October 2006
More drivers are using hand-held mobile phones at the wheel than when the practice was banned in December 2003, according to Government figures.
The latest statistics, from a study commissioned by the Department for Transport, show that the number of motorists flouting the law has risen by more than 50 per cent in the past 18 months.
According to the study, carried out by TRL, formerly the Transport Research Laboratory, 1.7 per cent of motorists ? equivalent to more than half a million drivers ? are making calls on hand-held phones while at the wheel every day.
It showed a steady rise in motorists using hand-held mobiles while driving from 1.1 per cent of those observed in September 2004 to 1.7 per cent in April this year.
At the same time the proportion of drivers bothering to use hands-free sets has fallen from 1.4 per cent to 0.8 per cent.
Full details at:
tinyurl.com/rpea3
--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
Read more
Has anyone driven this new 1.4 Golf with the supercharger and turbocharger?
Even though I've only just got my lovely A3 I have to choose my next car soon, and I may be interested in this as an alternative to the ubiquity of 1.9/2.0TDi engines.... I fancy a revvy petrol for a change!
The MPG for the 140BHP version is supposed to be around 40, 38 for the 170BHP version.
Views appreciated... Read more
You read my mind! Cold figures speak volumes....
Also, more emotionally, was looking round the car park before and the GT (170BHP) has much of the GTi body kit and very nice multispoke alloys, a fave of mine.
No-brainer!
Hurray, I've chosen my next car!
More than 10,000 illegal vehicles have been seized in Manchester in the last nine months, police have said.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/5405262.stm Read more
This is brilliant! If every police force in the country seized this number of cars, it would be a massive step to reducing congestion!
The Audi R8 features "Audi's new 'Magnetic Ride' system"
........... perhaps this is similar to the Ferrari F599 system..............
"Unlike traditional oleodynamic systems, magnetorheological (MR) fluid suspension systems react instantly to road conditions and driver inputs, thanks to the fact that they use a fluid the viscosity of which is modified by applying an electronically controlled magnetic field."
Interesting, wonder when it will filter down to normal cars. Read more
Maybe I should have been clearer, I didn't mean from an engineering POV. I meant the ride/handling aspect. Once saw something similar on Discovery being tested on Hummers for the US military.
Steve.
---
Xantia HDi.
Buy a Citroen and get to know the local GSF staff better...
I was contemplating travelling to Amsterdam in a few weeks time for a short visit. Logically a cheap flight to Skipol would be the easiest option but for a number of reasons is a non-starter.
From what I have read in random tourist guides, I see that parking
and cars in general are a no no for Amsterdam.
I had wondered if parking a the airport might be possible and use public transport to travel to the city, though if its like any UK airport the parking charge could well be hefty.
Do any travellers to Amsterdam know of possiblities of parking in near by towns, and again using public transport to complete the journey? Read more
If you have a day free I would highly recommend taking the time to drive the circular route up along the side of the Ijssel Meer across the Afsluitdijk to Friesland and then back across the polders. You get to see traditional fishing villages and the spectacular engineering of the reclaimed land.
Got back last week from a holiday in Italy, driving there and back. On a Thursday afternoon, we noticed, on entering Switzerland, the enormous (stationary) queue of HGVs at the border. At another point (not a border), dozens of HGVs had been taken off the motorway and were laid up at a sort of service area. On leaving Switzerland, another massive queue of HGVs waiting to enter.
What was that all about? Read more
"weekend ban wouldnt apply"
Yep, point taken - must read posts more carefully!
Sorry
--
Phil
Returned to my car this evening to find all 4 windows wide open (and of course, contents missing). No sign of forced entry. Pretty sure I'd locked it - it's a reflex action whenever I leave the car, much the same as putting seat belt on before driving. Even if I'd left it unlocked, the electric windows wouldn't operate without the key in the ignition. I once read about devices which can pick up your key's infra-red signature and then clone it - or was I watching an old episode of Star Trek? Read more
Spot on. In the full light of day, I now see thay marmalised the driver's door lock. (Is this the tennis ball trick?) But having done this, how did they get the windows down?
The windows can be opened and closed by holding the key in a certain postion in the lock. If you click on the links I posted earlier, you'll find more info.
VW Polo TDI 90 - 2 years ago the main positive feed cable from the battery to the starter corroded through where the wire connects to the spade terminal at the starter end. For a fiver an auto electrician replaced the spade. However this required cutting off the old spade thus leaving the cable a fraction shorter when refitted with a new spade. Now today the 'new' spade has fractured through. A new cable costs around £60 so being of the old school I'm wondering is it practical or wise to just cut back the old cable and seal it off and then run another cable from battery to starter bypassing the old one? and save some money. Read more
Thanks to you all for your advice - my local auto electrician stepped into the breach again and removed the remains of the old connector, refitted another one and this time he's moved the battery about an inch allowing the cable a little more slack. Fingers crossed but so far its Ok . Cost minimal.
I've just bought a used 406 HDI (90bhp) Y reg (2001).
There are two added buttons next to the ashtray on the centre console.
One is green and marked P and the other red and marked B.
Both are backlit and once pressed will remain on but only one at a time.
Also if one is on the other will not turn on. Neither can be turned off until the ignition is turned off.
It's clear that this is something after market and not standard Peugeot.
Anyone have any ideas what these could be???
I was thinking maybe some sort of chipping mod but there is no obvious change in peformance when on.
I've unclipped the ashtray and they are still connected to some wiring.
Read more
They are for connection to a mobile phone in event of emergency.
The P button is one you press when you have a simple fault to call out the phone recovery servce.
The B button is for when it has properly broken down , won't start or the electrics have gone AWOL.
Peugeot recognised in later models they had a reliability problem and added these as a no cost supplement to reduce time broken down by the roadside.
Unfortunately the B button is unreliable, cannot stand frequent usage and stops working after 5 to 7 attempts :-))
madf
I'd compare what the TMC info is saying with an online source that's meant to be the same as the TMC channel transmitted on Classic FM. Maybe for some reason they do not include all of the Glasgow area and someone needs informing?
Just a thought. His TMC receiver obviously working since he gets info on other roads. Read more
I have a Sony satnav unit (U70T) and in East Anglia (Cambridge/Ely areas) the tmc is very patchy indeed. Often days go by with no signal at all, then it will kick in for a bit, then vanish again.
I've even extended the supplied aerial but makes little difference. Works better on rainy days for some reason.
Browse
.jpg)
Well, I don't mind ridicule, so If you or anyone else is ever in Nantwich, come to the Bowling Green. It's badly decorated, they've often not got much beer in, there isn't a lock on the toilet door and the urinals are broken so that if you're unfortunate enough to have an ill-timed wazz, you look like you've wet yourself. Additionally, the bar staff spend more time smoking and reading Custom car magazines than serving*.
However, despite all this, we love it! The collection of eccentrics in there is exceptional.
* One of the bar staff has one of those cars that dances, an old Chevy of some description. Another one has a gangsta-ed Mercedes S class coupé (Alt 130) that is battered enough to be cool.