Monday, January 16, 2012
IAM fight for hard-up youths
I can remember the thrill of being told that I'd passed my driving test. The stress-inducing lessons were over and I could look forward to cruising the open roads in my Nissan Micra.
It wasn't long until reality set in and motoring became a drain on my limited finances. After paying for the young persons car insurance and filling the fuel tank I was left with barely enough for a cheap meal or game of pool with my similarly hard-up friends.This scenario has become well known amongst the UK's community of young motorists. Indeed, the average cost of insurance for male motorists aged between 17 and 22 has soared to £2,977, far beyond many people's reach.
This issue has become of such concern that the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) have made demands for the government to look into ways of reducing premiums. They claim that youngsters who successfully complete advanced driver training courses should be offered discounts.
The IAM Chief Executive said, “The simplest way to reduce premiums is to prevent accidents. This is especially true for young male drivers who are at most risk of being involved in an accident. We need to start rewarding good drivers by encouraging further training through cheaper insurance”
It will be interesting to see how the government responds to these demands.
Photo © Magnus D via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: advanced driver training courses, driving test, fuel, IAM, Institute of Advanced Motorists, Nissan Micra, premiums, young persons car insurance
Thursday, May 19, 2011
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