30/08/2012
Hair-raising highway ordeal
Driving can sometimes be a frightening business, but one woman driver in the United States recently had a particularly terrifying behind-the-wheel experience.
While driving along the highway, her car suddenly accelerated and could not be slowed down.
Over the course of 58 miles, she consistently reached speeds of 120 mph.
Initially police thought that they had a speeding car in their hand and tried to get the driver to pull over – and although they were right about the speeding, they were wrong about having a criminal driver on their hands.
Understandably alarmed that she could not get her KIA 4WD to stop or slow down, the woman called her husband and the emergency services in the hope they would be able to help.
First she was told that she should put her car into neutral, but that didn’t help, so police then cleared the highway while clearly preparing for the worst.
Finally, she was told to lift her stuck accelerator pedal while simultaneously braking. Relief all around: it worked.
What an astonishing and hair-raising ordeal! Certainly a far cry from the more humdrum motoring dilemma of looking for the cheapest car insurance quote!
Photo © The Tire Zoo via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
While driving along the highway, her car suddenly accelerated and could not be slowed down.
Over the course of 58 miles, she consistently reached speeds of 120 mph.
Initially police thought that they had a speeding car in their hand and tried to get the driver to pull over – and although they were right about the speeding, they were wrong about having a criminal driver on their hands.
Understandably alarmed that she could not get her KIA 4WD to stop or slow down, the woman called her husband and the emergency services in the hope they would be able to help.
First she was told that she should put her car into neutral, but that didn’t help, so police then cleared the highway while clearly preparing for the worst.
Finally, she was told to lift her stuck accelerator pedal while simultaneously braking. Relief all around: it worked.
What an astonishing and hair-raising ordeal! Certainly a far cry from the more humdrum motoring dilemma of looking for the cheapest car insurance quote!
Photo © The Tire Zoo via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: accelerated, braking, car, cheapest car insurance, driver, driving, highway, motoring, pedal, police, quote, speed, wheel
04/01/2011
My super value Christmas
Just for once this Christmas I had the good sense and foresight to plan my presents all in advance.
Even a week before the big day I had everything bought, wrapped and bagged and can’t help but feel extremely satisfied with myself. This year I was also clever enough to use price comparison websites to obtain the cheapest quotes for all my gifts – well done me.
But this is the first year I’ve managed to be so organised and it was only a few years ago that I didn’t even shop around for the cheapest car insurance.
The truth was – that just like with Christmas presents – I simply couldn’t be bothered. But there are major savings to be made.
A recent survey by Virgin Money has revealed that British policyholders could save as much £1.5 billion on their insurance premiums – this figure is combined, obviously, unless you’re George Michael, in which case you may well have to spend several billion on your insurance premium.
Apparently, most of us are not willing to shop around on renewal, unless we’re quoted a policy that is more than 7.4 per cent expensive than the one we’re renewing.
I can almost hear my sixth form school teacher saying, “See, I told you so – all good things come with a bit of work and preparation.”
Even a week before the big day I had everything bought, wrapped and bagged and can’t help but feel extremely satisfied with myself. This year I was also clever enough to use price comparison websites to obtain the cheapest quotes for all my gifts – well done me.
But this is the first year I’ve managed to be so organised and it was only a few years ago that I didn’t even shop around for the cheapest car insurance.
The truth was – that just like with Christmas presents – I simply couldn’t be bothered. But there are major savings to be made.
A recent survey by Virgin Money has revealed that British policyholders could save as much £1.5 billion on their insurance premiums – this figure is combined, obviously, unless you’re George Michael, in which case you may well have to spend several billion on your insurance premium.
Apparently, most of us are not willing to shop around on renewal, unless we’re quoted a policy that is more than 7.4 per cent expensive than the one we’re renewing.
I can almost hear my sixth form school teacher saying, “See, I told you so – all good things come with a bit of work and preparation.”
Image © emdot via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: cheapest car insurance
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