Driving Tips.

Parking is back on the emails to the editor’s list again.   Remember when finishing your journey that others still have to go about their business!   One email reads, “I hate parking in Southport as I always get blocked into my own office car park.”  This is becoming a regular problem within Southport.   We ask all motorists around the world to make not to block access to entrances and exits.  In the UK, do not park over the white H markings and do not park on yellow and double yellow lines.  Remember that white lines mean you cannot STOP as well!  Often ignored at schools are the zig-zag school markings. These are put to deter, not encourage, parents from dropping or picking up the little darlings.  A few months back, in Formby, the local Police were asked to tackle this problem as it was starting to become a danger to pedestrians of all ages.   Formby Police have issued warnings, not to park illegally or on pavements  at all ,after countless numbers of complaints were received.   The Institute of Advance Motorists says, “Do not leave your car where it causes inconvenience or a danger to others.”  

TIP OF THE WEEK. 

This week’s safety tip with thanks to the Police Foundation and also with thanks to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (Sefton Branch).

Do not drive at speed unless it is safe to do so.   Remember to drive within the speed limit!

Be familiar with all the controls and the handling of your vehicle, before setting off.  Also check all controls work!

Driving at High-Speed requires maximum attention!   Do not use anything that can take your attention away (like a mobile phone).

Do not drive while tired, as this could result in loss of concentration and an accident. Take a break and rest before going on.

Remember, if you double your speed you quadruple your required braking distances.  

Always drive so you can stop within the distance you can see is clear, by day and by night and remember stopping distance.  A small tip to see if you are too close to the car in front is to say, “Only a fool brakes the two second rule” as the lead vehicle passes a stationary object.  If you say it with over the two seconds then you pass the object, you are about the correct distance, and if you say it and you are too close then you will finish the sentence after you have passed the object.  Remember though that this saying only works in ideal conditions.  Wet weather and other conditions like ice increase stopping distances further. 

No emergency is so great that it justifies an accident:– it is far better to arrive than not to at all. Better a few minutes late in this world than many years too early in the next!