Advice to Councils Advises a Cut to Speed Limits
The issue of speeding and the speed limits on our roads are regularly cited in the news, whether it is someone who has been caught speeding in a built up area or the ongoing debate regarding speed cameras. It is an important topic all year round. read more »
Motorways in the North West Causing More Misery than London
It is no big secret that driving on the motorway can be the cause of great despair for the British motorist. When they are open and the traffic is moving they are highly advantageous ways of getting from A to B, but when such ease of driving disappears, they can be a living hell. read more »
AA Highlights the Questionable Amount of Salt as Christmas Looms
During the winter period it is easy to assume that should the roads become so treacherous with ice that cars cannot safely drive on them, then there is a high enough supply of salt stocks to deal with them.
However, according to the AA this is not necessarily the case, with the company learning that many of the local authorities in the UK only have salt stocks to last for six continuous days of freezing weather. It means that should continuous freezing occur on the road, it could be as little as six days before the nation would be gripped by gridlock.
Such a low amount of salt reserves means that British drivers could be at risk this season, with thousands of people killed on the roads as a result of such treacherous conditions each winter.
However, the AA cites its industry sources as saying that UK local authorities actually have a quarter of a million tonnes less salt than they would have done around a decade ago.
This does not apply to every local authority in the UK though, meaning that British drivers could be facing a postcode lottery in regards to their safety. As a result, the AA President, Edmund King has called on bodies to ensure that there is enough salt stock so that a repeat of last February’s driving conditions are not repeated this winter, with the Highways Agency responding that they are prepared to manage their networks of roads.
“1,000 people are killed or seriously injured on snowy and icy roads each winter and hospital casualty departments are often inundated with people who have slipped and fallen,” says King, “Investing in ice and snow clearance, to save elsewhere down the line, makes total sense.”
However, they cite areas of the UK where adequate measures are being undertaken to tackle the problem: “We applaud the decision in Durham where the NHS has given £1m to pay for extra gritting to cut the number of people they have to treat.
“We accept that not every road can be treated, but we must do a lot more to keep the wheels of the economy turning in winter emergencies and ‘routine’ winter weather. That means getting enough salt stocks in place now.”
Source: AA Press Release Dec 2009
Recent Research Highlights the Most Frustrating Situations for Motorists
Road rage is not a new phenomenon and certainly isn’t something that is going to go away any time soon. Every day motorists must face a range of situations that are going to get the blood boiling and whilst some of these could be unavoidable incidents, others relate to the driving habits of others.
The RAC has revealed the most infuriating driving habits that motorists face on British highways and has concluded that respectful driving is something that should be taught to those heading out on the roads.
The biggest grievance for motorists when it came to driving habits, according to the RAC research, was people driving too close behind them, which accounted for 72% of those surveyed.
The research was commissioned by One Poll, who asked 1000 motorists the relevant questions between the 11th and the 14th August 2009.
Whilst tail-gating came out as the most frustrating driving behaviour, the next in line was other motorists using a mobile phone behind the wheel, with 68% of people citing this as a grievance. 68% were also angered by other motorists cutting them up.
It can often be useful to know where a car is planning on going next, whether they are turning or going straight on at a roundabout for example. This is perhaps the reason why drivers not indicating proved to be a big frustration for 65% of motorists.
Then there are the times when we might help another car out on the road, such as giving way for them when we didn’t have to. Drivers who did not express thanks for such as gesture riled up 48% of those surveyed.
“We all get a bit worked up from time to time on the road, but how we handle stressful situations is the key to making driving more pleasant,” said Suzi Perry of the RAC. “When another driver is polite it can really make your day, in return it’s so easy to be a respectful driver and even small things like acknowledging drivers that let you out at a junction, or letting others in when you’re in slow moving traffic can make a huge difference.”
Surprisingly, the study also found that more people were annoyed by slow drivers than those speeding, with a further 45% of drivers citing this as a nuisance when they are attempting to get from A to B.
Source: RAC Press Release Sept 2009
New Figures Reveal the Savings Motorists Could be Missing Out on
Everyone is aware of the high cost of buying and running a car even if they do not know the specific prices. It is such knowledge that puts some people off owning one and encourages others to avoid brand new vehicles altogether and instead focus their attention on buying a second hand car.
With this in mind, Sainsbury’s Finance, continuing to dish out advice to motorists in the United Kingdom, has revealed the results of a study carried out on their behalf by TNS. The results show that motorists may have paid as much as £230 million extra for cars between July and August 2009, simply because they failed to haggle on the price.
The study also asked people whether they planned to haggle on the price of a brand new car between March and August 2009 and between September 2009 and February 2010. It found that the amount of people planning to haggle dropped between the two periods, with those planning to ‘haggle very hard’ dropping from 44% of motorists to 36% of motorists, whilst those who planned to ‘haggle hard’ dropped from 23% to 16%.
However, the amount of people planning to ‘haggle slightly’ went up from one period to the next, from 23% of people between March and August to 37% between September and February. It implies a level of uncertainty with motorists who are perhaps unaware of how much they could save by challenging the price, which in some cases could amount to a discount of up to 50% according to Broadspeed.com in 2008.
Motorists are also encouraged to shop around and find the best deal on a new car before buying. By carrying out such tasks at every level, particularly with motor insurance as well, motorists could save a lot more than they are already.
“Our research suggests that with stereotypical British reserve, many of us don’t haggle hard despite the big savings that can be made, so we’d urge car buyers to give it a go,” said Steven Baillie from Sainsbury’s Finance. “As well as obtaining a good deal on a new car, it’s also important to shop around for a competitive rate if you are planning to use a loan to help finance your purchase.”
Are Private Clampers Fleecing Motorists? LV= Suspects That They Are
When people use the roads there are many things that can become aggravating, from the excessive amount of traffic on the motorway or city centre to the amount charged at car parks.
Another area that causes motorists concern is clamping, with many people being caught illegally parked on a regular basis. It is a growing problem and research that has been carried out by the car insurance company LV= indicates that around £58 million has been paid out to private clamping firms in the period from June 2008 to June 2009, a rise of 64% from the same period in the years previously.
The research was carried out on behalf of LV= by Opinium, who surveyed 500 drivers who had been clamped during the period. Of those, 123 had been clamped by private firms, which compares to 72 people between one and two years ago.
The news emerges during a time when the legality concerning private clampers is being debated, with Barrister Doctor Chris Elliot speaking out against the practice in July. In a press release by the RAC back then, he mentions that motorists are often punished with clamping when a vehicle is parked on private land, but the law does not sanction the idea of one person punishing another. His comments saw the RAC call for a review by the government.
LV= has worked out that in the last 12 months, the rise of clamping from private companies has soared from 292,023 to 486,705. It also cites figures demonstrating that 17% of motorists believe that they were clamped when they were in fact parked legally.
As a result, LV= is joining in the calls for the government to legislate further on private clamping companies, whilst also doing more to increase the amount of parking spaces available to the public.
“Private clampers make millions every year and in some cases are using intimidating and aggressive tactics to raise money from drivers who have unknowingly parked in the wrong place,” said John O’Roarke of LV= Car Insurance.
“We believe the clamping industry needs to be better regulated by the Government. This would help to put an end to heavy handed tactics and ensure that there’s a fair and consistent approach across the UK by all firms.”
Source: LV= Press Release Oct 2009 and RAC Press Release July 2009.
3.7 million Plan to Buy a Second Hand Car Before February 2010
It is common for people to purchase second hand cars, with people hoping to save money on vehicles by avoiding brand new motors, whilst other road users hope to sell on their car and pay towards a new one.
Sainsbury’s Finance is indicating that in the six months leading up to the end of February 2010, around 3.7 million people plan to buy a second hand car, with the average price amounting o £5,323.
As a result, the car insurance company is urging motorists to be aware of their car’s value, particularly if they are planning on selling it on.
The findings come from research carried out by TNS on behalf of Sainsbury’s Finance, which showed that the figure of 3.7 million people is down from 4.5 million people who planned to buy second hand cars in the previous six month period. The findings were split down into different UK regions, which demonstrated that more people in Scotland were planning on purchasing a second hand vehicle, with 15% of the adult population making plans during the six month period, a total of 633,000.
The North West of England showed the lowest percentage of the adult population planning on buying a second hand car, with 3% of the adult population (179,000) making such plans. However, this is actually more people than the North East, where only 93,000 were planning to buy a second hand motor, accounting for 4% of the population.
“Our research suggests that less people intend to buy a second-hand car in the coming months,” says Steven Baillie, Head of Loans for Sainsbury’s “which may be partly due to the Government’s car scrappage scheme encouraging more people to buy a new car instead.
“Indeed, we estimate that the scrappage scheme is directly responsible for a 37% increase in the value of personal loans taken out to purchase cars since its introduction [based on personal loans data].
He encourages people to do their homework when it comes to buying a car and this applies to both buyers and sellers, “Sellers should for example ensure they understand the car’s value in relation to the market so that they get the best deal – valuation calculators can be found online.
“Buyers should remember to haggle, which can save them hundreds or even thousands of pounds, and if they are financing their purchase through a loan, they should shop around for the best loan rate available as well.”
Source: Sainsbury’s Finance Press Release