Drivers were stuck in their cars for hours at a time and we happily echo advice issued by the emergency services – only make essential journeys in your car in such extreme weather conditions. We would also say that if such weather is predicted, carry a ‘survival pack’ in the boot of your car consisting of the following items if at all possible:
- A large bottle of water
- A flask containing a hot beverage
- A reflective jacket or reflective strips that can be placed on your person should you be required to leave your car
- Blankets
- Snacks to keep you going just in case you are stuck for hours
- Fully charged mobile phone so you can inform loved ones that you are safe
Moving on to this month’s driving news, the snow affected the millions of UK drivers although many hit the news as gritting vehicles were slow to respond to key areas. However, one story that made headlines that will cause many to scratch their heads in confusion is the two men who drove their Peugeot down a frozen canal – before plunging through the ice.
Cheating death after the Peugeot car broke through the ice, the two men who were inside the car when it plunged into the freezing water were branded by the police as ‘stupid’, although we suspect stronger words were used down at the station.
The thoughtless duo drove half a mile down the frozen canal before the inevitable happened. Police tracked them down and charged them with reckless conduct. With the emergency services struggling to attend genuine accidents and emergencies at this difficult time, this was clearly a poorly thought out plan and the thrill seekers aged 22 and 24 will find out their fate when they attend Livingston Sherriff Court next month for sentencing.
Also in the news...
Children’s cartoon Peppa Pig was embroiled in a safety row – because parents raised concerns over the fact that when the cartoon pig was in a car she did not wear a seatbelt.
One parents complained that her daughter had refused to wear a seatbelt because Peppa didn’t. We think that this is ridiculous and blame this on bad parenting rather than Peppa Pig. If I had said this to my mother when I was a child, I would have been punished for being so silly! Cartoon characters are not role models and any parents should be stronger when dealing with a petulant child.
However, to be seen as taking these complaints seriously, the creators of the Bafta Award winning cartoon aimed at children aged two and above admitted that they were “naive” when they began making Peppa Pig. Future episodes of the cartoon will feature Peppa wearing a seatbelt. Another win for the overbearing parents involved it seems.
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