Raccoons are my life,” the mum of two human children and 20 raccoons stated.
“They are totally part of my family – my husband and kids love them to bits. But they are very clever and quite naughty when they put their minds to it.
“In the wild they are naturally inquisitive scavengers and they are very good with their hands.
“They can go anywhere in the home – but I do try to draw the line at the kitchen. Having said that I saw one trying to copy the way I cut melon for him. I caught him with a knife in his paws trying to help himself to a slice.”
Apparently the animals feel left out if they don’t get taken on the same days out as the rest of the family. If their so clever and inquisitive though, maybe they’ll be found trying to drive the car off one day!
Image © ingridtaylar via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, car boot, car insurance for new drivers, Portsmouth, raccoons
Thursday, September 1, 2011
107 years old and still going strong
In the course of your driving career, you’ll be lucky not to experience some mechanical failure with your car for one reason or another.
So, we can all appreciate how well one two-seater Wolseley Six has done, since it’s 107 years old (having been built in 1904), and has reportedly never suffered a breakdown. Furthermore, it’s still being driven about by its proud owner, who bought it from the previous driver in 2004, and has just managed to pass its MOT.
Unsurprisingly, the 65-year-old owner speaks of his vehicle lovingly.
"She still runs like a dream. I'm very proud of her and love showing her off.
"She's quite a regular now in the town.”
We’re happy to hear that this resilient and well-built little motorcar can still be seen out and about.
Image © Southlands Farm Cottages via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: breakdown, car, driving, mechanical failure, motorcar, two-seater, vehicle, Wolseley