September 2009
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8262904.stm
More than 18,000 fines handed to motorists caught driving in bus lanes in Manchester were illegal, the local authority has admitted.
The drivers were all caught out by cameras between October 2006 and May 2007 - before they were approved for use in bus lanes.
Manchester City Council believed the cameras could be retrospectively certified - but lawyers ruled it out.
It could now face a payout of more than £544,000 to drivers who were caught.
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Hi I'm a little puzzled by this on my Focus 1.8tddi and wondered if anyone had any suggestions.
I went to start the car this morning, turned the key once the glow plug light had gone out and got just a click as if the battery was completely flat. But all lights, radio, etc. work fine.
Not releasing the key, I got this clicking sound about once per second along with the electrics going haywire (dashboard lights coming on, windscreen wipers, etc). After maybe 2 or 3 attempts at this, it decided to start. The starter motor sounded normal and the engine ran perfectly as usual. Also as usual, the battery light went out within about 1-2 seconds of the engine starting.
I did notice the trip counter had reset itself.
I checked the voltage on the battery with the engine idling and no lights, etc. turned on and it was 13.4V. The battery never goes flat and the car is always easy to start. The battery terminals/connection looked undamaged.
Is this something as simple as dirty battery terminals, or something more?
Thanks Read more
..or it could be a poor connection in the starter circuit, if the battery connections are clean and tight, check the earth lead from the battery to the engine.
As I'm a new member this may have been discussed before.
If someone has to surrender his/her licence to have points added, they will be without a licence while it is at the penalty office. This process will take some 4 weeks (if posting) even longer if the postal strike goes ahead, before it is returned.
Question is, what happens in the meantime? does the person drive? I they do decide to drive, and if stopped by the law, does he or she commit an offence because they technically cannot produce the licence within required number of days. With new licences you have to post off the card and paper copy as well.
Any thoughts?
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I have only ever got some points once and had a paper licence at the time. But I'd have thought you sent both parts off. The reason for believing this is any new licence is printed with both parts and they meet up at the end of the process just before being stuck in an envelope. All automatic with machines (and a bit of shoe polish unless they fixed that problem by now - used to use a bit of Kiwi upside down!).
I admit I could be wrong on this as my tour of DVLA was some years ago.
Hi hope someone can offer some advice, my mrs bought this car a few days ago and it has died already!
Obviously it is quite an old motor but it looked in great condition, was an older disabled ladies car and she seemed very genuine, so I was quite surprised that this has happened.
She was on the motorway and it just lost power. Now won't start at all. Battery seems okay, the engine turns over (although sounds very spluttery). I realize that this is totally vague and no-one is gonna give a prognosis based on this info, but I was just hoping for a few pointers of what it could possibly be (common faults etc) and what to check.
Incidentally, our other car is a diesel. She says she is 80% sure she didn't put the wrong fuel in but she is a bit...dippy... Does it sound like this may be it, or is there any way to check?
Cheers in advance
Minski Read more
Firstly, another big thank you to everyone who contributed ideas, opinions and experience, I really appreciated it and it really did help.
Secondly, just to update anyone who might read this in the future, we changed the timing belt and...
Started first time, no problems at all. Looks like we got away without any damage!
Lucky, lucky, lucky I think. But there you go, on this particular model it seems there must be a good chance of getting lucky.
Hi all, apologies if this is a lengthy post, but here goes:
My 2003 Ford Focus TDCI 115 went in for a Cam Belt change 2 weeks ago (it's approaching 100,000 miles). They told me 2 and a half-hour job and it would be done. A day later they said the car wasn't working and a pulley on the lower engine had worn and a new one was needed from Ford, I said "fair enough" and agreed to the work.
They later rang back and said pulley was on but car wouldn't run correctly and sounded awful as well as throwing out smoke. They admitted they hadn't used the correct key/rod that you insert into the engine when changing belts over and the timing of the car had gone wrong, but would be put right at their own expense.....
Now 2 weeks later the car still does not even turn over and they have told me the fuel pump is broken and I need to cough up £290 to repair it or £600 for a new one as they never touched the fuel pump so it's obviously my fault! But my argument is THEY are probably the ones who damaged it by running the car with an incorrectly timed engine thus chugging through too little or too much diesel?
I really need to know how to approach challenging this as I know that fuel pump functioned fine during the 30-mile trip to the garage where I left it for their mechaning to bodge changing the cam belt.
What are my rights and where do I go next?
Help! Read more
Cheers Craig, that looks like the best option.
My main concern was getting a car back with a bent valve but it looks like that won't be the case....
Cheers
The website in Internet Explorer is frequently hanging when selecting Make/Model of car.
No problem with other websites.
Anyone else getting same problem ?? Read more
But it is still widely used.
I've emailed the support people to make them aware (if they weren't already). It is probably an ad-server outside of their control.
Locking this thread now.
Should imagine he was quite pleased. Saved him having to travel to get some for his roses.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/8261287.stm
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I personally have a great deal of respect towards the environment. I actually deplore people invading someone's private property though.
Looking for some cheapy breakdown cover, found these people via monkeysupermarket.
The cover looks ok, I only need basic cover until I get my new car in 4 months time, any comments? Read more
Am I reading the requirements correctly . . .
C1 + E allows me to drive a 7500kg lorry with a trailer limited to 750kg (8250kg overall - due to when I took my test)
D1 + E allows me to drive a bus <8 seats with trailer up to 12000kg! ! !
Am I reading this correctly - seems strange Read more
Only until age 70. When your licence comes up for renewal then (to a 3 yearly one), if you want to keep those additional categories you have to have a D4 medical examination. Don't know if I'll bother..
Most seem to ask for 5 years (cretianly Compare the AMrket and GoCoampre do) but Aviva only asks for 4 years. As my last claim is now over 4 years old I'd rather focus my attentions in the direction.
Is it only Aviva and Direct Line who aren't on the comparison sites?
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The only thing that
I'm interested in is the final premium not how they calculate it.
I'm interested in the quality of the insurance policy cover, as well as the nett premium.
in my opinion, based on what my own eyes have seen, I would say MOST transgressions are due to avoiding other vehicles in one way or another.
Yes you will always get the idiot who thinks laws/rules dont apply to them, and they are the ones that need to be caught and fined HEAVILY!