03/09/2012
Wheel Clamp Man – hero or menace?
A man from Perth in Western Australia has turned superhero and begun removing motorists’ wheel clamps.
Apparently taking inspiration from Britain’s Angle-grinder Man (active around ten years ago), Wheel Clamp Man dons a green leotard, long rainbow socks, a fake mustache, and red eye mask, and takes to the streets to aid those in need.
After removing a clamp he asks drivers for a small donation, which he then reportedly gives to the homeless.
This all sounds very amusing and kindhearted, but the problem is that what he’s doing is illegal. The police state that he is causing criminal damage, and would very much like the public to help track him down.
Wheel clamps are put in place for a reason – and anyone unauthorised to remove them shouldn’t try. If they feel they’ve been clamped unfairly, which does happen sometimes, they should follow the appeal process available to them.
I’m not sure how much longer Wheel Clamp Man will be coming to the rescue of road users, but hopefully soon he will see that he’s saving road users’ money the wrong way.
Perhaps he should stop cutting off clamps to prevent motorists from having to pay a fine, and instead get a job with a telematics car insurance company.
Photo © ecastro via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Apparently taking inspiration from Britain’s Angle-grinder Man (active around ten years ago), Wheel Clamp Man dons a green leotard, long rainbow socks, a fake mustache, and red eye mask, and takes to the streets to aid those in need.After removing a clamp he asks drivers for a small donation, which he then reportedly gives to the homeless.
This all sounds very amusing and kindhearted, but the problem is that what he’s doing is illegal. The police state that he is causing criminal damage, and would very much like the public to help track him down.
Wheel clamps are put in place for a reason – and anyone unauthorised to remove them shouldn’t try. If they feel they’ve been clamped unfairly, which does happen sometimes, they should follow the appeal process available to them.
I’m not sure how much longer Wheel Clamp Man will be coming to the rescue of road users, but hopefully soon he will see that he’s saving road users’ money the wrong way.
Perhaps he should stop cutting off clamps to prevent motorists from having to pay a fine, and instead get a job with a telematics car insurance company.
Photo © ecastro via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Angle-grinder Man, appeal, illegal, motorist, Perth, police, superhero, telematics car insurance, Western Australia, wheel clamp, Wheel Clamp Man
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
05/03/2012
Three-piece disaster waiting to happen
Nissan Micras are useful little cars, used and well-loved by many motorists in the UK.
However, they are not the ideal transport when you have a three-piece suite to move from A to B.
One driver thought they’d try anyway though, and was spotted by another road user near Exeter on the A30 with a settee and an armchair on his car’s roof, and another armchair in the boot.
There was no roof rack, and the items were only held down with some lengths of string and the passenger’s left hand.
It seems that the motorist was well aware of the inadequate job he’d made of securing the furniture to his vehicle, since he was only travelling at 30mph on the 70mph stretch of highway.
The whole affair could have resulted in a very serious accident and the head of Devon and Cornwall police’s traffic department has stated that they will be making contact with the driver.
He said, “Drivers who decide to use entirely unsuitable vehicles to carry large loads present a danger to other road users.
“The load may be tied on to the vehicle but the vehicle itself is entirely inappropriate for carrying such large pieces of furniture.”
So, the next time you’re going to carry large items of furniture on a small car – don’t – hire a van instead.
However, they are not the ideal transport when you have a three-piece suite to move from A to B. One driver thought they’d try anyway though, and was spotted by another road user near Exeter on the A30 with a settee and an armchair on his car’s roof, and another armchair in the boot.
There was no roof rack, and the items were only held down with some lengths of string and the passenger’s left hand.
It seems that the motorist was well aware of the inadequate job he’d made of securing the furniture to his vehicle, since he was only travelling at 30mph on the 70mph stretch of highway.
The whole affair could have resulted in a very serious accident and the head of Devon and Cornwall police’s traffic department has stated that they will be making contact with the driver.
He said, “Drivers who decide to use entirely unsuitable vehicles to carry large loads present a danger to other road users.
“The load may be tied on to the vehicle but the vehicle itself is entirely inappropriate for carrying such large pieces of furniture.”
So, the next time you’re going to carry large items of furniture on a small car – don’t – hire a van instead.
Photo © rileyroxx via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: 30mph, A30, accident, armchair, car, driver, furniture, motorist, Nissan Micra, police, road, roof rack, settee, three-piece suite, transport
10/02/2012
Taxi to my crime den, please
Obviously we don’t condone any criminal activities at all – in fact we’re quite against any unlawful behaviour.
However, I think you’d agree that if you are going to commit a crime – burgling for example – then you should think about how you’re going to get away afterwards without being caught.
Two ridiculous thieves in Suffolk didn’t think about this very hard before stealing things from a log cabin in Haverhill which was positioned next to the owner’s home and being used as a recording studio.
One of the men, worried that he was going to be late for a dentist appointment – no joke – had asked his mate to help him with the robbery.
After taking some audio and recording equipment worth around £7465, the pair ordered a taxi and used their real names and gave the ringleader’s real home address!
The taxi driver thought their behaviour and what they wanted transported was suspicious, so he called the police. Around a similar time the owner of the log cabin reported the burglary, and a little later the neighbours of the burglars alerted police to suspicious goods being unloaded.
Needless to say both thieves pleaded guilty to their crimes – they had so much proof of their criminal activities stacked up against them there wouldn’t have been any point pleading innocent.
Honest citizens and police: One.
Bungling burglars: Zero.
However, I think you’d agree that if you are going to commit a crime – burgling for example – then you should think about how you’re going to get away afterwards without being caught. Two ridiculous thieves in Suffolk didn’t think about this very hard before stealing things from a log cabin in Haverhill which was positioned next to the owner’s home and being used as a recording studio.
One of the men, worried that he was going to be late for a dentist appointment – no joke – had asked his mate to help him with the robbery.
After taking some audio and recording equipment worth around £7465, the pair ordered a taxi and used their real names and gave the ringleader’s real home address!
The taxi driver thought their behaviour and what they wanted transported was suspicious, so he called the police. Around a similar time the owner of the log cabin reported the burglary, and a little later the neighbours of the burglars alerted police to suspicious goods being unloaded.
Needless to say both thieves pleaded guilty to their crimes – they had so much proof of their criminal activities stacked up against them there wouldn’t have been any point pleading innocent.
Honest citizens and police: One.
Bungling burglars: Zero.
Photo © Leonid Mamchenkov via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: burgling, crime, criminal, log cabin, police, robbery, taxi, thieves, transport, unlawful
27/01/2012
Police spot female driver practicing eulogy
After catching a rugby player heading towards the motorway in a golf buggy and a U.F.O doing whatever a U.F.O does above Cardiff, the police could be forgiven for claiming that they’ve seen it all. That is until Scottish officers spotted a woman reading The Bible while driving in Scotland.
Apparently the female driver felt so unprepared as she made her way to a funeral in Perth that she felt impelled to seek holy inspiration. She failed to realise that by perching The Bible on her legs she was placing herself and other motorists in danger.
A representative of the Tayside Police said, “This weekend a road policing unit patrol car travelling on the A90 dual carriageway between Dundee and Perth noticed the female driver deep in concentration and apparently talking to herself.
“As the officials drew alongside the car, the driver was found to be reading from a bible propped up on the steering wheel.”
Although the officers had great sympathy for the woman’s situation they were left with little option but to issue a fine and add points to her driving license. This case should act as a reminder of the dangers of multi-tasking while on the road.
Apparently the female driver felt so unprepared as she made her way to a funeral in Perth that she felt impelled to seek holy inspiration. She failed to realise that by perching The Bible on her legs she was placing herself and other motorists in danger.A representative of the Tayside Police said, “This weekend a road policing unit patrol car travelling on the A90 dual carriageway between Dundee and Perth noticed the female driver deep in concentration and apparently talking to herself.
“As the officials drew alongside the car, the driver was found to be reading from a bible propped up on the steering wheel.”
Although the officers had great sympathy for the woman’s situation they were left with little option but to issue a fine and add points to her driving license. This case should act as a reminder of the dangers of multi-tasking while on the road.
Photo © jmwk via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Cardiff, driving licence, motorists, police, road
14/12/2009
Italian police crash £150,000 super patrol car
Italian police must be pretty gutted after crashing one of only two Lamborghinis in their patrol car fleet. The £150,000 car has been declared a write-off after the police car swerved to avoid another vehicle which crossed its path, ploughing into two stationary cars.
The Lamborghini car, painted in the Italian police force's blue and white colours was a gift from the Italian carmakers in 2004 and is one of only two owned by the Italian police.
With six speeds and a 500-horsepower engine designed to go from zero to 100km/h in four seconds, no criminal stood a chance of outdriving the response car. The news that the Polizia's top response car is out of action therefore may well be music to the local joy riders ears.
But perhaps Lamborghini will show the police some compassion and offer them a replacement Gallardo for Christmas. Thankfully finding cheap car insurance for the police is not an issue.
Image © Simon & Vicki via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, Gallardo, Italy, Lamborghini, police
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