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Showing posts from March, 2016

Are variable speed cameras a help or a hazard?

It goes without saying that all drivers in South Wales are all too familiar with the variable speed cameras on the M4 near Port Talbot, but did you know that those MP’s on the Transport Committee want to see more variable speed cameras across Wales, along with the rest of the UK? In 2013, over 1.5 million people were caught speeding and MP’s believe that further variable speed cameras will reduce the number even more, as it is believed that motorists respond to them better. Now, I think that variable speed cameras are fantastic. They are invaluable when used in areas that are notorious for speeding or accidents, however, there are still many drivers in the UK who drive carelessly, with little thought given to speeding fines or notices, or even safety. To truly reduce the number of motorists speeding, I believe that police and traffic enforcement officers should have more authority over the offenders. I’m also a firm believer that fines and points should be much higher, with it being en

Driverless cars...really?

It has been announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget speech that driverless cars will be tested on UK roads as early as next year. Now don’t misunderstand the negative tone that I may appear to give, I think a future of driverless cars is going to revolutionize the motor industry and the UK will be on the same level as its American cousin, but after the accidents that happened across the pond I do sometimes wonder how safe they will be. Due to an issue with the software, a driverless Lexus SUV crashed into a bus because its software thought that the bus would let it out. Google then said that a human can cause this accident as well – yes we can but we have the ability to look around and check all blind spots are clear before pulling off. In my opinion, a car being driven by a person would have seen the bus and would have stopped, let the bus pass and waited for an opening in the traffic to safely pull out. With the right amount of dedicated time and research, driverless cars cou

My car is out of action - can I borrow yours?

Most drivers will assume their insurance allows them to drive another car, yet the truth is they actually don’t know. I myself still have to ask when I renew mine if I am allowed to get behind the wheel of a car that isn't mine. You see, it used to be that years ago, as long as you had fully comprehensive cover on your vehicle you could drive another with third party, fire and theft cover. Well this most certainly is not the case anymore. So what has changed? Some insurers will now allow you to pay extra to have cover to drive another car in an emergency, but it is done on a case by case basis. This means you might not be entitled to extra cover. Several other insurers however are just getting rid of it completely and if you think you may have to drive another car such as your spouses, no matter how brief, you need to have separate insurance on that vehicle instead. For those young drivers out there, it is almost a guaranteed no that you will not even have the option to pay extra t

Signs that all is not well with your vehicle

Unwelcome squeaking noises and slow starts are signs that something is not well with your vehicle. It could be something like your brake pads need changing or it could be something a little more serious. Here we look at signs that indicate something could be amiss. 1. Look at the lights Warning lights are on a driver’s dashboard for a reason. Any one of them can signal a number of problems including low engine oil, a light may have blown, or your battery could be on its way out. Make sure you know what these lights mean and if one appears go and get it checked out. You can find more information about your car lights in the vehicle handbook. 2. Squeaky brakes There can be a lot of reasons why you have squeaky brakes: dirt on the brakes, water or oil or the brake springs themselves. However, if you haven’t had your brakes checked for a while and you travel a lot your brake pads could be starting to wear and you will need to get them changed. If you are unsure as to what the squeaking noi