Door Industry Journal - Winter 2012

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 61 THE door industry journal winter 2012 motoring & transport DUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger on the Door Industry Journal’s regular Sunday Motoring blog. In this article published on Sunday the 2nd December, he is advising motorists on keeping your eyesight in check when behind the wheel. IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “Your eyesight will inevitably change as you get older, and usually not for the better. Since the majority of information gathered in order to make decisions while driving is through your eyes, good vision is a necessity.” Peter offers tips on eyesight and driving: Get your eyes checked regularly by an optician or GP. You are entitled to a free NHS eyesight test every two years, and more frequently if you are above 70 years old. The law requires motorists to be able to read a car number plate from a distance of 20 metres - If glasses or contact lenses are needed to achieve this, they must be worn at all times when operating your vehicle. If you are diagnosed with a condition which causes vision impairment, you are obligated by law to inform the DVLA. Failure to do so could result in a fine. If you have trouble with night vision or headlight glare, avoid driving outside daylight hours. Older eyes take longer to react to changes in light, lengthening the recovery period after facing dazzling headlights. Peripheral vision is diminished as eyes age - turn your head rather than glancing sideways to compensate for this. Maximise your view by keeping headlights, mirrors, and windshields (inside and out) clean. Increase your range of visibility by upgrading to a larger rear view mirror, as well as a wing blind spot mirror. He continued: “The deterioration of our eyesight can go unnoticed, a fact which is especially problematic after the age of 40 when the rate of decline increases. Poorer vision can pose an even greater risk during the winter months, with fewer hours of daylight and more challenging weather conditions. Now is the time to book yourself in for an eye test to ensure you’re as safe as you can be when driving your car.” About the IAM The IAM is the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, dedicated to improving standards and safety in driving, motorcycling and cycling. The commercial division of the IAM operates through its occupational driver training company IAM Drive & Survive. The IAM has more than 200 local volunteer groups and over 100,000 members in the UK and Ireland. It is best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving, motorcycling and cycling courses. Its policy and research division offers advice and expertise on road safety. For more information visit www.iam.org.uk or visit our motoring blog at www.doorindustryjournal.blogspot.com and select “Motoring and Transport” in the article categories menu on the left. SAVE ON FUEL COSTS - TAKE TO TWO WHEELS Honda has announced the launch of new special edition models, just in time for Christmas, to complement the existing range of motorcycles and scooters. The new NSC50R - which made its UK public debut at Motorcycle Live - is also available in special edition Repsol and Samsung colour schemes; the former, a MotoGP replica and the latter highlighting the racing relationship between Samsung and Honda in the British Superbike Championship, with the Samsung Honda team. In addition to these fantastic racing colour schemes, the first 1000 customers who buy and register an NSC50R (or Vision 50) from 1st December 2012 will receive a free Samsung smart phone. Samsung and Repsol special edition NSC50R models are priced at £1,900 OTR. The recently launched and hugely popular CRF250L also becomes available in special edition colour scheme. Now offered in Buildbase livery - again emphasising the racing relationship, with Buildbase the title sponsor of the official Honda British Motocross team - the CRF250L echoes elements of its bigger competition cousin, the CRF450R. CRF250L pricing is available upon request from Honda dealers. For more information on any of special edition Honda models, visit your local Honda dealer or call the Customer Contact Centre on: 0845 200 8000. Alternatively, find out more online at: www.honda.co.uk / www.honda-racing.co.uk Image courtesy of Alison Killilea on www.Flickr.com