Bogus whiplash claim thwarted by dash-cam

A recent court case has highlighted the fact that dash-mounted cameras aren't solely for capturing Russian motorists almost mowing down pedestrians as they lose control in the snow.

 

A haulage firm avoided an expensive £75,000 whiplash claim against it when an on-board camera proved that a car full of scammers deliberately traversed three lanes of the M25 and slammed on the brakes to ensure the lorry rear-ended the car.

All four occupants of the Ford Galaxy that was struck by the HGV made serious whiplash claims against the haulage firm, but claims were dismissed when evidence from the on board camera showed the Galaxy deliberately swapped lanes and collided with the lorry that hadn't left the inside lane.

Simon Marsh, managing director of Smart Witness, the company that made the on-board camera, told TRL: "Bogus whiplash claims are a real problem. This new video perfectly illustrates the problems responsible motorists face."

He added: "This new video perfectly illustrates the problems responsible motorists face. The lorry driver was travelling well within the speed limit when the people carrier swerved directly in front of him to avoid hitting another car in the fast lane.

"The haulier was very surprised to be on the receiving end of four whiplash claims for £75 000. Drivers can often feel like they are on shakey ground when they go into the back of another vehicle, particularly if there are no reliable witnesses to explain what happened."

According to UK official figures, up to 60 per cent of the 550,000 whiplash claims made in the UK each year are bogus

Drivers warned to be wary of enticing fake insurance policies

Young and recently qualified motorists are being warned to thoroughly check 'enticing' insurance policies after a recent spate of arrests has signalled a spike in the phenomenon of 'ghost broking'.

 

These 'ghost brokers' target young and newly qualified drivers by offering insurance deals that appear much cheaper than many of the often extortionate policies presented by legitimate insurance providers.

Motorists only become aware of the scam when it comes to making a claim, when there is nothing in the way of support from the dodgy insurance companies.

Drivers also run the risk of racking up fines, penalty points, having their vehicles seized and, in the event of a major accident, incurring hundreds of thousands of pounds in costs, as the insurance isn't valid.

Police recently arrested 27 people in connection with the sale of fake insurance policies in one of the largest crackdowns of its kind. More than 170 officers carried out 28 search warrants in a series of dawn raids across the country.

The insurance fraud enforcement department – a unit working within the City of London police – suggests that thousands of motorists have already been duped by the scam but the true extent of the problem remains unknown as many drivers will assume their cover is legitimate.

Kerry Michael, director of insurance services at the RAC motoring group, said: "This is a new and worrying crime which preys on young drivers offering them cheap insurance rates with bogus policies. It is particularly worrying when you consider that many of the individuals taken in by 'ghost brokers' are those who can least afford the devastating financial and personal consequences of being involved in an accident without valid insurance."

The police and RAC are advising buyers to avoid enticing policies that are often sold through social networking sites, on fake websites and even in genuine printed ads found in classifieds and posted in university clubs and bars.

The 'ghost brokers' will nearly always claim they are linked with genuine insurance companies and will even send fake documents to seal the deal.

Above all else, if the deal appears too good to be true, it probably is. Buyers can also check that insurance provider is on the Financial Services Register before buying a policy

UK has "pothole epidemic"

Britain is in the grip of a "pothole epidemic" after research showed that there is an average of one pothole for every mile of the UK's road network.

 

That equates to a whopping 200,000 car-damaging holes around the country – an issue that is causing huge costs to both motorists and local councils.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that a total of £2.5 million was paid out in the last financial year in compensation to motorists, with the number of claims having soared 79 per cent to 32,600 in 2012/13.

That figure – enough to pay for the repair of 50,000 potholes – has been used to cover the cost of repair of everything from punctured tyres and dinged alloys to damaged suspension.

A lack of spending on road maintenance by councils is proving to be a false economy, with the average repair bill for pothole damage coming to £140 – nearly three times the £50 it costs on average to simply fill a hole.

King Lane in Leeds and the B6273 South Moor Road in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, were highlighted by the research as some of the worst roads for potholes in the whole country.

Local authorities face difficult choices in the roads they prioritise for repair and there are now round 200,000 potholes on UK roads. Motorists should protect themselves and their vehicles by reducing their speed on potholed roads, and also reporting damaged roads to their local council.

Pre-war Alfa Romeo GP car sells for £5.9million

A 1935 Alfa Romeo Grand Prix racing car once driven by Italian racing legend Tazio Nuvolari has set a new world record after being sold for £5.9million – the highest price paid for any Alfa Romeo at auction.

 

The snappily titled Tipo C 8C-35 '50013' - Scuderia Ferrari Nr '65', went under the hammer at a Bonhams auction at last weekend's Goodwood Revival classic car festival, and beat the previous Alfa Romeo auction record of £4.2million raised by an eight-cylinder Monza 2300 in California in 2010.

The 330bhp supercharged racing car was campaigned by world-famous race team Scuderia Ferrari, then Alfa's proxy factory team.

James Knight, Bonhams International Managing Director of Collectors Motor Cars, said after the sale: "Once again Bonhams has been privileged to offer a world-beating motorcar and help it to achieve a world-beating price.

"Selling something like this, one is aware that history is a guest at the auction, due to the car's past, its performance today, and what all automotive enthusiasts will say about the car in the future. It is more than a car for all of us who are passionate about cars

Lister Cars to race again

Dormant British racing car manufacturer Lister is to start up production for the first time in nearly 25 years, after a significant investment from aftermarket car warranty provider Warrantywise.

 

The three original Lister companies: George Lister Engineering of Cambridge, Brian Lister Light Engineering and Lister Storm, have all been consolidated under the new name of Lister Motor Company Limited, and will move into new facility in the marque's original home town of Cambridge.

The new site, which features state-of-the-art design and manufacturing facilities, will be used to manufacture one of the company's original racing cars from the 1950s, the Lister 'Knobbly' Jaguar.

Founder Brian Lister's original design drawings and manufacturing setup have all been re-commissioned and much of the original team behind the knobbly – so called because of its unique streamlined body – have been drafted in to create cars identical to those that left the production line in 1958.

Lister Motor Cars will be supplied with race proven Jaguar D-Type spec engines and gearboxes by experts Crosthwaite & Gardener, and final race preparation will be undertaken by CKL Developments, another world-renowned specialist in historic Jaguars.

The new cars will be ready to race as soon as they leave the factory and Lister is to sponsor a series of historic race meetings in 2015 to celebrate its 125th anniversary.

Caterham unveils new AeroSeven Concept

 

Caterham has lifted the covers off a brand new concept car for the Grand Prix in Singapore

 

Called the AeroSeven, the open-top two-seater points the way to an all-new production model from the British marque, due in 2014.

It's based on the same platform as Caterham's long-standing and highly accomplished Seven CSR platform, with the body fashioned from light-weight carbon fibre.

At its heart sits the same 2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine seen in other Caterham models. Developing 237bhp, it will get the AeroSeven from 0-62mph in "under four seconds". Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

It is also the first ever Caterham model to be fitted with traction control. The fully adjustable system has been introduced thanks to Caterham's newly-developed engine management system, which also sees the AeroSeven fitted with a launch control function.

Anti-lock brakes are also being assessed for suitability, though Caterham fans will be pleased to hear that the Seven's traditional inboard front and fully-independent rear suspension setups remain intact, though with new dampers, springs and anti-roll bars.

The normally spartan Caterham interior has been livened up slightly with the addition of a new graphical display unit, which shows the usual driver information – speed, gear selection, traction and brake settings etc – on a 3D rendered display.

The Caterham AeroSeven will be produced at the company's facility in Dartford, with the first customer deliveries expected in Autumn 2014. Currently there is no word on potential prices

Meet The Group

Some of our Outside Events Team at the this years Bearsted Green Classic Car Show last spring. These guys will be at Buckmore Park on 20th October. 

During October, we have a couple of events that anyone, advanced motorist or not can attend.


Night Driving 15th October
Whether you are bothered by the dark or have trouble staying awake at the wheel,Mid Kent Group can help sort out problems posed by dark winter nights. All aspects of night time driving will be discussed and there will be opportunities for free assesment drives and demonstration drives. A free event open to all drivers old or young, experienced or not - we will answer your questions on all aspects of night driving.

Held at Grove Green Community Centre (ME15 5TQ) starting at 8pm.


Celebrating 50 Years of Karting Excellence - 20th October
Celebrating 50 years of Kart Racing Excellence at the circuit. See some of the best junior and senior kart racers in the country in action - some of them will probably be formula 1 stars of the future. All the current British F1 drivers have driven here as have many previous F1 drivers like John Surtees etc. Johnny Hurbert will be doing a Karting demonstration.The Mid Kent Group of Advanced Motorist Outside Events Team will be there promoting the IAM and stressing the importance of road safety. Please feel free to visit us and will be happy to answer any of your questions who we are and how to become a better driver. Event at Buckmore Park. (More details from Buckmore Park's website)

If you wish to become an Advanced Motorist, improve your driving or simply find out more about us. Please visit our website.  www.midkentiam.org.uk