Archive for June 22nd, 2008
Limousine Hire Tips, Guidelines And Advice
Tips for renting a stretched limousine
Hiring a stretched limousine need not be a hit and miss affair if you ask the right questions and take account of the following.
No two limousine operators are the same and different organisations place varying levels of emphasis on service levels and investment in their fleet. You can gain an insight into the way a company operates by how responsive they are and the professionalism of their approach. For example, if you have completed an online enquiry form, how long does it take for them to respond, have they correctly interpreted your requirements and is the quotation professional or just a dismissive a one liner?
Similarly telephone enquiries can also provide an insight into how a limousine operator is likely to handle their customers. Is your call answered promptly and professionally with the company name, are they friendly or evasive when answering your questions, do they offer to send you a written confirmation of the price, or is your call answered by a telephone answering machine.
If you are visiting websites look for signs that they are a professional limousine operator. Do they have a fixed line number or just a mobile phone, does the website include the name of the company or individual, is there a physical contact address, or just a PO Box number, or worst still, no address at all? These are indicators, not definitive signs of a poor organisation, but you should ask yourself why, for example, a limousine operator would not want tp include their full company name or physical address.
Because the limousines are a critical aspect of the hire, look to see if the website includes images of their own vehicles. Study the pictures, many companies use generic pictures of limousines, if this is the case, ask yourself why they would not want to show images of their own vehicles. One clue maybe to look at where the picture was taken and the registration plate, if it looks as if it was taken in the USA, then take care. Also ask about signage on the vehicle, some operators use their limousines as advertising hoardings, which can leave many hirers disappointed.
If you come across a broker offering to secure quotations on your behalf you will need to consider the following. Most limousine operators will be paying for each enquiry they receive or a percentage of the hire value, will you end up paying a premium price for the convenience of using a third party? Some of these brokers describe their limousine operators as accredited or approved. If this is the case ask what this process entails, what guarantees if any, the accreditation process provides you, for example, will the broker underwrite the hire and also how often are the operators checked? You also need to bear in mind that you are relying on a 3rd party to complete your research, which means you are dealing with two entities of which you have no previous experience.
Whilst there is inevitably a temptation to decide on price, this should only form part of the process given, as should become clear from your research, all limousine operators are not equal. A professional limousine operator may charge ?10 or ?15 per hour more, but on an average hire of 5 hours, this amounts to no more than ?75, a small premium to pay in order to secure a professional service, from an established full-time operator with modern limousines.
Another aspect to consider is the length of the hire. The average time taken to prepare a stretched limousine prior to hire is around 2.5 hours. Therefore, most professional operators will impose a minimum charge and/or a hire duration of 3 hours or so, this may be higher during peak periods. The minimum hire charge is likely to be in the region of ?150. Beware of any company that does not apply these caveats given it often means that the operator intends to use the vehicle for several hires on the day. Inevitably this can lead to problems relating to reliability or timing and more often than not, a vehicle that has not been properly prepared. It is also worth bearing in mind that many limousine operators offer a reduced hire charge for mid-week hires, so if this is an option, don’t discount it.
Another aspect to bear in mind when searching for a limousine for your event is reliability. Stretched limousines are expensive to service and repair which inevitably results in some operators attempting to delay repairs until the last possible moment. Unfortunately poorly maintained limousines are notoriously unreliable. Whilst it is reasonable for you to expect the limousine operator to be diligent in such matters, it does not necessarily follow that they are and it may well affect your hire! In many cases a cheap hire really does result in a cheap service. Listed below are some useful questions to ask of your limousine operator.
Questions to ask Limousine Operators
How long have you been in business?
How many vehicles do you have?
Where are you based?
How old are you vehicles?
Where can I view your limousines?
Are there any minimum charges or hire durations?
Are you a full-time limousine operator?
What does the price include (VAT, Drinks, Gratuities etc)?
What contingencies do you have if the limousine breaks down?
What guarantee do I have that I will receive the limousine I have chosen?
Do you have the appropriate private hire insurance, can I view it?
Will I receive a written confirmation of the price?
Do you provide a booking confirmation with the itinerary and price included?
What payment methods do you accept?
What is the deposit and when is the balance due?
What livery is on the limousine is it discreet?
Questions to ask Brokers
What does your accreditation or approval process consist of?
How often do you complete this procedure?
Will I be able to see a copy of the last report for the company I book with?
How can I be certain that I will receive the limousine I ask for?
Do you provide any guarantees regarding operator reliability?
Will I have to pay any extra if I use your service, either directly or indirectly?
Who do I pay?
How can I be certain that you are truly an independent service?
Can I be sure that my email address will only be used for the purpose of a quotation?
None of these questions are unreasonable and no professional limousine operator will have any objections responding positively, however, if you meet with resistance or the answers are evasive, it should be a case of caveat emptor or ? let the buyer beware?.
In summary:
Prepare your questions in advance
Know who you are dealing with (Trading name, physical address, landline number etc)
Don?t be frightened of asking probing questions.
Insist on viewing images of the actual limousine or visit the premises
Get everything in writing, the quotation and the itinerary
Make sure you are comparing on a genuine ?like for like? basis
Consider hiring your limousine mid-week, where significant savings can be gained
Never be tempted to decide on price alone
If in doubt, keep searching!
This article was written by Andrew Hughes a Director of Cars for Stars Limited. <a href="http://www.carsforstars.net" target="_blank">http://www.carsforstars.net</a> Cars for Stars? is a UK based franchised chauffeur car and limousine hire operator with offices throughout the mainland
Are Radar Detectors Legal in the US and in which States are they Prohibited?
A good number of the people with cars in the United States have their own radar detectors. Their reason is that they feel that the speed limit at present is very low. Most of the American people are not satisfied with moderate speed while driving. They want to be the fastest driver on the road as well as get to the places they re going in record time; they want to be always in the race.
The radar detector serves as their alarm whenever there are police near them. Once the radar detector alarm sounds, they can ease on the gas and slow down their speed.
Because of the radar detectors being known to every motorist, cops are hiding, in alleyways or behind bridges in order to avoid being detected by the radar detectors.
Motorists on the other hand are being clever themselves, they are aware of these techniques from the police, so more enhanced, top-dollar detectors have entered the market.
Though the policemen are always improving their chances of catching the radar detector users, they are unable to make the streets of the United States radar detector-free.
Radar detectors are legal in many cities and states in the United States. But this does not mean that radar detector units are legal in all of the states in the US.
Here are some of the states that deem radar detectors illegal:
1. The usage of radar detectors are prohibited in the Commonwealth of Virginia. They have laws banning the use of radar detectors. Not only are radar detectors illegal to use in Virginia, they are also illegal to have in the vehicle.
2. Radar detectors and radar jammers are illegal in the District of Columbia. The passing of their laws to ban the use of radar detectors was set in 1995.
3. In Illinois, radar detectors are only regulated in commercial vehicles of over 26,001 pounds.
4. On US military bases, they are legal to have but illegal to use.
5. Radar jammers are illegal in the states of Utah, California, Oklahoma, Colorado and Nebraska.
6. Radar detectors are not specifically regulated, but things hanging from windshields are not permitted in the state of Minnesota.
7. For motor vehicles over 18,000 pounds and any other commercial motor vehicles over 10,000 pounds in New York, radar detectors are illegal.
And other states that prohibit the use of radar detectors are the following:
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Mew Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming
The state of Connecticut on the contrary has cancelled its anti-radar detector law in 1998 which make this radar detector now legal in this state.
Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news, views and information about <a href="http://www.radar-detecting.info">radar detectors</a> at Radar Detecting Information. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Radar-Detecting.info
The Harley Davidson Story: Two Men And A Dream
It was a decisive day in the history of American automobile culture in 1902, when two young friends left their stable jobs at a Milwaukee engineering firm to embark upon a venture that would irrevocably shape the course of motorcycle history forever.
What Is It About The Commute That Drains Me?
On the surface, this is a no-brainer ? it?s everything about the commute itself. The time involved, the energy it takes, and - did I mention the time involved? Underneath it though, there are many other factors that go into making us feel drained during the commute, and they can be very different for each person. If your goal is to alleviate the stress of the commute, then it helps to understand what it is that actually is causing the stress in the first place.
For example, is it the distance, the traffic, the amount of time sitting in one place, fears of breaking down or having an accident? Or could it be that when someone else is in control, forcing you to give up your control - for example to a pilot, a bus driver, or a conductor - it sap your energy or makes you tense.
Understanding what causes you to become tense and putting a name to it will help you on your way to overcoming the impact of this stress. A good time to think about these issues is when you are commuting. It will give you a more accurate way to identify the causes of the stressful commute.
Stop and observe your thinking. Take a moment and examine your behavior. Are you angrily shouting epitaphs in your mind or out loud to other drivers? Are you thinking of the chores left behind at home or the heavy workday ahead? Are you checking the clock and thinking about the time spent on the road? Are you listening to every creak of the train as it rounds the curves? What other things come into your mind?
If the draining is in some part of your body, then you may want to consider relaxation techniques that you can do during your commute. This will help you reduce the feeling of stress and the tension in your body.
If the draining is in your thinking, a change in attitude toward the commute will reduce that feeling. There are a number of techniques available to help you with this. Most importantly is awareness, because, with awareness, comes the ability to change.
If the draining is emotional, distraction such as listening to music, talking to someone who?s next to you, using a mantra, can be very effective. Signing up for a share-ride or using public transportation at least part of the week are also good ways to stop the draining of the commute. Even having a plan for the days off work can be energizing.
Once you are aware of these thoughts and feelings, you can begin to consciously change, making your commute more enjoyable.
Dr. Mastria is the founder of Commuter-Assist.com which offers workshops, coaching and additional supportive materials aimed at enhancing employee?s lives. Contact us at 570-839-6394 or e-mail <a href="mailto:info@commuter-assist.com">info@commuter-assist.com</a>.
Driving theory test - Few things to know before you appear for your test
Have you-
- solved all the questions from the question bank?
- revised all the questions you had marked for review?
- read all the hazard perception test
- tips hints, scoring mechanism?
- practiced the hazard perception demos?
If yes
- then you are ready !!!
Exam day -
You must take following items with you. If you do not, DSA may refuse to carry out the test and you may lose your fee.
- Appointment letter.
- Both parts of your valid signed UK (or Northern Ireland) driving license.
- If you have an old-style paper license you must take both your paper license and a valid passport.
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Keeping your driving record clean: Online Traffic School
No one wants to go to traffic school ” after all, eight hours in a stuffy room, sitting on uncomfortable chairs and watching outdated, gory videos of the devastating results of reckless drivers isn t exactly an ideal way of spending a Saturday afternoon. Sure, sometimes an instructor is fun and witty, making the experience bearable, maybe even enjoyable. But, most people aren t willing to relinquish a whole day. Time is simply too precious a commodity. Mike P. Welch knows all too well the realities of some walk-in traffic school experiences, having completed traffic school in August of 2005. In addition to an uncomfortable facility, Welch had to contend with disinterested fellow students and grossly outdated course materials. “The instructor had us watch a video that was from the 1970s and a big segment was on call boxes, which I felt was irrelevant, considering the majority of the population now has cell phones,” he says. Instead of fostering an atmosphere of learning, “half of the students didn t want to be there and were distracting to the learning process,” Welch says. “I didn t appreciate the social stigma of having to reveal my violation in front of a classroom of people. I felt like I was there to be punished, instead of improving my knowledge of traffic laws.” Fortunately, those who are ordered to traffic school or to a defensive driving course, in exchange for wiping points off their driving records, have an alternative to a long day of traffic school. Online traffic and defensive driving schools are becoming exceedingly popular, particularly in California (including among Los Angeles traffic school and San Diego traffic school), Florida and Texas. Skeptical? Those who have never taken an online course will quickly find it s a fast, easy and effective way to complete traffic school. In fact, statistics prove that online traffic school works. In 2004, more than a third of the 500,000 people ordered to complete traffic school in Florida did so online. Ninety perfect of those who completed the online traffic course passed the final exam. Compared to Welch s experience with walk-in traffic school, Travis experience with online traffic school was so effective and so inspiring that he founded Ticket Relief Traffic School (TicketRelief.com). “Not only was the course a breeze, but I actually refreshed my knowledge of California driving and learned a couple new driving laws I didn t know about,” he says. As he researched and learned more about online traffic schools, his belief in the effectiveness of online traffic school was only reinforced. “I found several studies that showed students were able to concentrate better with an online class versus a traditional walk-in school. The studies showed that students who used a computer to take an online traffic school course exhibited a smaller amount of distractions compared to a classroom setting. The students using the computers produced a higher level of concentration and higher test scores than the students in a classroom setting.” Indeed, more and more people are discovering the vast advantages of fulfilling their court requirements by completing online traffic school: It s easy. Simply register, pay for the course and get started. It s safe. Many online traffic schools, such as Ticket Relief, offer 128bit encryption to ensure safe credit card transactions. Save time. Students can complete their online course in as little as six hours, sometimes less. Finish the course at leisure. With online traffic schools like Ticket Relief, students can save their work and return to it at a later time, unlike traditional traffic school when all work is completed in one session. Of course, those who want to complete the course in one sitting are welcome to do so. In fact, with Ticket Relief, students have access to the course for 160 days from the time they register. Use any computer. Start the exam on the library s computer and finish it on a home computer. The course for traffic school, with Ticket Relief for example, requires only a computer with an Internet connection. Save money. Online traffic schools are typically much cheaper with rates ranging from $17 to $50. Discounts. Ticket Relief offers discounts to senior citizens, students, members of the military and AAA members. Consistency. Online traffic schools such as Ticket Relief promise students each time they take the course they receive only the highest quality reading material, quizzes and final exam. Ticket Relief ensures all course material is updated yearly. It s comprehensive. Students will receive a refresher course, covering traffic laws and other pertinent information. Ticket Relief s comprehensive course includes five sections, each ending with a quiz that allows students to gauge their level of comprehension of the course material. The quizzes also help students prepare for the final exam. Worry-free. Students who fail the final exam needn t worry. Ticket Relief allows for unlimited taking of the final exam for no extra charge, as long as it s taken within the 160 day time limit. Students who have never taken an online course needn t worry. Most traffic schools provide customer service either via a toll-free number or email, or both. Ultimately, trying an online traffic school is a low-risk opportunity. Ticket Relief allows for a full refund at any time, provided the student hasn t already completed the final exam. It s also received high marks from its students. “Ticket Relief has been complimented highly on its ease of use, user-friendly environment, and well-organized traffic school course.”
Keeping Your Driving Record Clean: Online Traffic School
Keeping Your Driving Record Clean: Online Traffic School No one wants to go to traffic school ” after all, eight hours in a stuffy room, sitting on uncomfortable chairs and watching outdated, gory videos of the devastating results of reckless drivers isn t exactly an ideal way of spending a Saturday afternoon. Sure, sometimes an instructor is fun and witty, making the experience bearable, maybe even enjoyable. But, most people aren t willing to relinquish a whole day. Time is simply too precious a commodity. Mike P. Welch knows all too well the realities of some walk-in traffic school experiences, having completed traffic school in August of 2005. In addition to an uncomfortable facility, Welch had to contend with disinterested fellow students and grossly outdated course materials. The instructor had us watch a video that was from the 1970s and a big segment was on call boxes, which I felt was irrelevant, considering the majority of the population now has cell phones, he says. Instead of fostering an atmosphere of learning, half of the students didn t want to be there and were distracting to the learning process, Welch says. I didn t appreciate the social stigma of having to reveal my violation in front of a classroom of people. I felt like I was there to be punished, instead of improving my knowledge of traffic laws. Fortunately, those who are ordered to traffic school or to a defensive driving course, in exchange for wiping points off their driving records, have an alternative to a long day of traffic school. Online traffic and defensive driving schools are becoming exceedingly popular, particularly in California (including among Los Angeles traffic school and San Diego traffic school), Florida and Texas. Skeptical? Those who have never taken an online course will quickly find it s a fast, easy and effective way to complete traffic school. In fact, statistics prove that online traffic school works. In 2004, more than a third of the 500,000 people ordered to complete traffic school in Florida did so online. Ninety perfect of those who completed the online traffic course passed the final exam. Compared to Welch s experience with walk-in traffic school, Travis experience with online traffic school was so effective and so inspiring that he founded Ticket Relief Traffic School (TicketRelief.com). Not only was the course a breeze, but I actually refreshed my knowledge of California driving and learned a couple new driving laws I didn t know about, he says. As he researched and learned more about online traffic schools, his belief in the effectiveness of online traffic school was only reinforced. I found several studies that showed students were able to concentrate better with an online class versus a traditional walk-in school. The studies showed that students who used a computer to take an online traffic school course exhibited a smaller amount of distractions compared to a classroom setting. The students using the computers produced a higher level of concentration and higher test scores than the students in a classroom setting. Indeed, more and more people are discovering the vast advantages of fulfilling their court requirements by completing online traffic school: It s easy. Simply register, pay for the course and get started. It s safe. Many online traffic schools, such offer 128bit encryption to ensure safe credit card transactions. Save time. Students can complete their online course in as little as six hours, sometimes less. Finish the course at leisure. With online traffic schools like students can save their work and return to it at a later time, unlike traditional traffic school when all work is completed in one session. Of course, those who want to complete the course in one sitting are welcome to do so. In fact, many students have access to the course for 160 days from the time they register. Use any computer. Start the exam on the library s computer and finish it on a home computer. As Long as you have a computer and internet connection, the course can literally be done anywhere. Save money. Online traffic schools are typically much cheaper with rates ranging from $17 to $50. Discounts. Some traffic schools such as Ticket Relief offers discounts to senior citizens, students, members of the military and AAA members. Consistency. A few online traffic schools promise students each time they take the course they receive only the highest quality reading material, quizzes and final exam. It s comprehensive. Students will receive a refresher course, covering traffic laws and other pertinent information. Many courses include five sections, each ending with a quiz that allows students to gauge their level of comprehension of the course material. The quizzes also help students prepare for the final exam. Worry-free. Students who fail the final exam needn t worry as some traffic schools allow the retaking of the exam with a 160 day time limit. Students who have never taken an online course needn t worry. Most traffic schools provide customer service either via a toll-free number or email, or both.
Need to take an online traffic shool class, defensive driver education or traffic safety course? Then don t delay and come and visit us today And yes we are certified in most states including Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Cruz Traffic School and many more.
Bangalore traffic - a Glorious approach for Smooth Traffic system
Bangalore is the dream city of almost every Indian citizen. Bangalore is something very special place developed on the hilly region of Karnataka in southern India. The climatic condition and topography of Bangalore makes it more special. As usual when there is more publicity, development of infrastructure, more job Opportunities and various other indirect factors affects the Migration of population and hence the weight on the Infrastructure, road, and traffic is caused. Similar is the case with the Bangalore city. In recent past there has been a tremendous Development took place in the silicon city of India called Bangalore .Consequently the effect on the infrastructure is quite visible. Earlier in Bangalore, I never have seen such a wild and congested traffic but now the case is quite different. In nut shell , it is Quite logical to say that there has been very less development took place in infrastructure , roadways, traffic system etc compared to the Volume Of development took Place in other sectors Like in Industries , Establishment of various research & software design centre etc . Time is Not far away when the people of Bangalore will have to face all sorts of Road traffic problem as it is now seen in various metros Like In Delhi , Calcutta , Mumbai etc . Moreover one good news for the People of Bangalore is that recently few weeks back all the prominent Business leaders, academician and Research scholars met in the city along with the chief minister courtesy times Now, Media partner, to evaluate the development of Bangalore city and the steps required to take to met the growing demands of the population, improve the infrastructure . Moreover, to make the Bangalore city redefined and reshaped to face the challenge of new emerging hi-tech metro city of India. The work has just begun. I am feeling quite satisfied and happy to see the nature and cool temperament of the inhabitants of the City of Bangalore. This gives me a good hope at last there is one city where we can Say road rage is obsolete word in this city traffic. I hope my dream and every one s dream of turning Our Beautiful Bangalore into an ultra modern world Class City for its inhabitants will come true very soon. The dream is not far away if it is really implemented as promised by the respective Karnataka go government.
Tapan is an associated editor to the website: Indian Traffic News.com - The Latest Traffic News Portal. Indian Traffic News is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Road accidents, <a href=http://www.indiantrafficnews.com>City specific news</a> like Delhi traffic news, <a href=http://www.indiantrafficnews.com>Bangalore traffic news</a>, <a href=http://www.indiantrafficnews.com>Road Traffic information</a>, <a href=http://www.indiantrafficnews.com>Latest traffic news</a> and its related topics.
Preparing Your Vehicle For Winter
Depending on where you live, getting your car ready for winter may be a matter of chaining up your tires or simply flicking on the heater. There are some basic tips in terms of preparing your vehicle for winter that can help in most conditions, however, and can ensure that you can avoid those slippery moments on the sleet, ice, snow, and slush of even the harshest of winters.
<b>You Can't Do that When Your Driving…</b>
USING a mobile phone while driving became an endorsable offence in the UK at the end of February 2007 and GEM Motoring Assist ” formerly The Guild of Experienced Motorists - (GEM), that is concerned for the safety of all road users, has issued a useful list of things you can and cannot do while driving a vehicle.
It says that apart from using a phone that is not fitted with a hands free device motorists need to remember that they cannot eat or drink while at the wheel. The driver can smoke, but lighting the cigarette while on the move can prove a challenge as if both hands are taken off the steering wheel the driver may not be considered to be in proper control of the vehicle.
Disposing of the cigarette by throwing it out of the open car window is also an offence as it may hit or distract another motorist or motorcyclist. In fact ejecting any rubbish from a vehicle contravenes litter laws.
Most recently GEM has noted that a health and safety inspector was stopped by police in Perthshire, Scotland while shaving as he overtook a line of rush hour traffic at between 60 and 70 mph, setting a particularly bad example as he was late on his journey to deliver a first aid course. He was banned for six months and fined 300 ($570).
Chief Executive of GEM, David Williams, points out that fines for using a hand-held mobile can be as much as 1,000 ($1,900) with an increase to a potential 2,500 ($4,750) for drivers of vans, lorries, buses and coaches. You also may not use a hand-held mobile while stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic, he said. It is also against the law to use a mobile while supervising a learner.
Other offences which are also regularly witnessed are drivers reading maps while driving and women applying make up on the move. Both these activities could lead to substantial fines and penalty points being awarded, said David.
Although it is not an offence as such, GEM recommends that no one should drive with a dog on the front seat of a car, said David. Not only is it a potential distraction but if you have an accident there is a very good chance the pet will be injured or killed as well or it may become protective and frustrate any rescue attempts to help an injured or trapped driver. Dogs should be secured with a harness or a cage in the rear of the vehicle.
David said GEM welcomed the fact that three penalty points will be added to the licence of a driver caught using a mobile phone, that is not hands free, while on the move. All evidence points to the fact that a person on the phone whether hands free or not is much more likely to have an accident and the safest option is to turn the phone off as soon as you enter the car.
Established in 1932, GEM Motoring Assist is the leading UK driver based road safety association. <a href="http://www.motoringassist.com">GEM Motoring Assist</a> provide a wide range of driver services including low cost <a href="http://www.motoringassist.com"> car breakdown cover and vehicle breakdown recovery.</a>