Exhaust Pipe

July/August 2022 Read this on our website www.iam-bristol.org.uk too familiar click-click-clicksound which demonstrates a lack of knowledge or vehicle sympathy and which results in premature wear of the parking brake ratchet rack and pawl. Remember that an advanced driver should not expect to use the parking brake every time they stop. Learner drivers are taught to apply the parking brake every time they stop because of the complexities of dealing with a multiplicity of considerations at an early stage in their driving career but for advanced drivers there are many circumstances where this is quite unnecessary. For example, you will usually apply the parking brake at traffic lights, on hills, waiting to turn right and always at a pedestrian crossing but not always necessarily when manoeuvring on level ground or when stopping briefly at a ‘Stop’ sign.

A penalty for saying “Thanks”?

Member Andrew McConachie has contacted us to point out something he had noticed in the Manchester Evening News.Obviously we can’t reproduce that here, but the article refers to Rule 160 of the Highway Code, which we can! This states –Once moving a vehicle you should "drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible. This will help you to remain in full control of the vehicle at all times. You may use driver assistance systems while you are driving. Make sure you use any system according to the manufacturer’s instructions." Andrew asks that with the prospect of a £1000 fine/3 penalty points for not having control of a vehicle, should we not be taking our (left) hand off the wheel to acknowledge the kindness of another motorist? Left hand of course, because that’s the one we use for changing gear, although with the rise of EV’s and other automatics that is becoming a dying art! Also, how does one give a courtesy signal when in a state of “short-stay handbrake” as described by Geoff Bevan above? I’m sure some of our readers will have a viewpoint on this!

Driving Questions

Do you have a driving question? We'll put the question to our senior team and print the answer in the next edition of The Link.

Don't be embarrassed - any genuine driving question is fine...it might be as the result of a near miss or a complicated road layout or how to apply 'The System' - just ask!

Email editor@iam-bristol.org.uk <mailto:editor@iam-bristol.org.uk> or phone is good.