Andrew Hamilton's Weekly Clinic: This week: Mobile Phones, A2 visibility, an empty car, Mazda moves and Running costs.
Mobile mobiles
John Agnew from Co Meath is angered that drivers are back to their old habits using mobile phones while driving. "A few months ago, it looked as if penalties were being introduced immediately," he says. "Using mobiles while driving was suddenly a heinous offence. We are still waiting for the points system. Will we have to wait as long for action on mobile use?"
It all depends on the politicians we so recently elected and, in so many cases, re-elected. We have just come across a report from Direct Line, Britain's largest car insurer, which found that driving while on the phone was more dangerous than driving while drunk.
Direct Line tested subjects with the legal maximum blood alcohol level (80 mg alcohol per 100ml blood) against 20 mobile phone users aged 21 to 45 who had to carry out a series of tasks on a simulator. The tests were carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory.
They revealed, unsurprisingly, that sober subjects not on the phone drove best, but also that sober drivers using a mobile phone performed worse than drivers with the maximum allowable amount of alcohol in their blood.
The drivers on the phone had reaction times 30 per cent worse than those who had a drink and nearly 50 per cent worse than sober drivers. At 70 mph, a normal driver travelled an average of 31 metres before reacting compared with 35 metres for someone at the alcohol limit and 45 metres for someone using a hand-held mobile.
A2 visibility
Seamus Corrigan from Cork says he was dissuaded from buying an A2 because he thought the right-hand windscreen pillar (A-post) obscured the driver's vision to a dangerous extent.
We don't agree with his definition of dangerous. All vehicle design involves some compromise, in this case to ensure strength .
We have driven the A2 on about six occasions and found it a joy to drive. It is one of the most innovative, fuel-efficient small cars around: the deterrent is price and, probably, a not such attractive shape.
The A-post can obscure the driver's vision slightly, but there are always ways to cope with such inconveniences. How about adjusting the driving position a little, which doesn't compromise your comfort or safety?
An empty car!
Jim McGrath, who lives among the Wicklow hills, got a fright recently. He saw an empty car moving towards him: the driver had failed to engage the handbrake properly: "Fortunately, we were able to get into the driver's seat and get it stopped. There could have been a nasty accident if no one was around."
He lived in California for 25 years where almost all cars have automatic transmission. "Let me share a tip about correct driving techniques for such models. When parked on a hill in California, it is law to have your front wheels turned towards the kerb. That way, in the event of a parking brake failure, the car will roll to the nearside. This makes sense and I still practise the habit here."
Mazda moves
Judy Murphy from Ballinteer, Dublin wondering what's happening at Mazda. "I own a 323F which I really love but now it's getting on a bit, being registered in 1991. Is there a new model on the way? Can I expect something as glamorous as the 323F with the pop-up lamps?"
We have some news here. The 323 replacement will be on sale in mid-2003. It will be known as the Mazda4, copying the format of the 626 replacement which is known as the Mazda6.
We haven't yet seen its shape or appearance, but we do know that it will be built on the same platform as the next Focus which will be making its debut one year later.
Running costs
Bert Johnston from Co Donegal wonders if there is any way of knowing what are the cheapest cars to run here.
We haven't come across this kind of statistical information but interestingly CAP, a British pricing company, has just listed Britain's cheapest cars.
The two-seater Smart city car is up there at the top at 14 pence per mile, along with the Renault Clio dCi, 14.6 pence; the Daewoo Matiz, 14.8 pence; the Toyota Yaris 1.0, 14.9 pence and the VW Lupo SDi, 15.3 pence. CAP's figures are calculated over a three-year, 60,000 mile period and take into account fuel and servicing costs as well as list price and depreciation.
In spite of the inflated cost of motoring here, the British experience might just have some relevance in our scene.