Posts filed under 'travel'
Recent research by car insurer swiftcover.com has revealed that one in three drivers heading to foreign roads this summer may drive on the wrong side of the road at least once clocking up thousands of miles driving on the wrong side of the road.
One in ten UK drivers identified Italy as being the most difficult country to drive in, followed by France and then Germany.
The insurer provider compiled a mini-guide for driving in France and the EU with some useful tips to know before heading out on your next road trip:
• The speed limit in France is 130kph on motorways. This is reduced to 110kph in wet weather, which is legally enforceable
• In France and most of the EU, the maximum permitted level of alcohol is 0.5 mg/ml. This is substantially lower than the UK (0.8 mg/ml), so catch a taxi home after sampling the forbidden fruits of France. Cabs in France will cost you a lot less than a ride in London so take the safer approach.
• In the EU, traffic already on the roundabout has priority, unless signposts indicate otherwise. In this case, traffic approaching the roundabout has priority.
• While driving in France, you are legally required to carry a high visibility jacket and a warning triangle, and it is recommended that you carry a first aid kit.
And before you head out onto the open road, be sure to check that your car insurance covers you adequately for driving aboard.
August 22nd, 2011
Recent research by swiftcover.com found that 40% of people would choose to drive route 66 as their dream holiday driving experience, making it the most popular motoring experience among UK drivers. The route, which is 2,500 miles, starts in Chicago on the East Coast and runs through a number of states before ending in Los Angeles.
The research also found that:
40% of people would choose to drive Route 66 as their dream driving adventure
14% of people would love to drive a supercar like a Ferrari or Lamborghini
14% would like to have a 4×4 off-road adventure
8% would choose to drive the winding mountain roads of Switzerland or Italy
So why not live your driving dreams this summer! Just make sure you use a reputable experience provider such as Red Letter Days.
July 2nd, 2010
The cold winter has lead to a national windscreen shortage according to Auto Windscreens. Many windscreens have been damaged from loose gravel and potholes which were caused by the freezing weather earlier this year, and this has resulted in a huge demand for windscreen replacements.
Cars which are most affected by the shortage include Vauxhall Zafira, Astra, or Vectra, Volkswagen Passat or Golf and Audi A4.
Auto Windscreens have increased their production by 40% to help with the crises. Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Davies, said:
It’s unusual to have a national shortage of windscreens and we’ve certainly not come across it before. Auto Windscreens is in the fortunate and unique position, however, that we can simply add another shift at our factory and increase production on popular windscreen models to meet demand and manage the delays.
May 18th, 2010
The eruption of a volcano in Iceland has made headline news over the last few days, after it caused a massive cloud of ash to drift over Britain’s airspace. All flights from and to the UK have been delayed which has caused travel disruptions for thousands of people.
It is not yet known how long the disruptions will last, but the Met office has said that the ash could take a few days to clear. It has been advised that anyone travelling today should contact their airlines before heading to the airport.
Looking on the brighter side, I just read an article in The Mail Online which reported that the volcanic ash could result in some magnificent sunsets, so for the many people who aren’t travelling the volcanic cloud could just mean a beautiful evening.
April 16th, 2010
If you decide to go on a Ryanair flight in future, then make sure you carry some change with you or your trip could be rather uncomfortable.
It has been reported that Ryanair are taking their no-frills policy to the extreme by charging passengers to use the toilets during a flight. The toilets will become coin operated, and passengers will have to pay £1 or one euro to use them. It hasn’t yet been confirmed when this will begin, but its unlikely to happen this summer as it will take time to fit their fleet of 168 aeroplanes with coin slots. The airline is known to charge customers extra money for anything from checking in luggage and online check-in, to snacks onboard and credit card payments, and now going to the toilet will be a luxury too. Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:
By charging for the toilets we are hoping to change passenger behavior so that they use the bathroom before or after the flight. That will enable us to remove two out of three of the toilets and make way for at least six extra seats.
April 8th, 2010
With half term coming up many families will jet off to ski resorts for fun packed holidays, and with the excellent snow conditions it’s bound to be a popular activity for the mid term break.
The Telegraph reported that half a metre of fresh snow is expected to fall in many resorts, across France, Austria, Switzerland and almost a metre in some US resorts which will make room for great skiing.
If you are more of a thrill seeker looking for a winter sport other than skiing then you may like to have a go at ice karting, similar to go-karting but with studded tyres. Alternatively you could try snowboarding or how about snowlerblading? Click here to have a look at some more adventurous activities, but make sure your travel insurance is in order before setting off on your trip.
February 12th, 2010
Over the past few weeks the snow and freezing weather conditions has resulted in flight disruptions, which affected flight arrivals and caused delays to departures.
Flights from Gatwick, Southampton, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter airports and passengers at Cardiff, Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted were all affected. The daily mail reported that some passengers were told to leave terminal five without their luggage due to flight delays, and it had been recommended that passengers contact the airline before going to the airport.
If you are planning on travelling make sure you are prepared and have adequate travel insurance, you never know when you might need it. Click here for the latest travel news.
January 14th, 2010
Flooding has caused chaos on the roads as torrential rain has hit some parts of the UK, and the rainy weather is set to continue over the weekend.
The environmental agency has put 27 flood warnings in place, and severe gales may also accompany the rain.
With these warnings in place it is important not to drive unless essential, as driving conditions are treacherous and many roads are closed. However if you do decide to drive in these conditions then keep this advice in mind:
• Lower your speed
• Leave a longer gap between yourself and other traffic
• Watch out for any shiny patches as they could be puddles of water
• Be alert and ready to slow down if needed
If you are planning a journey this weekend remember these tips and ensure you have adequate car insurance cover. Click on the article link below for more advice on flooding and for information about road closures.
Article: Flood rescue: what you need to know
November 20th, 2009
Friday 13th is known as a day of good or bad luck. Some people will approach today with caution, whilst others will just carry on like it’s any other day.
According to BBC Online, research has found that people who consider themselves unlucky are more likely to believe in superstitions associated to bad luck; however people who consider themselves lucky tend to believe in superstitions related to good luck.
Friday 13th, nonetheless, could be unlucky for road users. Research from the AA and the Work Wise UK organisation found that Fridays are the worst day for road accidents, and the month of November has consistently been a bad month for road accidents, so a combination of the two may result in an unlucky day.
So whether you believe in luck or not, make sure you avoid a car insurance claim by adapting to the deteriorating road conditions, and take care on the road.
November 13th, 2009
Seatbelts are an important safety feature in every car, however some people can still suffer from bruising or even broken ribs when in an accident due to the force of a seatbelt. Most of the time these injuries are minimal compared to what could have been, but could these injuries be avoided as technology and safety improves?
Ford has launched an inflatable seatbelt which is based on airbag technology. In the event of an accident the seatbelt will inflate and expand in the space of only 40 milliseconds. It will stay inflated for a few seconds after the crash, and then it will slowly deflate as the air escapes out of the pores in the airbag.
The inflatable seatbelts will initially be introduced in the backseats of the latest Ford Explorer 4×4 model, which goes into production in the United States next year, and according to whatcar.com, Ford would like to use the seatbelt in more of their products in the future.
This could possibly be the future of the seatbelt, and if the trial works well, then we could see a decrease in the number of injuries caused by seatbelts.
November 12th, 2009
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