Category: Driving
Flashing your headlights is not a ‘go ahead’ signal. The Highway Code is clear
Flashing headlights is often treated as a polite signal to pull out or turn. The Highway Code says it means something much narrower, and relying on it can create a dangerous misunderstanding.
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Your windscreen keeps misting up? Clear it properly, then find the cause
A misted windscreen is more than an irritating winter delay. Use the car’s ventilation controls in the right order, do not set off until every key window is clear, and know when persistent condensation points to damp inside the car.
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Driving to Europe? Check your headlights before the ferry
UK headlights are designed for driving on the left. Before taking your car to mainland Europe, check whether it has a travel mode, needs beam deflectors or should be adjusted by a workshop.
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Roof-box weight limits: the number to check before the family trip
A roof box can create useful luggage space, but its headline capacity is not the only limit. Here is the UK checklist for the car, bars, box, loading and final safety check.
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Middle-lane hogging: when staying put turns from normal traffic flow into bad driving
The UK rule on middle-lane driving is more nuanced than the usual motorway argument. Here is when to keep left, when traffic flow changes the answer, and how to move safely.
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Parking opposite a driveway: when it becomes a real problem in the UK
Parking opposite a driveway is not automatically banned everywhere, but it can still create an obstruction or breach a local restriction. Here is how to judge the space before you leave the car.
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Those zig-zag lines by a crossing are not a quick parking space
Zig-zag markings at a pedestrian crossing are there to protect sight lines, not to create a handy space for a two-minute stop. Here is the UK rule, the difference from school markings and what to do in slow traffic.
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Parking at night: the Highway Code rule about facing traffic that drivers miss
Parking on a road after dark is not simply a matter of finding a legal space. Here is when a car must face the traffic flow, when parking lights are required and why a car park is different.
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Can you park on a single yellow line? Read the sign, not the paint
A single yellow line does not mean parking is always banned, or always allowed. This practical UK guide explains how to read the signs, controlled-zone entry plates, kerb marks and local exceptions before leaving the car.
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The learner-driver insurance checklist for practising in your own car
A UK guide to learner-driver insurance when practising in your own car, including the keeper rule, the supervisor, L-plates and the policy details to check before the first lesson.
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Why 33mph in a 30 is still speeding, whatever you have heard about cameras
The much-quoted ‘10% plus 2mph’ figure is not a legal allowance. Here is what UK drivers need to know about speed-camera thresholds, signed limits and staying on the right side of the law.
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Is your car actually ready for a towbar? Five checks before you book the fitting
A towbar is not just another accessory. Check the car’s towing approval, weight limits, electrics, insurer and intended trailer before paying for a fitting.
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