Oct 19, 2015
Recent figures, collated by the RAC and revealed by The Telegraph, have shown that only around half as many people were prosecuted for using mobile phones at the wheel last year than were back in 2009.
If this seems nonsensical to you (as it did to us), you won’t be surprised that a separate study suggests that nowadays far more people illegally use their phones whilst in command of a vehicle. In fact, in a survey, 1.5% of “tens of thousands” of drivers admitted to doing so.
So how can it be that more people are engaging in this illegal practice while prosecution figures are going down so drastically? Well, it seems that a lack of police resources is to blame.
Stories of local police forces no longer actively pursuing certain offenses are very common nowadays. Some regions are no longer investigating burglaries and others have admitted turning a blind eye to cannabis growers – all because of government cuts and reduced resources.
In the case of traffic offenses, the number of police on the lookout has gone down by nearly 25% since 2010, amounting to 1279 fewer officers on the roads. Small wonder then that many people are getting away with using their phones at the wheel.
If you are one of the people who breaks the law in this way, please remember that using your phone whilst driving, aside from being dangerous, is considered by the public to be the “most hated driving habit.” If you are caught, you do still face a fine of around £100 and points on your license.
Oct 12, 2015
Save for a brief period where diesel fuel was on sale for a lower price than unleaded a short while ago, diesel drivers haven’t had a fantastic 2015 so far.
After championing the use of diesels for many years, the government has now changed tack, and the Volkswagen emission scandal has brought into sharp focus just how polluting diesel vehicles can be.
The weekend delivered various press reports about diesel cars. One article in Wales Online even discussed the prospect of pre-2015 diesels being banned in Wales by 2020, as their presence on the roads is likely to mean it’s impossible to meet previously agreed EU emissions targets.
Meanwhile, The Independent reported on another diesel-related issue, which has been simmering away in the background for some time – the issue of motorists removing the diesel particulate filters from older diesel cars to reduce their servicing bills, resulting in huge increases in pollution.
Diesel particulate filters prevent excess pollution entering the atmosphere from diesel cars. They typically have a lifespan of about 80,000 miles and, according to the article, cost around £1500 to replace. This is a significant bill for a car with 80,000 miles on the clock – in some cases potentially coming close to the value of the car. As such, it seems many drivers have arranged to have to filters removed instead, resulting in “tens of thousands” of cars pumping out far more pollution than they should be.
Thanks to a loophole in the law, garages can remove the filters legally. It’s illegal to drive a car with the DPF removed, but it’s so difficult to detect the removal that the changes aren’t necessarily even noticed during MOT tests.
Something tells us this isn’t the last diesel-related scandal we’re going to hear in the coming days and weeks.
Oct 8, 2015
The scandal currently engulfing Volkswagen with regard to rigged emissions tests on diesel cars could soon spread to petrol vehicles too, according to a report in The Telegraph.
The report cites the fact that, to begin with, Volkswagen claimed that just under half a million cars were affected by the scandal. That figure has already risen to 11 Million. Greg Archer, a “former government advisor” is quoted as suggesting that the scandal “is probably not limited to diesel and not limited to emissions.” This suggests that it could transpire that so-called “defeat devices” were used on petrol cars too.
If Archer is correct, this enormous scandal could blow up into something truly monumental. Unsurprisingly, many people are also starting to wonder if other car manufacturers have engaged in questionable practices alongside VW.
One of history’s biggest car recalls will soon be underway, with VW (and its other linked brands, Audi, Skoda and Seat) due to contact owners affected by the scandal. It’s expected that cars will begin to be recalled to garages for alterations early next year.
Meanwhile, Auto Express has reported that the head of VW in the US allegedly knew about the “cheating” devices as far back as early last year.
If you own a Volkswagen, Audi, Seat or Skoda, you may want to check out the manufacturer’s website to see if your car is subject to any recall notices. You will need your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to do so, which is usually stamped on the car’s windscreen.
IMAGE CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons
Oct 2, 2015
The Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal that we reported on last week continues to grab headlines.
The latest news pertaining specifically to the UK is that sales of 4000 new vehicles are to be “suspended” according to a Sky News report. These are cars with a specific engine, model EA189.
As suspected right at the beginning, the scandal has now spread to other marques under the Volkswagen banner, including Skoda, Audi and Seat. VW have confessed that over 10 Million vehicles worldwide are fitted with technology that has allowed them to “cheat” on diesel emissions tests.
The UK isn’t the first nation to suspend sales. Certain VW brand models have already been withdrawn from the market in the US, Canada and Switzerland.
Next comes the big recall, predicted to be one of the largest in motoring history. The fear is that after corrective work, some people may find their cars are less economical and do not perform as well as before. 1.2 Million cars are expected to be recalled in the UK alone, with owners expecting to hear from VW from next week.
Two big questions occur: The first is whether Volkswagen will ever truly recover from this scandal. The second is the major elephant in the room – namely whether this “cheating” has been exclusive to the VW group, or whether, in time, we’ll find other manufacturers implicated in similar scandals. If any other brands do have skeletons in their closets, it’s unlikely their executives are getting much sleep right now…
IMAGE CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons
Oct 1, 2015
As of today, it’s illegal to smoke in cars carrying anyone under 18. The new law applies to England and Wales initially, with Scotland and Northern Ireland to consider their respective approaches in the near future.
A fine of £50 will be charged to anyone disobeying the law, but according to a BBC report, the authorities have stated that they will be taking a “non-confrontational approach” to enforcement. It’s not completely clear what this will mean in practice – in some circles people believe it means that the law won’t actually be enforced.
Even so, the law should emphasise people’s moral duty not to expose children to second-hand smoke in their cars. Although one would assume most smokers would refrain from lighting up in cars with their children, the British Lung Foundation state that nearly half a million under-18s have to share cars with smokers each week.
Two exceptions apply to the law: one is an exemption for convertibles with the roof open, and another for e-cigarettes, which produce vapour rather than smoke.
It remains to be seen just how seriously drivers and police will take this new legislation. In the BBC report, the Police Federation chairman states that the police are “struggling to attend burglaries” with their current resources. One wonders, on that basis, how they’re going to have the time to catch people having a cheeky cigarette in their own cars, even if the well-intentioned law is intended to protect the health of children.
IMAGE CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons
Sep 29, 2015
In the coming months, drivers on the M5 will be able to take advantage of new petrol price displays on the roadside, which will help them to decide whether to stop at the next service area or keep driving a little longer if fuel is better value at the next one.
An article in The Times suggests that the presence of these displays could “end rip-offs.”
While it seems unlikely that fuel at motorway service areas will drop in price to match costs available nearer to towns, this added transparency may well stimulate competition and can only be a good thing for drivers. These roadside price displays are already in use in several other countries, including Portugal, where they are commonplace on major motorways.
The new signs are being placed on a trial basis. The plans were actually announced under the previous coalition government at the end of last year, but confirmation of the signs going up on the M5 “this winter” appeared in The Times today.
The report also states that the average motorway services fill up costs as much as £8 more than it would elsewhere. Anything that could be done to reduce this sum is sure to be a hit with drivers, so let’s hope this trial results in a national roll-out.
