Dangerous drivers beware. Video Vigilantes Chasing Down Dangerous Drivers
More and more people are using portable cameras to film their journeys – footage which is helping convict and caution bad drivers.
Dangerous drivers should be keeping their eyes peeled not just for police after it emerged that tens of thousands of motorists and cyclists are recording every journey they make. That footage is then being used to help settle insurance claims but also to help stretched police forces pursue cases of bad driving.
Cyclist Dave Sherry has recorded 400 incidents in the past two years that have resulted in dozens of convictions and cautions: One bus driver lost his job last year after being videoed by Mr Sherry looking down at a handset while driving along the road with passengers on board.
Some police forces are more than happy to use footage from the public but others say they simply do not have the resources to deal with it except in the most serious

What is going on in the world when kids are involved in this?

Children as young as 11 have been caught drinking and driving, according to police records.
An 11-year-old was stopped in the Thames Valley area in 2011 and several 12-year-olds were apprehended in Scotland
in 2012 and in Manchester in 2008.
An average of 1,000 under-18s have been convicted of drink-driving every year since 2008, according to figures
obtained by in-car camera provider Nextbase.
Every week since 2008, an average of five drink-drivers under the age of 18 have been caught, the figures also revealed.
All 43 police forces in the UK have stopped under-18 drink-drivers between 2008 and 2013, with figures from Freedom of Information requests revealing the worst area in England for offenders was Greater Manchester, with 409 people arrested over the period.
Other hotspots included Scotland with 718 offenders, Hampshire with 276 and Devon and Cornwall with 241.
Nextbase said the overall number of underage drink-drive arrests had fallen year-on-year, but a number of areas including South Yorkshire, Northumbria and Kent had seen a rise.
A Department of Transport spokesman said: “Under-age driving is illegal and no person under the age of 17 should be driving a car. “We have tough laws in place to tackle those caught driving without a licence. “Drink-driving is a menace that costs lives, and the Government is strengthening the law to help police crack down on this problem.”

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING!

Gales, and more locally severe gales, are expected to affect much of the country on Tuesday. Whilst Monday night will see wet and windy conditions sweeping eastwards, the strongest winds are expected to occur after the rain clears and winds veer northwesterly through Tuesday morning. Gusts exceeding 55 mph are likely inland, with 60 to 70 mph gusts in some exposed coastal areas in the west and possibly to around 80 mph around coasts in northern Scotland.

The public should be aware of the potential for disruption to travel and possible damage to trees. Difficult driving conditions will result, perhaps exacerbated by surface water and spray in places. This is a further update of the warning first issued on Saturday, now including central areas of Scotland, where latest evidence suggests an increased risk of localised disruption.
The remains of Hurricane Gonzalo are running across the Atlantic, reaching the UK on Monday night, bringing a period of strong winds to the UK. The strongest winds are expected on Tuesday as the low pressure clears eastwards; some uncertainty remains in peak windspeeds but there remains the potential for disruption to travel, especially as the strongest winds coincide with the morning rush hour in places. Fallen leaves impeding drainage increases the risk of surface water affecting roads, while some damage to trees is possible, given that many are still in full leaf.

Congrats Matty Egan on passing 1st time this afternoon with just 4 minor faults. He’s off to the merchant navy next week so it was do or die! Well done fella!
See you christmastime for you pass plus.

its tyre safety month peeps!
TYRE SAFETY MONTH 2014
An opportunity to include Tyre Safety in your lessons…
The 2014 Tyre Safety Month campaign is designed to raise awareness about the importance of driving on tyres with adequate tread depth and, following the wettest winter on record, includes advice about minimising the risk of aquaplaning.
The campaign theme is ‘Driving Rain, Driving Safe’.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “The weather last winter was truly treacherous and at times like these, it’s essential that your tyres are safe and legal.
“This October we will remind drivers about this by asking them to take the 20p test or to visit a local retailer for a free tyre safety check.

Insurance companies to access your details!
View Driving Licence goes live today
Source: Rohan Gye – DVLA Service Manager, 7 October 2014 — View Driving Licence
Integrated Enquiries Programme (IEP) was being driven by DVLA’s commitment to provide the insurance industry with access to driver data to speed up the process of applying for insurance and to provide more accurate quotes, with hopefully cheaper premiums for the honest motorist. The annual volume of predicted enquiries is huge, estimated at over 500 million, requiring a database that can cope with hit rates of up to 300 per second. This meant building an enquiry platform that was robust, scalable and able to meet such a high volume demand.

Get the work done and evendence of it or your test will be cancelled.

Vauxhall is now recalling some Corsa and ADAM models that have been built from 6 February 2014 onwards, including some ’63’ number plates.
This is also because of the potential problem with the steering system.
The recall notice issued last Monday (29 September) had only applied to cars built from May 2014.
Check if your vehicle is affected
If you want to take a driving test in a Vauxhall Corsa or ADAM that has been built from 6 February 2014, please check the Vauxhall website to see if your vehicle is affected.
Taking affected vehicles on test
If your vehicle is affected, you won’t be able to take it on test without written proof that the vehicle has been checked by the manufacturer and remedial work carried out if needed.
DVSA examiners will accept documents from the vehicle manufacturer or the manufacturer’s appointed representative or dealership.
For tests taking place within next 3 working days
If you’re affected by this and any of your pupils have a driving test booked within the next 3 working days up to and including Friday 10 October, they can cancel or re-arrange it free of charge.
They can do this by contacting DVSA practical test enquiries and booking support to re-arrange; telephone 0300 200 1122 (Monday to Friday, 8am to midday).
For tests taking place in more than 3 working days’ time
If any of your pupils have a driving test booked to take place in more than 3 days’ time, they’ll still have to give the usual 3 clear working days’ notice to change or cancel without losing their fee.
They can do this by using one of the following links:
change the date of your driving test
cancel your driving test
Read the updated news story on GOV.UK.

Industrial action planned.
Information for DVLA customers as industrial action is planned
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union has called upon its members to take part in industrial action on Wednesday 15 October 2014.

We will do all we can to maintain a service to our customers, however you may experience longer waiting times if trying to contact DVLA by phone or social media.

We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

DVLA online services are available in the driving section of GOV.UK.

Image removed by sender.

Congratulations Adam Davies on passing your driving test on Tuesday with only 4 minors.