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Gender differences in aspirations, attitudes and investments
(with Lucinda Platt) 2016. "Saying and Doing Gender: The Intergenerational Transmission of Attitudes towards the Sexual Division of Labour". European Sociological Review, 32(6): 820-834.
The persistence of gender inequalities in the division of paid and unpaid work poses an important question for gender socialization research: what matters most for the intergenerational transmission of gender role attitudes, parental own attitudes, or parental behaviours? Using data for British children aged between 11 and 15 we estimate the independent influence of each of these two socialization channels on children's attitudes towards the sexual division of labour (ASDL)...
(with Lucinda Platt) 2015. "Nurse or Mechanic? Explaining Sex-Typed Occupational Aspirations amongst Young Children". Social Forces, 93(1): 31-61.2015...
Boys and girls with sex-typical aspirations are significantly more likely to end up in sex-typical jobs as adults. This study investigates the role
of parental socialization and children's agency in the formation of sex-typed occupational preferences using data for British children aged 11 to 15. We anchor agency in observable psychological attributes associated with children's capacity to act in the face of constraints...
2012. "Socially-Embedded Investments: Explaining Gender Differences in Job-Specific Skills". American Journal of Sociology, 118(3): 592-634.
This article offers an innovative explanation for gender differences in
job specialization that connects individual choices to the social structure.
Decisions about jobs are modeled as a choice over different tenure-reward
slopes,which are steeper for more specialized skills. The choice of
job depends on expected duration. Individuals have imperfect information
and form expectations partly by observing the social context. Because women face greater constraints and uncertainties than men, their choices depend more on this context. This model is tested using data on European respondents nested in 234 different regions. Women are found to have more specialized jobs in regions where (1) the preceding generation's job specialization diverged less by gender, (2) peers arrange a more equal division of housework, and (3) peers have fewer children. None of these contextual variables have significant effects on men.
Winner of the Robert K. Merton Award in Analytical Sociology, 2014
Winner of the European Academy of Sociology Best Paper Award, 2014


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By Nick Cowen & Brendyn Lotz
Okay. Stop. Breathe.
At the end of a week in which EA and DICE were pounded to the point of submission over the inclusion of microtransactions in Star Wars: Battlefront 2, we admit the above headline looks more than a little like click-bait.
But read on. Hear us out. Because in this piece we're not going to regurgitate a load of PR-speak about how unlocking a hero in Battlefront 2 is "an accomplishment" or how the costs of developing games justify gouging more money out of players who've purchased a game at retail at full price.
This piece is about the fact that microtransactions, when implemented fairly and responsibly, have a place in games. This week, you'd be forgiven for thinking such a thing amounts to heresy.
First, let's address the elephant in the room that has prompted this discussion, Star Wars: Battlefront 2.
EA's latest Star Wars game ignited the biggest fan backlash against any game released all year, and with good reason. Not content to demand full price at purchase point, Battlefront 2 was set to be released with a loot box system, in which players who were prepared to pay more money beyond their initial investment, would be gain substantial edges on their opponents in the multiplayer.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2, until EA walked back the loot box system entirely, was set to be a pay-to-win game sold at full price.
As brazen as this sounds, it's hardly a massive deviation from the business model a ton of other publishers have adopted – or are in the process of adopting. Leaving aside EA's other game released in this window in which loots boxed are a feature (we're looking at you Need For Speed: Payback), Call Of Duty: WWII got in on the action and Shadow Of War's loot box system has been well documented ahead of its release.
A lot of pundits are pointing to Overwatch as the nexus for this loot box practice. It's true that Blizzard's asymmetrical shooter popularised the concept, but the loot players were (and are) paying for – and, let's be honest, earning – has been entirely cosmetic up until now. To wit, if players want to deck their heroes out garish skins, they may have to pay for that. If they want an edge in the multiplayer shooter experience, they're shit out of luck because Overwatch doesn't work that way.
This runs counter to the loot box systems in EA's most recent releases and here's where players may want to take stock about microtransactions and the games they inhabit.
A game such as Dota 2 for instance uses microtransactions, and more than that, it uses loot boxes as well in the form of treasures.
What is important to note is that Dota 2 is 100% free to play and players need never hand over money to Valve to be able to jump into a game. Players can even unlock cosmetic items with a bit of grinding but at no point will a cosmetic item influence your ability to win in a game.
It's possible to rack up 1900+ hours in Dota 2 and never spend a red cent. If one sees a treasure that excites them, one can open their wallet, but that's a choice that's down to every individual player. More than likely, they're spending money because they've spent oodles of time enjoying a free game that they feel is worth the odd payment by way of treasure purchases now and then.
Another free to play game that that it's possible to spend an inordinate amount of time in is Hearthstone and the differences between it and Dota 2 are astounding.
In Hearthstone players can achieve cards in three ways. Card packs are given to players by Blizzard though that is rather rather rare, players can purchase packs in-game using gold which is earned by winning matches and completing quests and the final method is using a credit card to buy packs.
Unlike with Dota 2, the enjoyment of Hearthstone hinges on how much you are willing to spend to get card packs. Don't get us wrong you can play Hearthstone as a free to play game and in some instances you can do well but over the years it has become an unspoken rule that those looking to climb the Ranked ladder will have a hard time without opening up their wallets.
Those are two free-to-play games that have taken wildly different directions on how microtransactions are handled.
The fact is, however, is that they are free games.
Microtransactions have no place in full price, AAA titles. The notion that games are so expensive to make that folks like EA need constant cash injections is just as laughable.
Stop and think for a moment, if EA truly believed that Battlefront II was so expensive to make and there was a chance it would not make its money back, why would it make the game?
The same goes for Activision which churns out Call of Duty titles every single year. The industry must be in a really, really bad state if all games are looped into the conversation of, "so are you getting Battlefield or Call of Duty this year?"
Get bent.
The crux of the matter is that microtransactions have a place in this industry, but that place is in free-to-play games, not games developed by multi-national corporations looking to round off this year's bonuses.
There are tons of games that contain microtransactions, but many of them are handled responsibly and fairly. If you're asking for full retail price up front, you have no right to expect players to spend more money on top of that – especially if they can gain an edge by doing so. If a game is free-to-play, loot boxes make sense – how else will the developer make money?
But a game sold at full price that demands players fork out cash in order to enjoy it beyond retail purchase is just… well, scummy. Star Wars: Battlefront II, up until today was such a game. Blame the publishers for being exploitative, sure, but also blame those players who are prepared to buy into this business model.
If no one embraced it, this business model would be dust. Think about that.

subset: commoncrawl


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George Washington's Mount Vernon has discontinued a magnet depicting the first president's false teeth in light of a controversy about their origin.
A souvenir replica of George Washington's dentures has been pulled from the Mount Vernon site after protests that the teeth were pulled from slaves' mouths to fill his own. Author and historian Dr. Ana Lucia Araujo tweeted at the official Mount Vernon account early Tuesday morning: "Dear @MountVernon," she wrote, "it's time to remove the magnet of Washington's teeth (that included teeth of enslaved persons) from your store."
Dear @MountVernon it's time to remove the magnet of Washington's teeth (that included teeth of enslaved persons) from your store. pic.twitter.com/1DvCPzwy4x
— Dr. Ana Lucia Araujo (@analuciaraujo_) February 18, 2020
Just over 24 hours later, Mount Vernon responded.:"Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have alerted our management team, and have removed the item from our online store."
The Associated Press reported that the page selling the item had been completely removed by Wednesday afternoon.
While there is a longstanding myth that Washington's false teeth were made of wood, the truth may be a little more disturbing. According to a 1784 ledger, George Washington paid six pounds for nine slave teeth to make his dentures. Critics have argued that the teeth may have been taken without consent.
On a more elemental level, there is an argument that it would be impossible to say that a slave could realistically consent to pulling out their teeth for a slave owner, because of the situation in which that choice would be made. As the Mount Vernon site says: "It is important to note that while Washington paid these enslaved people for their teeth it does not mean they had a real option to refuse his request."


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2018 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
Black and Asian British Fiction
Author: Dr. Nick Bentley
Publisher: Macmillan Education UKLog in
One of the most important facets of contemporary British fiction is the impact of writers whose backgrounds can be traced to parts of the world that were former colonies of Britain. In the late 1940s and 1950s the necessity to provide labour for a country recovering from war meant that many people from Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia were encouraged to move to the United Kingdom to work and settle. This group came to be known as the Windrush generation, due to the ship the Empire Windrush that brought some of the first of this new group of people to Britain when it landed at Tilbury Docks in 1948. Alongside many types of skilled and unskilled labour arriving at this time were a number of already published and budding writers who, because of the cultural mechanics of colonialism, saw Britain (and London in particular) as the place in which to pursue their literary careers. Writers such as E.R. Braithwaite, Kamau Brathwaite, Beryl Gilroy, George Lamming, Doris Lessing, V.S. Naipaul, Jean Rhys and Samuel Selvon came to Britain during this period, many of whom recorded their experiences in fiction and memoirs that spoke both to the newly arrived immigrants and to the communities they had left behind, as well as to the established fiction-reading public in Britain.


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Using the last release of RadSpreadsheet, I get an exception when the first row is hidden when scrolling with the mousewheel. Attached is a demo.
Please follow the steps:
1. Run the attached sample project.
2. Move the form to a monitor with 125% DPI scaling.
3. Resize the form to make the spreadsheet bigger. You will notice that the column/row headers are missing for the last column/row headers.
The UI behaivor of drag selection shows inconsistent behavior between WinForm vs WPF/Excel.
When you drag some cells for selection and keep dragging to the right (getting the out scope), the control scrolls to the right.
This behavior is common in Winform/WPF/Excel.
When you drag backward (to the left), WPF controls scroll back and so is Excel, while Winform controls does not scroll
Same thing for top and bottom scroll. Winform Spreadsheet control does not scroll. It may scrolls only to the right.
Another Caveat I see meanwhile is that when you scroll backwards until the row area, the pointer become row-resize pointer, or so
If you keep mouse moving around, it sometimes makes a horizontal line (possibly a guide for row resize?)
The issue in this case is that, it does not remove itself. the horizontal line stays there. It is not very annoying (as it is thin horizontal line) but is still a bug.
To reproduce,
create a empty Winform app, with the RadSpreadsheet Control, and Run
Drag from row C3 and to the right (around the scrollbar) the control scrolls to the right (this is not quite smooth though..)
Scroll right to AZ3 say, and drag backward back to C3, this now does not scroll back.
Same for top and bottom.
Do the same for WPF, it now works as expected
Do the same for MS Excel, it now works as expected.
Hi Support,
please try set the WorkBook to RadSpreadsheet.
Best regards
Add a RadSpreadsheet on the form and try resizing it at design time. You will notice that the control is resized after a considerable delay.
If you Dock the control to Fill and try resizing the form at run you will notice that the layout is incorrect. The attached gif file illustrates the obtained behavior.
Workaround: update the layout after resizing:public RadForm1()
When you set the AutoSize property to true, the control becomes enormous - Size (5002, 5002).
There is no specific logic for auto-sizing the control. We should either remove the AutoSize property or size the control according to the rows/columns it uses.
To reproduce: - Open the first look example. - Choose Save from the backstage button. - Currently, the default is PDF, It should be xlsx.
So here's what happens. I create a workbook and a worksheet in that wb which I assign as the workbook of a RadSpreadSheet by RadSpreadSheet..Workbook = wb
The first time I assign a name to the first (and only sheet) created in the creation of the wb, the name does appear on that sheet.
Then some code takes this workbook ByVal, creates a new Sheet, makes that sheet the wb's ActiveWorksheet and then changes the ws's name.
You can see in the debugging that the worksheet does have the new name i put there ("2018-05"), but visually this 2nd worksheet has the default name "sheet 2".
Then that wb which is returned by the function is assigned as the RadSpreadSheet's workbook
If I run the code again, so a 3rd sheet is created, then the 3rd sheet will visually have the default name "sheet 3", however in the debugger it says "2018-06" as its name; but most importantly, now sheet 2 has magically changed to what I was seeing its name to be in the debugger ("2018-05").
I'm assuming that If I'm changing the sheet names at runtime, I need to call some method on the Workbook element or something like that in order to update the names. I just couldn't find which method to call.
Best regards,
Ioannis Mamalikidis.
So, I'm testing the Telerik suite, part of which is the RadSpreadSheet. I'm currently using the 30 days trial.
So, when I'm debugging it and I'm instantiating a new form that contains the RadSpreadSheet, the programme will about 50% of the time create an exception of object reference not set to an instance of an object
Now, I've only noticed this with forms that contain a radspreadsheet but it could have nothing to do with it.
What always happens before I get the exception is that the reminder to buy a Telerik License appears (the programme halts until I choose an option) and when the dialogue disappears, the exception happens.
Please note that if I just push "F5" again in VS, without changing anything anywhere, so after the crash immediately debug (F5) again, the exception will not occur.
I have a RadRibbonForm with a normal ribbon with no items and a spreadsheet control.
I iterate over a datatable and fill the spreadsheet's cell values with the datatable's values
we're talking about a very small size, like 33 rows x 35 columns, and not even all the values are filled in.
Unfortunately, there's a very noticeable delay in the spreadsheet, from moving the scrollbars to selecting to changing sheets.. the whole thing feels laggy.
Is this just how it is, or am I experiencing a possible bug?
Could it have anything to do with https://feedback.telerik.com/winforms/1380948-exception-at-runtime-trial-bug ?
If that is just how it is, is there anything I can do to make it feel snappier? Disable a theme? Disable some behaviour?
To reproduce: - Add a spreadsheet and add ribbon bar from the smart tag. - Start the application. Workaround: protected override void OnShown(EventArgs e) { base.OnShown(e); var parameter = 11; this.radSpreadsheet1.SpreadsheetElement.CommandDescriptors.SetFontSize.Command.Execute(parameter); FontFamilyInfo parameter1 = new FontFamilyInfo(new System.Windows.Media.FontFamily("Calibri")); this.radSpreadsheet1.SpreadsheetElement.CommandDescriptors.SetFontFamily.Command.Execute(parameter1); }
To reproduce: please refer to the attached gif file demonstrating how to replicate the problem with the Demo application. Scroll with the mouse wheel and you will notice the the row index disappears until you click a cell. Using the thumb will behave as expected. Workaround: this.radSpreadsheet1.SpreadsheetElement.VerticalScrollBar.ValueChanged+=VerticalScrollBar_ValueChanged; private void VerticalScrollBar_ValueChanged(object sender, EventArgs e) { this.radSpreadsheet1.SpreadsheetElement.InvalidateMeasure(true); }
RadSpreadsheet must support printing using RadPrintDocument.
Set the Print Area as described here: https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/document-processing/libraries/radspreadprocessing/features/worksheetpagesetup
This is possible in WPF


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Saturday, March 7, 2020 - 7:00 PM
Benefit for Manna Food Center. CLICK HERE for more information.
Saturday, April 18, 2020 - 7:00 PM
Karin Kelleher, violin
Sonya Sutton, piano
4004 Thornapple St, CHEVY CHASE MD 20815
Doors open at 6:30PM. Refreshments will be served.
Admission is free of charge. Donations are accepted at the door.
Please RSVP below. Seating is limited. There is ample street parking.
Admission (40)
Benefit for Manna Food Center


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What is 35s & 45s? Mixed media!
35s & 45s is a celebration of film photography and vinyl, bringing together two classic analog medium into one space.
Our series of exhibitions showcase 35mm photography under the sounds of 7 inch records playing at 45 rotations per minute.
Get in touch:


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Hi everyone, How are you all? ☺♥ Lately, I've been trying out new products to help keep my skin soft as the weather begins to get colder. Today I thought that I'd write a review on a relatively new face mask that I've been quite impressed with in the sho ...Read More
Month: September 2017
How to get L'Oréal to Go cruelty-free
Hi everyone! ☺ How has the start of your week been going so far? L'Oréal in China Most of you will already be aware that L'Oréal is not a cruelty-free company, as they sell in mainland China where cosmetics are required to be tested on animals before being distributed and ...Read More
How Not To Cope With The Monday Blues
Hi everyone, ☺ I hope that the beginning of your week is going well. And if it hasn't gone well, then is post is definitely for you! Monday is almost everyone's least favourite day of the week. It's the day that you have to return to work after a nice weekend break, itR ...Read More
London Life: Getting on the property ladder
Hey guys, ☺ How is your weekend going? It's been a while since I've done a post on the London Life, and this topic is definitely something I know that a lot of my fellow Londoners can relate to – getting on the property ladder. Living in London can be such an a ...Read More
Sunday Inspiration: Fenty Beauty
Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you all have been well. All my beauty lovers will already know about the launch of Rihanna's beauty range earlier this week, frankly I can't stop gushing over the products already. One thing that stood out in particular, was that the foundation ...Read More


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Jammu: Kashmir recorded over 19 percent polling while Jammu registered more than 61 percent voting till noon in the fifth phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections Thursday, officials said.
The polling began at 8 am and ended at 2 pm in 2,512 polling stations, including 1,743 stations in Jammu division and 769 in Kashmir division, they said.
Poonch district in Jammu region recorded the highest polling of 72 percent, while Pulwama district in central Kashmir recorded the lowest at 0.2 percent, the officials said.
Among other districts of Jammu division, Ramban, Rajouri and Udhampur witnessed 63.9, 60.4 and 60.3 percent polling, respectively. It was followed by Jammu 59.1, Reasi 56.2 and Doda 55.9.
In Kashmir division, Kupwara district topped the turnout chart with 30.7 percent, followed by Bandipora with 30 percent, Badgam 29.8 percent, Baramulla 26.1 percent, Ganderbal 13.2 percent and Anantnag with 6.7 percent, they said.
About 848 polling stations have been categorised as 'hypersensitive', including 755 in Kashmir division and 93 in Jammu division.
He said 4,763 candidates are in the fray for 309 sarpanch and 1,534 panch seats in the fifth phase, while 118 sarpanchs and 1,046 panchs have been elected unopposed.
In the areas going to polls on Thursday, an electorate of 4,04,283 will be voting for sarpanch constituencies and 2,70,295 for panch constituencies, Kabra said.
In the first phase of the panchayat polls held on 17 November, an estimated 74.1 percent polling was recorded across the state, including 64.5 percent in Kashmir division and 79.4 percent in Jammu division.
In the second phase held on 20 November, overall 71.1 percent polling was witnessed across the state with an overwhelming 80.4 percent polling in Jammu division and 52.2 percent in Kashmir division.
In the third phase, the state witnessed a polling percentage of 75.2 per cent which included 55.7 per cent in Kashmir division and 83.0 percent in Jammu division.
In the fourth phase, the state witnessed a polling percentage of 71.3 per cent, including 82.4 percent polling in Jammu division and 32.3 percent in Kashmir division.
The results of all the phases have been announced by the respective returning officers, Kabra said.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
Updated Date: Nov 29, 2018 17:55:26 IST


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MILES CRAIGWELL: Match Point
While Miles Craigwell may have started his professional athletic career in the NFL, these days, at 6'2″ and 205 pounds, he's commanding the field as a Wing for the Team USA's Rugby squad.
Words: Jason Weintraub
Images: Courtesy of the US Embassy New Zealand
The NFL is by far America's most popular sport, bringing fans, family and sports enthusiasts together for a common cause every Sunday faithfully. For most Americans like Miles Craigwell, the NFL is part of that dream that starts out sometime during elementary school and ends on draft day, with you taking a picture alongside the commissioner. But does anyone ever mention what happens post football? Like when cuts, injuries and challenges within the league send many phenomenal players jobless, searching for a new team. While the future may have looked grim for many players, Miles saw it as an opportunity, the beginning of a new dream.
"The NFL wasn't working and I wasn't getting anything concrete," Miles says. "I started saying maybe I'm not good enough, but because of my athleticism and everything I've been through, I knew I could play a sport but just didn't know what."
As a college star at Brown University, the future looked bright for the linebacker until he was released from the Miami Dolphins just last year. Like many players who find themselves in this situation, Miles was confused and uncertain as to what to do next. But as he explains, sometimes everything happens for a reason. "We were in Boston at a dinner and on TV there was a rugby tournament, and for some reason my eye caught the TV. I was really intrigued by the sport and thought to myself this was something I can do. That day I contacted my agent and we got in touch with the USA head coach, and from there on, it was a fast-paced introduction to
the game."
After training that summer with the New York Rugby Athletic Club, Miles realized that his pure athleticism wasn't going to be enough to transition him onto the American National Rugby team. "Other than not having pads, the fitness level is the biggest difference [between] football and rugby. I played football and track so I know what it's like to be an elite athlete, but Rugby 7's is a totally different thing. [In] My first rugby game with the New York Rugby Athletics Club, I gave the coach one good minute and was asking for subs. The coach said there are no subs, so after that game I knew I had to get fitter and I realized the real challenge of playing this sport."
Of course learning a new sport is vigorous for a newcomer who's had his hopes set in a different league, but rugby definitely had its fair share of perks that most NFL players will never experience. "There is no price you can put on traveling the world and playing a sport that I now genuinely love, and it's something you really can't find in any sport. I truly feel like it was a blessing in disguise and has been a real surreal experience."
Playing matches in New Zealand, Australia and throughout Europe, Miles, #25, is now a top-seated player, after diving head first into the mechanics and culture of rugby during his foray into the league. "Football fans are crazy, but there is nothing like international sports fans. They've got costumes, they are drunk and they are out for the whole day! I mean early in the morning all the way until night— international fans are really supportive," he says of the passionate fans he believes helped make him a star on the field. "On any stage you feed on the crowd and it makes you run faster and hit harder. [But] It was pretty intense for me to play in a stadium with thousands of people cheering for your team and you."
Another perk for Miles' career changing move aside from extending his career as a pro in a different competitive sport, may very well be the fact that his stint in this game may last longer than the average player's NFL run overall. While the NFL features some of the biggest and the mightiest on the planet, gruesome hits and the threat of highly competitive younger players emerging every year causes many players to retire early. "I definitely think there is longevity in rugby. Right now I'm starting at wing, which is the speedster and when it deteriorates, I can move [in]to a forward position. I also feel like I can transition over to 15's where it's a little slower but has bigger guys."
Well on his way in the world of rugby, Miles is more appreciative every day for his decision to relinquish his old dreams for a brighter future. This September, Miles, who often goes by his nickname Five2Eighty (for how many steps it takes to walk a mile), will be repping Team USA in the Pan American games. In November, he will tour 10 countries in four weeks as part of the IRB, better known as the Rugby World Cup. Yet even with these upcoming challenges and a new sense of purpose, Miles has managed to keep one goal steady through it all: to be the best. "I've taken away so much within the past year and I'm trying to take in so much from the game and coaches. I really want to make this my breakout year and, God willing, everything goes well."
Images courtesy of the US Embassy New Zealand.


text: Yelena Nikolayevna Baturina is a Russian international entrepreneur and philanthropist, currently based in London. She owns the majority of a large investment and construction company named Inteco. At present her assets include a hotel chain (in Ireland, the Czech Republic and Russia), a membrane construction enterprise (Germany), a renewable energy project (Greece, Cyprus and Italy), development projects (the United States and Cyprus) and investments in a number of real estate investment funds focused on residential and commercial construction and development in Europe and the U.S.


text:
One Church - Multiple Expressions
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Let us know how we can be praying for you this week
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Copyright 2020, SpringLife Church. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Police are offering a reward for information leading to an arrest in connection with a homicide on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation on Friday, and police are seeking information on the location of a man they believe has information pertinent to the investigation.
State police said that a shooting was reported on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation on Friday at 5:35 a.m. Officers found one victim, identified Saturday morning as Mtundo Vanterpool, 43, who was pronounced dead on arrival, with an apparent gunshot wound. Police did not offer more information on the circumstances.
Mr. Vanterpool lived on the reservation, but was not a member of the tribe, according to police.
Police are looking for Michael Gaines, a 42-year-old who also lives on the Shinnecock reservation but is not a member. "It is believed he has information regarding this investigation," police said in a statement.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 "fast cash reward" for information leading to an arrest in connection with this homicide. The fast cash reward will be issued within 72 hours to anyone who provides the information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, texting "SCPD" and your message to "CRIMES" (274637) or by email at www.tipsubmit.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
Those with information can also contact the state police at 631-756-3300.
Meanwhile, the Shinnecock Council of Trustees, which had warned of an active shooter situation on Friday morning, said in an email to residents on Friday night that the fatal shooting took place during a home invasion involving two non-Shinnecocks in "a tribal home."
"The Council of Trustees have been working with the New York State police to address security concerns, as the perpetrator has not been apprehended. We have conducted numerous sweeps of the Nation all day and will continue to employ our public safety volunteers until the suspect is in custody," the email said.
"We must stay vigilant and cautious during this time," they said.


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For the past 120 years Y's have offered swim lessons. We have always been driven to be on the cutting edge of swim instruction. Our lessons are designed to challenge, motivate, and provide focus on water safety and proper swimming technique.
Knowledgeable and trained swim instructors
Small class size
Campanelli Water Fitness Schedule
ALL WATER CLASSES INCLUDED IN Y MEMBERSHIP! No extra fees!
This class provides a mix of strength training exercises, cardio conditioning, and flexibility. Includes rebound, non-rebound, and suspended movements using resistance equipment and flotation devices.
This non-impact workout offers a variety of intensity levels to increase endurance as well as power, strength, and cardiovascular fitness. Held in the deep water with the aid of buoyancy equipment and aquatic aides.
The new-age class introduces the strength of Pilates, the balance of Yoga and the energy revitalization of Ai Chi and Tai Chi. The mind/body connection used in this class is an effective intervention in relieving stress and has shown many researched medical benefits.
Boot Camp offers a combination of drills, skills, and plyometric to improve strength and endurance.
This program uses the buoyant qualities of water to enhance physical fitness through exercises and stretching. It is a low-impact water class designed to provide cardiovascular conditioning, improved muscle tone, improved flexibility, strength and improve balance.
Designed for ages 55+, this class will incorporate all fitness techniques, including rebound, non-rebound, suspended moves, resistance equipment, flotation devices and more in a mix of shallow and deep water. All fitness levels welcome!


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Multi-channel Chatbots
for Direct Guest Engagement and Revenues
The Shift.
Whats changing, and why should hotels consider a chatbot?
Guest demographics are changing and so are the expectations. Tech savvy guests look forward to personalised experiences and on-demand services. Their preferred way to connect with the world is through SMS, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and Slack. Other mobile apps are increasingly taking a back seat.
Hotel bookings made through OTAs continue to come at a cost, both literally and figuratively. On the other-hand AirBnB has altered guest expectations on a fundamental level. In the backdrop of rising labour and marketing costs, hotels are now being forced to innovate with speed and agility.
Experienced hoteliers know that engaging guests directly has its benefits ranging from personalization to driving loyalty, positive reviews and ultimately more revenues. Agile technologies, such as Chatbots, are significantly effective at reducing friction, improving guest experience and convenience.


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Seafood feast for two
This is the ultimate seafood experience you won't want to miss. Our culinary team presents an exquisite and perfectly curated Seafood Stack with hot and cold seafood.
As you walk in the 5 star Melbourne Marriott hotel, join us at our signature restaurant – The Essence and let us pamper you with absolutely exquisite food and unsurpassed level of service. Enjoy a complimentary bottle of house wine while you enjoy the seafood feast for two.
- Scallop ceviche
- Chili jam mussels
- Battered flathead
- Lemon pepper calamari
- Barramundi skewers
- Tempura soft shell crab
- Smoked salmon
- Fresh oysters
- Vinnamei prawns
- Lemon & herb oil glazed blue swimmer crab
- Moreton bay bug with roasted chili dressing
*All stacks will come with a side of battered chips, arugula salad, cocktail sauce, tartare sauce & lemon wedges.
Club Marriott Members receive a complimentary bottle of house wine.
Regular price $150/couple. Club Marriott Price $120/couple.
Dietary requirements must be mentioned upon booking.
Bookings are essential, please book 24 hours in advance. For bookings, please email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 03 9662 3900.
Offer Validity : 31 January - 30 April 2020
- Offer is only valid from 31.01.2020 to 30.04.2020.
- Offer is available to Club Marriott members only.
- Offer is subject to availability at the time of reservation.
- Club Marriott membership card must be presented upon request.
- A fee applies for all transactions settled via credit card.
- Offer does not include additional charges that may be imposed or taxes.
- Not to be combined with other offers or promotions including Marriott Bonvoy and subject to change.
- Not responsible for omissions or typographical errors.
- Marriott reserves the right to discontinue or change this offer at any time.
© 2020 Marriott International Inc. All Rights reserved.


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Lars von Trier's "Nymphomaniac," a film in two "volumes" (each to be shown separately), is a pornographic work of art—an obsessive, violent, and at times remarkably eccentric sex epic that is often brilliant and never simple-minded or dull. The earlier work of the fifty-seven-year-old Danish director—"Breaking the Waves," "The Idiots," "Antichrist"—was soaked in show-off despair. For almost twenty years, he has triumphed on the international art-film circuit as a sensationalist and a boor, making lurid "metaphysical" movies and offering, on one occasion—at Cannes—a hapless pro-Nazi rant. His previous film, "Melancholia" (2011), chronicled the end of the world (a rogue planet wipes us out), something that he appeared to welcome, at least as a visually radiant experience.
But now he has sprung back from the apocalypse to create the fictional history of an insatiable woman. And a personal renewal devoted to that subject raises complicated issues. Saying that a movie is filled with explicit scenes hardly means that it's trash; there are both artistically challenging and purely exploitative kinds of pornography. Von Trier, working in a rigorously formal style, and adding his own intellectual intricacy to the narrative, couldn't be farther from the glazed single-mindedness of a routine porn director. "Nymphomaniac," with its always-searching-for-an-orgasm heroine—her head flung back in posters for the movie—may be ripe for parody, but it passes a basic test: it remains formidable throughout its four-hour length and demanding to think about afterward.
A middle-aged loner, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), sees a badly beaten woman, Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), lying in a dark alley. He takes her to his flat, gives her tea, and gently asks to hear her story. "I discovered my cunt as a two-year-old," she begins, and launches into the story of her life as a girl and as a young woman, eventually returning to the present. Her manner is intensely serious, her face unsmiling, her mode of speech self-condemning. "I behaved reprehensibly," she says. "I was an addict out of lust, not out of need." As she talks, we see episodes from her life, and, after each one, Seligman offers elaborate, sometimes bizarre observations that provoke Joe into fresh memories. If you sum up her past as a series of would-be realistic events, they immediately collapse into absurdity. From the beginning, however, it's clear that the story is not a slice of life but something told—interpreted, enhanced, varied, recast. The emotional heart of "Nymphomaniac" isn't the sex scenes but the conversations between Joe and her protector, which mix artful nonsense, curious semi-nonsense, and startling good sense in daunting profusion.
Who is Joe? She has little history except for her erotic history, little temperament apart from undifferentiated lust. Yet she's not one of those passive de Sade girls who get hauled off to a château in the forest to be repeatedly violated by lustful men; nor is she like their descendant in "The Story of O." On the contrary, Joe chooses, she demands, she arranges. In the first part of "Nymphomaniac," she sleeps with dozens of men, and finally reunites with her first partner, Jerôme (Shia LaBeouf), whom she has come to love. Initially happy with him—she gives birth to his son—she nevertheless announces, in despair, that she has lost any sensation of sexual pleasure. In Volume II, Jerôme urges her to get her groove back by experimenting, and, in a comic episode, she takes up with two African brothers she spies from her window. Then, ever more desperate, she flings herself into masochistic rituals with a professional sadist (Jamie Bell), which is not at all comical—the sessions are re-created in excruciating detail. (Von Trier seems to be saying, "You're fascinated? Well, stomach this.") Eventually, Joe falls into bed with a young female protégée (Mia Goth).
The "plot" has obviously been engineered to put Joe through every kind of sex act. Her encounters, in their bounteous variety, would seem to equal those of Catherine Millet, as recounted in her 2002 chronicle, "The Sexual Life of Catherine M." Both Catherine and Joe have multiple lovers every day for years and yet never suffer the perils of a sexually hyperactive life—disease, death. Millet, recording her own experience, is an exhibitionist and a boaster and, unfortunately, not much of a writer. Von Trier is a filmmaker who uses his art to dramatize not the real world but extreme fantasy. Male or female fantasy? Both, perhaps. Joe may be enacting a darker version of the "Fifty Shades of Grey" saga, but she also represents male imagining. The resented "male gaze" of film theory has become something like awe of a fearless woman who recognizes no other reality but pleasure.
In a blasphemous scene in Volume I, Joe and her high-school friends chant, "Mea vulva, mea maxima vulva" (words that they have written on a wall). When she was a teen-ager, Joe tells Seligman, she wanted to destroy the consumerist enshrinement of "love," and we see her and a friend smashing the window of a store selling valentine trinkets. In Volume II, von Trier extends the notion of ungovernable female desire as social rebellion; he even morphs into a nineteen-seventies kind of radical feminist. Joe, sacrificing everything to sexual adventure, walks out on Jerôme and their little boy, and at that point she's wrecking the family, tearing at the basis of society. Sitting with Seligman years later, she speaks of regret and guilt, and he demurs, saying that if she were a man her behavior wouldn't cause more than a ripple of interest. It's only as a woman that she's a revolutionary.
The movie was shot in Germany and Belgium, but it isn't set anywhere in particular (everyone speaks international English), and the casting is erratic. Propping herself up in Seligman's bed, Charlotte Gainsbourg, now forty-two, has a smudged, bruised face. She looks like an unhappy child who has been playing in the mud. However badly battered, her Joe is articulate and precise—overprecise, it feels at first, but it becomes clear that the act of telling, from a distance, as a way of exercising control, is as much the point as the tale itself. When the movie switches to the past, however, Joe is a blank. The twenty-three-year-old model who plays her in those scenes, Stacy Martin, has the same long jaw and slender form as Gainsbourg, and, in an early scene on a train, she flashes an engagingly naughty grin as Joe services a solid bourgeois in a first-class compartment. But there's generally not much going on in her face. Perhaps her director didn't help her; pursuing his anti-realist aesthetic, von Trier may have wanted her affectless. And Shia LaBeouf, struggling with a vaguely conceived part, looks more unformed than ever; his features are almost fetal. Yet the blankness of the young actors doesn't kill the movie. Sexual encounters don't—can't—complete Joe. Her only true relationship is with Seligman, who offers her release by listening to her.
Seligman is an asexual bachelor and scholar, who lives in a bare apartment that looks like a monk's cell. He murmurs that Joe suffers from a mistaken sense of sin, that she was just a girl having adventures, giving herself and other people pleasure. Skarsgård is remarkably calm and benevolent, his sixtyish handsome face a landscape of empathy. Seligman likens Joe's efforts to seduce men to, of all things, fly-fishing, as it is described in Izaak Walton's classic text, "The Compleat Angler" (1653). And that's just the beginning. Von Trier has become a virtuoso of baroque elucidation and quasi-absurdist play. When Joe describes her initiation at the hands of Jerôme, Seligman adds up their couplings (front and rear) and says that they remind him of Fibonacci numbers, a series that we later see written on the screen. She takes a turn at exegesis herself. Seligman mentions Bach's three-part polyphony, with its separate voices creating harmony, and she talks of three men at one point in her life who gave her different things sexually, which amounted to having one complete lover.


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During a dialogue witha pal of mine, our experts eachnoted that many of the Jamaican males are actually searching the Trinidadian meat product. It triggered the inquiry; why do we find the trinidadian women thus appealing? Is it the tone? Is it the society? Is it & hellip;. the – white wine '?
I never ever possessed a lot association along withour Caribbean neighbors until I was actually enlisted at the Educational institution of the West Indies, Mona (UWI). UWI, your place to shine, the premier institution for tertiary education in the Caribbean, the school of the culturally included. I possessed the opportunity to involve along withand also learn of the different societies in the Caribbean whichare all very appealing. But one of one of the most striking things for me was the relaxing, erotic tone of our Trinidadian neighbors. That point I wouldn' t thoughts listening closely to throughout the day.


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The Programs and Services Division is responsible for development and implementation of K-12 school programming, student support services and other services related to the operation of the K-12 school system.
Program Development
- Determining and developing programs of study for the K-12 schools in English and French
- Acquiring and distributing authorized resources for the primary, elementary and secondary school system, through the Learning Resources Distribution Centre (LRDC)
- Planning and administering French first language and French second language programs
- Assisting with provincial professional learning for new program implementations; ongoing professional development, including on-line support for teachers and district level personnel; and information for parents in support of K-12 programs
Student Support Services
- Developing policies and guidelines regarding student support services
- Providing professional learning and support to district personnel in the implementation of policies, guidelines and the Service Delivery Model for Students with Exceptionalities.
- Consulting with district staff regarding programming for students with exceptionalities.
- Providing specific student supports such as alternate transportation, alternate format materials, and assistive technology.
School Services
- Responsibilities for collective agreements in the education sector, regulations, and departmental policies pertaining to the operation of schools;


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Category Archives: responsible driving
Road Safety Week 2019 – How you can stay safe on the UK's roads
This week (18-24 November) is Brake's Road Safety week – the UK's biggest road safety event. This year, Brake want everyone to "Step up for Safe Streets" and learn about, shout about and celebrate the amazing design-led solutions that will allow us all to get around in safe and healthy ways, every day. Want to find out more? Read on!
What is Brake?
Brake are a road safety charity based in the UK, who's ethos is improving road safety for everyone. They work with communities and organisations across the UK to stop the tragedy of road deaths and injuries, make streets and communities safer for everyone, and support people bereaved and seriously injured on roads.
Brake's vision is a world where everyone moves without harm. They believe that mobility without danger is everyone's human right wherever we are; in cities, towns, villages or moving between places.
What is Road Safety Week?
Road Safety Week has been running since 1997 and aims to raise awareness for all road users, including motorists, on how they can use the UK's road network to travel safely without negatively impacting any other users.
Every year, Brake organise a week where they raise awareness about the impact of road safety and the issues carelessness on the roads can cause. Across the world:
- Every 24 seconds someone is killed on a road
- More than 1.3 million people die on the roads every year
- Road crashes are the leading cause of death for young people aged 5–29
In Britain alone, someone is killed or seriously injured every 20 minutes. Motorists and other users can sign the Brake Pledge, designed to highlight how to protect themselves and the people around them on the roads. Although it's only one week of the year, motorists should use the advice from the Pledge year-round!
How can you help?
You can sign the Brake Pledge and commit to being a safer driver! You can also donate to Brake to help them support people bereaved or seriously injured and deliver road safety activities to educate people and raise awareness about road safety in all generations.
Whilst Brake provides guidance and support for road users, an important part of avoiding accidents is ensuring your car is in good order and that's where your local Trust My Garage member can help. Trust My Garage is a collection of Britain's best local garages – each one different and all dedicated to the highest standards of skill and personal service.
If you take your vehicle for an MOT, service or repair at your local garage, how can you be sure of the quality of its work? At Trust My Garage, we believe that our members are the best independent garages in the UK, each one unique but all skilled professionals who are dedicated to providing top quality work. Find out more by watching our TV ad:
By using a TMG-approved member, you're visiting a garage that adheres to a CTSI (Chartered Trading Standards Institute) approved Code of Conduct. Our code means that you and your vehicle get the best service possible, no matter which TMG member you visit – so excellent service is on your doorstep!
With over 2,900 members across the UK, you're never far away from a TMG member. We've even created a handy search function so you can locate your nearest TMG-approved garage with ease!
Simply pop in your postcode and our 'Find a Garage' map will show you all the TMG members in your area – and you can even read reviews from other customers if you're unsure which garage is right for your needs.
If you're looking for more information about Trust My Garage, you can head over to our website, TrustMyGarage.co.uk. We're also on social media, so check out our Facebook and Twitter profiles and you can get the latest motoring news and updates straight into your social feeds!
Got a top road safety tip? Like our TV advert? Make sure to leave us a comment in the section below!
Feeling the drag? Step up your car's performance with Trust My Garage
If you're hitting the UK's roads, it's important to ensure your vehicle is performing well when you need it to – so check out our top tips on how to optimise your motor with Trust My Garage! It could even help with your safety and running costs; find out more by reading on.
Does your vehicle contain everything but the kitchen sink?
If you like to travel with all your personal possessions in your car, you're out of luck! Gym bags, books and unnecessary tools might not weigh much individually but the grouped effect adds up quickly, and will affect your car's fuel efficiency as it means the extra weight will cause you to burn more fuel to achieve your car's usual level of performance.
It's a simple matter of cleaning out any unnecessary items from your vehicle, as well as any rubbish that you may have accumulated over time since your last clean. By losing the extra items you can gain some performance – and maybe even go further between fuel station trips!
Air-con giving you a frosty feeling?
Did you know that when you use your car's air-conditioning it could raise your car's fuel consumption by as much as 8-10%? (info)
In hot weather it's understandable to have the air-con running, and at high speeds it's better for performance than opening a window for a breeze, but if you leave you air-con running most of the time when you're driving it can impact performance and economy without you even realising!
If you want to utilise your air-con effectively, you should run the system once a fortnight for five minutes to make sure the system remains free of issues – but if you suspect there's a problem with your air-con or it doesn't feel cold anymore you can take your vehicle to your local Trust My Garage member for a check or re-gas service!
Racking up the boxes on your motor's roof?
If you use roof racks and/or boxes on your motoring trips be sure to remove them in-between journeys. By leaving them in place you affect the aerodynamic design of your vehicle, which then increases drag and affects performance, including fuel consumption!
The easiest solution is to remove your roof equipment whenever it is not in use, but if this is impractical there are many types of lightweight options – although the faster you travel, the more this will impact your vehicle's performance.
Is your motor feeling tyre-d?
Correct tyre pressures are important in order to stay safe on the road. If your tyres are under/over inflated then handling and grip will worsen, potentially causing irregular or unpredictable car wear as well as affecting handling behaviour. Tyres that aren't fully inflated are also more likely to suffer from a sudden rapid deflation and will suffer premature wear on the outside edges of the tyre, meaning the wheel rim and tyre will be more susceptible to impact damage.
Checking your vehicle's tyre pressure is easier than you might think! You can check and correct your tyre pressure at most UK petrol stations using a pay-per-use air and water station, or you can purchase your own tyre pressure gauge – the choice is yours.
If you aren't sure what pressure is correct for your vehicle's tyres you can refer to your Owner's Manual. On many vehicles there is also a label on either the door pillar or inside the filler flap that provide tyre pressure information. Details should be provided in either/both BAR and PSI, and you can adjust your pressures to the recommended figure.
The tread of a tyre refers to the rubber on its circumference that makes contact with the road or ground. The legal limit for minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters, however it is recommended to keep your tyres at 3mm or above for optimum grip. Drivers who fail to comply with the regulations face a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.
Tread depth is important to maintain good grip on wet roads but, as the tread wears down, the tyres will lose the ability to grip well. The '20p test' is a quick way to check the tread depth. Place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves at three points across the tyre and then repeat around its circumference. If the outer band is visible, the tyres may be unsafe or illegal and need to be checked by a professional garage or tyre specialist.
Bad performance? Not with this economy!
The best way to improve the performance and efficiency of any vehicle is to drive with economy in mind.
Looking further ahead when driving and ensuring keen observation can help you spot any potential hazards or traffic fluctuations earlier in your journey – giving you time to anticipate and use brake or accelerate at a gentler pace. This style of driving doesn't affect your vehicle's fuel economy in the same way that sharp braking and accelerating does, and it can also help minimise the wear on your tyres too!
Also, dropping your cruising speed by a few miles per hour will make a huge difference to your fuel costs and won't add too much extra time to your journey. As an example, a journey of 100 miles driven at 70mph will take you 86 minutes, while driving at 60mph would only add 14 minutes to that time and you will use 10% less fuel.
Why you can Trust My Garage to take care of your servicing and MOTs
Another great way to ensure your vehicle is performing at its best is by keeping up with your yearly MOT requirements and ensuring it's serviced regularly.
For a professional garage experience, you can find a local CTSI approved Trust My Garage member by visiting the Trust My Garage website's 'Find a Garage' map! You can even try it out here:
Every garage in Trust My Garage are members of the Independent Garage Association, which is part of the RMI, one of Britain's oldest motor trade organisations. IGA members are true professionals who have to comply with a strict code of practice, so they can help you motor on happily and safely.
Each and every customer of all Trust My Garage members can rely on using a nationally recognised brand to help you and your vehicle get the best value service for you and your vehicle – and you can find out more by visiting us at TrustMyGarage.co.uk or checking out our Facebook and Twitter pages!
The Highway Code – How well do you know the rules of the road?
The Highway Code – How well do you know the rules of the road?
The Highway Code is a set of information, advice, guides and mandatory rules for all road users in the United Kingdom. It operates as a tool to promote road safety – but how well do you know the rules laid out in it? Find out on the Trust My Garage blog!
We've put together a quiz to test your knowledge across different areas of the Code, so you can find out if you know enough to write the book – or need to read it cover to cover! Try your hand at our questions below and be sure to leave a comment if you're pleased with your score.
If a rule in the Highway Code is a legal requirement, it is identified by the use of which phrase?
- 'Do/do not'
- 'Should/should not'
- 'Must/must not'
- 'Never/always'
When passing an animal on or near the road, you should:
- Sound your horn
- Rev your engine
- Accelerate rapidly
- Drive slowly, give them plenty of room and be ready to stop
Where lanes are restricted due to roadworks, you should:
- Merge in turn with other traffic
- Slow down to a stop and turn off your engine
- Accelerate rapidly to get away from traffic
- Allow drivers from other lanes to pass but hold up vehicles behind you
When visibility is seriously reduced due to adverse weather, you must:
- Switch on your fog lights immediately
- Use your headlights when you cannot see for more than 100 metres
- Keep your headlights switched off to avoid dazzling other drivers
- Stay inside and not drive at all
What does the below arm signal mean when used to inform other road users:
- I intend to move out to the right or turn right
- I intend to slow down or stop
- I intend to move in to the left or turn left
- I intend to reverse
What is the maximum penalty fine for speeding?
- £1,000 fine (£2,500 for motorway offences)/Discretionary disqualification
- £2,500 fine (£3,000 for motorway offences)/Discretionary disqualification
- £500 fine (£1,000 for motorway offences)
- £1,000 fine (£2,500 for motorway offences)
If you have to stop your vehicle on the roadside you must:
- Open the door without checking for pedestrians
- Park facing against the traffic flow
- Only apply the handbrake if you are on a hill
- Switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights
If your vehicle breaks down, think first of all other road users and:
- Wear dark clothing and try to avoid being seen by other drivers
- Warn other traffic by using your hazard warning lights if your vehicle is causing an obstruction
- Leave the vehicle in the road for as long as possible
- Do not call for help
How do you think you did? Check out the answers below to see how well you scored!
If you scored well, congratulations! You know your stuff when it comes to the Highway Code. If you need to brush up on the correct answers you can read the Code in full here.
Test your motor as well as your mind
Before heading out on to the road, it's important to make sure your knowledge is up to scratch – but you should also make sure your vehicle is safe and roadworthy too! With Trust My Garage, it's simple to find a reputable local garage to help you with your motor's servicing, MOT and maintenance.
With over 2,900 members across the UK, you're never far away from a TMG member. We've even created a handy search function so you can locate your nearest TMG-approved garage with ease!
Simply pop in your postcode and our 'Find a Garage' map will show you all the TMG members in your area – and you can even read reviews from other customers if you're unsure which garage is right for your needs. Try it out below:
Since 2016 Trust My Garage members have all operated to a strict Code of Conduct, which has been approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) – the national body for trading standards professionals. Trust My Garage is currently the only CTSI backed code exclusively for independent garages, so you can rest assured that you are dealing with a firm that is determined to deliver the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Want to know more about TMG? To get more information or to contact Trust My Garage, please visit TrustMyGarage.co.uk or Contact Us here.
What to do when… you're driving in wet weather conditions
The British Summer can be a challenging time for motorists, with changeable weather meaning drivers must be adaptable to a variety of driving conditions. While we all hold out for sunshine, rain is far more likely – but the Trust My Garage blog can help you make sure you drive safely in wet weather!
Why can rain be dangerous for motorists?
Rain is not only an inconvenience for motorists; it can also be a dangerous problem. The Highway Code states that in wet weather vehicle stopping distances are double those required for dry conditions, as tyres have less grip on the road.
Drivers should always take additional precautions when on the road in wet conditions, such as:
- Maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you
- Ensuring your vehicle's steering is responsive – if it becomes unresponsive you should ease off the accelerator and gradually slow down
- Keeping lights on where appropriate to be visible, as the rain and spray from vehicles may make it difficult to see and be seen
- Being aware of the dangers of spilt diesel that will make the surface very slippery
- Taking extra care around pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders
A major issue on very wet roads is aquaplaning – an issue caused when a layer of water is allowed to build up between a vehicle's tyres and the surface of the road beneath. At this point, the tyres cannot grip on the road and this causes a lack of traction which means the driver loses control and is unable to steer, brake or accelerate.
To avoid aquaplaning it's important to check your tyres (read on for more tyre tips!), not drive too quickly and don't make sudden manoeuvres that enable water to build up between your vehicle's tyres and the road. If you're following a vehicle you can also follow their "tracks" from a safe distance to remain on the part of the road where water has already been displaced, providing more grip.
How can I prepare myself?
Before setting off on any trip be sure to plan the route you're going to take, and an alternative if you think there could be issues due to poor weather. Using a sat-nav with traffic updates can also help you adjust your route if there are long delays or hazards ahead, but it's worth keeping traffic alerts on your vehicle's radio system too, in case there are any sudden changes to the road conditions.
If a problem occurs once your trip is underway you can also find a safe place to pull over – such as a roadside refuge area or lay-by – park up and turn off the engine completely, remove your keys from the vehicle ignition and use your mobile phone to calculate an alternative route.
If you have concerns about your driving ability in poor conditions, it's always better to wait until you feel safe on the roads. Although it may seem inconvenient your safety and the safety of any passengers you may also have is of utmost importance – as well as that of other road users.
How can I prepare my vehicle?
Prior to setting off it's important to check your vehicle is in a safe and roadworthy condition. One of the most crucial things to check is tyres, so this is what you need to know:
- Make sure your tyre pressures are correct. It's easier than you might think! You can check and correct your tyre pressure at most UK petrol stations using a pay-per-use air and water station, or you can purchase your own tyre pressure gauge – the choice is yours.
- If you aren't sure what pressure is correct for your vehicle's tyres you can refer to your Owner's Manual. Details should be provided in either/both BAR and PSI, and you can adjust your pressures to the recommended figure.
- Tyres should meet the legal minimum requirement of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and in a continuous band around the whole of the tyre, or risk a £2,500 fine and three penalty points per tyre – or worse!
- For optimum safety it is recommended tyres have a minimum of 3mm depth of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and in a continuous band around the whole of the tyre.
- There should be no cuts or bulges in the side wall of the tyre, as these can increase the chances of blowouts while on the road – if any bulges, bubbles, cuts and tears are visible you should speak to a professional to arrange a replacement
- You should also check for punctures prior to setting off – they can either be repaired or the tyre can be replaced, but it's important to identify any issues and have a professional assess the best course of action.
Wipers play a huge role in ensuring good visibility in inclement weather, so checking their function is a must before driving in wet weather. While they should ideally be replaced six-monthly to yearly, if you notice a decline in visibility you should change them sooner. Factors such as streaking, smearing, skipping and squeaking indicate that your blades should be changed to retain good vision of the road – and don't forget to check your rear wiper too!
Another area that should always be thoroughly checked is your vehicle's lights. A sudden heavy downpour can cause quickly darkening road conditions, so functioning lights play an important role in keeping your visibility levels up and keeping you easily identifiable to other motorists.
Before setting off on a journey, turn on your vehicle's lights and either walk around the vehicle to conduct a check or ask a passenger to check all your lights are working correctly – be sure to press the brake too and check that all three lights are working. If any lights are dim or aren't working, including fog lights and number plate lights, you should get them replaced as soon as possible.
If you are stopped by police for having faulty brake lights, you could receive:
- A verbal warning
- A Roadside Prohibition Notice – which gives you 10 days to get it fixed
- A £60 fine and 3 points on your licence
- Worst case scenario – they could tow your car away!
It's also a good idea to familiarise yourself with your car's ventilation system. Wet conditions can cause a car to steam up, making visibility difficult and driving hazardous. Many people think air conditioning is only for hot days, but this is not the case! Using your car's air conditioning in conjunction with the heater may seem an odd thing to do, but it can actually remove moisture from the air, helping to demist your vehicle quicker than using the heater alone.
Most importantly during extreme weather conditions it's important to stay warm and dry, so it's a good idea to ensure your car is kitted out with emergency supplies such as blankets, first-aid kits and extra food and drink if you're undertaking longer trips.
In need of a professional?
If your car is due its MOT or a service, make sure to take it in to a garage to get it ready for the road. If you're looking for a reputable, local, independent garage you can head to the Trust My Garage website and use our handy 'Find a Garage' map to locate your nearest TMG member, operating to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved code of conduct. You can also check out our latest TV advert below:
Our 'What to do when…' series can provide some further tips and insight across other areas of motoring and vehicle maintenance to help you ensure your motor is running at its best! You can check out our other posts in the series here.
What is ADAS and how does it affect motorists?
Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) have been the talk of the motor industry of late – but what does ADAS actually do and how does it affect motorists? Trust My Garage has the answers!
What is ADAS?
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), are electronic systems that aid a vehicle driver while driving – so they're designed to help minimize human error, often the cause of road accidents, and therefore increase safety on the roads.
They're one of the fastest-growing areas in automotive electronics – and future iterations are likely to include wireless vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity to help further increase safety measures. However, at the moment this is still far off in the future.
What does it do?
ADAS safety features are designed to mitigate the likelihood of a collision and reduce the effects in the event of an unavoidable collision by offering technologies that alert drivers to potential problems, or to avoid collisions by implementing safety measures and taking over control of the vehicle.
Features of ADAS vary from vehicle to vehicle, but can include:
- Automated lighting & wipers
- Adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance
- Pedestrian Crash Avoidance Mitigation (PCAM)
- Incorporated sat nav/traffic warnings
- Alerting of a driver to other cars or dangers
- Lane departure warning system
- Automatic lane centring
- Blind spot display
- Smartphone connection for navigation
- Road sign recognition
- Stability control systems
- Park distance control
- High beam assist
Why do motorists want ADAS?
In short, ADAS is beneficial because it helps improve road safety. As previously mentioned, they're designed to aid drivers and implement safeguarding procedures as errors happen – helping to keep road users safe.
The evidence of ADAS's effectiveness is clear enough that many functions have become mandatory on new cars sold in various regions around the world. Currently, the EU has announced 19 vehicle safety measures that it would like to see on all new cars.
Euro NCAP (The European New Car Assessment Programme) is the UK and Europe's car safety assessment program – establishing a 5-star rating system occupant safety in the case of a vehicle collision. Euro NCAP has embraced ADAS, and it continues to adapt its assessment procedures to address the growing number of systems and technologies.
This support of road user protection over the past few years has led to widespread consumer awareness of the benefits of safer cars. It's also expected that Euro NCAP and its testing and rating system will play a similar role in encouraging ADAS to be adopted across the motor industry.
How could ADAS affect day-to-day driving?
ADAS technology has already begun to enhance driving for many motorists as manufacturers have begun to create and adapt their own systems. There are a number of ways in which it could affect motorists day-today, such as:
- Reduced the amount of damage to vehicles due to anti-collision features
- Lower repair costs due to less damage
- Less severe accidents, reducing the amount of time a vehicle spends off the road
- Improved road safety
- Potential insurance discounts for vehicles fitted with ADAS
- Fewer claims, helping to improve insurance premiums
Do motorists need to take additional care of ADAS-equipped vehicles?
In the future, ADAS checks may be incorporated into a 'Periodical Technical Inspection', proposed in the EU as a replacement for the MOT – however, this would still be far in the future, or possibly not happen at all.
The current iteration of ADAS can be maintained with calibration; a service that ensures the sensors and other equipment on a vehicle are working correctly individually and in co-ordination with one another. A typical ADAS calibration processes and thus the time required to undertake will vary from vehicle to vehicle. Calibration is required when the following occurs:
- Front windscreen is replaced
- A bumper is repaired or replaced
- A front-end collision occurs
- Steering geometry is adjusted
- Suspension components replaced
A calibration is preformed to correct misalignment, so that your vehicle's ADAS system is working as intended. If a calibration is missed, an ADAS component may not function as it should and could cause a potential risk to you and others on the road.
How can I see if a garage provides ADAS services?
Garages across the UK now offer ADAS calibration services as part of their menu – but if you're looking for a garage that goes the extra mile, you can use Trust My Garage's "Find a Garage" map to locate you're nearest Trust My Garage-approved member, so why not try it out below?
If you're unsure whether a garage offers ADAS calibration, each TMG member has their own profile page where you can read about their services on offer – and easily find contact information if you'd rather call or visit the garage yourself! You can even request a price estimate if you know what work you need.
As well as being part of the IGA, the largest and most prominent representative body in the Independent garage sector, every Trust My Garage member operates to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) approved Code of Conduct – meaning you and your motor get the quality service you deserve every time you visit a TMG-approved garage.
For more information about how TMG can help you – no matter what services you need – you can visit TrustMyGarage.co.uk, or check out our Facebook and Twitter pages here!
Vehicle safety recalls – what are they and how can they affect motorists?
Motoring in the UK requires drivers to meet a variety of rules and regulations – but what happens when a manufacturer discovers an issue with your vehicle? Trust My Garage has all the information you need when it comes to ensuring your vehicle is safe; check it out below!
What is a vehicle safety recall?
A vehicle recall happens when a manufacturer identifies an issue with a particular make or model of vehicle – sometimes they affect a small number of vehicles, and sometimes it's a much wider range depending on the issue.
In the UK alone, it's not unusual for a single recall to apply to 100,000 cars or more, sometimes from more than one manufacturer. Worldwide, the biggest ever recall was for 14 million vehicles (carried out by Ford in 2009).
The DVSA estimates around 2.39 million UK cars – around one in 13 – currently in use have unresolved safety recalls that have been issued jointly by the government department and manufacturers.
While there are some instances that will cause owners concern – such as the Vauxhall Zafira fires or Toyota and Lexus airbags, for the most part recalls are for smaller fixes to ensure reliability or, in the case of the VW emissions scandal, create compliance with emissions regulations.
How can I be made aware of a recall?
After determining what needs recalling, the manufacturer registers the issue with the DVSA, who then authorise the DVLA to provide contact details of all current owners.
From these, manufacturers can then write, email or call vehicle owners to make them aware of an outstanding recall on their vehicle and advise them on how to proceed.
What if I want to check for a recall myself?
The DVSA website has a function where motorists can check their car's MOT history, and they have now added a "Recall Checker" function to their service. All you need is the vehicle registration – test it out at https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/.
If there is an outstanding recall on the vehicle you are searching for the information below will be provided and you will be advised to contact your nearest dealership to conduct an assessment:
If there is no recall on your vehicle, the checker will display the below message:
If there isn't a recall for your vehicle, you don't have to do anything!
If there's a recall for my vehicle what do I do?
You can book in an appointment with the manufacturer franchised dealer of your choice – just tell them you need an appointment for a recall and provide them with your vehicle's details at a time convenient for you.
Depending on the severity of the recall, your car could be back to you within five minutes or across the span of several hours, but your chosen garage should be able to advise you on an approximate timescale so you can plan accordingly.
At the most extreme end of the scale, the manufacturer might instruct you not to drive your car until the work has been completed, but this is rare. Porsche took this decision when two of its £100,000 911 GT3 models caught fire. After telling owners not to use their cars, it traced the problem and set about fitting every car it sold with a new engine. This is, however, a highly unlikely possibility for most motorists.
How much could a recall cost me?
As recalls are issues identified by a manufacturer any work should be carried out free of charge, no matter how much time has passed since the recall was initially issued.
What happens if I don't fix the issue?
There is currently no legal mandate for owners to have recalls resolved, but the DVSA has been discussing the option of including vehicle recall checks as part of the mandatory annual MOT, with failures for vehicles that are subject to outstanding recalls that haven't been addressed.
Owners are also responsible for the condition of their vehicle and can be subject to fines and the invalidation of their insurance if found to be driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
What can I do about general maintenance for my car?
If you want find a reputable, local, independent garage operating to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Code of Conduct, you can use the Trust My Garage website's Find a Garage map here.
Our members offer a range of services across the service and repair industry, ensuring you and your vehicle get the best possible service. For more information about Trust My Garage visit the Trust My Garage website – and be sure to check out the Trust My Garage Facebook and Twitter pages too!
Fuel-efficient driving – How can you make your motor's MPG go the extra mile?
As of December 2018, BBC News' Fuel Price Calculator revealed the price of fuel per litre across the UK stood at £1.24 and £1.34 for petrol and diesel vehicles respectively (source). With the cost of filling up the tank on the rise, Trust My Garage has some top tips on how to drive economically and make your MPG go further – check them out below!
Condense your time on the road
Did you know that when you drive a car that has been parked for a few hours the engine is cold and it uses more fuel to power the engine for the first five miles or so? By combining your errands into one daily trip you can save your pennies and your mileage – meaning your miles will last longer between trips to the pump.
Stick to the speed limit
This one should be a given for responsible driving, but stick to the speed limits! What Car? research shows that a vehicle going at 80mph uses up to 25% more fuel than one going at 70mph.
Spend a minute on maintenance
One of the best ways to improve your fuel efficiency is to keep your car well maintained and serviced regularly. By ensuring your car is running optimally you can utilise your fuel and go further for your pounds, even if it's just pumping up your tyres to the correct pressure! If you're not sure on how best to go about maintaining your car, check out our latest maintenance blog post: "Winter driving – how to stay safe when the cold hits".
If you think your car could be in need of a service, you need a helping hand when it comes to good maintenance practice, or you think your motor could be in need of a repair, your local Trust My Garage member can help. Not sure if there's a member near you? Pop your post code into TMG's 'Find a Garage' map and we can tell you who's nearby!
Air-con? Air-gone!
Car heaters don't, in general, use up much fuel as they recycle the heat from the engine. Air conditioning, however, does. It's definitely the case if you have an older vehicle but it's much less noticeable with modern cars. Remember that using your air-con regularly is a good thing, as it keeps the seals in good condition. It also dries the air so that it's as useful to you in winter as it is in summer for keeping your windscreen de-misted. But what about opening windows instead? When it comes to keeping them down it may affect fuel consumption at more than 40mph, but air conditioning marginally increases fuel use at all speeds.
Keep F1 on the track
"Slip-streaming" behind other vehicles to help save fuel is a technique Formula 1 drivers adopt, but it is highly dangerous and frowned upon by road safety experts. Similarly, switching off the engine whilst moving and coasting to a stop is also deemed to be extremely reckless – so don't bring racetrack habits to the road.
Take a weight off
Just like your body, your car needs more fuel to move around more weight, which means you shouldn't cart items around in your boot unless you absolutely need to. You can also reduce weight by filling up with less fuel, more often. You'd be surprised how much more a full tank of fuel weighs than half a tank!
Read the road and use gravity
Use gravity to your advantage and build up momentum by pushing on downhill to power through inclines. This may sound confusing, but a good way to do this is to read the road as if you were on a pushbike and accelerate accordingly. While doing this, be sure to look far ahead while driving and keep moving where possible by anticipating obstacles. Easing off the throttle and keeping momentum is better than speeding up, braking and then starting all over again.
What is Trust My Garage?
Trust My Garage is a collection of Britain's best local garages – every one different and every one dedicated to the highest standards of skill and personal service. All the garages in Trust My Garage are members of the Independent Garage Association – which is part of the RMI, one of Britain's oldest motor trade organisations. IGA members are true professionals who have to comply with a strict code of practice.
Each and every customer of all Trust My Garage members can rely on using a nationally recognised brand. If there's a problem that can't be sorted out between you and your garage, the IGA takes over and helps to achieve a happy outcome.
For more information about Trust My Garage or to locate your nearest TMG member visit www.trustmygarage.co.uk.
Winter driving – how to stay safe when the cold hits
The UK is well into winter, so motorists should be keeping safe on our roads – but new research has shown drivers are unprepared for motoring in the chilly season!
Halfords, which commissioned a survey of 2,000 motorists, has found nearly half of all drivers surveyed admitted they have not conducted any maintenance checks on their vehicle – so how can you make sure you're ready to face the cold? The Trust My Garage blog is here to help! Check out our top tips below.
Antifreeze – keeping the chill at bay
Antifreeze is clever stuff that stops the water in your engine's cooling system from freezing! It also does several other important jobs, making it a vital car fluid to keep your engine running smoothly.
As well as preventing water from freezing up, antifreeze raises the boiling point of engine coolant to prevent overheating. The stuff also protects your engine from corrosion, aids heat transfer, and prevents scale from building up internally.
How do you use it? There's the concentrated form, or the ready mixed with water kind. The latter version is commonly referred to as engine coolant and can normally be used straightaway for top-ups and replacements. The concentrated form needs to be diluted with water, usually at a level of around 50% antifreeze and 50% water. Always check the pack's instructions for the right ratio to use.
Tyres – putting rubber to the roads
Tyre pressure and tread can be crucially important during winter, as poor tyres can cause your vehicle to slip across wet and icy roads.
To keep your tyres at optimum performance you'll need to make sure your tyres are correctly inflated and have adequate tread across the circumference of the tyre – you'll find the BAR/PSI you need in your vehicle's Owners Manual or inside front door frame, and it's recommended to keep your tyres at 3mm or above for optimum grip.
If you aren't sure how to check your tread depth, you can employ 'the 20p test', which you can find out more about here. If your tyres fall under the 1.6mm legal limit you could face a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre!
If you're looking for more information about checking your tyres you call also check out our "What to do when… you need to check your vehicle's tyres" post for all your tyre-based needs.
Brakes – stop the ride!
Brakes are an essential part of any car and therefore should be serviced regularly. This is especially important during winter months, but how can you tell your brakes are in tip top condition?
It's a case of making sure you check them regularly, as the winter months can be very wet and sometimes puddles can be difficult to avoid. When driving through a puddle, make sure you test your brakes afterwards by driving at a slow speed and gently applying pressure.
Listen out for warning signs, as brakes will let you know when there is a problem – whether this is through grinding or squeaking. Sometimes your car will act like it has a mind of its own and pull you to one side while driving, which could indicate a fault with the braking system. Vibrations and temperamental pedals are also a sign you need to take give your car some attention -so look out for the signs and don't ignore them.
Remember, that you can always take your car to your nearest Trust My Garage member to get the brakes checked – it's better to be safe than sorry!
Faults – how can you steer clear?
If you notice a fault with your vehicle, such as a cracked windscreen, dim headlight, or poorly charged battery, it's important to get it sorted before undertaking any winter driving. If you feel there is a fault but aren't sure how to proceed, you can always take your vehicle to a local garage to have it looked at by a professional – you can even use the TMG Find a Garage map to locate your nearest Trust My Garage member.
If you're looking to hit the road this winter, you can take your vehicle to your local Trust My Garage member. Whether it's for a check-up, service or repair, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) approved code of conduct that our members use mean that you and you motor both get the best possible service – no matter the weather!
It's time to go back to school – and back to basics with driver safety!
Across the UK this week, thousands of children are heading back to school – but when it comes to the school run, how can you ensure you're being a safe motorist? Trust My Garage has put together some top tips for keeping yourself and others secure in the car and around other road users! Read on for more.
- Be extra observant
As a driver, if you're near a school you'll need to keep a watchful eye for children walking and cycling, as they might be distracted and excited.
- Choose a safe place to drop your child off
It can be tough to park near to the school, but you can aim for somewhere you won't cause congestion and danger to those walking or cycling to school. If there are zig-zag markings on the ground outside the school, motorists are banned from parking, waiting or stopping there during school hours.
- Reduce your speed
This can be a hugely important to safety where you see lots of children – especially near to schools. If you are driving at 30mph and a child runs out your stopping distance will be at least 23 metres, so keep your speeds low and your eyes peeled for hazards! Some school areas also operate a variable 20mph limit during drop-off and collection times, which is highlighted with a flashing amber light and sign indicating the lower speed limit is being enforced.
- Plan for additional traffic on the roads
The school year comes with a substantial increase in morning and evening traffic, so drivers should allow an extra 10 or 15 minutes for their morning commute – it's better to be early than to rush and speed when travelling to and from work.
- Look out for the lollipop!
When you see a Lollipop helper start to cross the road (usually with a brightly coloured vest and sign) come to a complete stop to allow children to cross safely. Proceed with caution once the helper has returned to the path and has lowered their sign.
- Dont use your mobile phone whilst driving
Making or receiving a call, even using a 'hands free' phone, can distract your attention from driving and could lead to an accident – and using a device while driving is illegal and will result in a 6-point penalty and £200 fine. If you need to make a call, pull over in a safe space, turn off your engine and remove the key from the ignition. In 2017, 14% of drivers still said it was acceptable to take a call while driving (source) but it can lead to serious injury to drivers and pedestrians.
- Be aware of buses
Buses near schools are frequent and often filled with children of all ages going to and from school. If you're driving anywhere near a bus be on the lookout for children stepping out unexpectedly, as well as the vehicle itself moving into and out of the road at bus stops.
If you're looking to get your vehicle checked out ready for your school run and commute you can visit your nearest Trust My Garage member! All TMG garages operate to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) approved Code of Conduct, meaning you and your motor are set to get the best possible service.
For more information and to find your nearest garage, visit www.TrustMyGarage.co.uk or check out the TMG Facebook and Twitter pages.
Got any other ideas on staying safe in the car? Be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments!
Give your car a Spring in its step with Trust My Garage
The end of winter is finally in sight! At Trust My Garage, we're preparing our vehicles for the Spring season with some top maintenance and driving tips designed to see you through to the long days of Summer.
Whether you're looking for driving, maintenance or plain cleaning tips, we've put together some advice to help you make the most of your motor. Take a look at our handy info list below – and be sure to let us know in the comments if you give any of our methods a try!
Give your car some love
With warmer weather on the way, people like to travel to more! It's important that the inside of your car is a safe and clean environment for you and any passengers you may have.
Next time you get a chance to wash your car, you could also make sure your footwells are clear of any rubbish or obstructions, give your dashboard and centre console a dust and – if you have the opportunity – try to give your car a hoover out to clean out any debris that gathered over the winter months.
Beware of low Sun
Much like Autumn, the sun is still low in the sky during Spring. Having the sun shining at you while driving can not only damage your eyesight, but could lead to an accident due to poor vision. Be sure to drive with your sun visor down and/or wear quality sunglasses to improve your vision of the roads when necessary.
Check your medication
The onset on Spring can also lead to an onset of allergies for some motorists. If you take any medication and drive, please be sure to check with your pharmacist or doctor for any potentially detrimental side effects such as drowsiness. If you feel that any medication will impact your driving negatively, do not drive until you feel comfortable behind the wheel.
Watch out for other road users
Good weather can lead to a plethora of additional road users – so be sure to be a courteous driver! Cyclists, horse and riders and walkers can all become additional road hazards, so be sure to take care when driving, especially if you're in an unfamiliar area.
Keep an eye on the road conditions
After winter, the UK's roads can suffer from an influx of additional potholes, created by the wet and cold conditions of the chilly season. Large potholes can do serious damage to a vehicle, so where safe and possible avoid them, or drive cautiously to try and counteract any adverse effects on your motor.
Spring showers are still a definite possibility, so take care on wet roads and leave additional distance and braking time between you and any vehicles ahead. Be careful of any puddles on the road too, as water in your engine makes for neither a happy car or driver!
Get your car ready for the road
If your car is due for an MOT or service, make sure to take it in to a garage to get it ready for the road. If you're looking for a reputable, local, independent garage you can head to the Trust My Garage website and use our handy 'Find a Garage' map to locate your nearest TMG member, operating to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved code of conduct.
If you have any tips of your own for getting ready for Spring, be sure to let us know in the comments below!