Driving into Sun.

Driving Into Sun

While it’s easy to see the added benefits to long days and more time in the daylight, few realize the added dangers – especially when behind the wheel.

The long term dangers involve the sun shining directly into drivers’ eyes, leaving many motorists driving with a glare caused by the sun. Driving into the sun just after sunrise and just before sunset can make it much harder to see ahead and is an added risk to drivers.

So how can you protect yourself whilst driving into the sun:

Invest in polarized sunglasses – they can help reduce glare.
Utilize your sun visor – it can help to block out the sun.
Leave more following room – when the sun is in your eyes it can be hard to see what the car ahead is doing. This is one more time when it pays to leave more room between you and the next vehicle.
Drive with your headlights on to increase your visibility to other drivers

Additional tips:

Keep your windshield clean, inside and out
Check your windshield for pitting and cracks
Avoid storing papers or other items on the dashboard
If having a difficult time seeing the road, use lane markings to help guide you.
Rarely will visibility be absolutely perfect while driving, but if motorists know this and make the proper adjustments, you can minimize any additional risks that come with less-than-optimal visual conditions.

The Turn in the Road.

How to do The Turn In The Road

       

This is a useful turn in cul-de-sac and roads where there are no side turning or opening to reverse into. 

The examiner on the driving test will expect you to turn your car around in the road:- 
Safely 
Smoothly 
Under control 
Making proper use of the accelerator, clutch, brakes and steering 
Without touching or mounting the kerb. 

The examiner will also be looking to see that you:- 
Are aware of other road users 
Keep looking all around throughout the manoeuvre. 

 

Turning in the road by using forward and reverse gears

A
Choose a safe place where there is good visibility, no obstruction in the road or on the pavement (watch for the lamp post, telephone poles or even post boxes), and where you have plenty of room. 

Stop on the left. 

Check the indicators have cancelled. 

Make sure the way is clear in front and behind, check the blind spot over your right shoulder 

B
Go slowly forward in first gear using clutch control, turning your steering wheel briskly to the right. Aim at getting the car at right-angles across the road. 

C
When the front of the car is about one metre from the kerb and still moving very slowly, change the lock by turning the steering wheel briskly to the left.
As the front wheels get near to the kerb, put the clutch right down and use your foot-brake to stop. 

Apply your hand-brake. Select reverse gear. Find the biting point. 

See the Video Duration: 1.16 min Size: 4.65Mb

Make sure the way is clear. Check in all directions. If clear release your hand-brake. Back slowly across the road, turn the steering wheel as far to the left as it will go. 

D
As the back of the car nears the kerb (you will see this over your right shoulder), turn the wheel briskly to the right so that when you stop you will be nearly on the right-hand lock ready to drive forward again. 
Stop the car before you hit the kerb. Put on the hand-brake. Select first gear. 
Again make sure the road is clear and drive forward, turning the wheel to the right. 

E
You should now be able to straighten up on the left of the road. 

! Watch these danger areas 

Practice makes perfect, so get plenty of practice from a Approved Driving Instructor 

How to Do Reverse Round the Corner 
http://www.2pass.co.uk/signs.htm#.UhhenRauMfE

Passed the driving test first time.

Congratulations to Emily Smith on passing the driving test today at the first attempt. Happy driving around Hanslope and Buckingham.

www.travis-drive.co.uk

Your second driving lesson.

Your second driving lesson in Milton keynes

Your second driving lesson in Milton Keynes and Buckingham.

Your first lesson(the first two hours) went better than you expected. Now comes the day of your second lesson. You may still feel a bit nervous still.

What to expect.

The lesson will be a natural follow on from the first lesson.

1. The instructor will still take you to a quiet area to start the lesson.

2. A recap from your first lesson to see what you can remember.

3. Practice moving off and stopping again for first 10 to 15 minutes to remind you( you will feel rusty, that is normal).

4. If all is going well then it will be time to move onto turning left and right. Also emerging onto a main road from a side road
.

Car Servicing - Why Regular Maintenance is Important.

Car Servicing - Why Regular Maintenance is Important

As you learn to drive a car, the majority of what you are taught is related to road safety and driving skill rather than how your car actually works. In fact the show me, tell me section of the test is the closest you will get to learning about the car itself i.e. where to top up engine oil, how to check brake fluid levels, how to check tyre tread depth, etc.

Understanding how your car works on a basic level will help to maximise its lifespan. For example, oil plays an important role in the operation and well-being of your car. It needs to be regularly serviced and maintained either by yourself, if you’re a keen mechanic/ engineer, or by a professional service centre to ensure the engine and other moving components perform as the manufacturer intended.

Why should I service my car?

When your car first rolled off the production line it was a clean, well-oiled piece of engineering. As it is driven, these oiled parts move as they were intended to and can begin to create friction between parts from dirt and general usage.

Booking a service for your car will allow its oil to be replaced by new, cleaner oil and for parts that need lubrication to be re-greased to stop the effects of friction i.e. deterioration of components and increased heat.

Service centres are also able to provide an overall check of your vehicle to see if any parts are in need of repair, replacement, or adjusting. An MOT will of course carry out checks to see if your car is road legal, however, a service will be far more in depth with tests made on the car’s wiring as well as a closer inspection of mechanical components.

By providing your car with this routine maintenance on a regular basis you will benefit from a longer lasting car and even help to retain its market value - essential if you intend on getting a decent return when you sell or part-exchange it.

What procedures are involved in a car service?

There are many different types of servicing procedures and checks which vary from garage to garage and can be offered in different packages, such as interim, full or even condition-based.

One of the most popular procedures carried out however is the oil change. It is the most important because it directly affects the performance of the engine e.g. the crankshaft inside of a combustion engine rotates to raise and lower the piston which in turn ignites fuel with compressed air to create the energy that moves your car.

You might not understand what any of that previous example meant, however, the one thing you should know is that the engine parts are made of various metals and are kept lubricated by your engine oil to stop them from rubbing and creating friction. Clean oil allows them to continue moving with little/ no impurities being caught in between parts.

A regular oil change will allow the engine to benefit from fresh, clean oil and is recommended every 7,000 to 8,000 miles or once a year if that comes first (read your car’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation).

Other procedures include a close inspection of the braking systems, the replacement of various filters, and rigorous checks to identify any components that need repairs or adjustments which could have an impact on the car’s performance, safety and well-being.

For newer cars with computer management systems, specialist diagnostics equipment is also used during a service in well-equipped garages to identify any faults that need attention which a standard MOT will not advise.

How often should I service my car?

Your car’s manual will instruct you on how often certain checks need to be made e.g. Jaguar X-Types require a brake fluid flush every couple of years and an oil change every 7,500 miles. As a rule of thumb it is best to service your car based on how often the engine oil needs changing because the other checks can be carried out at the same time.

Some recommend timing your service so that the MOT is 6 months before, giving you a chance to address any advisories at the later time of servicing.

Who should service my car?

Some motorists prefer to take their cars to main dealers as they believe the manufacturer will know what is best for their brand of car and they are concerned about their warranties being void if they choose to service it at an independent garage. The problem here is price as main dealers are well-known for their higher servicing costs.

On the other hand, some motorists prefer to use their local independent garages. They can often charge considerably lower prices and provide an equally brilliant service. Those that comply with EU block exemption laws are also able to service newer cars under warranty at a much lower cost without invalidating the warranty agreement, e.g. a new BMW owner in Milton Keynes could service their car with Service4Service, an independent BMW specialist in MK, at a much lower cost than the main dealer and protect their warranty because the company complies with this EU law.

In other instances, some motorists prefer to maintain their cars themselves which is acceptable if you are a mechanic or engineer that can identify and solve faults, however, if you are not familiar with the way a car works or lack confidence in doing it yourself then leave it to the experts and take it to your local garage.

This informative article on car maintenance and servicing was contributed by the local independent BMW specialists in Milton Keynes, Service4Service.

£100 Endorsable Fixed Penalty Notices are.

£100 Endorsable Fixed Penalty Notices Offences include:   Using a mobile phone whilst driving   Speeding offences   Motorway offences (e.g. reversing on a motorway, driving on hard shoulder/central reservation)   Neglect of traffic directions (e.g. not stopping at red traffic light)   Neglect of Pedestrian Rights (e.g. stopping within limits of zebra/pelican/puffin crossing)   Load offences (e.g. danger of injury due to number of passengers or manner in which they are carried)   Motorcycle offences (e.g. carrying more than one passenger)

New penalties for careless driving comes into force today.

Press release

New penalties for careless driving come into force

Organisation:

Department for Transport

Page history:

Published 16 August 2013

Policy:

Making roads safer

Minister:

Stephen Hammond MP

Police given powers of on-the-spot penalties for careless driving including tailgating and poor lane discipline.

Changes giving the police powers to issue fixed penalty notices for careless or inconsiderate driving have come into effect today (16 August 2013).

From today (16 August 2013) careless drivers who put other road users at risk by committing offences such as tailgating or poor lane discipline will face on-the-spot penalties.

The changes give the police greater flexibility in dealing with less serious careless driving offences, freeing them from resource-intensive court processes.

Existing fixed penalty levels for most motoring offences - including using a mobile phone at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt - rise to £100, bringing them into line with penalties for similar non-motoring fixed penalties.

Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond said:

Careless driving puts innocent people’s lives at risk – that is why we have made it easier for the police to tackle problem drivers by allowing them to immediately issue a fixed penalty notice for low level offending rather than taking these offenders to court.

We have also increased penalties for a range of driving offences to a level which reflects their seriousness and which will ensure that they are consistent with other similar penalty offences.

The fixed penalty for careless driving is now £100 with 3 points on the driver’s licence. The most serious examples will continue to go through court, where offenders may face higher penalties.

The police will also be able to offer educational training as an alternative to endorsement. Drivers will still be able to appeal any decision in court.

Fixed penalty levels for most of these motoring offences have not increased since 2000, making them lower than other penalties of a similar severity.

The changes – which were announced earlier this year – are being introduced following extensive public consultation with road safety groups and police forces.

There are no changes to penalty levels for parking offences.

Related documents

• Fixed penalty levels for motoring offences, written statement by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, 5 June 2013
• Changes to the treatment of penalties for careless driving and other motoring offences consultation.

Notes to editors

Most motoring fixed penalties offences rise under the changes:

• a non-endorsable (where the driver does not receive points on their licence) £30 fixed penalty notice has risen to £50
• an endorsable (where points are given) £60 and non-endorsable fixed penalty notice has risen to £100
• an endorsable £120 fixed penalty notice has risen to £200
• the fixed penalty notice for driving with no insurance has risen from £200 to £300

Graduated fixed penalties (mainly for commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles and including offences like drivers’ hours and overloading) and financial deposits (for drivers without a satisfactory UK address) have also increased:

• a £30 non-endorsable fine has risen to £50
• a £60 endorsable and non-endorsable fine has risen to £100
• a £120 endorsable and non-endorsable fine has risen to £200
• a £200 endorsable and non-endorsable fine has risen to £300

The consultation took place from 14 June 2012 to 5 September 2012.

As with other existing fixed penalty notice offences, such as speeding, police forces are also able to offer careless drivers the option of remedial training.

Endorsable road traffic offences contribute to a significant number of casualties. For example, in 2011, excess speed contributed to 213 deaths and using a mobile phone while driving contributed to 374 road casualties.

Though penalty levels have increase, penalty points will not change. Fixed penalty notices for parking, waiting and obstruction offences remain unchanged.

Roads media enquiries

Exam Results on Thursday

Good luck to anyone picking up there exam results on Thursdays.

Driving Test Charges

Learner drivers warned about extra charges DSA is advising customers to avoid copycat websites and save money by coming to the agency directly. Copycat websites offer to book theory and practical driving tests, and can appear to be the official agency, but charge a premium for their services. Some websites also charge for ‘pass protection’ with the promise of a free re-test that very few customers would ever qualify to use. Some companies charge up to £30 for just booking a test, on top of the driving test fee itself. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/learner-drivers-warned-about-extra-charges www.travis-drive.co.uk

Travis School of Motoring: Show Me / Tell Me Q & A for driving test

Travis School of Motoring: Show Me / Tell Me Q & A for driving test: Part of your test includes a Show me, Tell Me' section. This is when your examiner will ask you one 'S...