28/08/2012
Our speeding nation is slowing down
I have some news which should brighten every safe and considerate motorist’s day.According to the RAC Foundation, working alongside the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety – quite a mouthful – the number of people speeding on the UK’s roads is decreasing!
In 1998, around 69% of drivers were breaking 30mph speed limits, however, in 2010 this figure dropped to 46%.
Likewise, the amount of road users choosing to travel at over 70mph on motorways has reduced from 57% in 2003 to 49% in 2010.
Apparently, says the director of the RAC Foundation, part of the reason for this reduction in speeding motorists, is the high cost of fuel during an economic downturn.
However, I hope the main reason is that people are finally starting to realise that by speeding they are putting their life and the lives of others in danger.
I suppose we’ll just have to see what happens if fuel prices get lower and people start feeling better off. Will speeding figures increase again? Only time will tell.
Photo © Pug50 via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: driver, fuel, motorist, motorway, Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, RAC Foundation, road, safe, speed limit, speeding
16/03/2012
Camouflage doesn’t always work
Imagine this – you are a very wealthy Italian playboy and your family is well-known and followed about by paparazzi.
You’re driving down the motorway in your garish camouflage-pattered Ferrari 458, looking at everyone else’s mediocre vehicles with a pitying look as you fly past, when suddenly you roll to a standstill because your car has run out of fuel.
Embarrassing? Wait – it doesn’t end there!
Due to your notoriety as one of Italy’s richest men and your family connections to car manufacturer Fiat, people driving past recognise you and start taking photos on their phones and tweeting about your misfortune.
Furthermore, you and your fancy vehicle have to be saved from the roadside by a pick-up truck.
This all recently happened to Lapo Elkann, grandson of the founder of Fiat, despite there apparently being a petrol station around every 20 miles down that particular stretch of highway.
I bet he’ll pay more attention to his fuel gauge from now on!
You’re driving down the motorway in your garish camouflage-pattered Ferrari 458, looking at everyone else’s mediocre vehicles with a pitying look as you fly past, when suddenly you roll to a standstill because your car has run out of fuel. Embarrassing? Wait – it doesn’t end there!
Due to your notoriety as one of Italy’s richest men and your family connections to car manufacturer Fiat, people driving past recognise you and start taking photos on their phones and tweeting about your misfortune.
Furthermore, you and your fancy vehicle have to be saved from the roadside by a pick-up truck.
This all recently happened to Lapo Elkann, grandson of the founder of Fiat, despite there apparently being a petrol station around every 20 miles down that particular stretch of highway.
I bet he’ll pay more attention to his fuel gauge from now on!
Photo © fry_theonly via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: camouflage, car, Ferrari 458, Fiat, fuel, fuel gauge, highway, Italian, Lapo Elkann, misfortune, motorway, paparazzi, pick-up truck, roadside, vehicle
18/11/2011
Will private cars become a public place?
Apparently The British Medical Association is asking ministers to extend the smoking in public places ban to the inside of people’s private vehicles.
Now, although this may sounds outrageous, the potential ban has research backing it which can’t really be ignored.
Reportedly, people in a car with a smoker are exposed to 23 times more toxic fumes than they would have been when in a smoky bar or pub before the smoking ban was put in place in 2007.
Personally I think that there should be a ban on people smoking in their cars when they have passengers, especially children. I know from first hand experience that having someone’s smoke fly at you from the front seat for 10 minutes every 15 to 20 minutes of a long journey is not pleasant.
However, I can also see things from the smokers’ group Forest’s perspective. One of its members has stated, “Legislation is a gross over-reaction. What next, a ban on smoking in the home?”
True…and how would we set about policing smoking in cars when people are constantly speeding on the motorway without so much as a warning?
It’s a tough one.
Now, although this may sounds outrageous, the potential ban has research backing it which can’t really be ignored. Reportedly, people in a car with a smoker are exposed to 23 times more toxic fumes than they would have been when in a smoky bar or pub before the smoking ban was put in place in 2007.
Personally I think that there should be a ban on people smoking in their cars when they have passengers, especially children. I know from first hand experience that having someone’s smoke fly at you from the front seat for 10 minutes every 15 to 20 minutes of a long journey is not pleasant.
However, I can also see things from the smokers’ group Forest’s perspective. One of its members has stated, “Legislation is a gross over-reaction. What next, a ban on smoking in the home?”
True…and how would we set about policing smoking in cars when people are constantly speeding on the motorway without so much as a warning?
It’s a tough one.
Photo © Mykl Roventine via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: British Medical Association, car, front seat, motorway, passenger, private vehicle, smoking, speeding
12/08/2011
The motorway in darkness
Driving at night can be quite dangerous as it is, but the Highways Agency has said that to cut costs the Department of Transport is turning off the lights on sections of some motorways late at night.
For example, the M1 will be plunged into darkness from midnight to 5am between junctions 10 and 13.
The Highways Agency director explained, “Since 2009 we've switched lighting off between the hours of midnight and 5am on 14 carefully-selected stretches of motorways and evidence so far indicates that switching off the lights hasn't had an impact on safety.
“In March this year we also began permanently switching off motorway lights at three sites.
"This is not about wishing to remove all lights from the motorway network. It's about carefully identifying the locations where, under the revised guidelines, we would no longer install lighting.
“The money saved could then be used for other measures on the strategic road network where it would have a more significant safety benefit and potentially save more lives.”
Still, a lot of people are worried that there are many safety issues with turning off the lights on these roads which contain fast-moving traffic.
If you have to go on the motorway when part of its lights have been turned off, just be prudent, and keep driving safely and considerately, and all should be well.
For example, the M1 will be plunged into darkness from midnight to 5am between junctions 10 and 13. The Highways Agency director explained, “Since 2009 we've switched lighting off between the hours of midnight and 5am on 14 carefully-selected stretches of motorways and evidence so far indicates that switching off the lights hasn't had an impact on safety.
“In March this year we also began permanently switching off motorway lights at three sites.
"This is not about wishing to remove all lights from the motorway network. It's about carefully identifying the locations where, under the revised guidelines, we would no longer install lighting.
“The money saved could then be used for other measures on the strategic road network where it would have a more significant safety benefit and potentially save more lives.”
Still, a lot of people are worried that there are many safety issues with turning off the lights on these roads which contain fast-moving traffic.
If you have to go on the motorway when part of its lights have been turned off, just be prudent, and keep driving safely and considerately, and all should be well.
Photo © simongreenuk via Flickr, under Creative Common Licence
Labels: Department of Transport, driving, Highways Agency, junctions, lights, motorway
19/05/2011
Laser traffic jam removal
When people say the word “laser”, you probably think of eyes, hair removal, exciting museum robbery scenes and Star Wars.
But from now on – be prepared to also think of road traffic-flow improvements.
A new type of high-tech laser is going to be used by investigating officers to help them take key measurements of crash sites quickly and get vehicles moving again.
At the moment when a road needs to be closed after an accident, officers need to painstakingly go about with a tape-measure so that later they can better determine the cause of the crash and, potentially, who is liable.
However, these new lasers, which sit on top of a tripod and cost about £250,000 each, will hopefully speed up the process and will lead to a better traffic flow across the UK.
The British Roads Minister stated, “There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end.
“But even worse than that is the shocking £1billion cost of those lost hours for our economy. That is why we are determined to improve clear-up times following accidents so we can get our motorways re-opened as quickly as possible.
“Motorway closures in England cost the economy around a staggering £1 billion a year. That is an unacceptable brake on the country's economic recovery and must be reduced.”
Anything that makes going from point A to point B smoother, we like.
But from now on – be prepared to also think of road traffic-flow improvements.
A new type of high-tech laser is going to be used by investigating officers to help them take key measurements of crash sites quickly and get vehicles moving again.
At the moment when a road needs to be closed after an accident, officers need to painstakingly go about with a tape-measure so that later they can better determine the cause of the crash and, potentially, who is liable. However, these new lasers, which sit on top of a tripod and cost about £250,000 each, will hopefully speed up the process and will lead to a better traffic flow across the UK.
The British Roads Minister stated, “There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end.
“But even worse than that is the shocking £1billion cost of those lost hours for our economy. That is why we are determined to improve clear-up times following accidents so we can get our motorways re-opened as quickly as possible.
“Motorway closures in England cost the economy around a staggering £1 billion a year. That is an unacceptable brake on the country's economic recovery and must be reduced.”
Anything that makes going from point A to point B smoother, we like.
Image by dmuth via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: accident, crash, motorway, road traffic, traffic jam, vehicle
21/04/2011
Hot dogs
As the weather hots up in anticipation of the summer, motorists might want to remember the suncream and a bottle of water for trips out.
However another very important thing to keep in mind are the needs of any canine friends accompanying a driver on a journey.
Dogs might not be able to vocalise the fact that they’re getting a bit too warm and dehydrated, but if your top is stuck to your back and the faint breeze from the window isn’t enough – the likelihood is that your dog is also feeling the effects of the hot weather.
Humans and dogs can suffer from heatstroke, so keep your pet hydrated on a long journey, take breaks so that you can both breathe some fresh air, and find a shady patch to cool down in – even if it’s in an un-picturesque motorway services car park.
The RSPCA are warning car owners of the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars too. Apparently, within an hour the temperature inside a vehicle can be twice that of the temperature outside, so leaving an animal there could have disastrous consequences.
They may not need suncream – but dogs still need to be kept safe on sunny days!
However another very important thing to keep in mind are the needs of any canine friends accompanying a driver on a journey.
Dogs might not be able to vocalise the fact that they’re getting a bit too warm and dehydrated, but if your top is stuck to your back and the faint breeze from the window isn’t enough – the likelihood is that your dog is also feeling the effects of the hot weather.
Humans and dogs can suffer from heatstroke, so keep your pet hydrated on a long journey, take breaks so that you can both breathe some fresh air, and find a shady patch to cool down in – even if it’s in an un-picturesque motorway services car park. The RSPCA are warning car owners of the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars too. Apparently, within an hour the temperature inside a vehicle can be twice that of the temperature outside, so leaving an animal there could have disastrous consequences.
They may not need suncream – but dogs still need to be kept safe on sunny days!
Image by malias via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, car park, dog, driver, motorists, motorway
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