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Monday, May 28, 2012
Saluting the woman driving instructor of Kabul
We’re sure that most of you heard or read the news recently about the Saudi woman who was sentenced to nine days in prison for the offence, yes, “offence” of driving a car.
It is very sad really, that women drivers can still be treated in such a way in certain societies when it is clear that they are just as capable as men are of competently driving a car.
In fact, if pressed to say which gender made for the better drivers, it would be hard to argue with the reality that cheaper car insurance premiums for women and better accident statistics reflect their superior safety and reliability.
But, sadly, it is not only in Saudi Arabia that women drivers are subjected to unacceptable prejudice. In Afghanistan, despite the fact that it is legal for women to drive, any woman driver brave enough to take to the road faces the prospect of aggression, persecution and dangerous behind-the-wheel harassment.
In fact, Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, has only one woman driving instructor, and she has to fight bravely each day just to remain on the road.
"It bothers men when women drive," she told Reuters
"But I wasn't scared of them then and I am not scared of them now.”
Shakila Naderi, the woman driving instructor of Kabul, we at CoverGirl salute you.
It is very sad really, that women drivers can still be treated in such a way in certain societies when it is clear that they are just as capable as men are of competently driving a car. In fact, if pressed to say which gender made for the better drivers, it would be hard to argue with the reality that cheaper car insurance premiums for women and better accident statistics reflect their superior safety and reliability.
But, sadly, it is not only in Saudi Arabia that women drivers are subjected to unacceptable prejudice. In Afghanistan, despite the fact that it is legal for women to drive, any woman driver brave enough to take to the road faces the prospect of aggression, persecution and dangerous behind-the-wheel harassment.
In fact, Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, has only one woman driving instructor, and she has to fight bravely each day just to remain on the road.
"It bothers men when women drive," she told Reuters
"But I wasn't scared of them then and I am not scared of them now.”
Shakila Naderi, the woman driving instructor of Kabul, we at CoverGirl salute you.
Photo © Stepnout via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, woman, women drivers
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Fancy being a woman train driver?
Any women drivers out there looking for a change of career? How about driving a train?
According to Mick Whelan, the general secretary of train drivers’ union, Aslef, it is high time that something was done to encourage more women to take up a career in train driving.
“Britain's train drivers are overwhelmingly white and male,” conceded Whelan.
Personally, I love the romance of the railways. Much of my favourite film, Brief Encounter, is set in and around Britain’s wartime railway network.
Sadly though, I don’t think this is enough to make me woman train driver material.
But I’ll bet there are plenty of women out there who can buck the trend and take command of a train.
After all, statistics recently proved women to be better car drivers than men, and I’m pretty sure that the attributes which make us such a safe bet behind the wheel would be transferrable to the train driver’s cabin.
What do you think?
According to Mick Whelan, the general secretary of train drivers’ union, Aslef, it is high time that something was done to encourage more women to take up a career in train driving.
“Britain's train drivers are overwhelmingly white and male,” conceded Whelan.Personally, I love the romance of the railways. Much of my favourite film, Brief Encounter, is set in and around Britain’s wartime railway network.
Sadly though, I don’t think this is enough to make me woman train driver material.
But I’ll bet there are plenty of women out there who can buck the trend and take command of a train.
After all, statistics recently proved women to be better car drivers than men, and I’m pretty sure that the attributes which make us such a safe bet behind the wheel would be transferrable to the train driver’s cabin.
What do you think?
Photo © mattbuck4950 via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: brief encounter, change of career, train, women drivers
Monday, May 21, 2012
Motorised unicycle
Can you ride a unicycle? Can you imagine using one as an every-day mode of transport?Well it would seem that Honda wants you to be able to answer yes to both of these questions at some point in the future, because the manufacturer has created a motorised unicycle.
The ‘Uni-Cub’ has a thrilling top speed of 3.7mph and is steered by the rider leaning to one side or another – no need to use your hands.
When you’re not using the machine you can fold it up into a carry case, and, if you find a building that allows you to drive the odd unicycle inside, it is reportedly easy enough to steer that it’s safe for indoor use.
Well – there’s certainly no risk of high-speed crashes on this thing at least! I wonder how much it would cost to insure?
There’s no release date for the invention and there are apparently no plans, as of yet, to make it available to the public for purchase.
We look forward to seeing whether it does become available and how many people actually buy it – I bet it’s great for toning up core muscles!
Photo © Martin Vidner via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: crash, Honda, insure, rider, speed, steer, transport, Uni-Cub, unicycle
Friday, May 18, 2012
More concerns about potential speed increase on motorways
There was a lot of hubbub a few months ago when the government announced that it was thinking of raising the motorway speed limit to 80mph.
Well, there’s still a lot of discussion going on about the potential speed increase.
Most recently, the Road Safety Foundation checked the 4,350 miles of motorway in the UK and raised concerns about the fact that there are not very many crash barriers along these high-speed road-ways.
Furthermore, along some stretches of highway the trees have been planted dangerously close to the roadside and some crash barriers haven’t been repaired or replaced after a previous incident, leaving them weak and unable to sustain the force of another accident.
The AA agreed with the charity, stating, “Some stretches of motorway are more suitable for 80mph than others.
“If you don’t have adequate central reservation barriers, a hard shoulder and variable speed limit message signs then the road is not safe for 80mph.”
The government plans to review all the positives and negatives of increasing the speed limit later on this year.
What do you think the government should do? Please leave us your comments!
Well, there’s still a lot of discussion going on about the potential speed increase. Most recently, the Road Safety Foundation checked the 4,350 miles of motorway in the UK and raised concerns about the fact that there are not very many crash barriers along these high-speed road-ways.
Furthermore, along some stretches of highway the trees have been planted dangerously close to the roadside and some crash barriers haven’t been repaired or replaced after a previous incident, leaving them weak and unable to sustain the force of another accident.
The AA agreed with the charity, stating, “Some stretches of motorway are more suitable for 80mph than others.
“If you don’t have adequate central reservation barriers, a hard shoulder and variable speed limit message signs then the road is not safe for 80mph.”
The government plans to review all the positives and negatives of increasing the speed limit later on this year.
What do you think the government should do? Please leave us your comments!
Photo © Highways Agency via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: AA, crash barrier, government, motorway, Road Safety Foundation, speed limit, UK
Monday, May 14, 2012
Car insurance for ladylike drivers. Really?
What does it mean to be ladylike in the post-feminist age? Whereas it was once considered to be a compliment to be called ladylike, can it nowadays actually be classed as being patronising or insulting even?
When I was learning to drive, my grandmother told me that I should at all times be ladylike behind the wheel. She never quite expounded on what this meant, and I didn’t ask, though I couldn’t help but conjure images of silk driving gloves and an eternity of demure waiting at T-junctions.
Whatever the case, I don’t think CoverGirl is about to start advertising itself as the leading car insurance company for ladylike drivers – women drivers, yes – good women drivers, yes – safe drivers of any gender, yes – but ladylike drivers, would sound a little anachronistic.
After all, ladylike is an adjective more closely associated with days when it was unusual to see women drivers at all, with the very idea of a woman driver being considered unladylike.
So when I read a piece of news, as I did this week, about women in the West being more ladylike than in any other part of England, I struggle to know what to make of it. Does this mean they make the best hosts, laugh at the right moments and know how to serve tea, or does it mean something else?
Actually what it means is that they’re the least likely to get lairy on a night out, unlike say those from Liverpool or Newcastle, reportedly.
Since when has not getting drunk and causing a fight count as ladylike behaviour? Have standards really fallen so low? By this definition it would seem that any woman who doesn’t get plastered and punch-happy is an ideal candidate to meet the queen.
When I was learning to drive, my grandmother told me that I should at all times be ladylike behind the wheel. She never quite expounded on what this meant, and I didn’t ask, though I couldn’t help but conjure images of silk driving gloves and an eternity of demure waiting at T-junctions.Whatever the case, I don’t think CoverGirl is about to start advertising itself as the leading car insurance company for ladylike drivers – women drivers, yes – good women drivers, yes – safe drivers of any gender, yes – but ladylike drivers, would sound a little anachronistic.
After all, ladylike is an adjective more closely associated with days when it was unusual to see women drivers at all, with the very idea of a woman driver being considered unladylike.
So when I read a piece of news, as I did this week, about women in the West being more ladylike than in any other part of England, I struggle to know what to make of it. Does this mean they make the best hosts, laugh at the right moments and know how to serve tea, or does it mean something else?
Actually what it means is that they’re the least likely to get lairy on a night out, unlike say those from Liverpool or Newcastle, reportedly.
Since when has not getting drunk and causing a fight count as ladylike behaviour? Have standards really fallen so low? By this definition it would seem that any woman who doesn’t get plastered and punch-happy is an ideal candidate to meet the queen.
Photo © hans s via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, woman, women drivers
Friday, May 11, 2012
Temptation is all in the mind
Don’t use your mobile phone while driving, don’t even think about it. No, CoverGirl hasn’t suddenly come over all school-mistressy, we’re just hazarding a guess at what the tagline for the next road safety campaign might be.
This comes after the release of a study detailing the effects of mobile phones on car crashes. Before you start telling us that you’ve heard it all before, that you know that speaking on a mobile causes car accidents and a potential increase in your woman driver car insurance premium, we urge you to bear with us.
The study in question looked not at the effects of phoning and driving but on the effect of anticipating a call or a text.
It seems that this mere mental act of anticipation can actually distract drivers to the point of becoming a hazard on the road.
The researchers presented their findings at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting in Boston.
"This study suggests that thinking about future cell phone calls and messages may be an additional source of distraction that could contribute to crashes,” commented one researcher.
This, of course, leads us into very tricky territory. It is very difficult to not think about something and no amount of injunction is likely to be able to stop a person being preoccupied with a potential phone call or text. In fact, it is possible that such injunctions may only lead a person to become even more preoccupied. After all, we all know what happens if children are told to not do something.
Naturally, actually turning off a phone may help, but it is unlikely to eradicate all thoughts of the phone. Even when it is off, it is still possible to think about turning it on again…
This comes after the release of a study detailing the effects of mobile phones on car crashes. Before you start telling us that you’ve heard it all before, that you know that speaking on a mobile causes car accidents and a potential increase in your woman driver car insurance premium, we urge you to bear with us.
The study in question looked not at the effects of phoning and driving but on the effect of anticipating a call or a text.
It seems that this mere mental act of anticipation can actually distract drivers to the point of becoming a hazard on the road.
The researchers presented their findings at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting in Boston.
"This study suggests that thinking about future cell phone calls and messages may be an additional source of distraction that could contribute to crashes,” commented one researcher.
This, of course, leads us into very tricky territory. It is very difficult to not think about something and no amount of injunction is likely to be able to stop a person being preoccupied with a potential phone call or text. In fact, it is possible that such injunctions may only lead a person to become even more preoccupied. After all, we all know what happens if children are told to not do something.
Naturally, actually turning off a phone may help, but it is unlikely to eradicate all thoughts of the phone. Even when it is off, it is still possible to think about turning it on again…
Photo © Seetheholyland.net via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car accident, mobile phone, premium, woman driver car insurance
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Police officers make insurance claims for car park collisions
After causing a vehicle accident, those responsible may see their car insurance premiums increase.
Although everyone makes mistakes, one police force has been criticised after causing 48 traffic accidents – in their own car parks.
Between 2011 and 2012, Staffordshire Police made 487 insurance claims, with 45 officers causing rear end collisions and 61 experiencing “errors of misjudgement” behind the wheel.
However, the number of traffic accidents involving Staffordshire Constabulary has actually declined since 2006 – where police officers made 787 claims.
Nigel Gunn, former Staffordshire Police Inspector, said parking facilities at sites like Stafford were never built for significant numbers of cars.
He said, “There's very limited space and a lot of vehicles trying to cram into that space. Most police stations are in town centres and surrounded by double yellow lines, so there is nowhere else to put them.
“The main scenarios are when someone is rushing to get out to a 999 call and just misjudges what can be quite tight spaces…police stations are not very well lit and it is more difficult at night. You also get tired people coming off long shifts.”
Thankfully, although accidents do occur, most police forces provide regular training and assessments in order to minimise collisions.
Although everyone makes mistakes, one police force has been criticised after causing 48 traffic accidents – in their own car parks.Between 2011 and 2012, Staffordshire Police made 487 insurance claims, with 45 officers causing rear end collisions and 61 experiencing “errors of misjudgement” behind the wheel.
However, the number of traffic accidents involving Staffordshire Constabulary has actually declined since 2006 – where police officers made 787 claims.
Nigel Gunn, former Staffordshire Police Inspector, said parking facilities at sites like Stafford were never built for significant numbers of cars.
He said, “There's very limited space and a lot of vehicles trying to cram into that space. Most police stations are in town centres and surrounded by double yellow lines, so there is nowhere else to put them.
“The main scenarios are when someone is rushing to get out to a 999 call and just misjudges what can be quite tight spaces…police stations are not very well lit and it is more difficult at night. You also get tired people coming off long shifts.”
Thankfully, although accidents do occur, most police forces provide regular training and assessments in order to minimise collisions.
Photo © Police_Mad_liam via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, car parks, insurance company, rear end collisions, Stafford, Staffordshire Police
Friday, May 4, 2012
A very small car
It’s all about fun-size this and pocket-size that when it comes to technology and other useful items at the moment.
Compact mirrors, phones as thin as paper, tablets with whole libraries on them, cars that can fit into lifts – cars that can fit in lifts!? Since when was that possible?
Since now, because Romano Artioli, who used to own the Bugatti and Lotus automobile brands, has created a very small electric car.
It’s called the Volpe – which means ‘vixen’ in Italian – and it’s 1.5 metres high and less than a meter wide.
It can do 30mph at its top speed and weighs 350kg – thieves may be able to carry it off but there’ll be no high-speed police chases.
Now, I personally find this little car quite, well... not pretty, but I suppose you’d always be able to find a parking space! For anyone who is interested, it’s going to cost £5,600 when it becomes available in Europe in the earlier half of 2013.
Compact mirrors, phones as thin as paper, tablets with whole libraries on them, cars that can fit into lifts – cars that can fit in lifts!? Since when was that possible?
Since now, because Romano Artioli, who used to own the Bugatti and Lotus automobile brands, has created a very small electric car.
It’s called the Volpe – which means ‘vixen’ in Italian – and it’s 1.5 metres high and less than a meter wide.
It can do 30mph at its top speed and weighs 350kg – thieves may be able to carry it off but there’ll be no high-speed police chases.
Now, I personally find this little car quite, well... not pretty, but I suppose you’d always be able to find a parking space! For anyone who is interested, it’s going to cost £5,600 when it becomes available in Europe in the earlier half of 2013.
Photo © David Masters via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: automobile, brand, Bugatti, car, electric, Lotus, parking space, Romano Artioli, top speed, Volpe