Tag: Advice
Still on winter tyres when summer arrives? The sensible UK call
Winter tyres are not automatically illegal once the weather warms up, but keeping them on through a British summer is not always the best value or the safest choice. Here is what to check before deciding whether to swap them.
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Penalty points and car insurance: when you need to tell your insurer
Penalty points do not always mean you must call your insurer immediately, but getting the timing or the answer wrong can create a much bigger problem. Here is the practical UK approach.
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What do P, R, N and D mean in an automatic car?
P, R, N and D are the basics, but S, B, L and manual mode buttons vary by car. Here is what each automatic gear letter does, when to use it and the mistakes to avoid.
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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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A dealer will not let you test-drive the car? Treat that as a decision point
A UK used-car buyer’s guide to a dealer refusing a test drive: what the law does and does not promise, insurance checks and the moments when walking away is sensible.
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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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