Car Articles

What on Earth am I saying?  Well, if the government has its own way, we’ll all be only allowed to park on our own driveways, and only just.  Of course, this is only just an over-dramatisation, when in fact I’m leading into telling you all about the new parking rules and regulations.

From today, April 1st 2008, new regulations come into force governing where you can park, or rather what people can do about it if you park in the wrong place.  Namely, you’ll now have to consider (if parking in a naughty way and where you shouldn’t be) that CCTV cameras can be used to enforce parking restrictions and issue tickets.

As part of the Traffic Management Act 2004 it has been deemed that local councils across the nation will be given the power to use video footage to provide fines where traffic wardens may not have done so in person.  You’ll also find that your local (friendly I’m sure) traffic warden is going to change his/her name.  They’ll now be known as a Civil Enforcement Officer to you and I.

Of course, the government has been at least partially rational in all this.  To be fair, they have said that the system shouldn’t be used anywhere where badge parking is in operation.  This means if you need to park in a street that uses badges and you don’t live there (but still have a badge) - don’t worry, you won’t get nicked.

Fines have now been changed too.  Whether this is for better or worse really depends on how much your local council is trying to charge for this.  Apparently, from now on, you’ll get £40 or £50 taken from your bank account if you are a less serious offender, or if you have your BMW X-5 on double yellows that’s going to cost you more - somewhere in the region of £60 or £70.

Unfortunately, the new regulations give powers of PCN (Penalty Charge Notices), which means that any CEO (see, I’m learning the new lingo) can give you a ticket, without putting a funny little sticker on your windscreen.  Apparently, too many people just drive off very fast when they threaten this.

Brilliantly though, all of this should ensure the fact that the levels of car clamping goes down in the UK.  It is frankly an abhorrent practice of taking away your prized vehicle and I’m not surprised that Scotland (they seem quite sensible up there don’t they?) has banned it as a form of extortion.

Finally, the Traffic Management Act 2004 might actually put things your way.  Okay, so now there’s a higher chance of getting a rogue ticket from out of nowhere.  But did you know that you can appeal this, and many do?  Many are successful in getting an appeal each year.  My top tip is just to make sure you have evidence to back up what you’re saying if you really feel that the ticket is unjust.

Above all, safe motoring as always - and don’t park over my drive or you’ll get a ticket!

Vauxhall has been hit by fresh claims that it is producing cars with faulty handbrakes and its vehicles have the capacity to roll away when parked.

A Report by the BBC’s watchdog programme said owners of the latest Vauxhall Corsa with a D Model variant, which is less that a year old, had reported instances of their car rolling away after being left stationary with the handbrake on, similar to other models earlier last year.

Complaints to the programme have now reached triple figures. Watchdog reported that Vauxhall was ‘surprised’ to learn of the problems with the new corsa but was now looking into the problem.

Watchdog expert Mark Brown said: “even though the design on the teeth of the handbrake is different from the Vectra, it has still presented the same symptoms that we found with the Vauxhall Vectras and Sigums.”

Vauxhall responded by saying it was investigating the cases raised, and insisted that as per the Highway code, when parking on a slope motorists should ‘engage a gear’, and ensure the handbrake is applied without depressing the release button.

The latest blow for Vauxhall comes just months after Which?, the consumer pressure group, reported that owners of Signum and Vectra models also suffered from the same fault.

Arround 250,000 Sigum and Vectra models are being recalled by the manufacturer in order to fit new springs in the handbrake. Vauxhall described the move as a “customer satisfaction programme”. There are no plans to roll out the scheme to Corsa owners.

The recent development is a further embarrassment to Vauxhall, which issued a massive 355,000 Corsa recall in December after a problem with the vehicles braking system was not fixed properly. Despite an initial recall of last generation Corsas in March 2006 and a further recall of 250,000 models in August 2007, the brake fault still affects newer models.

If you’re confused, let me allay that sensation of not quite knowing what I’m talking about.  A couple claim to have taken a photograph of the (in)famous Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame whilst he’s chatting away on his mobile.  Adam Blake and Hayley Byford say that they saw Clarkson the phone as he travelled along the M40.

Clarkson’s vehicle of choice for this potential driving misdemeanour was a 1970’s 6.3 litre green Grosser Mercedes.  A rare vehicle indeed, apparently.  I certainly couldn’t find one for sale after hearing about it.  Apparently, Ms Byford took a picture of Clarkson, who later when questioned by the The Mirror said “Er, that isn’t a phone”.  I would like to add that I hope she wasn’t the driver out of the two of them…

To give some idea of the penalty for this sort of dangerous driving, it comes with a £60 fine and three points, only twelve of which will see your license revoked.  Of course, it is now proven that talking (or texting) on a mobile is a dangerous activity in that it distracts you from the road.  It’s more dangerous apparently than eating an apple or smoking, though you might not be exempt from a fine by doing those either.

I decided to write this article as I’m a fan of Clarkson - big JC is a highlight of my Sunday night when Top Gear is on (even if James May is my favourite) but I can’t help but be concerned that he’s legitimising bad behaviour behind the wheel.  Of course there’s a place for speeding and that’s the track.  However, there’s no place for dangerous driving.

I’m sure we’re all guilty of general motoring misdemeanour charges now and then - whether it’s speeding or parking where you shouldn’t.  I would certainly recommend however that you don’t do what Clarkson looks like he has done here - it would only take a momentary slip and someone to drift in front of you to have a very serious accident indeed.

Returning to the crime for the last time, I guess what really annoys me is that I hold Clarkson up as a bit of a hero, not least because he hates poor driving and has previously ridiculed those on mobiles in cars.  We’re all guilty of something of some time, but one can only hope that it isn’t true and that Clarkson is returning soon to shout “Powerrrrr!” from a fast car on the TG track.

There has been a lot about the benefits of car sharing recently and in fact there are two schemes already operating in the UK in Bristol and Leeds, with other due to start a car sharing scheme in Birmingham, West Yorkshire and Hertfordshire. This means that a whole lane is needed to remain empty in order to encourage drivers to use it, but it also means that in places where there is serious congestion and minimal take up of the car sharing scheme that these lanes are going to either stay empty or be used by drivers, causing chaos.

The motoring organisation the AA, have said that these schemes will not work because they are wasting the capacity of the UK’s roads. The AA’s Edmund King said: ‘In theory, car-sharing lanes make sense, but in practice they are used and abused, so they waste road capacity and are a nightmare to enforce.’

With new cameras becoming available too, it will be difficult for a driver to use the car share lane, as these cameras are supposed to be able to confirm if there is more than one real person in the car, so there are bound to be a surge in more fines for drivers who accidentally use the wrong lane when visit a different place.

Source [What Car]

With wet and icy conditions sweeping across the UK, new research has revealed that one-in-ten cars – the equivalent to 2.7 million nationwide – have a tyre fitted with tread that is below the current 1.6mm legal threshold. The survey also showed that 19 per cent of cars are being driven on tyres with tread that is below 2mm the depth at which a number of leading national car fleet owners change their tyres. Research by the Motor Industry research association showed that in wet conditions it takes nearly eight meters more to stop from 50 mph when tyres are worn down to the legal minimum of 1.6mm.

“Driving on excessively worn tyres is dangerous at any time of the year” said ford parts representative. “But in icy conditions it really is gambling with yours and other road users lives”.

AA Warranty recommends you get your car checked out regularly while under warranty as this can save a fortune in replacement parts. AA Warranty is also urging motorists to consider mechanical breakdown cover and take it more seriously. According to the AA research, the most likely car part to fail during winter is the ignition coil pack – costing on average £180 to replace. This is closely followed by the cylinder head gasket, where a replacement can cost up to £390. Among other car parts in the top 10 list of probable failures are engines, gear box car parts, ECU’s, alternators and starter motors.

When most cars are four years old, the manufacturers warranty has long expired, replacement parts should be obtained from Genuine parts suppliers to ensure the new parts are covered under warranty and are and exact replacement.

Guest Article by www.fordsparts.co.uk

If you happen to live in any part of the UK and drive your own car then you need to educate yourself on the car theft patterns prevalent here so that you do not become the next victim of the dreadful car theft network.

You left your car sitting pretty on the roadside of your quiet area only to discover at the end of the day that the car has gone once and for all! Well, you are not the only one to experience this kind of tragedy. According to the Home Office some 40% of UK car crime is committed outside the owners home.

You can not even rest in peace by parking it inside your garage as some 1% of cars in UK are lifted right from the owner’s garage.

Similarly, 5% cars are stolen from the workplace car park, 14% from General street parking, 19% from Public car parks and 22% from Semi-private car parks.

These and other sensational car theft facts are revealed by the Home Office reports over different years. If the news of car thefts makes chills run down your spine, try to understand the general car theft pattern in the UK; it will provide you with ideas how to avoid common safety mistakes.

Here are the key findings of Home Office on the basis of the data provided by the Police National Computer (PNC), and information provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

• Although car related thefts have fallen by 40% since 1997 according to the authoritative British Crime survey 2003/04, some 282,816 cars were stolen in England, Scotland and Wales in 2003.

• So what types of cars are at the higher risk? It is small saloon cars that are stolen most frequently. 12 out of 1,000 registered cars are stolen from the road.

• In the case of People Carriers and 4×4s, the risk is slightly lower—in these cases 6 cars are stolen from 1,000 registered cars.

• Do you think you are free to be a bit careless just because you drive a car as old as 13 and 14 years (registered in 1989 and 1990)? Well, you can not afford to be careless because it is these old cars that are faced with the highest risk —– with a theft rate of 31 cars per 1,000 cars.

• The younger cars in the UK roads—- aged between 1-5 years old—-run the lower risk of being stolen. These cars are stolen at the rate of 5 cars per 1,000 registered.

The cars that vanish more frequently from the UK roads

Despite repeated suggestions from the administration, car manufacturers did not seem to work on better security design of the cars. This led the UK government to circulate an index ranking different models of cars by their vulnerability to theft. Vauxhall Belmont was identified as the car with the overall highest risk of theft in 2003 with a theft rate of 99 cars per 1,000 registered.

Here is the list of the top ten stolen cars which has been prepared by analyzing 2005 theft data from the Police National Computer database, as well as information on the numbers of cars on the road provided by the Driving License Authority:

1. Vauxhall Belmont
2. Vauxhall Astra Mk2
3. Ford Escort Mk3
4. Austin/Morris Metro
5. Vauxhall Nova
6. Ford Orion
7. Rover Metro
8. Austin/Morris Maestro
9. Austin/Morris Montego
10. Ford Fiesta Mks1, 2 and 3

It often becomes impossible for the police to recover your car, as the stolen cars are quickly dismantled, given a new identity by taking a registration number of a scrapped model, and an altered milometer showing a low mileage. A study in the theft pattern will help you analyze the situations where your car becomes most vulnerable to car thefts. The study will also help you to decide which types of security devices are essential for your car model.

If you are the proud owner of a new car, take a look at the New Car Security Ratings (NCSR)

Also refer to its Car Theft Index for leading makes and models of car.

Outsmart the Car Thieves with a Car Tracking Device

So you can’t take your eyes off her!
Her curvy features never cease to fascinate you!
Her silky body and lustrous colors make you spell bound every time you behold her!
Oh, don’t take it the wrong way! We don’t mean your girlfriend! We are only talking about the latest toy in your garage!

Being obsessed with your new car is all right, but you can not forget the safety factor. When it comes to ensuring the maximum safety of your car, take the help of the very latest technologies and install a tracking device in your car.

Vehicle security technology has gone far beyond a selection of auto alarms. While they are good at providing safety for your car they are not foolproof; the smart car thieves can run away with your car under your nose by cracking even the most sophisticated security systems. Even before the police can reach out to the thief, various parts of your car may already have been shipped to countries like India and China where the parts will be melted separately as junk metals.

What a terrible fate for your pretty car, isn’t it? It gives you shiver at the very thought of it, doesn’t it? Cheer up…there is a way to ensure a safe future for the apple of your eye! A car tracking device can help you reunite with your darling even after it has been stolen.

So what is a car tracking device?

Other car security systems provide you with an anti theft solution but if your car is stolen in spite of that, then the tracking device takes centre stage and helps the police track and recover your car. Thus it provides the ultimate part of your anti-theft measures.

Learn beforehand about the monetary involvement

Just like your monetary obligation doesn’t end with buying the mobile handset, in the same way buying the tracking product is only the first step. You have to pay a monthly service fee to keep the tracking service.

You have mainly two options when you have a tight budget

1. The most popular tracking device in UK is called Lojack that neither employs GPS nor charges a monthly fee. Depending on two devices - a transponder and a receiver—this device is activated after you inform the police about the theft.

2. Option two relates to midrange systems, such as the Teletracer which also does not use the GPS, but transmits a signal ultimately received by a central monitoring station. You have to pay a monthly fee for Teletracer.

GPS tracking system - a little more investment but lot more safety

With a GPS (Global Positioning System) car tracking system, a car can be tracked on a computer map at a central monitoring station. Some of the systems come with the feature of verbal communication with the operator at the central station. This feature comes to great help particularly in the instances of car jacking.

The higher end car tracking services act on a proactive basis if the operators find the vehicle running at an odd hour through an odd place, they will contact the owner by phone to confirm that the owner of the vehicle is aware of its whereabouts. Otherwise the police are informed immediately.

With a rather high product price and monthly rental service charges, car trackers are no doubt expensive. But remember, they are among the most effective security systems available today.

So don’t compromise security for money. After all your insurer may well offer up to 10% off the premium if they know your vehicle has a tracking device.

Be the Most Confident Parent with These Teen Driving Safety Tips

Lindsey Lohan is coming of age rather with a bang; the incident of her car crash under the influence of alcohol is getting splashed all over media quite prominently. This incident teaches us about the social aspect of teen driving which is getting more and more reckless day by day.

If you happen to be the parent of teenage children who are about to hit the crazy age of seventeen, you might be worried over such questions as:

What to do to ensure safe teenage driving?

What safeguards to adopt to shield them against fatal driving errors?

How to make responsible drivers out of them?

Well, you have come to the right place to find answers to your questions!

1. The first thing to remember

Don’t allow your child to hit the roads immediately as he comes wide eyed, running to you with a driving license. Make sure you spend at least ten hours with him behind the wheel before he set out for his all-alone driving expedition.

It is always worth paying for Extra Driver Training as it helps him get to the real-world driving situations.

2. Make sure it’s not too late

Another lesson from the Lindsey Lohan case: don’t allow your child to go roaming in the car too late at night, as most of the accidents take place in the evening.

3. Keep track of her whereabouts

Keep an eye on your child’s friends; most of the teen car accidents happen because of young people’s tendency to be influenced by their peer group.

4. Set an example yourself

Before preaching at your child, ask yourself; are you a safe driver?

Remember, apart from drug or alcohol influence a number of accidents happen due to lack of concentration, receiving mobile phone calls, chatting with companions, not abiding by the speed limits, forgetting to fasten your seat belt and so on. Be a role model for your child by not making these fatal mistakes.

5. Teach him to be responsible

Make your child see the difference between rights and privilege;  Get her accustomed to the costs of driving including the insurance costs. The sense that driving comes for a price will prevent her making mistakes that may prove costly in terms of insurance prices and maintenance of the car.

6. Teach her to take care

The driver must be aware of the basic maintenance of his car; get your child introduced to the driver’s bible, the maintenance manual of the vehicle. The earlier the boy/girl is introduced to preventive maintenance of the car, the more money can be saved during his/her lifetime of driving.

7. But what if any accident takes place after all?

Teach them not to panic in case of a breakdown or accident; give him proper instruction about whom to contact in such situations.

Driving is essentially associated with the feel of freedom. But not absolute freedom! Make this clear to your teenager before handing him the key.

Try not to worry as it will make the young driver unconfident and nervous. Follow the above mentioned tips and trust your child.

Prevention is better than cure and this should be your ‘mantra’ if you don’t want to be the next victim of car theft network that is active all over the world. Here is a statistic for you!

a vehicle is stolen every 27 seconds in a country like USA!

If motor vehicle departments of many countries are to be believed, over millions of cars are going to be stolen this year. But you are definitely not going to be one of those unfortunate car owners if you keep in mind the following tips:

Never forget these words LOCK and KEY

• Over fifty percent of the car thefts occur due to driver’s forgetfulness; either he leaves the car running, or he forgets the key in the ignition or sometimes forgets to lock the garage door or the door of the car itself.
• Make sure you roll up your windows, take the key and lock the door before leaving the car unattended.

Parking safety

• Attended car parks are safer than the unattended ones
• Make sure the car park is well lit
• The wheels should be turned toward the side in driveways in the parking position so that it can’t be easily towed away.

If you are leaving the car for an extended period of time, disable it by removing the electronic ignition fuse, coil wire, rotor distributor.

Don’t make it easy for the thief
Don’t leave the registration documents inside the Car. If you do this, it will make life easier for the thief who will use these documents to sell your stolen car. Preserve the title in a safe place at home.

Invest in Antitheft devices
To top your antitheft measure, invest in a range of antitheft devices for ultimate protection. The common antitheft devices include:

• Fuel-kill switches
• Ignition-kill switches
• Car alarms
• Steering wheel locks
• Immobilizers
• Glass sensors
• Radio receivers/transmitters

Make sure, all the devices are installed properly; otherwise it may affect the car’s electrical system. It will be prudent to seek the help of a professional in this case.

Never leave valuables in plain view, even if your car is locked.

Also check with vehicle theft tracking/security system to know whether your model belongs to the frequently stolen car model list.

Get the VIN number etched on the windows

Lastly, don’t get upset if the worst happens despite all your precautions: Inform the police as fast as possible including the location and time of the theft.