Buying your first car
What you should think about when buying your first car; Suzanne Keane has some advice If you’ve never driven before choosing your first car can be a nightmare. Of course, it’s important to take driving lessons from a professional but if you want plenty of practice before your test it’s always useful to have your own set of wheels. 1 – Don’t Supersize it Unless you’re planning on travelling long...
AUDI – Q3 Sportback – 35TFSI 150BHP
The Audi Q3 Sportback will certainly turn heads but are looks enough to justify its price asks Geraldine Herbert What is it? Part SUV and part coupe the new Audi Q3 Sportback promises to fuse sportiness and practicality and is designed to compete with rivals such as the Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar E-Pace, Volvo XC40, the Mercedes GLA and the Lexus UX. For some the coupe SUV is a smart and sleek compromise for others its...
Clamping: How to appeal
Can you appeal a clamping and is it worth making the effort asks Geraldine Herbert Here’s what you need to know Reasons for clamping If your vehicle causes a hazard or obstruction, e.g. on a clearway If your vehicle is illegally parked, e.g. on a double yellow line. If the time allowed on a Pay-and-Display ticket (max. 3 hours) has expired. All signs in a car park have to be clearly readable, “in plain language”, clean and in...
Thinking of buying a van?
Thinking of buying a Van? Here are some ‘Van Buying Tips’ that you should bear in mind writes Suzanne Keane Size – Overloading is both dangerous and illegal so work out the size of van you need. A good rule of thumb is to add 15 per cent more than you think you will need. Space – What will you be carrying regularly and what is the biggest load you are likely to need to transport...
Driving in Thunderstorms
Much of the country is braced for thunderstorms, gusty winds and torrential downpours as Met Eireann has issued yellow and orange warnings writes Geraldine Herbert Driving in Thunderstorms 1) Slow down, due to the dangerous driving conditions. 2) Take special care when driving behind goods vehicles as they generate a considerable amount of spray which reduces your visibility. 3) Allow extra space between you and cyclists and...
Lives could be saved if there was greater enforcement of road safety laws
We have an abundance of road safety laws, so why are we not enforcing them asks Geraldine Herbert Road deaths are on the rise again. So far this year, despite a reduction in traffic volumes during the lockdown of up to 70% there have been 64 fatalities as a result of 60 fatal crashes on Irish roads, compared to 64 fatalities following 55 fatal crashes up to the same period in 2019. In response, The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An...
