24th
March
2008
The police forces in England have, for some time had Automatic Number Plate Recognition System cameras at their disposal but until recently had not realized just how widespread the problem of uninsured drivers was ( some estimates put it as high as 2 million ) and just how effective the ANPR system can be in detecting these law breakers.
London police have been engaged in operation Reclaim since the end of 2007 and have been surprised at the high number of expensive cars they have seized due to them not being insured. The trigger for the increase in ANPRS policing has come from a recent change in legislation which allows a beat officer to impound a vehicle whereas previously this was the duty of a specialized traffic officer whose time could better be spent on more serious offences.The system works by photographing the number plate of each passing car and through special software comparing the car registration number with the database of 35million legally insured drivers provided by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. If the photographed car is not on the database the vehicle is stopped and if the driver cannot produce proof of insurance the vehicle is impounded. Owners have 14 days to reclaim their car and pay a fee of £105 plus £12 per day . They also face a £200 fixed penalty fine and up to six penalty points on their license. Simultaneously the system also checks the DVLA database to see if the vehicle is taxed and has a current M.O.T. certificate as it has been found that offenders driving without insurance very often have no tax and don’t bother with M.O.T. tests. Each of these offences also carry fixed penalty fines and penalty points on their license so it is conceivable that, under totting up rules a driver could lose his license immediately.Cars that are stopped and found to have no insurance are impounded and if the owner fails to pay the necessary fees and fines to have it released are either crushed or sometimes auctioned. Surprisingly some of these cars are high end luxury and sports models. It is thought that the owners of these, faced with very high premiums decide to risk driving without insurance, reasoning it is cheaper to risk being caught and pay the fine than pay thousands each year to be insured. Now however if they are stopped they will lose their car as it is so much easier for the police to seize it. The police hope that this new deterrent will be enough to convince these owners that insurance is absolutely mandatory.Five
London boroughs are trying the scheme now and it should be extended to cover the whole capital by the end of 2008. Other forces are following suit with North, South and
West Yorkshire forces joining Humberside in a crackdown on this type of offence. The days of the uninsured driver look to be numbered, which has got to be a good thing for all motorists as a collision with an uninsured driver costs the innocent party though no fault of his own.
posted in Insurance |
24th
March
2008
They show you the way and warn others about your actions preventing accidents and keeping things in the safe side. There are many different lights available today - some for general use and some for special purpose.The primary function of the lights is to provide safety and convenience to the driver. Mercedes made their lights to be one of the most important things in the car. Without the lighting assembly installed a Mercedes is as safe as a blind driver.Lights give the ability to see during darkness providing a good illumination. If your lights are good enough the dust on the road or the foggy day won’t be such a big obstacle. Rain-filled weather conditions will be a piece of cake for you too because even if you feel like swimming in the whole water around you there will still be enough visibility for you keeping you informed about everything that is happening around you.The Mercedes tail lights are another very important lighting system that is available for you when you drive. They are attached at the front and rear part of your vehicle. They come in pairs - left and right. The signal lights or also called turn lights are usually yellow in color and they are one pretty important part of the Mercedes tail lights. They are available to indicate if the vehicle is turning and on what direction it will go next. Everyone who is interested in knowing where you will turn will see indication of that before you turn no matter if he is in front of you or on you back.This simple thing prevents collisions with other cars or accidents with the people walking on the streets. It is good for these lights to be used not only when you make a turn but also when you change lanes because sometimes other drivers will not see you on time especially when you are in the blind zone. It is also considered polite because you provide information on your action and let others know you intentions and the way you will achieve them.One very important aspect of these tail lights is the emergency condition. If you push the “hazard” button beneath the dashboard you will activate a simultaneously blinking of both - the left and the right tail lights. This will inform the people around you that you are having troubles with your car. When an emergency instance occurs the people around you should know that you may not have the full control over your car and accident is likely to occur. Warning them with the lights will help them manage the situation and it will safely let you call for help.On the side view a parking lights are available. They make the vehicle more visible and they are pretty useful when going into intersections or making turns. It allows drivers to see others from greater distances and keep them informed on what is going on around them. This is very important especially in low visibility because of fog, dust and rain or any other thing which could reduce the visibility. On breaking situations the parking lights could also serve as a break lights.One pretty cool solution for Mercedes lights is called Euro Altezza Lights and it is available for many models. It will add the sporty look to your car and it will enhance the prestige of the vehicle. These are performance tail lights with clear or smoked lens in red or amber color provided by special lamps.To benefit from and use the wonderful features of these lights you should insure proper replacement when necessary. You may want to check up with your service provider from time to time to see if everything is fine. This is important because many things on the road could damage or reduce the effectiveness of the lights. For example this could be the dust. Stray objects, snow or rain could become hazardous too. Everything that is interfering with the lights could become a problem. You could not keep all problems away but you could see if you lights need special care after the busy day.There is also a way available for you to protect you tail lights from all the scratches and damages that could happen on the road. With all the stones and stuff flying around it is impossible for something to not hit your tail lights. The solution for you could be to use a proper protection.The Mercedes tail lights guard will keep the scratches to their minimum saving you money on replacement parts. This protection unit is usually made by durable steel designed to fit your tail lights perfectly. The easy installation will help you buy it and install it yourself.This protection will not only help you protect you tail lights. It could add the look you want for you car. Mercedes have that sleek look when you buy it but is it what you want? And what about some cool rugged look to tell the others about you sporty way of living?The tail lights guard will not reduce the illumination of your lights and it won’t help for any dangerous situation to occur and it could be a fine investment. Buy it once and you may not need to wander if you lights are good after a long ride. No matter if you want style for you car or simply some protection the tail lights guard is what you need.If you are a car style enthusiast you should know that there is nothing cooler than a nice lighting system for the car. It doesn’t matter how nice your hood is looking or what a nice wheel rims you have. The lights are what get the attention. This is so even during the day. Just imagine some nice reflection from a car and what it could feel like even in the bright sunny day.
posted in General Information |
24th
March
2008
I saw a comment to an article I was reading about BMW and a hydrogen car they were supposedly going to market next year. The person asked why we didn’t have a full-on hydrogen car in the
US. I guess my question is: where are you going to get fuel? The infrastructure for hydrogen, as a stand alone system, is beyond the horizon. We should be looking for alternatives, in fact we should have started doing that in the 1970’s with the first energy crisis. Hydrogen, even small amounts, increases the efficiency of other fuels. Most automotive hydrogen is produced by splitting hydrogen and oxygen from a water source that includes a catalyst. The overall gain, from working with various systems of that type, is 5% to 8%. Any gain is good, but that’s a long ways from stand alone.The key is efficiency, which brings us to other items that aren’t as difficult to obtain, like octane. A simplified explanation follows. The higher the octane, the more efficient the combustion. The slower the burn, to a certain point, the higher the octane. Water vapor slows the burn and increases octane. On a foggy day there is a higher percentage of water vapor in the air, increasing horsepower. The horsepower increase on a foggy day is due to increased efficiency which is due in a round about way to the octane increase. When octane is increased, the timing can be advanced, which contributes to an earlier spark and the opportunity for a longer burn.Computerized cars, after 1996, have OBDll, and later, compliant computers. Computers, if matched to the right system, will due all the changes. You don’t have to advance and retard the timing or rejet the carburetor for different altitudes and conditions because the computer does that for you. With the right system you don’t have to do anything to the computer. The computer sensors monitor the exhaust and lean the mixture if the engine is running cool enough. 60% to 80% of the fuel that goes into the engine is used to cool internal parts. Water is about 200 times more efficient at cooling than gasoline or diesel.I was watching a NASCAR race and one of the commentators made the statement that “all the horsepower is in the camshaft and cylinder head(s).” That statement, in the way it was worded, in not correct. A large percentage of the horsepower is in the camshaft and cylinder head(s), but not all. There’s a reason the fuel they burn is rated at 99 octane. The slower the burn, the more complete the combustion.A engine has to “breathe” to be efficient. Like the human body, if the airways are fouled or restricted, the human body and the engine aren’t capable of reaching maximum efficiency. Water vapor steam cleans internal engine parts. It breaks carbon off the valves and pistons and flushes it out the exhaust while cleaning the exhaust system in the process. If water vapor is introduced at the right place in the intake system, it cleans the passages, mixes with the fuel and increases octane. Higher efficiency results in more HP and better fuel economy.Going back to hydrogen, there is a hydrogen producing system that’s as close to free energy as you can get. It seems to make sense to use what’s already available, as opposed to wasting it and expending other energy to produce more. A high priced, high tech vehicle isn’t necessary. But, to make everything work at the optimum, you need to have all the information and not just one piece of the puzzle.
posted in Future Fuels |
24th
March
2008
A car owner, in one way or another, will be encountering troubles with the high cost of regular auto insurance premiums. This is where the greatest advantage of cheap auto insurance comes in.
So, how do you take hold of cheap car insurance? Well, the steps are simple but will require some thinking and patience. Here are some the most important tips on how you can get cheap car insurance.First, take pains in comparing policies offered by several auto insurance companies.Though the essential features of auto insurance companies are more almost the same, there would still be some discrepancies and differences. And in these differences the crucial factor lies in terms of how you could find cheap car insurance.Some auto insurance companies will offer comprehensive or limited coverage while some other companies will have policies that depend on how many persons will be using the car or for what purpose the car will be utilized under normal circumstances. Generally, a car used to take children to and from the school and one used to and from the office will be taken into consideration.Second, look for companies that give due consideration to anti-theft devices installed in your car. There are insurance companies that will be willing to give you cheap car insurance if your car has these devices installed. In connection, there are insurance companies that also take into account the nature of the neighborhood where you live in. This is usually in line with the crime rate of the location. The higher the crime rate the higher the premium.Third, try considering offers made by independent car insurance agents but make sure that they have authority and sufficient credibility to deal with these matters.
Every State generally has its own set of rules in relation to car insurance policies. There are quite a number of States that make auto insurance mandatory. That is definitely not a problem among rich citizens but for middle class citizens it is important to look for cheap car insurance in terms of coverage, premiums and reliability.Fourth, discover possibilities of accessing relevant data regarding various auto insurance companies. You may have access from these companies’ official websites or offices. While visiting their branch offices is feasible, doing it is generally not practical because that will consume lots of time and effort. In this regard, surfing the Internet is more advantageous.Finally, please make some notes about your findings. This will help you remember offers and rates more conveniently and accurately when you are ready to make your decision.
As a conclusion, getting cheap car insurance is really a matter of being procedural and patient. It does not really mean that you have to buy policy from established and big companies, although that is usually advised. The more important consideration is whether or not the company will be able to pay you and answer for the expenses when the time comes.
posted in Insurance |
24th
March
2008
Hybrid cars are taking the world by storm - figuratively, literally. If you want an eco-friendly hybrid car that not only drives like a dream but is a weight off your conscious too, then you must see the PGO Cevennes Turbo-CNG. This nifty little hybrid car will run on bio gas making it essential in today’s fight against global warming.You may be forgiven for thinking that hybrid cars are going to end up looking, well, ugly. This is simply not the case where the PGO Cevennes Turbo-CNG is concerned. Looking at the car’s rounded edges and the sleek design you may as well be looking at one of the top sports cars in the world. With a soft top to boot, you can make sure your next luxury car is a hybrid one.The PGO Cevennes Turbo-CNG has been developed by BRA GmbH. This company has been at the very forefront of the development of hybrid cars for well over ten years now. They are based in
Germany and they have developed not only environmentally-friendly hybrid cars but cars that have excellent style and design, as well.The car itself isn’t due to be released until March 2008, but you can be sure it will open to a fanfare of utter amazement! The car is only likely to cost around 48,000 Euros making it not only environmentally-friendly but also friendly on your pockets, as well.The Cadillac Provoq concept
America has realized that the gas-guzzling, environment-harming vehicles are not going to save the world any time soon. The eco-drive and style brought by hybrid cars have finally found their way to
America and they have managed to do it in amazing degree… Not that we expected anything less of course.As the flag bearer of hybrid cars, the Cadillac Provoq concept car has two main points. On the one side, it clearly shows the style, class and beauty that is renowned with Cadillac cars. It also has in its favour the hybrid car technology that is actually making the car a sure heart-stopper.The Cadillac Provoq concept car is made to appeal to the luxury car owners; it oozes class and style and is sure to stand up in its own right against other luxury cars. If it is luxury next to hybrid car technology that you are looking for then you need not look any further.The Cadillac Provoq concept hybrid car has wheels that are powered by the car’s 94bhp motor, which of course is electric. The car’s rear wheels have the 54bhp motor each. These features enhance the Provoq’s mileage for every small amount of gas it consumes - saving the planet and your pocket from hundreds of dollars spent on fuel. This is something that Cadillac Provoq owners would be very much proud of.The PGO Cevennes Turbo-CNG and the Cadillac Provoq concept will fit right into any city or town and with their sporty look and sleek design they are simply head Nurners.
posted in Future Fuels |
24th
March
2008
The Car Alarm System now senses the motion as well as an electric current when it starts alarming and will detect somebody tampers with the car and there by caution the intruder in the stern voice that there is the alarm set plus he will be in problem. While the car senses the repeated as well as a heavy shock voice shouts at the warning 127 db in addition to the siren totally sounds for about 30 seconds. It has the complete immediate panic feature like the woman voice that would scream out just for help plus the car finder mode that would chirp to assist you to locate your car with no trouble in the parking lot, which is packed totally. The compassion of the alarm that is place by striking your alarm to put the shock into the threshold. Once car alarm is been totally set any crash on car, that would be greater than threshold that will start set off the alarm. The car alarm as well uses either voice or else the chirping as the armed or disarmed confirmation. The method is just very simple to set up if you need to build up the car alarm wherever under the cover with three metal screws that is been offered and clip power cord to battery. You can also select the talking messages like System Armed, System Disarmed, Thank You Please Move Away, You are Too Close to the Vehicle, Please Adjust Sensor Now, shouting messages like that was Tampered With, the screaming messages like the, Please Help Me as well as it also has the features just like the no false alarms, the Instant Panic defense, the Current Sensing, Adaptable Sensitivity, The Car Finder purpose, Free Help Line, The Lifetime Manufactures Guarantee, Battery Support, the Dual Stage Alarm Sensor, 7 Talking Messages, and this all device is also been wired to your cars the electrical system that will immobilize the cars ignition as well as other electrical routes when key has been removed from the hidden socket. Key in to these locks are coded so that simply the key given with this kit will only start working with your car. As every theft evader has the exclusive color coded wiring as a result the thief who is further familiar with this kind of process of the theft that will not be able to then hot the wire of your car. The kit will also include the extra key for the driver as well as the screws that can also be used for mounting. The most excellent part of kit is that it comes up with the complete wiring instruction as well as you can also install it by yourself or else take it to the auto shop for further installation.
If you would like to give the part of your mind to somebody who breaks in your car, the GSM car alarm may let you do now that. With the GSM car alarm you can also talk to thief, inform them that you are now going to cut the fuel supply, plus then do that.
posted in Useful Tips |
24th
March
2008
Car safety is important, so make sure that your car is as safe as possible and that you are also safe.Car safety is very important. According to Insurance Institute Highway Safety, around 42,636 people died in the car accidents in 2004. Driving the car can also be dangerous, but the proper car safety might be helped to prevent at least a few of these deaths.
Substance of car safety:Brake lights plus turn signals and even headlights are the safety features of the car that make sure you use them, as well as make sure none of your bulbs got burnt out. Mirrors. Correctly align the side mirrors plus rear the view mirror in order to eliminate the blind spots. Keep in mind, though, that still your mirrors are properly aligned, you still have the blind spots, so make sure to ensure them before you transform lanes or else drive in reverse. Seatbelts. The Seatbelts keep you being thrown forward as well as even from getting ejected from the vehicle. Bumpers. The Bumpers were created to endure the small collision devoid of damaging the major body work of the vehicle. Airbags. Most recently, there are not front air bags, but there are also the side airbags also the curtain airbags. All of these bags protect the people’s heads in event of collision. Airbags can also be dangerous to the children, so make sure to study your owner’s guide before placing the child in front seat.The Anti-lock braking system (ABS). These brakes can shorten the braking time by stopping the brakes from the locking as well as causing to lose the traction while braking. Four-wheel drive. The Wheel spin is very less likely when power is distributed to four wheels. Four wheel steering. It gives the driver faster as well as more accurate direction ability at the high Speeds. These are a few items of the car safety that being added to the most cars nowadays. There are some common forms of the car safety, which are also growing in the popularity like the dynamic steering response, lane departure warning system, inboard brakes, Directional headlights, traction control, Electronic Stability Control, as well as other interesting plus safe technology.Of course, because you contain the car with the side curtain air bags as well as the four wheels drive plus the lane departure caution system, it doesn’t mean that you can also drive totally carefree, thinking your car might take care of you. Stay out of people’s blind spots. Think of the potential “problems.” For example, if there are kids playing with the ball, be alert that they may chase in the street. Try and don’t drive too much at night. Perform the regular maintenance onto your vehicle!There are lots of things that you must do in order to help and maintain the car safety. Sometimes the accident might be the other driver’s fault, but often those accidents can have been avoided if you would have done something in a different way.
posted in Driving Tips |
24th
March
2008
You can certainly buy your own hybrid car to run on hydrogen, but most people cannot afford the luxury of buying a brand new hybrid. I have discovered that it is possible to build your own water car system without having to buy a new car or an expensive hydrogen kit.1. How Was The Hydrogen Car Engine Discovered?A scientist named Nicola Tesla discovered the abundant resource water can actually be used as a fuel to provide energy to run a car. By using the car battery for electricity, you can install a small system that can use this electricity to electrolyze water and split it into Brown Gas (HHO). When this gas is burned, energy will be produced to power your car.By using this technology, you can save up on fuel costs because your vehicle will then need a lower quantity of gasoline. Not only that, it also contributes to environment conversation as running a car on water can reduce the amount of carbon emissions released into the air.This invention has never been released to the public because it will not do the oil companies any good. But due to the rapid increase of fuel costs, more and more people are starting to discover this water car secret.2. Cost Savings of Using Hydrogen on Demand SystemFirstly, it is much cheaper to build this system yourself if you already own an automobile than to buy a new hybrid car. It typically requires less than $200 to setup this system whereas a brand new hybrid can cost up to $30,000.By using a mixture of water and gasoline, you can reduce the amount of gas you have to purchase, thus helping you save hundreds of dollars every month. Gas mileage will also be boosted by up to 75%.3. Reduce Pollution to the EnvironmentYou can also reduce the amount of carbon emissions emitted into the air when you use hydrogen for energy. It is more environmentally friendly and reduces overall air pollution.4. How Can You Have Your Own Hydrogen Car Engine?Thousands of drivers have already installed this system into their cars and running it partly on water. It can be easily made with cheap parts that can be found in your home or any hardware store. After installation, it can be quickly removed leaving no traces behind.
posted in Future Fuels |
24th
March
2008
1. Shop aroundUse price comparison sites, ring up brokers and if you are buying a new car ask the dealer. There are millions of insurance policies out there and the more you compare, the more likely you are to find a good deal. It isn’t exactly rocket science.Bear in mind though that no comparison site looks at the whole market, and that firms such as Direct Line and Churchill are consistently omitted from searches. It is well worth approaching them directly because in insurance big often does mean better.Also, remember that many comparison sites do not compare like-for-like, and will present one policy as being cheaper than another even though the more expensive option includes useful extras. Consider exactly what cover you need, and then ask brokers to compare prices for these terms.2. Look for policies that exclude what you don’t need.Cheaper policies often offer limited cover, but this is no problem if you do not need it. Many insurers no longer include driving other cars as standard, but if you do not intend driving other vehicles this is hardly a great loss and could save you money. Similarly, you may have no need for the often expensive courtesy car option if you own two vehicles.3. Keep up to dateKeep your insurer up to date with any changes to your address, vehicle or status. All of these affect the premium you pay, so you may be in for a pleasant surprise if some have changed. Beware though, that you must provide your insurer with completely accurate information, and that they may refuse to pay out if they have been deliberately misled.4. Buy onlineInsurers often offer an online discounts if you buy your policy over the web – Direct Line offer up to 10 per cent. Don’t be shy about ringing up to ask questions before completing the process over the internet.5. Pay annuallyPay your premium in full each year if you can possibly afford to. Many insurers charge extortionate interest if use wish to pay in monthly installments.6. Tell your insurer if your annual mileage is lowMany firms now offer discounts for drivers who only do a few thousand miles a year – if you’re not driving you can’t crash. If this applies to you then ask your insurer for a suitable discount.7. Get a garageHaving a secure place to keep your car will also reduce your car insurance premiums. If you have access to a garage then use it and make sure your insurers know you are using it. Roadside parking always leads to more expensive premiums, especially if your postcode is a bit dodgy, so finding a more secure spot may well save you more than it costs.8. Immobilize your carSome insurers will offer discounts to drivers who fit alarms or immobilizers. Always remove detachable stereos and valuable items from your car even if you are insured – those kind of claims will drive your premium sky high when it comes to renewal time.
posted in Insurance |
24th
March
2008
The constant rise of oil price forces people to come up with new creative ways of saving gas. Some will start using public transportation which unfortunately is not always an option. Others will sell the car they love so much and buy an ugly hybrid, usually priced at over $15 000.There is another category of people who will use a simple and inexpensive HHO gas car modification on order to increase their gas mileage by up to 100% - yes, DOUBLE their car’s gas mileage.Recently FOX News broadcasted a video report revealing how an American inventor converted his car to use water and gas as fuel. A simple kit installed under the hood of his old car converts tap water into a high flammable HHO gas, also called Brown’s gas.“Such kit costs under a hundred bucks to build, save gas, reduces pollution and is totally safe” - claims the inventor. Similar conversion kits have been popping up not only all over the
United States but also the rest of the world.Thousands of drivers and car enthusiast chose the HHO gas car conversion kit for many obvious reasons:· It increases gas mileage by at least 40%, in certain cases a 100% increase has been recorded · It boosts up the engine’s power giving you some extra horse power · It cleans out the carbon deposit in the engine · It prolongs the engine’s life by reducing the typical wear and tear of its elements which results in a quieter and smoother functioning of the engine. · It reduces the exhaust emission - less pollution. The HHO gas car modification kits are easy to build and to install. They do not require any modifications of the engine or the car’s computer. When removed, they are completely untraceable. Features such as low cost and high effectiveness make this invention very popular.
posted in Useful Tips |