A car is a potentially lethal weapon and growing increasing complex by the day. And with over 30 million of them on our roads, surely it is of paramount importance
let alone fiddle with my brakes, steering or suspension. Most importantly, voluntary means only if you want to, which means that a lot of the excellent garages out there will join but that will do nothing to stop the rogue traders and cowboy outfits, who are after making a fast buck with little or “My Mother, could set up in her no regard for the quality of their garden shed tomorrow and call it work. The IMI work tirelessly to ‘Mum’s Motors’ ...” improve standards within the industry and offer an impressive range of qualifications and accreditations. that they are safe and therefore, the people But I bet that the bloke who fitted the carrying out repairs, know what they are wrong brake pads to a BMW I serviced last doing and are answerable for that? week has never even heard of the IMI or any Not according to the government. other garage industry organisation. I wrote to the Transport Minister a few And if he has, would he join? years ago, and received a reply (probably Highly unlikely I think. written by his secretary), which stated that the Surely motorists need to be protected government had no intention of introducing from the likes of our BMW cowboy but scarily any form of licencing but were encouraging studies have shown that many assume that ‘voluntary schemes’. the industry is regulated and that, as with my Yes, there are several ‘schemes’ which boiler man, their mechanic will be qualified pertain to provide customers with a reputable and licensed. garage. However, from my own personal experience these schemes are run by “Surely motorists need to be protected from companies who are more interested in the likes of our BMW cowboy...” you selling their products than checking whether you can do the job properly. So, what to do? There are a couple of garages in my local There are some fantastic garages out area who are members of such schemes, and there, who have a wealth of knowledge, do I wouldn’t trust them to blow up my tyres a professional job and really care about their customers. Hopefully some of them will be reading this article. But I feel that until the government realises the seriousness of the situation and how many dangerous cars may be on our roads, our industry will be tainted by the unscrupulous outfits that are allowed to trade. I had thought of writing to parliament again, but fear at the moment they are so wrapped up in Brexit and Trump, that even the secretary might not have time to reject my ideas.
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