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Showing posts from August, 2018

How to avoid a £12.50 daily charge – Is going green the answer?

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Global warming is a threat – to the planet, and by extension our way of life. Arguably one of the largest contributors to this disaster is nitrogen dioxide emissions, primarily originating from the burning of fossil fuels. The consequences for our continued usage of these fuels are usually referenced in long-term, far-reaching effects. But some of these effects might strike closer to home, and sooner than you think. London’s financial district contains some of the worst hotspots for nitrogen dioxide in the UK – due to the vast amount of diesel cars that drive through these areas. Although nitrogen dioxide isn’t hazardous to health in sparse levels, in a concentrated area it can be extremely dangerous – creating smog and acid rain with its pollution. So, with something that alarming boiling within the heart of the English capital, what can be done? In short, the British Government’s answer to this crisis comes in the form of a trial scheme , to ban non-electric cars in certain s

We're giving a free interview and CV makeover to any students who have just received their GCSE or A-level results

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Youngsters receiving their GCSE results this week are being offered free advice on their CV and interview skills by a local businessman infamous for his prowess in this field. Rod Lloyd, managing director of Low Cost Vans (LCV), starred in reality TV series ‘The Job Interview’ on Channel 4. He will be running mock interviews and a CV workshop for students receiving their GCSE results this week – whether they got the grades they wanted or not. The offer will run in early September, and is open to any teenagers receiving their GCSE results this week, as well as A-level students who received their results last week – regardless of if they botched them or passed with flying colours. With decades of recruiting experience under his belt, Lloyd has a talent for being able to see from the perspective of the employer and the candidate alike. Students will be able to visit LCV’s headquarters in Neath and take part in a ‘job interview’ with Lloyd – afterwards they will be given advice on how

How much will connected cars interfere with our lives?

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The idea that driving technology in the near-future will reduce us to the passive observer, and the car as the decision-maker, is mind-boggling. But autonomous cars aren’t anything new. Tesla, Google and Mercedes have been piloting this technology for years – with varying levels of success. In fact, we’ve written a few blogs on the subject as well. Of course, the question boils down to, “When will driverless cars be in mainstream usage?” – with the answer being a non-committal, “We don’t know”. However, whilst the immediate inception of driverless cars is shrouded in mystery, one aspect of driving technology close on the horizon is ‘connected cars’. With the recent scandals surrounding Facebook and the implementation of GDPR, discussions regarding data collecting and selling have never been more prominent. The mass production of connected cars will likely see this topic resurface, as it entails the collection of (anonymous) data from your everyday usage of basic car p

Critters in your car – and how to stop them getting in

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When you find an old crisp packet or a leftover sandwich bag in your car, that’s par for the course. However, you probably don’t expect to check your engine and be greeted by a rat gorging on a takeaway feast. For Laura Frackelton, this was the nightmare that awaited her upon opening her partner’s car bonnet. Earlier this August in Huyton, Mersey, she found a rat’s nest burrowed in the engine of the car – with the remains of chicken nuggets, chicken wings and other assorted bits clogged inside. This is not an isolated case either – reports of possums , cats and even a deer being trapped or choosing to make their home in people’s cars are more widespread than you would think! After all, engines create a warm and cosy environment for small mammals to live in. Continuing from the theme of last week’s blog, we once again look at the bizarre things found in some people’s vehicles and the unfortunate results. However, this time we’ve got some advice about keeping out the

Did you know keeping this in your van could earn you a £300 fine?

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Everyone loves a good meal deal. If you see me sauntering around my local supermarket, you better believe that I’m nabbing a breakfast triple sandwich, a packet of Doritos and a Twix. Then again, I go to the supermarket quite often and so those meal deals are going to pile up, and by extension, so will the waste. Enter Roofer Stewart Gosling, aged 43, from Hertfordshire. Stewart was driving his white van through Chingford, North East London, when he was pulled over by council workers. Unfortunately for him, these members of Waltham Forest Council were conducting spot checks. Almost immediately upon opening his van, they found a commercial refuse bag filled to the brim with sandwich and crisp packets. They mustn’t have liked the empty crisp packets because they charged Stewart with an on-the-spot fine of £300, for "failure to furnish documentation (waste carriers licence)". According to them, regardless of the contents, carrying a commercial refuse bag in a trader’s van

The most ‘un-roadworthy car’ in the world?

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Learning to Do-It-Yourself (DIY), is arguably one of the most useful improvisation skills you can pick up. Turn a seatbelt, into an actual belt – no problem. Grab those used car seats and make them into some rustic garden furniture. Waste not, want not! However, one reckless driver recently decided to apply this approach to his ACTUAL car. With a battered bucket for a front seat and pliers as a steering wheel, he was pulled over by police on Friday 13 th July 2018, in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, (not the best date for it). The car was also missing its front wing, bumper and headlights – according to Norfolk's roads policing unit, it was "the most un-roadworthy car" they had ever seen. It must be a contender, for sure, but a little time on the internet proves it is far from the only one. In May 2018, for example, a driver in Australia was fined $1500 for attempting to drive a car with no interior or windscreen while sitting on a metal workshop stool.