If anyone else didn't see this is was an excellent example of how it is impossible to drive safely and undertake a detailed thought process at the same time i.e. when trying to drive and use a mobile.

A police driving instructor was shown driving through a slalom of cones - carried out perfectly.

He was then asked to carry out the task again, but in addition undertake a simple arithmetic test - start at 1,000 and subtract 30 (970, 940 etc). After three cones he was well off course.

When we drive we use our eyes to focus on a point - they used an iris tracker to show where the police driver was looking at, he focussed constantly the next cone.

When we have to think of an answer to a question we avert our eyes and that's when the problem started.

The next time you are talking to someone and you ask them a question they have to think about watch where their eyes go - they won't be staring at you!

A perfect example of why trying to carry out complex thoughts and driving don't mix. Read more

It has been mentioned on a few occasions in these pages that Ford have had a problem with corrosion around the inner edge of the doors on a few 2001/02 Focuses and Mondeos. This is caused by a faulty batch of sealer that hardens and comes away exposing the metal underneath to moisture.

The two rear doors on my 2002 Mondeo are effected, I would not call it rust, more like a white oxidation where the sealer has come away, this I guess because they are galvanised. The sealer on these doors is very hard to touch where as on the front doors, hatch etc it is soft to the extent that you can make an indentation in it with your finger nail.

The car is nearly four years old and has done 102000 miles, so it is a year and 42000 miles out of it's warranty, yes it has a 10 or 12 year perforation warranty though is certainly not perforated.

So Ford hold no liability to me at all in respect of this problem other than goodwill however, no quibble, it has gone in today to have two new rear doors fitted and I have a brand spanking new (40 miles on the clock) C-Max to drive while they do it.

Ok, it is better to not have the problem in the first place though I have got to give Ford 10/10 for taking it seriously and sorting it out, ok perhaps 9/10 until I see how good a job the body shop do.

I will keep you posted.


Regards.





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This morning an oncoming car had an accident right in front of me. I was coming up a hill towards a bend, a driver coming the other way lost control on the bend and barrell rolled his car down the hill losing a wheel on the way, the car stopped on it's roof only 50 meters from where I had stopped having braked as I saw the accident happening. The driver was the only person in the car, he got himself out, he had a cut on the back of his head and was shaken though I reckon he came off lightly in the circumstances.

This was only 100 meters from where I had stopped one evening last week to assist a motorcyclist who had dropped his bike.

In both cases these accidents would have been much more serious had any one been coming the other way.

Other than being seperated by 100 meters, the common factor is the state of the road surface, it is extremely slippery caused, I believe, by the actions of a nearby business. I will not go in to details for obvous reasons though how should I proceed in reporting my views in respect of the road surface to the relevant authorities? (I mentioned it to the attending Police Officer this AM), 1/ so further accidents can be avoided and 2/ so these two accidents are not treated as isolated incidents.

Regards. Read more

Morning all

Was wanting your advice as to whether or not this is a decent deal. WE're getting a Mazda 2 Antarres - registered March 05 with less than 100 miles on clock - price £6995 with 6 months RT etc. Sounded like a good deal at time - not so sure now - what are your thoughts? thanks in advance

lal Read more

Hi all.

As someone who knows almost nothing about the technical nature of engines, could someone humour me with an idiots proof explanation to this:

Assuming all factors are the same (eg, drag co-efficients, weight, driving style etc), will a diesel engine car always be more economical than a petrol driven one? The reason I ask is that I've noticed that there is a VX Vextra 3.0 diesel available and am intrigued if that would be more economical than say the bog standard 1.8 version? Of course, I would just never entertain buying a 3.0l petrol car on the grounds of silly fuel economy, but wondered if being diesel made this a more sensible prospect?

Cheers.

TT
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Top Turkey - the fastest hands in Brum Read more