Below is a list of top motoring myths according to reseach by the RAC Foundation and Tesco Personal Finance (listed on uk.cars.yahoo.com/features/motoring-myths/ ).


1. Men are better drivers than women
Sorry, lads. You may think you can handle a car like Michael Schumacher but, on every measure, women are better drivers. Women are involved in fewer accidents, commit fewer motoring offences and are more likely to pass their driving test at the first attempt. As a result, most women benefit by paying lower insurance premiums.

2. Traffic cops play `speed snooker'
Here's how this Pot Black inspired myth goes. When police officers monitor speed traps, they target colours in turn: first a red car, then a blue maybe, back to a red and so on. As a result, drivers of red cars are more likely to be stopped for speeding. Fortunately for red car drivers, there's never been any evidence found that these antics take place.

3. Traffic cops launch a missile
Two traffic cops were monitoring speeding cars with hand-held radar guns. Suddenly they clocked an object approaching at 300 mph. By chance, they had locked their guns onto an over-flying military aircraft and launched one of its missiles. For a number of scientific and operational reasons, this is impossible.

4. Avoid paying your fine
Have you heard the one about the double-bluff way to avoid points on your license? If you send a cheque for more than the amount of the fine, the issuing authority has to refund the difference. If you don't cash the cheque they send back, they can't add the points to your license because the full transaction isn't complete. Because of their heavy workload pressures, they don't pursue the matter, so you avoid the penalty. This is of course wrong; your licence would be endorsed regardless, and failure to pay a fine can lead to more serious trouble.

5. You can outrun a speed camera
In theory, you could outrun a speed camera by driving at more than 172mph. However, few cars are capable of such speeds and anyone daft enough to try deserves to lose their licence.

6. You can't get in trouble for driving too slowly
Not true. A number of people have been stopped and charged for driving too slowly. If a police officer thinks your driving is putting others at risk - by encouraging risky overtaking, say - you can be booked.

7. Reflective number plates can beat speed cameras
The myth says that a certain type of reflective number plate is impossible to photograph, enabling offenders to avoid speed camera photos. Tests have shown that no known number plate can do such a thing.

8. You can't be booked if caught speeding in a hire car
Again, not true. If you're caught on camera, the hire company will pass your details onto the police for them to deal with you directly. The same applies if you pick up a parking ticket while driving a hire car.

9. A police officer must be wearing a hat to book you
It may have been true once, but no longer. So long as a police officer is recognisable as such, you can be booked.

10. No claims losses
Some people believe that, if you make an insurance claim, you lose your entire no-claims bonus. This is not true. Most insurers will reduce your no- claims bonus by a proportion. For example, if you have seven years no- claims and then make a claim you usually lose only two years.

11. You'll automatically fail your driving test if you stall the car
Not true. The test examiner is assessing your ability to drive safely, complete certain manoeuvres and demonstrate that you understand the Highway Code. As long as you correctly handle the car once it's stalled, you should be ok.

Do you know of any other ones?




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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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I have two v%'s in front of me.

The one issued about 6 months ago, says tere is no requirement to provide date of birth driver number or mileage.

The one issued 3 years ago, only says no requirement for driver number or mileage. They miss out the DOB bit.

I am sure we never used to have to fill in the DOB so have they issued a load of V%'s without the correct information, and they have subsequently corrected the error, or were told to correct the error?

cheers Read more

My nissan primera appeared to have problems starting this morning, there seemed to be a lack of power.
After about 100 yards driving there was no acceleration and the vechile stopped.
Now it wont start, the engine is turning over but wont start.

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I have a Vauxhall Astra Mk4 which has ABS and Electronic Brake Distibution (EBD). It ran on 195/60 x15 tyres as standard. I always move rear tyres to front and put new tyres on the rear, as recommended (no opening of old debates, please).

As part of an "upgrade" I fitted 205/60 x15 on the rear which will soon be moved onto the front, with new matching 205/60 x15 on the rear.

For a while now, roughly co-inciding with the use of increased rolling radius tyres on the rear, the braking has felt strange. It feels as if the servo isn't always working and the ABS is trying to kick back quite often, even when braking gently.

The servo has been checked out ok, as well as the non-return vacuum valve.

It's just occurred to me that the EBD might be getting confused. The rear wheels will be rotating slightly slower because of the larger rolling radius. As EBD uses the ABS sensors to assess rotational speed and deceleration, is it getting confused? Presumably the system has to cope with small changes in rolling radius due to different rates of tyre wear but can't cope with this large a change.

Is my theory correct? If so the problem will go away when new tyres are fitted. If not, any suggestions? Read more

I found this article on the use of the european emergency telephone number 112 and noticed it mentioned cars will be making thier own emergency calls after an accident.

www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&na...1

Any comments? Read more