10/09/2012
£3.1 billion for nothing
It really pays to compare car insurance – according to a recent survey by one specialist, drivers could save a collective £3.1 billion a year simply by going online, comparing quotes and looking for the best deal.
This is hardly likely to be news to the discerning quote seeker. However, it will be to the 20 percent of motorists who, astonishingly, just decide to renew with their existing provider without bothering to shop around.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this is that it actually only takes a few minutes to make a quick survey of the quotes available on the market.
And it seems that when it comes to comparing car insurance, it is not always the oldest who are the wisest – the same survey revealed that younger drivers were the group most likely to make comparisons of the motor insurance market, while drivers over 55 were the least likely, perhaps because they’re less internet savvy.
But don’t let age be an excuse! Here at duck2water we’re proud to say that we’ve recently got our grandparents using iPads (other tablets are available). In fact the money you save by comparing the market could be enough to buy a whole new iPad, outright.
Image © DaveBleasdale via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
This is hardly likely to be news to the discerning quote seeker. However, it will be to the 20 percent of motorists who, astonishingly, just decide to renew with their existing provider without bothering to shop around.Perhaps the most amazing thing about this is that it actually only takes a few minutes to make a quick survey of the quotes available on the market.
And it seems that when it comes to comparing car insurance, it is not always the oldest who are the wisest – the same survey revealed that younger drivers were the group most likely to make comparisons of the motor insurance market, while drivers over 55 were the least likely, perhaps because they’re less internet savvy.
But don’t let age be an excuse! Here at duck2water we’re proud to say that we’ve recently got our grandparents using iPads (other tablets are available). In fact the money you save by comparing the market could be enough to buy a whole new iPad, outright.
Image © DaveBleasdale via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, compare, drivers, quote, young driver
08/06/2012
Chinese motor insurance market a new and novel monster
“Where should you aim when you need to spit?” is not the kind of question you expect to be part of your driving test. However, for those taking a test in China it is the reality and forms just one detail in what is, for Western drivers, a new and novel motoring landscape.
According to news agency Reuters, this has heralded a boom in the Chinese car insurance market. Good news, you would think, for motor insurance companies, but the truth is that once you factor in all the eccentricities, vagaries and leviathan looms of red tape, the outlook is rather less attractive.
Take the following quote as an example: “People like us who buy Ferraris don't care too much about insurance because we buy cars for speeding. If we crash, we just throw them away."
The motorist speaking is just one of the thousands of new super-wealthy drivers in China who care very little for finer points of motoring etiquette or indeed for the globally accepted rules of the car insurance market.
China has now overtaken the US as the world's biggest market for new cars, so the situation is only going to develop. It will be fascinating to see how motor insurers respond to the many challenges they will inevitably face.
According to news agency Reuters, this has heralded a boom in the Chinese car insurance market. Good news, you would think, for motor insurance companies, but the truth is that once you factor in all the eccentricities, vagaries and leviathan looms of red tape, the outlook is rather less attractive.
Take the following quote as an example: “People like us who buy Ferraris don't care too much about insurance because we buy cars for speeding. If we crash, we just throw them away."
The motorist speaking is just one of the thousands of new super-wealthy drivers in China who care very little for finer points of motoring etiquette or indeed for the globally accepted rules of the car insurance market.
China has now overtaken the US as the world's biggest market for new cars, so the situation is only going to develop. It will be fascinating to see how motor insurers respond to the many challenges they will inevitably face.
Photo © decade_null via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, drivers, motoring
06/06/2012
A gold medal for British drivers!
The Queen’s impending Diamond Jubilee celebrations together with the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics seem to be having a real impact on all of us, including the British motorist.
And while you can be sure that there’ll be a fair amount of enthusiastic flag waving taking place over the summer, there are other ways we’ll be showing our patriotism.
Perhaps surprisingly, given the economic austerity we all find ourselves in, more than two-thirds of drivers intend to purchase a car over the next six month – and, most surprisingly, 58% of these say that the vehicle they buy will be British.
And while around half of these drivers that they will do it out of a conscious desire to boost the UK economy, nearly as many say that they will do it out of a pride in our British heritage.
It’s great to hear that people are thinking outside of a purely individualist mentality and looking to, by their actions, bolster Britain.
And while not everyone may be able to afford iconic British vehicles such as the Range Rover, Aston Martin or Jaguar, many of us may still be able to invest in brands such as Mini and Vauxhall.
Here’s a gold medal for effort!
And while you can be sure that there’ll be a fair amount of enthusiastic flag waving taking place over the summer, there are other ways we’ll be showing our patriotism.Perhaps surprisingly, given the economic austerity we all find ourselves in, more than two-thirds of drivers intend to purchase a car over the next six month – and, most surprisingly, 58% of these say that the vehicle they buy will be British.
And while around half of these drivers that they will do it out of a conscious desire to boost the UK economy, nearly as many say that they will do it out of a pride in our British heritage.
It’s great to hear that people are thinking outside of a purely individualist mentality and looking to, by their actions, bolster Britain.
And while not everyone may be able to afford iconic British vehicles such as the Range Rover, Aston Martin or Jaguar, many of us may still be able to invest in brands such as Mini and Vauxhall.
Here’s a gold medal for effort!
Photo © foshie via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Aston Martin, British, drivers, Jaguar, mini, Range Rover, Vauxhall, vehicles
01/06/2012
Mobile phones and driving
When we were children we imagined that the technology of the future would revolutionise motoring. We’d be flying round in our hover cars like the Jetsons or be sitting back and kicking our feet up as our chauffeur robots drove us from place to place.
As it is technology, although playing an important role in developing safer cars and novel and interesting in-car devices, has perhaps affected the motoring experience in more oblique ways.
Take the smartphone, it could be argued that this single piece of fundamentally external technology, is right now as relevant to the 2012 driving experience as anything internal.
Drivers use them as satnavs, to field in-car (hand’s free) calls and as vehicle entertainment systems. All of which, provided it is done correctly and in keeping with the law, should not be a problem. Smartphones have even become so relevant to the driving experience that we use them to find car insurance quotes.
But there is a problem – there has been a worrying rise in the number of 25 to 44-year-olds who use their smartphones behind the wheel in dangerously distracting ways.
The RAC has branded this behaviour as a "new breed of motoring offence".
David Bizley, the organisation’s technical director comments, "These offences don't yet have the same social taboo that drink-driving now holds, which thanks to years of concerted campaigns has continued to decrease as a problem."
Perhaps one day smartphones will be so smart that they don’t actually let drivers use them in dangerous ways – now that would be smart.
As it is technology, although playing an important role in developing safer cars and novel and interesting in-car devices, has perhaps affected the motoring experience in more oblique ways.
Take the smartphone, it could be argued that this single piece of fundamentally external technology, is right now as relevant to the 2012 driving experience as anything internal.
Drivers use them as satnavs, to field in-car (hand’s free) calls and as vehicle entertainment systems. All of which, provided it is done correctly and in keeping with the law, should not be a problem. Smartphones have even become so relevant to the driving experience that we use them to find car insurance quotes.
But there is a problem – there has been a worrying rise in the number of 25 to 44-year-olds who use their smartphones behind the wheel in dangerously distracting ways.
The RAC has branded this behaviour as a "new breed of motoring offence".
David Bizley, the organisation’s technical director comments, "These offences don't yet have the same social taboo that drink-driving now holds, which thanks to years of concerted campaigns has continued to decrease as a problem."
Perhaps one day smartphones will be so smart that they don’t actually let drivers use them in dangerous ways – now that would be smart.
Photo © SuperlativeQuip via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance quotes, drivers, future, technology, the jetsons
27/02/2012
Law-breaking clampers sent to jail
The stereotype of the disrespectful, power-abusing traffic warden is well known to members of the British motoring public. However, the illegal behaviour of a group of Worcestershire wheel clampers would have been enough to place most drivers into a state of temporary shock.
Apparently, the crooks deliberately targeted and acted aggressively towards vehicle owners who they deemed to be vulnerable. Both elderly and female drivers were hit with extortionate parking fines of up to £335.
A driver from Malvern said, “I felt that if the clampers had held a gun to my head and taken the money I couldn't have felt any worse. I felt angry, traumatised and emotional. I felt I had been robbed.”
There was some solace for the victims of the car park crime, as each of the clampers was sent to jail for between 12 and 32 months. The relief that the prosecution must have felt upon the issuing of these sentences can only be imagined.
The judge said, “What of course is wholly wrong is the use of enforcement measures to provide a service to help traders and others suffering from illegally parked cars, but to use the company as a vehicle to obtain money dishonestly from the public by blatant use of authority and power.”
Those people who are interested in the laws of motoring will now be waiting to see what happens in the case of potentially fraudulent whiplash claims, which have been the focus of media attention recently.
Apparently, the crooks deliberately targeted and acted aggressively towards vehicle owners who they deemed to be vulnerable. Both elderly and female drivers were hit with extortionate parking fines of up to £335.A driver from Malvern said, “I felt that if the clampers had held a gun to my head and taken the money I couldn't have felt any worse. I felt angry, traumatised and emotional. I felt I had been robbed.”
There was some solace for the victims of the car park crime, as each of the clampers was sent to jail for between 12 and 32 months. The relief that the prosecution must have felt upon the issuing of these sentences can only be imagined.
The judge said, “What of course is wholly wrong is the use of enforcement measures to provide a service to help traders and others suffering from illegally parked cars, but to use the company as a vehicle to obtain money dishonestly from the public by blatant use of authority and power.”
Those people who are interested in the laws of motoring will now be waiting to see what happens in the case of potentially fraudulent whiplash claims, which have been the focus of media attention recently.
Photo © ecastro via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car park, claims, clampers, crime, drivers, illegal, motoring, parking fines, traffic warden, vehicle owners, wheel, whiplash
09/12/2011
Boost your car speed with a missile
When buying a new car, drivers usually take the engine size into account. Some motorists are happy with relatively small engine, whereas others are willing to pay extra for an engine with a bit more bite.
The Indy Boys Inc team from Indianapolis, US, have gone to extreme measures to ensure that their 1967 Chevrolet is the fastest car in town. And by extreme, we mean they strapped a cruise missile engine to the roof.
Now the vintage car is capable of reaching speeds of up to 300mph, as well as firing out 30ft flames which leave an impressive trail of smoke behind the vehicle.
The Indy Boys team have already built the world fastest toilet (yes, really) and a jet powered school bus which can astonishingly reach speeds of 750mph – but parents can relax, this bus isn’t actually used for the school run.
Fortunately the driver of this vehicle only uses the car for shows. We have a funny feeling he’d be hard pushed to find a car insurance provider which would offer cover for a car as modified as this!
The Indy Boys Inc team from Indianapolis, US, have gone to extreme measures to ensure that their 1967 Chevrolet is the fastest car in town. And by extreme, we mean they strapped a cruise missile engine to the roof.Now the vintage car is capable of reaching speeds of up to 300mph, as well as firing out 30ft flames which leave an impressive trail of smoke behind the vehicle.
The Indy Boys team have already built the world fastest toilet (yes, really) and a jet powered school bus which can astonishingly reach speeds of 750mph – but parents can relax, this bus isn’t actually used for the school run.
Fortunately the driver of this vehicle only uses the car for shows. We have a funny feeling he’d be hard pushed to find a car insurance provider which would offer cover for a car as modified as this!
Photo © Dave Hogg via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, Chevrolet, drivers, engine, motorists, US
24/10/2011
Moscow’s first bicycle lane
Any cyclists living in Moscow, or UK cyclists planning on taking their bike on holiday to the city, may be happy to hear that Moscow has just installed a bicycle lane ‐ its first ever.
Well done Moscow!
It’s the Moscow State University campus’ bike lane and covers a large area, but riders may be very quickly under-whelmed by the efforts of the local Russian authorities.
The two-way cycle lane has so many things blocking it that, as one visiting Russian scientist stated, the lane is “a touching gesture, but absolutely useless”.
There are speed bumps, barriers, drains, kerbs (not lowered), and parked cars obstructing it too because many drivers don’t realise that the lane is only for cyclists and should be left clear for them.
According to one Russian bike rider, authorities would have been better off trying to tackle the bicycle theft problems faced by riders in Moscow. People reportedly don’t have many places to lock their bikes up at safely.
Not a success then…
Well done Moscow!It’s the Moscow State University campus’ bike lane and covers a large area, but riders may be very quickly under-whelmed by the efforts of the local Russian authorities.
The two-way cycle lane has so many things blocking it that, as one visiting Russian scientist stated, the lane is “a touching gesture, but absolutely useless”.
There are speed bumps, barriers, drains, kerbs (not lowered), and parked cars obstructing it too because many drivers don’t realise that the lane is only for cyclists and should be left clear for them.
According to one Russian bike rider, authorities would have been better off trying to tackle the bicycle theft problems faced by riders in Moscow. People reportedly don’t have many places to lock their bikes up at safely.
Not a success then…
Photo © jurvetson via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: barriers, bicycle, bike, city, cyclist, drains, drivers, kerb, lane, Moscow, riders, Russian, speed bumps, theft
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