Driving abroad can be hazardous to your health

Just a selection of incredible traffic accidents in Russia. It would seem that the driving test is not very strict.

 

And I thought the M25 was bad……….

How do they make a living?

Apologies for the lack of posts of late but things are quite hectic at the moment.

My present motor conveyance has been costing me money that I don’t want to spend. So I’m looking for something new.

Having looked on this Interweb thingy I found a slew of franchised dealers that sold the make of vehicle I wished to purchase.

Mrs FE and myself jumped into our motor carriage and sweated (Bloody AC has gone tits up) our way to the dealer. On getting there, and finding a parking space we wandered around the forecourt for a good fifteen minutes. Now in the old days, within minutes, you’d be fighting of salesmen like a diver fights off sharks. They didn’t have what I wanted, but I doubt whether I would have bought from them anyway. (They were probably sitting in the air conditioned showroom giggling at the two old duffers braving 32 degrees of heat).

Anyway back to the internet for another look. And guess what? I found just the car that would suit us at another dealer linked to the same franchise. Naturally I phoned that dealer and arranged for a viewing and a test drive in an hour and a half’s time.

Hah.

When we got there (Drenched in bodily fluids. And no we hadn’t pissed ourselves), no-one seemed to know why we were there.

An utter shambles.

Not only was the vehicle to be viewed stuck behind three rows of other cars, but they couldn’t find the sodding keys for ten minutes.

Anyway I shall cut them some slack as I’m going for a test drive on friday.

Is this the same in all British industry or am I just unlucky?

You think I’m stupid?

Today was the day my renewal notice for my car insurance tumbled through the letter box and onto the mat. With bated breath I ripped open the envelope to get to the heart of “What are they going to try and con me into paying this time”?

£33 pounds more to be exact, is the figure. That’s 8% higher than last year. I would consider that figure to be unjustifiable as inflation at the most is 4% (Depending what index you use. RPI or CPI). and my car’s value has depreciated since last year.

So quick as a flash I logged into a price comparison website to see what insurance there was available for my trusty vehicle.

The only trouble with those sites is minutiae of detail they need for some reason. Why for instance do they need to know whether I’m married, homeowner, have children, or the names of my cats. (Alright I made the last one up).

Any way the upshot of all this bollocks was that eventually I found a policy that matched my needs. And of course it was lower than the quoted new premium by my present insurer. 11.5% less to be nearly exact. That’s less than I’m paying now.

Oh and do read the back of the renewal notice. My present insurer had quietly added into the policy that they were increasing the excess by a whopping £300.

I was nearly caught out a couple of years ago when the insurance company renewal notice gave me the renewal cost in bold on the front, but had hidden on the back the insurance tax and VAT.

The flip side of a cordless drill

The driver is looking really, really, impatient.

Next time use a lower torque setting.

Sneaky

Smoking whilst driving will attract a fine for “careless driving”.

Police currently enforce most careless-driving offences by issuing a warning with no further action, but government plans revealed yesterday will give them the power to issue fixed-penalty tickets.

Last one on the list.

Now I’ve been lighting up cigarettes whilst at the wheel for more years than I can remember. It’s completely second nature to me. I do it without taking my off the road for a second.

And before someone at the back shouts out that you must have both hands on the wheel. That’s bollocks.

Have you never changed the radio station, switched the lights or windscreen wipers on? Do you never change gear?

Just another little money earner for the government coffers.Or just paving the way for no smoking in cars?

And they came for the Motorist...... (Again)

In today's Telegraph there is an article about how it would be good for us to have average speed cameras all over our Motorway Network.

The first weasel words are:

In a report published today, the Sustainable Development Commission has called on ministers to bring in the cameras to ensure that motorists stick to the 70 mph limit.

This alone would achieve a reduction of of 1.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, the Commission says.

I knew the word "Carbon" would be in there somewhere.

And:

Their introduction both on motorways and in urban areas, the Commission says, would encourage smoother more environmentally-friendly driving.

Yup. "Environment's" in there as well.

And bordering on the dangerous is this gem:

Other recommendations in the Commission's report include a call for all cars to be fitted with speed limiters to cut carbon emissions.

Yes that really will help when you find that the only way of trouble is to put your foot down. Result. Death and carnage.

I really, really, despair.

UPDATE: Of the 80 comments, there is only one fuckwit that thinks this is a good thing.

Bump!

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H/T to Old Holborn