Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wheel Clamp Man faces prosecution
Hoot! doesn’t know what to say about Wheel Clamp Man, the lycra jumpsuited and speedo-wearing “superhero” who takes an industrial strength saw to zealously clamped vehicles so that he can remove them.
For anyone who’s ever had their vehicle opportunistically clamped by a “clamping cowboy”, it would be easy to see how he might be viewed as some kind of hero. Stories abound of drivers having their cars clamped as they briefly pull up outside their own homes, during doctor emergency calls and even mid-heart attack with stricken drivers still actually behind the wheel.All the “superhero” asks in return for saving drivers the £88 release fee is a small donation to be given to a homeless charity.
But, in a strict interpretation of the law, police have described the man as “a menace” and have said that they “will deal with him”.
Yet, Wheel Clamp Man is not cowed. “I’m helping people out. I don’t feel I’m damaging property,” he said.
“The amount of money these companies make off innocent people is insane. Where does that money go? Not into car parks or safer streets. It goes into their pocket.”
Wheel Clamp Man describes himself as on a crusade for justice that was inspired by, he says, being unfairly clamped in the past.
But it seems he might need real-life superpowers if he is to avoid being prosecuted.
Image © Cristiano Betta via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, driver, law, police, vehicle, wheel, Wheel Clamp Man
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
App for avoiding a red light
Fed up of being caught by red lights?
Not only is it frustrating getting stuck behind a red – sometimes for several lights in a row – but stopping and starting all the time is uneconomical when it comes to fuel and can cause car wear and tear. A group of researchers in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, are trying to solve this problem, and have come up with a clever mobile phone app.
It’s still being tested at the moment, and there are no reports as to whether it would eventually be released for sale in the UK, but here’s how it works.
Mounting a phone on a vehicle’s dashboard allows the device to take photos of any traffic lights being approached by car.
By sending several photos of the lights to a computer, which analyses the information, the mobile phone then receives an estimated speed at which the motorist should drive to avoid having to stop at a red light.
To avoid the road user having to pick up the handset, the information is not sent via text. Instead, one quick glance at the phone’s screen, without any need to remove it from its mount on the dash, should tell the driver what they need to know.
One would imagine that the app will not encourage motorists to speed in order to avoid the red. It is likely the app will signal that the driver should slow the car so by the time they reach the lights they have turned green again.
I’m guessing that there will also be a message on the screen at times which states something along the lines of ‘sorry – there’s no way you can miss this one – so don’t even try’.
Photo © dlofink via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: app, car, dashboard, fuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mobile phone, red light, speed, traffic light
Friday, August 24, 2012
Speeding on the decrease
There are often reports on the news about car accidents, and some of those collisions have occurred because of speeding. It always makes me sad to think that if the individual had just stuck to the limit, the incident probably wouldn’t have taken place. However, I have some good news. The number of people breaking the speed limit has decreased!
According to a report by the RAC Foundation and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, only 46% of people were breaking 30mph limits in 2010 compared to 69% in 1998.
Moreover, only 49% of drivers in 2010 were going over 70mph on the motorways, while this figure stood at 57% in 2003. Perhaps we don’t need the limit to go up to 80mph after all?
Want some more good news? Generally, throughout England and Wales, the number of fixed penalty notices, convictions, and written warnings being handed to road users for speeding offences has lowered significantly since a big increase in the 1990s.
When I read about these statistics I was really pleased, and I hope you are as well, reader. After all, fewer speeding motorists on the roads make them safer for all those drivers who stick to the rules and navigate the highways in a considerate manner.
Photo © amandabhslater via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: 30mph, 70mph, car accident, driver, motorway, Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, RAC Foundation, speed limit, speeding
Monday, August 20, 2012
Shelley the self-driving car
The Dynamic Design Lab at Stanford University, California, and the Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab have made a very speedy self-driving car.
Shelley – that’s the vehicle’s name – can drive up to 120mph and managed to complete a three-mile-long race track in less than 2minutes and 30seconds.
That’s impressive – and even more remarkable when you realise that all of this was done by using algorithms (complicated mathematical instructions to you and I).
Shelley has a boot-full of electronics which guide her and tell her when to brake, how tightly she needs to take a corner, and so on and so forth.
While it might seem this technology may be being tested to allow people in the future to be driven about by autonomous cars, the labs are actually working towards providing safety systems which will – for example – help motorists negotiate icy roads.
Before you start to get worried that machines will be taking over every aspect of our lives and will be better than humans at all the tasks we set them, don’t worry too much.
Apparently, although Shelley can drive at 120mph, that’s still a few seconds slower than a professional human racing car driver. Ha! Take that technology!
Photo © Ana Patricia Almedia via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: 120mph, brake, car, Dynamic Design Lab, icy roads, race track, safety, self-driving, Shelley, Stanford University, vehicle, Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab
Friday, August 17, 2012
Don’t get distracted by pedestrians
Do you find that in the summer you can’t stop looking at pedestrians?You’re not alone – but you should really try and avoid getting distracted by scantily-clad people and focus your attentions on the road.
Apparently, according to a car insurance company survey, 60% of men and 12% of women have taken their eyes off the road in order to…admire the view.
Amazingly, 21% of motorists even admitted that billboard models cause them to become distracted from the road too!
A large number of traffic accidents are caused every year by road users who were not giving the road their full attention – so it’s important that we drivers learn some self-control.
It would seem that’s not as easy for some as it is for others though. Reportedly, 17% of male motorists knew that this behaviour was dangerous but couldn’t help looking anyway.
Come on drivers – let’s try harder! There’s plenty of time to people watch when you’re not behind the wheel.
Photo © Crystian Cruz via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, dangerous, distracted, driver, motorist, pedestrians, road, summer, traffic accident, wheel
Monday, August 13, 2012
A purposeless road trip
“Are we there yet?”
Apparently, in many cases the answer will be “No” for the duration of the trip.
According to a study by a provider of car insurance and Populus, out of more than 20,000 motorists, 55% have gone for a drive – just to have a drive.
Getting behind the wheel solely to commune with the road is not uncommon – 10% of the people surveyed did it every week.
I’ll have to admit, I’ve never got into my car when I didn’t have a destination in mind. For one thing, I wouldn’t know where to go, and for another thing, fuel is too expensive to be driving without a goal.
Yet, ignoring the expense of filling up the tank, I think having a lack of scenic routes has a big part to play in my lack of aimless motoring.
I believe my point is proven by the statistics. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and North East England, more than 60% of people have just gone for a drive – whereas only 47% of Londoners have bothered taking such a purposeless trip.
I know that driving past impressive natural scenery would be much more likely to get me into my car than pavements and office blocks. Still, I suppose not having a green and pleasant land on my doorstep is saving me money.
Photo © Nature Pictured by ForestWander via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, destination, drive, driving, fuel, motorist, Populus, route, trip, wheel
Friday, August 10, 2012
A young driver competition
There’s nothing I like more than a good competition, and Mercedes-Benz have launched one I like the sound of. Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is looking for the best young driver in Britain.
Young driver, oh, well that cuts me out of the running straight away then – you might think.
But wait! The Terms and Conditions simply state that you have to be 16 years old or older, and at least 1.5 meters tall. I double checked, and there is indeed a 24+ category for entrants.
The winners from each age catagory will enjoy a full year as a Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy VIP – not a bad prize at all!
Being a VIP with the Academy will mean that you get invitations to exclusive events, mingle with the rich and famous, and have opportunities to drive the newest Mercedes-Benz vehicles around.
I, for one, already know I’ll be entering ‐ I’ve been watching the Olympics and I’m feeling competitive. Bring it on!
Photo © garryknight via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Britain, competition, drive, Driving Academy, Mercedes-Benz, prize, vehicle, VIP, young driver
Monday, August 6, 2012
A mouthful of feathers
Here at Hoot we’ll readily admit that we’re not noted thrill seekers – well, not unless getting cheap car insurance quotes is what gives you your kicks.
But for one young thrill seeker in the US there was a particularly nasty surprise last week when, taking a ride on the world’s tallest rollercoaster, something suddenly exploded in his face.Now, what could it have been? We know he was roughly of teenage years, so was it a pimple? No. We know he’s American and was at a fun park, so was it a can of Cola? No! Give up? Alright, we’ll tell you: it was a pigeon.
Yes, you heard right, a pigeon. You know, one of those “rats with wings” you tend to see congregating and defecating on statues. Those podgy urban vultures that waddle towards you in parks in order to harass you for your chips.
Yes, the poor boy had been hit in the face by a pigeon and was left with bruises, scratches and... a mouth full of feathers.
"When it hit me I was like, did somebody throw a ball or something? When I started spitting out feathers, I was like, that was a bird."
And, by all accounts, things were also pretty horrific for the roller coaster passengers around the boy.
"They say the bird exploded,” he said. “It hurt a lot for like three seconds. People behind us had feathers and blood all over them."
Well, if that’s how you “like” get your thrills. We’ll “like” stick to car insurance, “like” thanks.
Photo © Cristiano Betta via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: cheap car insurance quotes, young
Friday, August 3, 2012
Nigel Mansell anyone?
It’s great that so much is being done to improve the safety and driving skills of Britain’s young drivers.
But here at Hoot we can’t help but wonder if some campaigns might slightly be in danger of steering away from the direction of their target audience.Nigel Mansell.
We said, Nigel Mansell.
Nigel Mansell? Anyone? Does the name mean anything to any of you?
Chances are that if you’re of my uncle’s age (38, if you’re asking) or a big fan of motorsport then the name means a great deal to you, but if you’re a young driver without a historical interest in Formula One racing, it just might draw a blank.
This is why some might find it surprising that Nigel Mansell has been chosen as the man to front a campaign to give more young drivers advanced skills before they take to the roads.
Nigel Mansell is a former F1 champion and a member of the FIA's Commission for Global Road Safety. He comments, "I love cars and racing. But I know the place for speed is on a race track, not on the road.”
All this is good stuff and there is no doubt that someone of Mansell’s calibre and experience has an essential role to play – don’t get us wrong, we’re glad he’s onboard the campaign. It’s just that he might not be the face to really make this campaign work. His is a voice more likely to speak to the parents of learner drivers than the learners themselves – not that that’s a bad thing, we need parents onboard to.
So with this in mind we have a question for you. Who do you think would be the best face for a young driver safety campaign? And maybe we can really reach the right people by using the right person.
Image © Danny Nicholson via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Nigel Mansell, young drivers