HIGH FUEL COSTS KILL OFF CHEAP WEEKEND MOTORING BREAKS
Issued: Thursday, 22nd May 2008
“Fuel costs, not the weather, are most likely to ruin the traditional motoring Bank
Holiday that was once a cheap Spring break for the family,” says Neil Greig, IAM
Trust Director. “And record fuel prices, especially for drivers of diesels, have
wiped out the promised financial benefits of driving a new fuel-efficient car.” According
to the IAM Trust: the fuel cost for a typical family break of 1,000 miles has risen
by up to 50 per cent since 2003, in spite of today’s cars squeezing around 5 per
cent more miles out of every litre of fuel fuel increases since 2003 have eliminated
the cost benefits of more efficient engines, eg 1000 miles in a new diesel Ford Focus
in 2003 cost £79.58 (petrol £106.08). The same trip in a new diesel Focus today costs
£120.57 (petrol £146.47) it’s even worse for families that cannot afford a new car,
eg a five-year old Focus uses around 5 per cent more fuel than a brand new model,
raising their bill to £127.37(petrol 157.06), if driven frugally. “This weekend,
you can ease the strain on your wallet by tackling the common fuel wasters that can
increase costs by up to 40 per cent,” says Greig: roof racks and top boxes add 20
per cent to fuel consumption at 70 mph (remove racks and top boxes once you’re at
your destination). Speeding at 80mph uses up to 15 per cent more fuel than travelling
at 70mph (stick to speed limits – save fuel costs and avoid fines). Hurried or aggressive
driving wastes up to 15 per cent more fuel (allow plenty of time for the journey,
stay well back from the vehicle ahead to minimise braking – and relax, it’s a holiday).
Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by up to 10 per cent (turn off air conditioning
when the outside temperature is below 18C). Under inflated tyres waste fuel and wear
out quicker, just 5 psi below the right pressure uses up to 3 per cent more fuel
(check pressures before setting off, when the tyres are cold). Fuel at motorway service
areas typically cost up to 7pence(or 32 pence a gallon) a litre more than nearby
petrol stations (fill up at non-motorway filling stations but don’t skip regular
breaks on long journeys)
WHEN TEENAGERS TAKE TO THE WHEEL
DRIVING TIP NUMBER 20 Friday, 16th May 2008
How we train our new drivers is under scrutiny this month – because the Government
is still rightly concerned about the number of young driver deaths on our roads.
What can a parent do when the time comes for their teenager to take to the road and
learn to drive? The short answer is “pay for it” – as there is no substitute for
proper professional tuition. But the hands-on parent who wants to help their youngster
with practice at the wheel can help make the process less daunting, and perhaps reduce
the need for quite so many lessons, before the dreaded L-test. IAM experts argue
that drivers who practice with supervision in addition to their lessons with an Approved
Driving Instructor (ADI) are more rounded at the end of the process and increase
the chances of first time test success. But driving lessons are not getting any cheaper
(if only because of the rising cost of petrol the instructor needs). If you want
to help your youngster learn to drive, you need to go back to driving school yourself.
Be prepared to sit in the back when your youngster has their first driving lessons
– but say nothing. Just take it all in. That way you can see and hear for yourself
what the professional instructor is advising, and make sure that you reinforce those
messages when you are helping on practice drives with your youngster. You have to
also realise that your driving style may be an effective one for you as an experienced
driver, but not necessarily a direct fit with the syllabus that the ADI will be working
to preparing your youngster for the test. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) also
publishes the curriculum on their website – another very useful resource for parents.
Please remember too that not every family car is suitable for practicing in, of course:
a larger vehicle that has an automatic transmission is of limited use if you know
that your youngster will eventually do their test in a manual Micra, for example.
HIRING A CAR?
DRIVING TIP NUMBER 21 27th MAY 2008
Do you have a hire car horror story? For those of us who are planning to drive abroad
this year, it’s worth spending a few minutes planning to avoid the most obvious pitfalls.
Standards of road safety in some European countries make the UK look like a relatively
safe haven – and that is partially down to the maintenance and condition of the cars
on the road. If you hire a car on holiday, make sure you inspect for damage before
you sign for it. Are the tyres OK? Does it have adequate oil and water? Likewise
at the end of the hire period, make sure the hire car company checks and signs it
“clear” for you. Spend a minute or so familiarising yourself with the layout: it’s
a strange car and everything is the wrong way around for starters.
Make sure you are comfortable with the brakes and steering: don’t feel pressured
to throw the case in the boot and be on the road in 30 seconds. Find the knobs and
buttons and make sure they are working. And pop the boot to check that the spare
wheel is where it should be. Find out what to do if you break down, get a puncture
or discover a fault while driving. Is there an emergency breakdown service you can
call, provided with the car? Before you set off, remember to check the rules about
returning it with a full or empty fuel tank. And – yes, it happens on holiday too
– make sure you know if the car is petrol or diesel to avoid refueling problems.
Road safety experts at the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) have described air
conditioning in warm climates as more than a luxury – it’s a safety feature if you
are driving on holiday. And is the car the right size for you and your family? And
your family’s luggage? If you are planning to do any long journeys, make sure that
you have booked a car with room for everyone without them being cramped. It helps
reduce tension and stress for everyone, which in turn makes for a safer journey.
Finally, before you set off, check what items are needed in the country you are going
to.
SHARING THE ROAD WITH CYCLISTS
DRIVING TIP NUMBER 23 6th June 2008
Rising petrol costs have encouraged soaring cycle sales – so we are seeing cyclists
on the roads with many different levels of experience. This presents issues for drivers;
we need to take extra care to judge their speed - as well as the road and weather
conditions - from the new cyclist's point of view. Remember too that some cyclists,
particularly younger ones, have never driven a car, and so don’t recognise the problems
that they can cause car drivers. In an accident involving a car and a cyclist, whoever
is to blame the cyclist will always be the more vulnerable to a serious injury. These
tips for motorists were prepared by the IAM with the National Cycling Strategy Board
to avoid adding to the many cyclists killed or seriously injured each year.
- Cyclists don’t have steel armour round them like we do. Passing them at speed within
a foot of their elbow may feel perfectly safe from where you are, but it is very
disconcerting when you are the cyclist.
- In traffic, make sure that you don’t cut up a cyclist who is about to pass you
on the near side. Don't try to cut across a cyclist when you need to turn left at
a junction. Wait behind the cyclist until the cyclist has either turned left or passed
the junction. And before you turn left after sitting at a red light, check your nearside
mirror to make sure there isn’t a cyclist moving down the inside.
- Park with care and prevent any passengers from opening a door until you are sure
that there is no cyclist coming up on either side. Likewise, check over your shoulder
to see there’s no cyclist approaching before opening the driver’s door. There might
be one in your blind spot.
- Cyclists often ride at some distance from the kerb to avoid drains and potholes.
Remember that their ability to signal is limited compared to ours, so try to anticipate
what they might do from the position they have taken on the road.
- Advanced stop lines are for cyclists alone and should be respected, so leave the
space between the two sets of stop lines empty, whether or not cyclists are occupying
it when you arrive. If you see a cycle lane ending, road space is more scarce and
that in turn can make a cyclist more vulnerable.
- Remember to use all your mirrors with extra care before changing direction when
there are cyclists. Pay particular attention on roundabouts, where many accidents
involving cyclists happen.
