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Tuesday, May 17

The world's slowest cars

by Steve Swinton on Tue 17 May 2011 08:34 BST

The world's slowest cars

Why should the fastest cars get all the glory? In a world where some cars can get from 0 to 62mph quicker than the time it takes to actually say “nought to sixty-two miles per hour,” it's easy to forget that speed isn't everything.

So here's our look at the slowest cars on sale today. Cars so slow that you could read a newspaper front to back before they hit their miniscule top speeds. Cars that make drag racing a real drag. But hey, count yourselves lucky, because we've also compared them to some of yesteryear's slowest motors. You'll be amazed.

5 - Fiat Qubo 1.3 MultiJet Active
Price: £11,955
0-62mph in: 16.5 seconds
Top speed: 97mph

No, we don't know how to pronounce 'Qubo' either, but at least if you buy one you'll have plenty of time to mull over the possible variations while it's trundling to 62mph. In fairness though, the small MPV does have the highest top speed of all the cars in this list, but that's hardly a great achievement.

4 - Citroen Nemo Multispace 1.3 HDi EGS
Price: £13,245
0-62mph in: 16.7 seconds
Top speed: 96mph

A 1.3-litre diesel is the sort of fuel-efficient engine you put in a city car to pay less tax. It's not exactly suited for a people carrier, especially an automatic one. Sure enough, the Multispace strains its way to 62mph in almost twice the time it takes the average family hatch to get there - and that's with nothing but a tiny French test driver inside. With you and your tubby mates on board it'll barely move.

3 - Smart Fortwo Cabrio Passion cdi
Price: £12,700
0-62mph in: 16.8 seconds
Top speed: 84mph

It may not be the slowest to 62mph but the Smart Fortwo Cabrio diesel does have the lowest top speed. We're pleased about that, mostly because of the din. You're virtually sat on top of the rattling diesel engine, which is loud enough at idle, let alone at top speed down the motorway with the roof down. And we use the term 'speed' loosely.

2 - Kia Picanto 2 1.1 Auto
Price: £9,515
0-62mph in: 17.9 seconds
Top speed: 90mph

The word 'Nippy' is used to describe city cars whose small size and agility makes them seem quicker than they actually are. As charming as the Kia Picanto is, this particular version is about as 'nippy' as a sleeping tortoise. That's largely due to the power-sapping four-speed automatic gearbox, which adds almost three seconds to the 0-62mph time, compared to the manual version.

1 - Peugeot Expert Tepee L2 HDi 90
Price: £23,195
0-62mph in: 20.7 seconds
Top speed: 90mph

The prize for least bang for your buck in 2011 goes to the long-wheelbase Peugeot Expert Tepee diesel. The short version is the one to go for if you're after speed: the Tepee L1 HDi 90 positively races to 62mph in a scant 18.5 seconds. The bigger L2, though, is today's slowest passenger car. A McLaren MP4-12C supercar can go from nought to 124mph, brake to zero and get up get back up to 62mph again in less time than it takes the L2 to hit 62mph.

Five classic cars that were really slow

Slow cars are not a new phenomenon, though our 'top' five above leave some tardy classics for dead:

1953 Ford Anglia 100E
0-60mph in: 29.4 seconds

The Anglia 100E was so luxurious that it had two windscreen wipers, although they were prone to stopping completely whenever the car went uphill or overtook anything. Fortunately, hill climbs and overtaking were rare occurrences, because the car's 36bhp engine and three-speed manual gearbox precluded such excesses.

1948 Peugeot 203
0-60mph in: 30.7 seconds

A 1.3-litre petrol engine with 44bhp powered the Peugeot 203, whose body styles mimicked those we have today: there was a saloon, an estate, a coupé and a cabriolet. First introduced in 1948, it featured rear-wheel drive, which was perfect for a bit of post-war power sliding - if you had a track long enough to build up any sort of speed.

1954 Mercedes-Benz 180D
0-60mph in: 32.3 seconds

As Mercedes-Benz's first small saloon, the 180 series was essentially the precursor to today's C-Class. The diesel version had around 40bhp and even though it could hit 70mph it wasn't for the junior executive in a hurry.

1955 Fiat 600 Sedan
0-60mph in: 58 seconds

The 600 Sedan accelerated like a pedal boat going through tar. The first versions in the mid-Fifties wouldn't even hit 60mph, but later ones reached the dizzy heights of 68mph. With drum brakes on all four wheels, that would be truly terrifying.

1950 Volkswagen Type 2
0-60mph in: 75.0 seconds

An absolute motoring legend it may be, but the 75 seconds it allegedly takes for an original Camper to crack 60mph is, we believe, the slowest in recorded history. The stats suggest that number is about right: rear-mounted 24bhp engine pushing a van weighing well over one tonne - and that's before any hippies get in.

Article by Sam Taylor 'Car Enthusiast' Editorial Agency.

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Wednesday, April 27

Follow Castle hill School of Motoring on Twitter

by Steve Swinton on Wed 27 Apr 2011 09:38 BST

You can now follow Castle Hill School of Motoring on Twitter. Feel free to follow existing tweets or start your own, serious or otherwise. It really doesn't matter.

http://twitter.com/CastleHillSOM

Enjoy and have fun.

Steve.

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Friday, February 18

The new vehicle insurance law - don't be caught out

by Steve Swinton on Fri 18 Feb 2011 17:03 GMT

The new vehicle insurance law - don't be caught out

Stay insured - stay legal

Watch a video on the new rules on being insured and penalties you could face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqSObH_XGyY

In early 2011, the vehicle insurance law will change.

If you're the registered keeper of a vehicle, it must be insured at all times.

The only exceptions are:

if you have made a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) for the vehicle
vehicles that have been kept off-road since before SORN came into force on 31 January 1998 - unless they are brought back into

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Saturday, February 12

BSM sold out of administration by AA for £1

by Steve Swinton on Sat 12 Feb 2011 21:45 GMT

BSM sold out of administration by AA for £1

Last year BSM was celebrating its 100th anniversary - now however the firm's employees have cause to toast their arch rivals, the AA.

The UK's biggest driving school, BSM, has been snapped up by the AA for just £1.

The takeover occurred after the British School of Motoring - which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year - went into administration and was bought out again by its rival, the AA.

Today both sides said that business would continue as usual for learners. BSM and the AA Driving School will continue to operate as separate brands, but both will be under the umbrella of the AA's parent company, Acromas, which also owns SAGA.

The BSM driving school is believed to have been struggling since a £10million management buyout in November 2009. It went into administration after plans to expand the number of driving instructors to 3,000 collapsed. BSM has 135 employees at its Bristol HQ and a further 145 at 71 UK centres, providing support to the franchised instructors.

"Immediately following the appointment, the administrators were pleased to confirm the sale of the business and various assets to Acromas via Automobile Association Developments Limited," said accounts PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). "The aquisisition of BSM secures the future of one of the best-known driving schools in the UK.

"BSM's operations continue without interruption on a business as usual basis, so pupils or instructors currently undertaking or providing lessons are advised to continue to operate normal lesson arrangements. The sale has ensured that it remains business as usual for all those learning to drive with BSM," it added. BSM has 2,100 instructors, the AA has 1,900. Independent instructors dominate the market, with about 45,000 in Britain.

By David Williams The Telegraph

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Monday, February 7

Roofless driving could send you deaf

by Steve Swinton on Mon 07 Feb 2011 23:11 GMT

Roofless driving could send you deaf

5/1/11

Experts have warned motorists that driving in a convertible car with the roof off could send you deaf due to the levels of noise generated by the wind rushing over the car at high speeds.

At speeds of 75mph, noise levels were recorded at 100 decibels – the equivalent of a jet plane passing overhead or a nightclub. Even at 55mph they reached levels at and above the recommended level for the workplace of 85 decibels – as loud as a construction site or a diesel train passing by.

The levels of noise were also said to experience 'spikes' in volume, such as when the car was passing a large lorry or a motorbike.

Researchers carried out experiments in five different cars, including a Nissan 350Z, a Porsche 911 and a Saab Aero, and took recordings at 55mph and 75mph. They kept a controlled in-car environment with the radio and air conditioning switched off, while the passengers didn't talk to one another and didn't operate the horn.

They also took readings with the roof closed, but this produced no abnormal recordings, suggesting there was minimal risk of ear damage driving on the motorway with the roof up.

Dr Anthony Mikulec from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, who oversaw the study, said: "When the convertible automobiles were driven with the top open, high levels of noise were consistently recorded.

"Although driving for short distances under such levels of noise exposure is unlikely to cause a significant degree of noise-induced hearing loss, our study demonstrates that long duration driving at high speeds with the convertible top open will increase the driver's risk of hearing damage.

"In light of the results of this study, we are recommending that drivers be advised to drive with the top closed when travelling for extended periods of time at speeds exceeding 85.3kph (52mph)."

The study was published in the Journal of Laryngology and Otology.

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Tuesday, February 1

DVLA Scam E-mail Warning!!!!!

by Steve Swinton on Tue 01 Feb 2011 19:35 GMT

DVLA scam email warning

Watch out for emails claiming to be from DVLA asking you to verify your driving licence details via an online link – it's a scam. DVLA has not sent any such email, so if you get one delete it immediately.

Scam phishing email

The email appears to be an attempt to trick drivers into providing personal details. If you get the email below, do not respond to it and delete it immediately.

This warning has also been published on the Directgov website:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_194193

From: DVLA
Subject: Update Your License Details

We are currrently upgrading our database and all drivers are required to update and verify there driver's license details.To complete your license verification with us, you are required to fill out the form in the link below.

{Fake link}

Drivers that refuses to upgrade his or her details within two weeks of receiving this verification email will lose his or her driver's License and will have to take a fresh driving test.

We sincerely apologise for any inconviniences this might have caused you.

Thank you for your co-operation.

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Monday, January 17

A campaign is under way to lower speed limits to 20mph in urban areas, but what's going to make drivers slow down? A bossy road sign, a hump in the road or a three-piece suite parked in the road?

by Steve Swinton on Mon 17 Jan 2011 21:33 GMT

A campaign is under way to lower speed limits to 20mph in urban areas, but what's going to make drivers slow down? A bossy road sign, a hump in the road or a three-piece suite parked in the road?

The "living room" challenge: Who really owns the road?

There's no reason that traffic calming should be boring or without a sense of humour, says children's author and traffic campaigner, Ted Dewan.

And using his Oxford residential street as a test laboratory, Mr Dewan has been working on more creative ways to reduce traffic speed.

"People are too used to being scolded by warning signs telling them about lethal speed and driving. It's like 'tell me something new'. But they're not used to having their wit engaged," he says.

So in a spirit that combines a sense of entertainment with a serious intent, he has come up with the idea of "folk traffic calming".

This is where art installations meet road safety, a kind of sleeping policeman that's been influenced by Damien Hirst.

These type of "DIY traffic-calming happenings" are described by their creator as "roadwitches" and have included an 11-feet high rabbit, a big bed (for a sleeping policeman), a Casualty-style fake crash scene for Halloween and the setting up of a living room in the middle of the road.

Living room in street
Ted Dewan wants "mutual respect" between drivers and pedestrians

"There's an element of fun and mischief, but underneath is the ambition to encourage people to re-examine how roads are used," says Mr Dewan.

"With the living room, it was the most direct way of saying 'We live here. This is our living space.'"

And he says that residents really enjoyed the strangeness of being able to relax outside in their own street, rather than feel it was a place only belonging to the cars that race up and down it.

Residents had forgotten what it was like to have a street without the usual high-volume and low-courtesy of passing traffic.

Initially the street was legally closed, to allow the setting up of this outdoor living room, including such middle-England touches as a standard lamp.

It was then re-arranged to allow traffic to pass through, but Mr Dewan says the reactions of motorists showed how motorists expect nothing to stand in their way.

'Psychotic'

"A driver of a 4x4 didn't so much disapprove - he was too crazed and violent for that. He seemed to be made psychotic by the idea that roads could exist for anything other than him to drive on," he says.

30 mph
Campaigners say the current 30mph limit is too high for residential areas

This motorist deliberately drove into pieces of the living room furniture and then called the council to demand that they shift whatever was left lying in the road.

There were gender differences too, says Mr Dewan. Male drivers didn't seem to like the idea of driving across the carpet. But female drivers were less sympathetic and more aggressive, with a stronger "get out of my way attitude".

It's this sense of entitlement that he says he wants to challenge - leaving a 4x4 blocking half the street is called parking but a couple of chairs and a magazine rack put in the same place is seen as a senseless provocation.

"My daughter isn't allowed to throw snowballs at school, because it's considered too dangerous. But it's meant to be acceptable that she can walk home only inches away from cars driving at lethal speeds. There is something weird about this, a deep cultural bias."

'Selfish'

As the owner of two cars, Mr Dewan says he's far from being anti-motorist, but he wants "mutual respect" between drivers and pedestrians and to stop the "deluded, selfish" way that traffic has come to dominate urban spaces.

Car art
The "roadwitch" project turns traffic calming into an art form

Mr Dewan has plans to extend the roadwitch concept, sending the message that there are "creative, non-confrontational" ways that residents can control what's going on in their own roads - and to assert that roads do not only belong to drivers.

And Tuesday also marks a national day of campaigning by Transport 2000 to support a lower speed limit for residential areas. The "20's Plenty" campaign says a 20mph limit on residential streets would mean a two-thirds reduction in the number of children killed or injured by cars.

Linda Beard, Transport 2000's streets and traffic campaigner, says that "at the moment, we're failing to protect people, especially children, from traffic".

Road mosaic

The use of such lower speed limits in some residential areas is supported by the RAC Foundation, but executive director Edmund King says it has to be part of a balance - with sufficient through-routes to prevent traffic grinding to a halt.

"We support well-planned home zones, but mobility is also important and there have to be streets for movement, where people can go about their business," he says.

Mr King is also sympathetic to more imaginative approaches to traffic calming, and he points to street designs constructed to show drivers that they are entering a residential area.

This might be different coloured road surfaces, or a mosaic embedded in the road showing the street name or a gateway giving the impression that you are about to drive through a place where people are living.

"There needs to be something more creative than just a bump in the road," he says.

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Drivers supervising learners risk breaking law, says AA

by Steve Swinton on Mon 17 Jan 2011 21:13 GMT

Drivers supervising learners risk breaking law, says AA

Learner plates and copy of Highway Code

Those supervising learner drivers are effectively in control of the car.

Drivers are risking fines, disqualification or jail because they do not know the rules on supervising learners, according to the AA.

The motoring group's survey of 19,000 members suggested nearly a quarter did not know it was illegal to use a mobile phone while out with a learner driver.

Nearly one in 10 respondents was unaware falling asleep was not allowed.

The law states that somebody supervising a learner driver is effectively in control of the car.

The AA said that in one case a supervisor was jailed after the learner was involved in a crash that killed two people.

It said many learners benefited from time spent with more experienced drivers, but suggested short driving courses for supervisors might be needed.

The AA/Populus survey suggested drivers were also breaking the law by drinking, sending text messages, or failing to wear their glasses while on practice runs with learners.

Some 23% of respondents did not know they would be breaking the law by using a mobile phone while supervising a learner.

And 13% were unaware of the need to wear glasses if they used them when driving themselves, while 9% did not realise that falling asleep in the passenger seat was illegal.

A total of 4% of respondents who had supervised learners admitted breaking at least one of these laws. The figure rose to 22% among supervisors aged 21 to 24.

The president of the AA, Edmund King, said the issue was highlighted by a case in which a person who was supposed to be supervising was over the drink-drive limit.

"This is where the legal point is quite serious because you are actually deemed to be in control of the car, even when you're supervising. And in fact there has been a case where tragically the learner driver actually had a crash, two people died and the supervisor was actually deemed responsible and actually went to jail."

Reducing risk

AA Driving School director Simon Douglas said: "Learners who build on skills they gain in formal lessons by practising with family or friends have a better chance of passing their test and are likely to be safer behind the wheel.

"Yet drivers often lack confidence or don't know their responsibilities when supervising learners.

"Many are passing on bad driving habits or even risking a run-in with the law."

Road safety charity Brake said it wanted to see the minimum age for accompanying drivers raised to at least 25.

Katie Shephard from the charity said: "It is vital that learner drivers gain suitable supervised experience behind the wheel, to ensure their safety and the safety of other road users. Accompanying drivers should also be registered as 'approved accompanying drivers' by completing a questionnaire to prove their suitability, which could be checked by their insurer."

Duncan Vernon, road safety manager for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said there was "no doubt" those who supervised learner drivers would benefit from being given more information about how best to teach.

"All-round good practice should involve better co-ordination with approved driving instructors, as well-planned private practice can be invaluable," he said.

"It gives the novice more experience in all kinds of conditions, thereby reducing the risk of them being involved in a crash once they have passed their test."

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Tuesday, January 11

Uninsured drivers face new crackdown

by Steve Swinton on Tue 11 Jan 2011 17:37 GMT

Uninsured drivers face new crackdown

New powers to tackle uninsured driving will come into force within months, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

Under the new powers it will be an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle, rather than just to drive when uninsured.

Currently every responsible motorist pays an average £30 each year within their premiums to cover crashes involving uninsured and untraced drivers. It is also estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year.

Mike Penning said:

"Uninsured drivers push up premiums for other motorists and often drive with no regard for other road users, so it is vital that we do everything we can to keep them off the roads.

“More than 400 uninsured vehicles are already being seized by the police every day but it is simply not possible to catch every uninsured driver in this way. That is why we are bringing in these new powers which will help us to take targeted action while freeing up police time to deal with the hard core of offenders.”

Ashton West, Chief Executive at the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, said:

“Today’s news marks a significant step forward in the fight against uninsured driving. This means that as enforcement can take place for both keeping and driving a vehicle without insurance there will be no place for illegal motorists to hide.

“Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) will complement and run alongside existing police roadside enforcement, which has already reduced uninsured driving by 20 per cent.”

Under the new system:

the DVLA will work in partnership with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to identify uninsured vehicles
motorists will receive a letter telling them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning them that they will be fined unless they take action
if the keeper fails to insure the vehicle they will be given a £100 fine
if the vehicle remains uninsured - regardless of whether the fine is paid - it could then be seized and destroyed

Vehicles with a valid Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) will not be required to be insured.

The Department for Transport today made the Commencement Order to make it an offence to be the registered keeper of a vehicle which does not have insurance, as well as regulations to support this. Further regulations will be made shortly, allowing the scheme to come into force in the Spring.

Steve Swinton

www.aditraining123.co.uk

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Friday, December 31

A man spent three days driving around the south of England trying to get home after dropping off his wife at an airport

by Steve Swinton on Fri 31 Dec 2010 14:33 GMT

OXFORD, Dec. 26 -- A man spent three days driving around the south of England trying to get home.

Mohammed Bellazrak, 72, is estimated to have driven nearly 2,000 miles attempting to make the 120-mile trip home to Trowbridge, Wiltshire, from Gatwick airport, The Sun newspaper said.

He took the M4 highway Thursday to take his wife, Latifa, to Heathrow, but Britain's travel breakdown after heavy snow diverted her flight to Gatwick.

He tried to drive straight back home, but concerned relatives called police after he failed to arrive.

Camera footage shows Bellazrak dropping his wife safely at Gatwick at 8 p.m. Thursday, but the trail then ran cold.

Police fed his license plate number into a national system, and he started activating cameras in towns off the M4 all around the south of England.

Bellazrak's ordeal finally ended at 2 p.m. Saturday when his car triggered a camera in Oxford, and officers flagged him down.

"We will be speaking to Mr. Bellazrak when he has had a good rest, to see what happened and whether he drove all night or stopped to sleep somewhere," said Sgt. Jo Spencer.

Steve Swinton

www.aditraining123.co.uk

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Drivers Set To Face Organ Donor Question

by Steve Swinton on Fri 31 Dec 2010 13:50 GMT

Drivers Set To Face Organ Donor Question

Drivers applying for new licences will soon have to answer a question about organ donation.

Applicants can skip over a question when applying for a licence under the current system.

But from July the new procedure will make would-be drivers state if they want to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register or defer a decision until a later date.

It is hoped the DVLA pilot scheme will boost the numbers of those willing to give vital body parts to help others live in the case of their own death.

Only 27% of people in the UK are registered donors at the moment.

But studies have shown that a far larger proportion are in favour of donating body parts.

In America similar changes have seen numbers of willing donors almost double.

It is estimated that getting more people to sign up could save the lives of some of the 8,000 people in the UK currently waiting for a transplant.

Prompted choice schemes in the US have seen a bump in registrations.

Public health minister Anne Milton said: "Surveys show that a large number of people in the UK are happy to donate their organs for transplantation but haven't got round to registering.

"We hope that by prompting people into making a decision we can encourage more people to register."

Steve Swinton

www.aditraining123.co.uk

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Thursday, November 25

Alcohol & Drugs

by Steve Swinton on Thu 25 Nov 2010 22:15 GMT

Alcohol & Drugs

IT'S SIMPLE:

DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.
DO NOT TAKE DRUGS AND DRIVE.
IF IN DOUBT ABOUT PRESCRIBED DRUGS, CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.
If you follow this simple advice, you will have no need to worry about legal limits!

Drinking alcohol or consuming illegal drugs before or during driving could severely affect your ability to control your vehicle.

The current legal alcohol limit when you are driving is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, however alcohol affects people in different ways, to stay safe avoid drinking any alcohol if you intend to drive. Penalties include:

Loss of licence for at least a year.
A six-month prison sentence.
A fine of up to £5,000.
Loss of your job.
A criminal record.
High insurance premiums.

If you are convicted of causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs you will face severe punishment:

An unlimited fine.
A minimum of two years ban from driving.
A prison sentence of up to 10 years.

If you are planning to drink alcohol you should:

Nominate a designated driver who will agree to stick to soft drinks, some pubs and nightclubs provide soft drinks free of charge to designated drivers.
Book a taxicab.
If possible use public transport (try to stay in a group for your own safety).
Arrange to stay overnight, but make sure you leave adequate time for any alcohol to leave your system before driving home the next day.
Never get in a car with someone who has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

Driving under the influence of illegal substances is an offence known commonly as ‘Drug Driving’. Drugs may have side effects that can seriously influence your ability to drive a car.

Medicines

If taking prescribed medication, seek advice from your doctor before driving. Medicines not prescribed should be taken with care always read the label carefully and if in doubt ask the pharmacist for further information.

Article courtesy of www.passyourtestonline.co.uk

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Sunday, November 14

LETTER OF THE DAY - Deaf drivers frustrated with Government's tardiness

by Steve Swinton on Sun 14 Nov 2010 16:37 GMT

Letter to the Editor, Gleaner Newspaper. Kingston Jamaica

The Editor,

Sir

Early in 2009, the Jamaican Government publicly announced that deaf persons would soon be able to acquire a driver's licence legally. The deaf community was very excited and the good news quickly spread to deaf communities in the United States (US), England and other countries.

The Jamaican deaf community was very pro-active and measures were immediately put in place to familiarise themselves with the road code and how to apply for a driver's licence. Among the activities implemented was a special class to facilitate the training of deaf persons who were interested in acquiring their drivers' licenses. Many deaf people joined these classes, which were held at the Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) Social Services Department at Camp Road in Kingston and at in Mandeville.

There was much buzz in the media as Jamaica was listed among a small group of 26 nations that do not legally allow deaf persons to drive. The excitement surrounded the fact that this would soon change. However, there still remained the question of "Who would administer the examination?" and, even more importantly, "Who would be responsible to amend the applicable law to state that a signalling device, which was discovered to be obsolete and no longer in production, is not required to be installed on a vehicle being driven by a deaf person?".

Are deaf Jamaicans lesser than their counterparts elsewhere? Deaf Jamaicans who migrated to the US and other countries are in no way hindered by such restrictions. However, the Jamaican deaf community is faced with simplistic arguments such as: "Deaf people cannot hear a horn honk, so how then can a deaf driver manage in an emergency?" or "Deaf drivers are very dangerous and are high risk on the roads".

Research

We have proved that deaf drivers do drive here in Jamaica. Some, because they received their driver's licence in other countries and a few who have actually been 'privileged' to receive a Jamaican driver's licence. In the US, research shows that deaf drivers have one of the lowest accident records. From all indications, the same holds true for Jamaica.

Unfortunately, the Government through the Ministry of Transport and Works and the Island Traffic Authority, have doggedly held to the view that a signalling device is imperative to deaf persons being given the right to drive on Jamaican roads. The deaf community has repeatedly pointed out that (a) the device is no longer used in other countries and (b) the device is no longer in production.

In 2009, the deaf community again became excited following various representations and meetings with the current Government. It was most heartening when the Government agreed to fund training for members of the police force, traffic inspectors and road licensing officers for four weeks to sensitise and educate them about deaf persons and how to assist them with acquiring their driver's licences. The training was facilitated by the JAD and included interaction with the deaf.

The Government also promised that if the signalling device was not sourced in or outside of Jamaica within a specified time frame, they would take the steps necessary to have the existing rules and regulations amended accordingly. Today, we are still waiting and are becoming increasingly frustrated. How much longer should we wait?

I am, etc.,

N. ANTHONY AIKEN

naiken@jamdeaf.org.jm

c/o The Jamaica Association for the Deaf

2b Camp Road

Kingston 5

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Monday, November 8

Castle Hill School of Motoring now on Facebook.

by Steve Swinton on Mon 08 Nov 2010 09:48 GMT

Castle Hill School of Motoring now on Facebook.

Castle Hill School of Motoring can now be found on Facebook. The page is intended to be a place where pupils or non pupils can share information or just simply add comments reviews and discuss and driving or even non-driving issues.

It is intended that items of interest will be posted from time to time and users are encouraged to ask questions and hopefully receive answers from admin of from other users.

To view the new Facebook page, search for 'Castle Hill School of Motoring' when signed in to your own page, and please feel free to contribute if you wish.

Steve Swinton ADI

Blog Administrator

Castle Hill School of Motoring

www.aditraining123.co.uk

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ROSPA Winter Driving Tips

by Steve Swinton on Mon 08 Nov 2010 09:35 GMT

ROSPA Winter Driving Tips

This country's variable weather conditions pose a wide range of problems for road users. In order to minimise accident risk, drivers need to fully adapt their driving to the different conditions. Extremes of temperature (even those experienced in the UK) will soon show up any deficiencies both in your vehicle and in your skill as a driver.

The following tips may help you cope better with the various seasonal weather hazards. However, as we all know, many of these conditions can occur at any time of year.

Reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces make winter driving particularly hazardous. Good observation is essential so that you can interpret conditions accurately and adjust your speed accordingly. No matter what the other conditions, if you can't see the road clearly, you will need to reduce your speed so that you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. This is a simple and fundamental principle of defensive driving.

In winter, road surfaces are frequently covered by frost and ice, but often not uniformly. Isolated patches and certain gradients will remain icy when the other parts have thawed. The good driver will therefore be on the lookout for these areas. If you drive too fast on a slippery or wet road surface your tyre grip will be substantially reduced and the risk of skidding increased. Remember - it is better to arrive a little later than not at all!

Smooth control is another essential element of safer winter driving. You should always aim to plan your action early and brake, steer and change gear as smoothly as possible so as not to affect the grip of your tyres on the road surface.

In poor weather especially, better, safer driving is about good preparation, good self-maintenance, good vehicle maintenance, the right knowledge, the right attitude and a thoughtful driving plan.

Prepare your vehicle for winter

Have your vehicle fully serviced before winter starts and have the anti-freeze tested.

Check that your lights are clean and working. Make sure your battery is fully charged. A faulty battery will let you down, probably at the most inconvenient time - so if in doubt change it before it fails!

Always keep the windscreen and windows clean and the washer bottle filled with screenwash to the correct concentration. This will prevent the solution from freezing.

Carry rescue equipment throughout the winter:

In the Boot
tow rope
spare bulbs
spare fuel
shovel
hazard warning triangle or similar
spare wheel (with tyre at correct pressure and tread)
high visibility jacket
jump leads
emergency tyre weld (for temporary 'low speed' repair)
wellington boots or similar

In the Car
de-icing equipment
first aid equipment (in good order)
working torch
car blanket
fire extinguisher (fully operative)

BEFORE setting off on a journey during wintry conditions:

Make sure you know and understand the hazards and risks of all types of weather conditions, especially ice, snow and fog - before you venture out.

Short-term weather forecasts are now very accurate, so listen to local/national weather broadcasts and to travel information bulletins on the radio. If conditions are very bad, avoid making your journey unless it is absolutely necessary.

Clear your windows and mirrors completely of snow and ice before you set off. (Make sure the heater is blowing warm air before setting off - it will keep your windscreen clear).

On the road in snow and ice

Hail, heavy snow and rain all reduce visibility - use dipped headlights. Only travel at a speed which you will be able to stop within the distance you can see to be clear.

Driving in windy conditions is stressful and tiring. RoSPA recommends a stop every two hours, for fresh air and hot drinks - but no alcohol. This is just a general guide - the important thing is that you stop before fatigue steps in, irrespective of how far you have travelled or how long you have been on the road.

Keep your vehicle well ventilated. The car heater full on can quickly make you drowsy.

REMEMBER - TIREDNESS KILLS!

Always reduce your speed smoothly and in plenty of time on slippery surfaces. Avoid harsh braking and acceleration, or coarse steering.

Slow down in plenty of time for bends and corners. Black ice, caused when rain freezes on the road surface, will make your steering feel light. Respond by easing off the accelerator and being delicate with your steering movements.

To brake on ice and snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use your brakes gently.

In icy conditions, increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front. You may need to allow up to TEN TIMES the normal distance for braking.

Take care around winter maintenance vehicles. Salting vehicles are extremely powerful and travel at about 35mph spreading salt across all lanes of motorways and trunk roads. Keep a safe distance behind them - do not attempt to overtake.

In snow, stop frequently to clean the glass area, the wheel arches, the light and number plates.

KEEP YOUR SPEED DOWN AND GIVE YOURSELF TIME!

Avoiding Skidding

Skidding can generally be avoided through good observation and anticipation - and smooth use of the vehicle's controls. Your risk of skidding increases if your tyres do not have adequate tyre depth. The legal minimum tread depth for cars and light vehices in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre tread width and around the entire outer circumference of the tyre. If you are unsure about the tread depth of the tyres, get them checked by professionals. You won't want the police to check them!

Faulty tyres could cost you up to £2,500 - per tyre!

Correct tyre pressures are also very important. Under-inflated tyres will increase your fuel consumption. Over-inflated tyres will reduce your grip on the road, making it vital that you reduce your speed.

Skid correction

This is a complex subject, full coverage of which is beyond the scope of this web page.

Generally however, the first requirement in all skids, is to identify and remove the cause, whether it was too much speed for the circumstances, harsh braking or acceleration, or coarse steering. The appropriate response after doing this will then depend upon the type of skid and whether your vehicle is front wheel, rear wheel or 4-wheel drive.

It is better to avoid skidding rather than hope you can control a skid when it happens. Such a hope is rarely realised.

If you get stuck in a snowdrift

Try to get out of a rut by moving slowly backwards and forwards using the highest gear you can.

Abandoned vehicles can cause problems for rescue vehicles and snowploughs. To ensure that the road is cleared as quickly as possible, you are advised to stay with your vehicle until help arrives. Do not leave your engine running, as this can lead to a dangerous build-up of fumes.

If you have to leave your vehicle to get help make sure you can be seen by other vehicles.

Fog

The ability to see and to hear clearly is vital for drivers to take in information and to be able to make appropriate decisions. Fog is therefore the most potentially dangerous of all weather conditions. Freezing fog - when poor visibility is compounded by the road surface being slippery - is a driver's worst nightmare.

Remember to drive defensively and always to be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. If the fog closes in, then lose more speed.

In any conditions of reduced visability, an accident involving one vehicle can quickly involve many others, especially if they are driving too fast and too close to one another. Multiple vehicle pile-ups reported in the media demonstrate that many drivers do not adjust their driving sufficiently for the conditions.

AVOID DRIVING IN FOG UNLESS YOUR JOURNEY IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!

If you must drive:

Follow the weather forecasts and general advice to drivers through the local and national media.

Allow plenty of extra time for your journey.

Check your car before you set off. Make sure everything is in good working order, especially the lighting systems.

REDUCE YOUR SPEED AND KEEP IT DOWN - CAN YOU STOP IN TIME?

Switch on headlights and fog lamps if visibility is reduced.
If you can see the vehicles to your rear, the drivers behind will be able to see
you - switch off your rear fog lamps to avoid dazzling them. Think of them as rear main beams!
Use the demister and windscreen wipers. Remember that fog also makes the road wet and slippery.
Do not 'hang on' to the rear lights of the car in front as you will be too close to be able to brake safely.
Switch off distracting noise and open the window slightly so that you can listen for other traffic, especially at crossroads and junctions.
Beware of speeding up immediately visibility improves slightly. In patchy fog you could find yourself 'driving blind' again only moments later. Always imagine that there is a broken down vehicle just on the other side of the fog bank. Could you stop in the distance you can see to be clear?

If you brake down, inform the police and get the vehicle off the road as soon as possible. Never park on the road in fog and never leave it without warning lights of some kind if it is on the wrong side of the road.

Winter and spring sun

Winter and spring sunlight can present drivers with an unexpected hazard. The angle of the sun in the sky will frequently be too low for your visor to be able to help. If you are blinded by glare, reduce your speed.

Reduce the effect of glare by keeping both the inside and outside of your windscreen clean and grease free.

Dark lenses (or dark prescription lenses if you are short-sighted) are suitable for combating glare, but all dark tinted lenses should be removed whenever the sun goes in. Dark lenses must not be worn in duller weather or at night as they seriously reduce the ability to see.

The above text is an excerpt from RoSPA's Driver Development Handbook, which is available for £9.95 (1-9 copies) £8.95 (10+ copies). Quotations for copies customised with your organisation's own logo are available on request. Call 0121 248 2099 to order.

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Tuesday, November 2

Learn to drive in an Automatic car

by Steve Swinton on Tue 02 Nov 2010 22:49 GMT

Learn to drive in an Automatic

From November 1st 2010, Castle Hill School of Motoring of Bolton, Greater Manchester are able to offer Driving lessons for people who prefer to learn in a car which has Automatic Transmission.

Learning to drive in an Automatic car can be a easier than in a Manual car, and in some cases can help people who suffer from a physical disability to gain mobility where it would otherwise be impossible for them to drive a manual transmission car.

The car used for this training is a Mercedes 'A' Class which is a small luxury 5 door car. It handles beautifully and is easy to drive due to its compact size, power steering and automatic gearbox.

If you feel you would like to take driving lessons in an automatic car for whatever reason, please call Steve Swinton on 01204 650056 01204 650056 or alternatively e-mail us at castle.hill@btinternet.com and we will be very happy to discuss your needs and get you started on your road to success.

For information on this and other courses we offer please visit

www.aditraining123.co.uk

Steve Swinton ADI

Blog Administrator

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Electronic parking brakes suitable for tests

by Steve Swinton on Tue 02 Nov 2010 09:10 GMT

Electronic parking brakes suitable for tests

Vehicles with electronic parking brakes can be used for tests
Change from 1 November 2010
DSA responds to advances in vehicle technology

From 1 November vehicles fitted with an electronic parking brake will be allowed to be used for practical driving tests.

There are usually two ways of releasing an electronic parking brake:

using the footbrake while releasing the parking brake, then coordinating the accelerator and clutch to move away
coordinating the accelerator and clutch - when the electronics sense the clutch is at biting point the parking brake releases automatically

The parking brake will not usually release automatically if:

the accelerator is not used
the controls are not coordinated correctly

If there is no loss of control either method is acceptable.

If the examiner needs to take action to stop the vehicle, and it’s not fitted with dual controls, they will apply and hold the electronic parking brake - this will bring the vehicle to a controlled stop.

Advances in technology

To begin with, electronic parking brakes were fitted only to top of the range vehicles. DSA decided not to allow manual vehicles fitted with them to be used for driving tests.

Electronic parking brakes are now being fitted to an increasing number of vehicles, so it’s unrealistic to continue this policy.

Useful links:

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Monday, November 1

DSA to stop publishing questions used in theory tests

by Steve Swinton on Mon 01 Nov 2010 12:12 GMT

DSA to stop publishing questions used in theory tests

Candidates need to understand theory
End to memorising answers
Unpublished questions used from 1 January 2012

The Driving Standards Agency is to stop publishing the multiple choice questions and answers used in theory tests, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

This will help to ensure that new drivers learn the principles behind driving theory rather than just learning answers.

The move follows the introduction of independent driving into the driving test and the DSA's decision to stop publishing test routes in October 2010, to make sure the test assesses a learner's ability to drive and not their capacity to memorise routes.

Mike Penning said:

“The driving theory test should help to prepare drivers for real life on the road - good driving is not just about vehicle-handling skills, but also about having the knowledge and understanding of safe driving theory.

“No longer publishing these questions and answers will mean that successful candidates will have to understand the theory rather than simply memorising answers.

“I believe that this - along with the other changes we are making to the driving test regime - will lead to better drivers and safer roads.”

In September 2011 DSA will change the format of books and other learning materials available to help people prepare for theory tests. This will take place at the same time as more challenging case studies are introduced to car and motorcycle theory tests.

Then, from 1 January 2012, DSA will create theory tests using questions which will not be published.

Practice questions and answers, not used in theory tests, will still be available to help candidates with revision.

Other companies which publish products containing DSA theory test questions will also no longer have access to the questions used in the tests.

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Sunday, September 26

Newly qualified drivers 'should be banned at night'

by Steve Swinton on Sun 26 Sep 2010 00:20 BST

Newly qualified drivers 'should be banned at night'

Young and newly qualified drivers should be banned from driving at night and carrying passengers of a similar age, researchers from Cardiff University say.

They claim the restrictions, for 17 to 24-year-olds, would save 200 lives and 1,700 injuries on the road. There are already similar night-time bans in places like New Zealand, Australia and parts of the US.

Motoring groups in the UK say it wouldn't be fair on young drivers who work at night and it would also be too difficult to police.

The idea is just a suggestion from researchers at the moment.

A spokesman for leading learner driver website www.passyourtestonline.co.uk said today “If a driver has passed his/her driving test then they should be allowed to drive whenever they want. If they have met the DSA’s current standard for passing then that is fine. A more sensible suggestion would be to restrict the driver from carrying passengers in the first 12 months after passing their test.

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Wednesday, September 8

DSA press release

by Steve Swinton on Wed 08 Sep 2010 16:19 BST

DSA press release

Real driving experience for learners

To help make the driving test more representative of real driving, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will no longer publish details of test routes, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

Currently test routes used by each driving test centre are published online but this will stop when new routes are introduced at the beginning of October.

This change is being made to support the introduction of independent driving, which will allow candidates to demonstrate their ability to drive safely in more realistic driving situations rather than memorising a particular test route.

Mike Penning said:

“We want new drivers to be able to drive safely and independently and learning to drive test routes by rote isn't the way to achieve this.

"Stopping the publication of test routes will help to make sure that the driving test better reflects realistic driving conditions and will give new drivers the skills and confidence they need to stay safe on the roads.”

DSA’s Chief Driving Examiner Trevor Wedge said:

“Evidence shows that the biggest challenge newly qualified drivers face after passing their test is learning how to cope when they no longer have their instructor there to help and prompt them.”

“We want to make sure that new drivers and riders are ready to make their own decisions when driving alone; learning how to do that in preparation for their test should lead to better and safer drivers.”

To better assess whether a learner driver is ready to drive unsupervised, independent driving will be introduced into the test on 4 October 2010. Candidates will drive for about 10 minutes, without step-by-step direction from their examiner. This will involve either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both. To help candidates visualise the directions, the examiner may also show them a simple diagram. The remainder of the test is unchanged.

In January 2010, DSA published independent research showing that with careful route design, candidates were able to complete the independent driving tasks without any significant impact on pass rates. Additional research found widespread support for inclusion of independent driving in the practical test.

08 September 2010

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Tuesday, August 24

'Are you ready?' video

by Steve Swinton on Tue 24 Aug 2010 23:22 BST

'Are you ready?' video

DSA's 'Are you ready?' video - the official step-by-step explanation of the driving test - has been updated so you know what the whole test will look like from 4 October.

Watch 'Are you ready?' on YouTube

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Get ready for independent driving

by Steve Swinton on Tue 24 Aug 2010 22:56 BST

Get ready for independent driving

From 4 October 2010 your practical driving test will include a section of ‘independent driving’.

During your test you’ll have to drive by either following traffic signs, a series of directions, or a combination of both, for about ten minutes.

If you're asked to follow a series of verbal directions, you'll be shown a diagram to help you.

It doesn't matter if you don't remember every direction, or if you go the wrong way - that can happen to the most experienced drivers.

Independent driving is not a test of your orientation and navigation skills. Driving independently means making your own decisions - this includes deciding when it’s safe and appropriate to ask for confirmation about where you’re going.

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Independent driving video on YouTube

by Steve Swinton on Tue 24 Aug 2010 22:43 BST

Independent driving video on YouTube

Watch independent driving in action in this video on YouTube. It shows how the examiner will give you verbal directions, and how they will ask you to follow traffic signs.

Watch the independent driving video on YouTube

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Saturday, May 29

Major road safety milestone as driving test clocks up 75 years of success

by Steve Swinton on Sat 29 May 2010 13:59 BST

Major road safety milestone as driving test clocks up 75 years of success

The British driving test marks three-quarters of a century of helping keep people safe on the road when it turns 75 on Tuesday 1 June.

The first car and driving licences were introduced in Britain in 1903. But it was not until 1 June 1935 - amid rising numbers of deaths as the popularity of the car increased - that a compulsory driving test was introduced.

The first driver to pass was Mr J Beene and within a year, the number of deaths on the road had fallen by 1,000.

In 1934, 7,343 people were killed on the roads and there were 1.5 million cars. The latest figures show there were 2,538 deaths on the roads in 2008 when there were around 34 million cars.

Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “The driving test is not just a rite of passage, it has helped save thousands of lives on our roads.

“The test and the learning needed to pass it are a vital part of giving drivers the skills they need to drive efficiently and safely.

"High standards of driver training and assessment are an essential contribution to helping Britain's roads remain among the safest in the world."

Trevor Wedge, Chief Driving Examiner at the Driving Standards Agency, said: “The driving test still retains some of the original elements included in 1935, such as turning in the road and reversing, but it is updated regularly. We continue to make sure that the test properly prepares drivers for the demands of modern roads.

"This year will see the introduction of independent driving into the test, to help candidates demonstrate their ability to drive without step-by-step instruction. We believe that this added element will lead to better and safer drivers."

Facts and figures:

the test became compulsory on 1 June 1935, after being introduced on a voluntary basis on 16 March the same year
the test was suspended during World War II and the Suez Crisis – examiners were put in charge of fuel rationing instead
until 1975, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals
the theory test was introduced in July 1996

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Sunday, April 25

Police lorry catches trucker cooking his dinner while driving

by Steve Swinton on Sun 25 Apr 2010 19:08 BST

Police lorry catches trucker cooking his dinner while driving

A new police lorry has caught a rogue motorway trucker cooking his dinner while he was driving.

By Richard Edwards, Telegraph Crime Correspondent
Published: 7:00AM BST 23 Apr 2010

A trial using the police trucks on some of Britain's busiest motorways has uncovered “frightening” examples of HGV drivers watching DVDs, using laptop computers and playing video games.

The worst case saw one commercial trucker warming up food on a stove in his cab, police said.

Another driver was pulled over after he was discovered holding a mobile phone in each hand and sending text messages on both of them.

Officers hailed the police truck – a Scania tractor unit which normally hauls a 44-tonne trailer - as a success and forces are hoping to deploy them across the country.

PC Angus Nairn of the Central Motorway Police Group said: "Some of what we have found has been frightening. We have had a driver watching a DVD, another one sorting through CDs, one using laptop as a sat nav system and even someone warming up food on a small stove.

"The consequences of them not paying attention to the road are potentially disastrous to everyone else on the motorway.

"We have taken a bit of flack from some truckers who think it is sneaky but the vast majority of motorists are grateful that we are watching commercial drivers carefully and checking on them."

Until now ordinary motorway patrols have been unable to see up into a cab to check if a driver is committing an offence like using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt.

In the new trucks, one officer drives while a second uses a hand-held video to capture other HGV drivers on film. If they are committing any offence they are pulled over by a marked police car.

The police lorry was launched with full 999-livery and blue flashing lights.

The CMPG is now using unmarked lorry cabs to catch truckers breaking the law on roads in the Midlands, including the M5 and M6, the M42 and M54 as well as the M6 toll road.

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Man loses licence after drink-driving in toy Barbie car

by Steve Swinton on Sun 25 Apr 2010 18:56 BST

Man loses licence after drink-driving in toy Barbie car

Telegraph. Published: 11:31AM BST 19 Apr 2010

A man who was caught drink-driving in a toy car with a top speed of 4mph has been banned from driving.

Paul Hutton: Man caught drunk driving in toy Barbie car banned from driving

Paul Hutton was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years

Photo: PETER LAWSON/EASTNEWS PRESS

Paul Hutton, 40, was pulled over by police as he drove an electric Barbie car, which moves slower than a mobility scooter, near his home in Essex.

Mr Hutton, who has four children Simon, 17, Calum, 14, Laina, 12, and John, 11, admitted being a 'complete twit'.

Speaking after the hearing at Colchester magistrates court, he said: "You have to be a contortionist to get in, and then you can't get out.

"I was very surprised to get done for drink-driving but I was a twit to say the least.

"It is designed for three-to-five-year-olds.

"Originally it was a pink Barbie car but I put bigger wheels on it but it's not fast.

"I'm not unhappy with my punishment, just a little bit surprised."

Mr Hutton, who is divorced, is a former RAF aeronautical engineer who now studies electrical engineering at Colchester Institute.

He explained: "I'm in the third year of my electrical engineering course and it was a little project I was doing with my son who is doing a car mechanics course.

"When it was done I couldn't resist the temptation to take it out."

Mr Hutton, was found to be twice the drink-drive limit, he said.

Appearing before magistrates last week, he admitted driving the toy car while drunk.

He was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years.

Magistrates also gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 court costs.

Chairman of the bench Neil Munson said: "This is most unusual.

"I have never seen the like of it in 15 years on the bench.

"The vehicle is not even capable of doing the speed of a mobility scooter and could be outrun by a pedestrian.

"Taking this into account, we feel we can impose a sentence of a conditional discharge for a period of 12 months."

The car was confiscated by police until the hearing but Mr Hutton now hopes to get it back.

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Wednesday, April 14

Learner driver turns car onto roof.

by Steve Swinton on Wed 14 Apr 2010 16:50 BST

Learner flips car on roof

Yahoo News May 14th 2010

Learner driver Krisztina Jaksa ended her second driving lesson by crawling out of an upside down car.

The bizarre accident happened in Headington, near Oxford, when the 24-year-old was crossing a junction.

The BSM Fiat 500 she was driving hit a gatepost then flipped onto its roof, smashing the side windows and windscreen. When local resident Ross Dunne heard a crash he rushed to the scene and helped Ms Jaksa out of the car; the instructor was already getting himself out.

Both Ms Jaksa and her instructor emerged relatively unscathed. According to witnesses, Ms Jaksa said that the steering locked and, panicking, she hit the accelerator hard.

There is no indication that a mechanical fault contributed to the accident in any way.

An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and police closed the road briefly, but both the driver and instructor were treated only for minor cuts.

BSM Communications Manager Paul Shepherd said that the company had "spoken to the learner driver who is fine and is already hoping to book her next lesson with us soon."

Mark Nichol

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Wednesday, March 24

Driving Instructors and accompanying drivers allowed to interpret on driving tests.

by Steve Swinton on Wed 24 Mar 2010 08:54 GMT

Driving Instructors and accompanying drivers will from the 6th April 2010 be allowed to act as interpreters where necessary on practical driving tests.

Previously only a person who is not the candidates driving instructor has been allowed to fulfil this vital role where there has been a language problem.

This is may be of particular interest to driving test candidates who are deaf or Hard of Hearing and may require BSL language support at times while on test. Under this new arrangement instructors who use BSL will be permitted, when requested by the candidate or examiner to assist with any communication problems that may arise at any time during the test.

Where the DSA is notified of a serious hearing dificulty during the application process, the examiner will be allowed extra time to conduct such a test. This extra time is allowed also on tests where the candidate may have a physical disability. This takes pressure off the candidate and examiner,allowing extra time entering the car, more stops for communication/interpreting etc. The route used for the test would remain the same as for a standard test and therefore the driving time would be of the same duration.

As you would expect, if the accompanying driver or instructor is found to be assisting the candidate in any way other than by interpreting the content of what is required to be said, then the driving test will be stopped and ithe incident recorded.

This is a most welcome development as it will help to remove what has been previously an additional unfair pressure put on a minority of driving test candidates.

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Thursday, February 25

Motorists get up to £5,000 towards cost of Ultra-Low carbon car.

by Steve Swinton on Thu 25 Feb 2010 13:08 GMT

Motorists get up to £5,000 towards cost of an ultra-low carbon car

Pioneering motorists will receive up to £5,000 to buy an ultra-low carbon car, and the roll-out of supporting infrastructure will begin in selected regions, the government announced today.

The Plug-in Car Grant will be distributed directly to the consumer at the point of purchase and will be available across the UK from January 2011, by which time a range of eligible vehicles is expected to be available.

Also included in the government’s plans is the roll-out of a £30m fund for a network of electric vehicle hubs – called Plugged-In Places – which will see charging infrastructure appearing in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres, as well as on the street. The first Plugged-In Places were today named today as London, Milton Keynes and the North East; and between them they will be installing over 11,000 vehicle recharging points during the next three years.

The initiatives are part of a £450 million government strategy to support the creation of a flourishing early market for ultra-low carbon vehicles. The programme will help to meet the UK’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions from transport; as well as creating new business opportunities for UK-based companies in the automotive and charging infrastructure sectors.

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said:

"Decarbonising transport isn't an aspiration - it's a reality. By this time next year, cutting edge motorists will be on the roads with these next generation cars they've purchased because of our help.

“And thanks to the Plugged-In Places we will have in place infrastructure to support this growing early market.

"Transport has a huge part to play in helping the UK meet its stringent emission reduction targets and today's announcement is another step on the road to putting the UK at the global forefront of ultra-low carbon vehicle development, manufacture and use.”

Business minister Pat McFadden said:

"Low Carbon vehicles are an important part of the broader shift to a low carbon economy.

"We have already committed £450m to delivering our ambitious vision of supporting suppliers of low carbon technology, encouraging demand from consumers and enabling lead UK cities and regions to switch on charging infrastructure.

"The government is focusing on this sector as a priority and we are committed to helping British businesses take advantage of the growth potential and job opportunities this presents."

The Plug-in Car Grant will significantly reduce prices by providing 25 per cent towards the cost of a new car, capped at £5,000, and will be open to both private and business fleet buyers.

To be eligible for the scheme, cars will have to pass performance criteria to ensure safety, range, and ultra-low tailpipe emissions.

The Plugged-In Places will provide the charge points to support these vehicles – demonstrating how electric vehicle charging works in practice in a range of different settings – urban, suburban and regional – as well as testing innovative technologies such as rapid charging, inductive charging and battery swap.

A second competition for Plugged-in Places funding is to follow later in the year, with consortia from the West Midlands, Cornwall, Sheffield, the Lake District, Greater Manchester and Northern Ireland having already confirmed their intention to bid for the next wave of funding.

These measures – to be delivered by the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) – will move the UK further towards its ambitious carbon reduction targets. They will also support the UK automotive, charging infrastructure and other related supply chain industries in realising the economic opportunities that a shift to low carbon represents.

OLEV will also lead work to join up the Plugged-In Places, working closely with partners including the Energy Technologies Institute and the Technology Strategy Board to ensure a fully interoperable network is established in the UK. OLEV will be assessing the feasibility of charging along strategic corridors with the Highways Agency and motorway service area operators; and of charging infrastructure at railway station parking facilities with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and Network Rail.

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Tuesday, February 2

New Motorway Speed Limits For Trucks and Buses.

by Steve Swinton on Tue 02 Feb 2010 17:00 GMT

Simplification of speed limit rules for buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles

Proposals to simplify motorway speed limits for buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) were published today by the Department for Transport.

The changes are needed because of differences that have arisen between new vehicles, which are fitted with speed limiters, and older vehicles which are not. This means that while newer HGVs are limited to 56mph older vehicles are able to drive at up to 70 mph on the motorway. Similarly, new passenger vehicles with over eight seats are limited to 62.5 mph on the motorway but older vehicles are able to drive at 70 mph.

This can cause confusion for other drivers and creates a disincentive for companies to invest in safer and more fuel efficient vehicles. In addition, vehicles with speed limiters are not allowed to use the right hand lane of three lane motorways but those without speed limiters currently are.

The proposals put forward in today's consultation include:

setting a 65 mph limit for all buses, minibuses and coaches with more than eight passenger seats regardless of whether or not they are fitted with a speed limiting device
setting the motorway speed limit at 60 mph for all HGVs over 3.5 tonnes regardless of whether or not they are fitted with a speed limiting device
prohibiting all HGVs between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes and all buses, minibuses and coaches with more than eight passenger seats from using the right hand lane of motorways with three or more lanes

Road Safety Minister Paul Clark said:

"We want to provide clarity for everybody - drivers, operators, other motorists and the police - as well as making sure that there is a level playing field for those operating in the bus, coach and road haulage industry.

"These proposals simplify motorway speed limits for buses, coaches and lorries so that everyone has to abide by the same rules regardless of the age of their vehicle."

The consultation can be found at dft.gov.uk/consultations/open and closes on Tuesday 27 April 2010.

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Monday, February 1

Independant Driving Test Link to DSA Youtube Channel.

by Steve Swinton on Mon 01 Feb 2010 15:05 GMT

Here is the link to the DSA Youtube channel showing information on the new Independant Driving Test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGWxptVQPEs

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Thursday, January 28

New Government ruling on UK and Irish banned drivers

by Steve Swinton on Thu 28 Jan 2010 12:01 GMT

Disqualified drivers face international ban

From 28th January 2010, UK drivers disqualified for serious motoring offences in Ireland will no longer escape punishment when they return home, under a new law. The ban also extends to Irish drivers disqualified while in the UK, who will find the ban enforced when they return to Ireland.

International action on disqualified drivers

The new law means that if you are banned from driving in the UK, you will be banned in Ireland, and vice versa.

The measures are the result of a deal agreed between British, Irish and Northern Ireland ministers.

The new law is the first practical step to recognise driving disqualifications in Europe under the terms of the 1998 European Convention on driving disqualifications.

Road Safety Minister Paul Clark said: "We’ve cut the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 per cent since the mid-1990s – that’s more than 19,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries in a year. This means we now have some of the safest roads in the world.

"But we need to continue to work to make our roads even safer and if a UK driver commits a serious offence while in Ireland it is right that their ban should still apply when they return home.

"From today this new law will ensure that disqualified drivers are not able to escape their punishment and so keep dangerous drivers off the roads."

Find out more about driving disqualifications

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Friday, January 1

No restrictions on Deaf Drivers in the UK

by Steve Swinton on Fri 01 Jan 2010 21:04 GMT

No Restrictions on Deaf or Hard of Hearing Drivers in the UK.

Some people quite wrongly assume that being Deaf means a person cannot drive here in the UK. Although in some countries they do ban Deaf drivers, here in the UK we have no such restrictions. There have been many cases of Deaf pople obtaining a licence to drive vehicles of other groups, such as Pubic service vehicles and Goods vehicles.

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) make special provision for Deaf drivers when taking the Theory/Hazard perception test and the practical driving test.

As with users of other languages, Deaf candidates who use BSL (British Sign Language) are given the option of using a translator during both exams.

In addition, Deaf candidates are given extra time to complete the Theory/Hazard perception test. Extra time is also granted on the practical test, to help both examiner and candidate overcome any communication problems that might occur during the test.

The DSA should be informed of any moderate to severe level of deafness at the application stage for both tests, so that arrangements for support can be made in good time.

Similar support is available to Deaf drivers wishing to take either the DIAmond advanced Driving test or the DIAmond Special test. For further information, contact DIAmond Advanced Motorists at http://www.driving.org/diamond/ or through ourselves via the link below.

For further advice and information on Deafness and Driving, contact myself, Steve Swinton ADI at www.aditraining123.co.uk

Steve Swinton ADI Dip DI

Blog Administrator

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Traffic Wardens to Get Head Cameras.

by Steve Swinton on Fri 01 Jan 2010 20:17 GMT

Traffic wardens get head cameras

Council traffic wardens are being fitted with head cameras to deter irate motorists from assaulting them.

By David Millward, Transport Editor Telegraph.com
Published: 6:15AM GMT 21 Dec 2009

Several authorities across the country are using the technology amid fears that the wardens – known as civil enforcement officers – are under threat.

Salford is believed to have been the first council to use the devices which are fitted onto the officer's cap.

But they are also being used at the London Borough of Bromley, Scarborough and Bolton. They have also been tested by Westminster City Council.

Recent research disclosed that councils raised over £300 million in parking fines last year, three times as much as the income generated by speed cameras.

However the enforcement of parking controls is often a source of resentment among motorists who, on occasion, can turn violent.

Salford found that assaults dropped by 30 per cent after the head cameras were brought into use and it is this which has made their use attractive to other councils.

“A minority of people think that civil enforcement officers are a legitimate target for verbal and physical abuse, and the fact that they are being filmed on camera should hopefully make people think twice," said Ismail Ibrahim, the councillor in Bolton behind the scheme in Bolton.

“The footage can also be examined to ensure CEOs are not overstepping their powers and that they are acting in a courteous and professional manner."

As well as acting as a deterrent the cameras can be used to photograph an illegally parked car, with the evidence being downloaded onto a computer at the end of the civil enforcement officer's shift.

Barrie Segal, who runs the motorists' website AppealNow, welcomed the use of the cameras.

"If they are used to prevent abuse, then that is fair enough. But I hope that these cameras will also be used to some of the other things that civil enforcement officers get up to."

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Thursday, December 31

Driving Instructor knows all the signs.

by Steve Swinton on Thu 31 Dec 2009 08:58 GMT

Driving Instructor who knows all the signs.

Wes Wright, Business editor, Bolton News Jan 2009 http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/

DRIVING instructor Steve Swinton was furious when he heard a young deaf man had been refused lessons.
He set about learning the basics of British Sign Language but found the only course available was in a weekly mother and toddler’s group.
He said: “It caused a bit of a stir at first but I soon mixed and later I went on to attend an advanced course.”

Now the 54 year-old combines running his own Castle Hill School of Motoring with training would-be driving instructors and has been teaching hearing impaired learner drivers for 15 years.

The father of three reckons he is one of only 50 instructors out of 43,000 in Britain who use signing to teach deaf people to drive and says the skill has gained him extra business as news of his signing ability spread.

Now he wants to set up a course teaching BSL to other instructors and says learning sign language has helped his business over the years.
“Around 10 to 15 per cent of my learners are deaf or hearing impaired.
“I sit further forward turned towards the learner and use my hands instead of talking to tell the drivers what I want them to do and it works very well.
“They can see me signing in their peripheral vision and in some ways it works better than talking does.

“I would eventually like to set up a course for those instructors who want to learn BSL as it a very useful skill which can help their business.”
A former Breightmet High School pupil, Mr Swinton worked as a mechanical engineer but after being made redundant he decided to set up his own driving school.
“I wanted to work for myself and that way nobody could make me redundant and for me it has been a very good move.
“I knew there would more business avenues to explore than just teaching people the basic L-test and now I teach instructors and hearing impaired and deaf people.”

He is a top Grade 6 driving instructor, an advanced driving instructor and supervising examiner and is on the Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers (Ordit).

A See Hear programme featuring Mr Swinton was broadcast on BBC 2 on Wednesday January 28th 2009 at 1pm.

Stephen P. Swinton A.D.I. Dip D.I. Cert F.Ed.
Diamond Advanced Instructor/Supervising Examiner.
www.aditraining123.co.ukDriving and Deafness Forum Moderator.
www.Deaf247.co.uk

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Tuesday, December 22

Teenagers tune in to get sound driving skills

by Steve Swinton on Tue 22 Dec 2009 14:39 GMT

Teenagers tune in to get sound driving skills

Bolton News Wednesday 16th December 2009

SPECIAL classes all about music and cars are being rolled out to bored teenagers to help keep them out of trouble.

It comes after a successful trial of the course, which has passed on new skills to youngsters while also giving them something to do.

The course gave the youngsters, aged 14 to 16, the chance to get their hands on a real car so they could learn how to fit its audio equipment during a series of sessions at Bolton garage, SC Auto electrics, which also provided the vehicle.

Over six sessions on Wednesday nights, the young people who attend the St Helens Road youth club covered subjects including car wiring, how to fit speakers and other audio equipment and how to measure sound and soundproof cars, as well looking at topics like how music affects people’s driving and how to drive safely while listening to music.

Wilson Litchmore, a youth worker for Bolton Council, said: “The young men involved in this course have responded really positively to the sessions because it is something they have an interest in and it really gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility.

“It has also improved their respect for cars because they realise the amount of time and money that goes into them.”

The scheme has been supported by the Government’s Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF), which is part of Aiming High, a 10-year strategy by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to provide young people with something to do in their local area.

And Wilson Litchmore added that the sessions have proved so popular that Bolton Council is planning to roll them out, so that even more young people can benefit.

He added: “The young men involved have conducted themselves really well and worked well together as a team, because they know that they will all get the opportunity to contribute to working on the car and therefore collectively they will have all learnt new skills over the six week period.

“The garage owner, Steve Challinor, has been really impressed with the boys’ behaviour and is now considering taking appren- tices on in the future because he knows that young people can do a really good job.

“It’s certainly something that some of the young lads might be looking at for a career.”

* More information about activities for young people in Bolton can be found at www.youngboltonlife.org.uk.

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One eyed Deaf Driver Banned from Driving.

by Steve Swinton on Tue 22 Dec 2009 11:56 GMT

Deaf driver with glass eye banned

The pensioner said he confused the rev counter with the speedometer

A deaf 83-year-old motorist with a glass eye has been banned from driving for 45 days after he was caught speeding on the A9 in his new car.

Maurice Hollyfield was doing 88mph while towing a trailer on a single carriageway with a 50mph limit.

Perth Sheriff Court heard it was the second time in less than a year that the pensioner had been caught speeding.

Hollyfield, from Milton Keynes, had told the court he had been reading the rev counter instead of the speedometer.

As well as the ban, the retired British Aerospace inspector was given a £300 fine for the offence on the A9 at Waterloo, in Perthshire, on 4 April last year.

'Loud music'

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: "By any stretch of the imagination he is going at a fair lick and it's not even a dual carriageway, it's a single carriageway.

"He has a previous conviction for speeding in July 2006, which was nine months prior to this.

"He should know the difference between 50, 60 and 88mph. He would see the trees flying past at a great rate."

The court was told that Hollyfield had only ever passed a very basic test while driving a lorry in the Army nearly 70 years ago.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: "He said the reason for his driving was that he was listening to loud music on his cassette player because of his deafness.

"It was a new car and the instrument panel was very different. He kept glancing at what he thought was the speedometer, but it wasn't."

Mr Holmes added: "He is not without a sense of humour. He told me he really likes the car, now that he knows where the instrument panel is."

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The Highway Code in British Sign Language

by Steve Swinton on Tue 22 Dec 2009 10:46 GMT

Learning The Highway Code with British SignLanguage - the Official DSA DVD and Book Pack

Book and 2 DVD Pack

Author: Driving Standards Agency (DSA)
Publisher: TSO (The Stationery Office)

It is essential to safe and reliable transport that all road-users understand The Highway Code. This pack from the Driving Standards Agency is designed to help drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians in the British Sign Language community to learn all the rules and key information.

This product includes:

The Highway Code Rules DVD (Disc 1) - Rules for all road users.
The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD (Disc 2) - Full explanations of the signs for warnings, directions, information and road works as well as a full annex.
The Official Highway Code (Book) - The latest official wording, authorised by Parliament.

From the Driving Standards Agency, the people who set the tests.

» Watch a sample clip of the 'The Highway Code Rules DVD'.

System Requirements for 'The Highway Code Rules DVD' and 'The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD':

Language: BSL (British Sign Language)
'The Highway Code Rules DVD' Disk Format: DVD9
'The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD' Disk Format: DVD5
'The Highway Code Rules DVD' Duration: 4 hours 8 minutes
'The Highway Code Signs and Annexes DVD' Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes
Picture Format: 16:9 FHA (Full Height Anamorphic)
Region Code: 0
Compatibility: DVD Players and Computer Consoles (please check your console for compatibility).

Extent	N/A	ISBN	9780115529849
Size	N/A	Price	£8.84 (£9.82 inc. VAT)
Binding	Paperback / 2 x DVD	Published	30 Jul 2008

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Welcome to our Blog!

by Steve Swinton on Tue 22 Dec 2009 09:31 GMT

Hi, welcome to the Castle Hill School of motoring Blog.

We have created this space where our visitors can if they wish add news or comment on the work we do or in fact any other topic you think may be of interest to our visitors.

So! Here it is, why not give it a go?

Go for it!!!

Steve Swinton ADI. Dip D.I.

www.aditraining123.co.uk

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