In my last post, we took a look at some of the most common sense tips to help you keep safe while on wet roads. Here are some more that you can bear in mind.

Stay away from the side of the road.
As much as possible, drive as near to the middle of the road as you can. The rationale behind this tip is the fact that most of the roads in the United States are crowned in the middle. As a result, the water tends to run off to the sides of the road. In many cases, the water gathers toward the sides, posing a hazard to motorists.

Always turn your headlights on.
This is the law in many places actually, but not everyone really does it. If I were you, the moment that a light rain falls, I would turn my headlights on. Even if you can see relatively clearly ahead of you, it would still help. More so, your headlights would alert other motorists to your presence. A word of caution: do not use your high beams when there is a fog. Instead, use your fog lights if you have them.

Keep your eyes on the car ahead of you.
While you have to keep your eyes on the road and the condition, you also have to pay attention to the car in front of you. Make sure he has enough space, especially if he has to suddenly brake. Also, seeing how the car in front of you “behaves” will give you a pretty good idea of what is ahead.

Drive safe!

Written by Marcel on May 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Talk about irony. Tom Riall has been banned from driving for six months after being caught by police officers for driving at over 102 mph at a 100 mph zone. Now, you might be wondering what the big deal is. There are a lot of people who have been apprehended for the same violation. You might even personally know a person or two who has been in this situation.

Tom Riall, however, is not just any person. He is, in fact, a senior executive at Britain’s biggest speed camera firm. Now, you see why it is such a big deal! The Times Online has this story:

Tom Riall, 49, was apprehended by police officers when they recorded him driving at 102.92mph on the A14 near Newmarket, in Suffolk.
Mr Riall is head of Serco’s home affairs division, which has installed and managed speed cameras at more than 4,000 sites around Britain since 1992.

He was fined and banned from driving at Sudbury magistrates court today after his third speeding offence in two years. “I accept the decision of the court. I recognise that speeding is not acceptable and regret what I did,” he said outside court. “My speed was excessive and I’ve made a full apology.”

Apology notwithstanding, the executive has been banned from driving on the roads for the next six months. I think that it is such a simple “punishment” for an act that goes beyond breaking the law. Then again, he is only human.

The moral of the story? Walk the talk!

Written by Marcel on May 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment