Blog Archives

New or used car? Quantifying how they lose market-value ("splines").

30/3/2022

I found a super little web-based tool for helping me (and anyone) decide. It's by a Dutch software writer who seems to know about statistics too.

These pictures are for the make and model of a previous teaching car, and informed me how to price it for sale. But you can tailor it to suit. You may even find some models GROW in value, if getting a new example is hard.

At last ... law clearer on use of phones (now "pocket computers")

25/3/2022

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Click the graphic for announcement

If you want to read the primary legislation, find its details at The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2022. Enjoy!

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Motorway driving fears

23/3/2022

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National Highways has launched a "Driving on Motorways" hub, with useful guidance to raise confidence in this kind of road.

According to various surveys, many drivers refuse to use motorways. Areas of anxiety include using slip-roads, typically high speeds, and multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic.

The hub includes a film featuring Suzi Perry and Ortis Deley from the ‘Gadget Show’. It explains how the individual elements of an all-lane running ('smart') motorway work together to maintain safety and reduce congestion. Shorter films cover live-lane breakdowns, red X signs and variable speed limits.

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Three signals that aren't in The Highway Code

21/3/2022

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1. DOWN-FLASH
... of headlights to sidelights, to say "Thank You" at night. (Perhaps cars should have a light for that, to make an expectation of courtesy between road-users).

Preferable to dazzling with flash-up (from headlights to full-beam), or hazard lights (which can be misinterpreted from certain sightlines), or the invisible raising of a hand in acknowledgement.

2. LEFT-PALM-UP
... to say "Hold On and Thank You", at one and the same time. The only deliberately ambiguous signal, and used chiefly when another road-user rushes up behind because they think you've pulled out in too short a gap ...which you may, of course, have accidentally done.

3. HAZARD LIGHTS
... used by bus drivers who are ahead of their schedule or handing over to another driver, to warn a following bus driver not to pull too close, so the service bus can move off easily (and certainly to avoid it needing to reverse). Increasingly used by cars to say "Thanks" to another vehicle which has created a gap in front for them to move into.

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Flashing headlights scenarios

15/3/2022

I've long sighed and slowly shaken my head whenever I see a driver flash at a junction.

Almost always there's more than one other road user who sees so, understandably, more than one of them moves off at once.

Result: confusion, delay ... perhaps even actual danger.

But here's a new one on me. And I am to blame.

Usually I'll raise my left fingers off the steering wheel to acknowledge another person's generosity in giving up their priority. But, yesterday, I checked for any local activity, saw none, so decided instead to flash my headlights at the single waiting oncoming car.

I NEVER THOUGHT that the car parked on the right, obstructing the oncomer's progress, was trying to move off (and then move immediately back to its left). So both it AND the oncomer saw my flash and moved at the same moment ... with only 2m between them!

Mea culpa. Oops.

Unusual / non-standard traffic signs

5/3/2022

I wrote about these 4 years ago, with a few examples.

Councils can apply to The Home Office if they don't believe a conventional sign will alert road-users to a particular risk. Here's a full list from the last decade.

It's odd that the DVSA doesn't mention this in their recommended texts. [However, by 2024, the preface to KYTS does now say "the most common" traffic signs].

I point this out, so drivers can expect them.

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