Posted by seetaludeshi | Under Motoring and Travel News
According to the Times Online there are plans for suggested motorways such as the M25. Better off drivers will be able to pay a toll and drive in a designated lane to help move the traffic along some of the busiest motorways in the UK.
Some people feel this is another stealth tax on drivers already paying so much. Other schemes have designated lanes for drivers with more than one passenger in the car. Such schemes have been implemented M62/M606 junction outside Bradford, which are also favoured by environmentalists.
No decision has been made yet, this scheme is just an experiment. How do you feel about being charged yet again to travel in your car?
If you have used the M62/M606 car share lane, how do you find it? Do you think it is a good way to reduce congestion? What do you feel could make traffic better?
Posted by gemmarees | Under Motoring and Travel News
Something I read in the Telegraph travel news this morning has left me feeling decidedly itchy. Britain’s biggest pest control company, Rentokil, has reported a 40% increase in transport-related call-outs in the past year. Apparently there are more bed bugs and fleas lurking on buses, trains and aircraft than ever before.
The car hire industry doesn’t generally suffer this problem, as every vehicle gets a thorough clean after each use – well you wouldn’t be very impressed if you set off for your romantic road trip in a car full of sticky spills and sweet wrappers – but it’s understandable that other forms of travel used daily by large volumes of people are finding it hard to control the odd infestation.
Flight turn-around schedules are tighter than ever, so there simply isn’t the time for cleaners to vacuum every nook and cranny, and if you’ve ever been on the London underground you won’t be at all surprised that humans are not the only species getting a ride around the city. Buses and cruise ships also have a constant high turnover of people, and some will carry on tiny extra passengers that can be hard to detect, or get rid of, without a high level of diligence.
To an extent I can forgive the slap-dash cleaning regimes of some public transport. I’m heavily guilty of neglect when it comes to the upkeep of my own car interior. With the constant supply of snack residue that comes with a two-year old passenger, who knows what could fester if I don’t deal with it every now and then.
A full valet service is a great way to keep on top of hidden car germs – particularly if you’re as lazy as I am – but a quick weekly clear out is much cheaper and can be just as effective. I’ve found lots of advice on the products and techniques to give a professional finish on sites like DIYnetwork.com and Samarins.com, but here are three simple tips to get you started:
· Keep a small rubbish bag in the car – and empty it once a week
· Baking soda is great for getting rid of lingering smells on carpets and upholstery
· Removable car seat covers are brilliant if you’re battling to keep a clean interior. Just take them off and throw them into the washing machine when they get dirty.
If you have any other handy ideas for keeping car interiors sparkling with minimum effort, do let me know. Happy travelling – and don’t let the bed bugs bite…
Posted by gemmarees | Under Motoring and Travel News
I was quite shocked to read a report in Today’s Travel Mail, revealing the number of incidents of air rage amongst plane passengers has more than trebled in the last five years. Most were linked with alcohol consumption. With so much terrorism anxiety surrounding airlines, and a high level of increased airport security (including some frustratingly confusing rules for hand luggage contents) it seems that controlling intoxication before and during flights has been overlooked, or at least not considered to be as great a threat as it actually is.
Most major air rage instances are widely reported in the press, and although they can be very frightening for travellers, and very costly when diversions take place, thankfully they haven’t resulted in any major tragedies – yet.
Unfortunately the same definitely cannot be said for road rage, and as our roads become more congested and pressure increases, this is a problem that will only get worse, unless we take steps to prevent it. Just a few weeks ago in July, 21 year-old Adnan Patel was killed following an altercation with several men in a white van, and in June a bus driver was jailed for causing death by dangerous driving, when his frustration at being stuck in traffic led him to plough into a family on the pavement.
There’s something about being behind the wheel that can bring out the aggressive side of anyone. We wouldn’t swear or use offensive hand gestures if we bumped into another pedestrian while walking, but the upholstered protection of a car gives us the confidence to illustrate exactly what we’re thinking. Sometimes it’s incredibly hard to keep your cool when another driver is behaving like an idiot. But if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a serious road rage incident, you’ll know just how terrifying it can be.
Understanding a bit about what causes road rage could help to minimise your chances of experiencing it. There’s loads of good advice about how to prevent the ‘red mist’ of anger in yourself and others, on websites like safermotoring.co.uk. I suspect we could also cut down aggressive driving significantly if drum and bass was banned from all in-car stereos. It’s much harder to get worked into a road-hog frenzy when you’re singing along to the Carpenters…
Posted by rowengower | Under Products and Services
I’m useless at complaining. Even when I’ve been served a terrible meal in an overpriced restaurant by a rude waiter, I’ll still feel obliged to leave a tip before sloping off to dwell on all the comments I should have made. I thought my fear of ‘causing a scene’ was just a part of my English heritage, but according to an article in the Times Online, that’s no longer the norm for Brits.
ABTA (the Association of British Travel Agents) claims that we’re getting better at complaining, and although it’s a positive step that more tourists are standing up for their rights, some of us take it more than a bit too far.
Some of the more ridiculous complaints received include a holidaymaker in St. Kitts who demanded to be moved to a different hotel because he was disturbed by waves breaking on the shore, a customer on the Pelion peninsula of Greece who was very disappointed to discover there was no pizza delivery service, and a guest at the Park Plaza County Hall in London that moaned ‘Surely if I’m English I’m entitled to the English breakfast’.
These gripes may be crazy, but when most of us feel unhappy about a service or product, there’s generally a good reason. Holidays are supposed to be stress-free, and if something happens to spoil that, it’s very frustrating – worse still if nobody is interested in offering an explanation, solution or compensation.
Sometimes it’s not easy to know how to complain effectively if something goes wrong, particularly if you are abroad. It’s worth taking note of tips like these, provided on websites like howtocomplain.com:
- Stay Calm: Be assertive, but not aggressive
- Keep a Record of Events: Emails, pictures, dates & times of phone calls etc
- Be Clear and Concise: Make sure you know exactly why you are dissatisfied and what you’d like to happen as a result of the complaint
- Try to Know Your Rights: Get an expert’s opinion if possible
Auto Europe does everything possible to make sure customers get a flawless service, but if anything should happen that’s beyond our control, the Auto Europe customer services team (customerservice@auto-europe.co.uk) will respond quickly to any query.
Posted by seetaludeshi | Under City Breaks
I love Portugal. Not only for the gorgeous sandy beaches, inspirational art galleries and architecture, but also for the best coffee and cake I have ever tasted. I’m lucky enough to have a Portuguese friend who showed us around Lisbon when we went on a five day last minute trip.
Lisbon is completely different to the UK. It took us a day or so to get used to the way of life here, but once we did, we quickly became accustomed to how people live and really enjoyed it. Portugal is famous for it’s signature cake “Nata” which is believed to have been created before the 18th Century by Catholic Sisters at Jerónimos Monastery, which is a gorgeous parish to admire in Belém. Here is the oldest Nata café which opened in 1837 and has hundreds of visitors every day. I was curious so I asked the waiter how many they sell in a day, his reply, “about 250,000 during peak holiday times and 50,000 during the quieter months.” You should have seen our faces!
Also located here is the National Archeology Museum which has finds from all over the country. Just across the road is the Cultural Centre and when we went there was a wonderful art/design show on throughout. We really enjoyed ourselves. As we walked out of the centre. We saw the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) which celebrates the Portuguese who took part in the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th Centuries. It is built on the estuary of the river Tagus, where ships departed to embark on their journeys. It’s attention to detail was amazing as people had been carved out of concrete.
There were so many restaurants to choose from in the evening, it took us all about an hour decide what we wanted to eat. Eventually, we decided on a little café and it was such a good choice. The chips were made from fresh potatoes rather than frozen from a packet (this is actually true in all of Portugal) and we had a selection of things to share, Tosta Mista (Ham and Cheese Toastie), Tomato Soup, Chicken and Beef. It was all wonderful and at a fairly cheap price too.
Belém will easily take up a whole day as there is so much to see and enjoy. It’s very relaxed and everyone was so friendly to us and laughed when we pronounced things wrong. But overall, a great time was had!
Auto Europe are offering great deals on Car Hire in Portugal so why not plan a last minute holiday and go eat some cake?
Posted by gemmarees | Under Motoring and Travel News
I’m not typically patriotic – I know that the UK is far from perfect, and that British people have their faults – but a couple of stories in today’s news have summoned up some strong feelings in defence of our rainy little island.
The first, featured in the Travel Mail describes the plight of a Sussex couple who took their children on an all-inclusive holiday to Crete, Greece, only to find on arrival that the majority of facilities were reserved for German residents only. Sun beds, swings, pool buoyancy aids and even toilets were out of bounds to Brits. The tour operator, Thomas Cook, said that the ‘segregation’ was fair, as there were many more Germans at the resort.
I thought this kind of discrimination was made illegal decades ago. Whatever happened to first come, first served? Crete does attract a lot of German tourists, and naturally wants to keep their business, but this is outrageous behaviour. We wouldn’t stand for it if guests were discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, so why should it be deemed any less wrong if the segregation is based on nationality?
The second story, in the Travel Daily newsletter, reports on the results of a poll conducted by lastminute.com. When people from France, Italy, Spain, The UK and Germany were quizzed about holiday habits and perceptions, the results showed that Brits are considered the least attractive, worst dressed and heaviest drinkers on the beach. This isn’t really surprising to hear. British tourists do have a bad reputation in Europe, and we know that our behaviour could be better. In fact, the poll also revealed that 78% of Brits actually agree with the allegations.
One statistic did stand out as being very unfair though. Apparently one in three Spaniards think Britain is also the rudest nation. OK, so we might not have the best bikini bodies, and socks with sandals aren’t a great fashion statement, but we do know what good manners are, and our queuing etiquette is second to none. Europe is full of different cultures and customs and perhaps we’d increase our ranking in the popularity league table if we tried a bit harder to fit in. But we don’t deserve to be seaside outcasts. Just as John Bevan, Lastminute.com Manager Director, states, we do have some of the best top models and fashion designers in the world!
Posted by gemmarees | Under Products and Services
Word of Auto Europe’s new guide to Great British Breaks is spreading fast.
In fact, The Times Online
counts the Auto Europe site – featuring the guide on its homepage – amongst the top ten travel sites to check out in August. No doubt all those tips for keeping kids entertained this summer is helping to ward off boredom and bickering.
Posted by mariamarquez | Under City Breaks
If you want a cheap flight, picturesque architecture, a few bars and enough culture to satisfy your conscience, then head for Ljubljana.
Ljubljana is the largest and capital of Slovenia and one of Europe’s best travel secrets. As a side effect of a 19th century earthquake the Slovenian capital is a fluid blend of Baroque, Renaissance and Art Nouveau architecture with a skyline of intricate spires and candy-coloured towers.
It’s small enough to explore by foot and is divided by the Ljubljanica river into the post west and the historic east. The latter is where you’ll go for sightseeing-frescoes in the cathedral, sweeping views of the city from the castle and of the nearby Alps.
The city has a lively cultural life created by numerous theatres, museums and galleries and many international festivals including the Summer Festival, Jazz Festival and the Druga Godba Festival of Alternative Music.
Food is dominated by all the best of Eastern European cuisine from delicate Viennese-style pastries to hearty Hungarian goulash. Most restaurants feature menus derived from Italian kitchen. Food and drinks are very cheap. A pint is 60p and meals for two average about £12. If you want to pump yourself get a chocolate sauna for only £3.
The city is well located to explore the nearby places such the city of Trieste in northern Italy, Vienna, Munich, Budapest and Split in Croatia. So you can rent a car and visit the picturesque villages while driving throughout stunning scenery of Lake Ble and the Julian Alps.
So why don’t you start planning your next holiday to Slovenia?
Posted by rowengower | Under Holiday Inspiration
Now that school’s out for summer, the challenge is on to keep the kids amused and stick to a budget that doesn’t break the bank. To make sure quality time with the family is a pleasure and not a chore, we all know it makes sense to plan plenty of activities in advance – but we don’t always have the time.
If you’re already running out of ideas and the start of the autumn term seems a long way off, fear not, help is at hand. Check out Auto Europe’s new ‘Great British Break’ guide – available to download for free now from the homepage of Auto Europe
There’s certainly no shortage of things to do in the UK, but the choice can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why we have trawled the internet searching for the best attractions and deals available, combining them with some useful tips to make sure any journey goes without a hitch.
As well as some independent advice on some of the most child-friendly destinations in the UK, the best days out for under a tenner and fuel economising advice, the guide provides some sanity-saving tips for car journeys to avoid that dreaded chant of ‘are we there yet?’.
Cutting costs is a phrase on everyone’s lips at the moment, so the special offers also included with the guide will be particularly handy. They include:
- An extra 5% off already discounted UK car hire rates from Auto Europe
- 10% off any Hoseasons summer holiday taken in 2008
- 10% off satellite navigation hire
- A free child’s entry into the award-winning Eureka! Museum
- 5% off theatre breaks and theme park tickets courtesy of Holiday Extras
Britain really can be a fantastic place to spend a summer (despite the damp conditions) but most of us aren’t aware of all the family-friendly destinations and diverse range of entertainments right on our doorsteps. I’d definitely recommend this guide to any parent who needs some inspiration.
Posted by seetaludeshi | Under Motoring and Travel News
On the roads that is. According to the Times Online speed cameras are keeping us at 30mph. It has even been reported that road deaths have fallen below 3,000 and this is due to the fall in speed.
Personally it’s hard to pin point it down to one factor. It could also be the rise in fuel costs that contribute to this, the increase in traffic congestion which forces people to slow down, as well as people just taking their time to get from one place to another.
Besides, there are not speed cameras on every single road in the country, these figures are specifically for these areas only so it is difficult to come to a conclusion throughout the whole of Britain and from my personal experience, drivers are becoming increasingly risky when they drive by undertaking, being in the wrong lane then trying to get into another when it’s too late and just complete incompetence and awareness on the road. Just yesterday there was a six car pile up on the A40 into London and it looked as though all the cars were going to be written off by the state they were in.
Speed Cameras are there for us to drive safely, and most drivers speed and then slow down when they see a camera. Cameras are a good idea, they attempt to keep us safe on the roads, but if no one is abiding by the law what use do they have? Another article on the Times Online shows that people who stick to the speed limit are twice as likely to have an accident than people who tailgate them as they become stressed and therefore more likely to have an accident. We can’t have a camera every 100 yards on every road in Britain. We need a better way to keep drivers safe and fine the reckless ones.
We are a nation that is still highly dependent on cars to get us places, but how can we do this safely? Would it be a good option to put black boxes in our cars like they do on planes? According to the BBC in April they tested this for younger drivers so the parents would know of their bad habits. This could also save many lives as minutes before an accident will be able to be recorded. Or will there be an even better solution in the future?
