Chery J1 ANCAP Crash Test

Given recent crash test results from ANCAP (the Australasian New Car Assessment Program), some car buyers might be wary about purchasing vehicle brands being introduced into Australia for the first time.

Recent results include 2 stars (out of 5 maximum) for the Chery J11 and Mahindra Pik-Up and in 2010, 2 stars for the Great Wall utes.  The Geely MK and Chery J1, both small cars, scored 3 stars compared to most small cars tested by ANCAP which are scoring 4 or increasingly, 5 stars.  According to ANCAP, you are twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured in a 1-star vehicle than a 5-star vehicle in the same crash.

However, we need to remember that we still have the Proton Jumbuck and Mitsubishi Express on sale in Australia scoring 1 star and these companies have been represented in the Australian market for many years.  There are also several ute models from long-established manufacturers that score 3 stars.  It’s also worth noting that the Great Wall wagon scores 4 stars.

So there is not a strong basis for avoiding the purchase of vehicles from brands recently introduced into the Australian market.

NRMA’s advice is to check the ANCAP crash ratings of any new vehicle you are considering buying.  We recommend 4 stars as a minimum and preferably 5.  If you are considering a second-hand car, NRMA also provides ratings based on police reports of crashes - again we recommend purchasing a vehicle from the best category.

Would you buy a car from a new car manufacturer?

What tips do you have for Christmas holiday driving?

If you’re one of the gazillion Aussie families that pack the car and set off for summer holidays once Christmas festivities are over, then you may appreciate these tips for stress-free holiday preparations.

Divide and conquer
Kids need to let off steam before being expected to sit quietly in a car for hours. One great trick we tried recently on the morning of our departure was to get one parent to take the kids to the local park, while the other concentrated on packing the car. The idea was that you run them ragged so they’ll have a nice long sleep on the journey. This tactic was so successful that we got uninterrupted, civilized conversation from Sydney to Newcastle.

What to pack

• Toys and activities are critical
  However, it’s important not to release them all at once. You need to stagger them to sustain interest and get maximum mileage
• Drinks and snacks are another essential.
  That is, of course, unless you fancy unbuckling the kids to go into a crowded fast food place every time someone gets peckish.
• Entertainment – for young and old
  One thing I learned the hard way is that the All Time Favourite Nursery Rhymes CD can send grown-ups bonkers in a matter of minutes! Instead, try borrowing some audio books from your local library. Old classics like Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory might appeal to all ages.

Are we there yet?
It’s not only Homer and Marg that get this question. So you’ll need a few tricks up your sleeve. We’ve already discovered that I Spy can be difficult in remote areas, so perhaps you could try an Alphabet game, such as running through all the foods you can think of that start with A, B, C etc. It can be quite interesting to see what creative youngsters come up with!

What tips do you have for making your Christmas holiday drive less stressful? 

Drive safely this holiday season

This time of year is always one of the most high risk times on our roads, with Christmas parties, end of year celebrations and people taking to the highways as they head off for a well-deserved break.

In NSW drink driving is a factor in around one in every five fatal crashes. This statistic astounds me when you consider just how much information is out there on the dangers of drink driving.

Drink Driving
The message is plain and simple, having any amount of alcohol when driving increases the risk of being involved in a crash. You don’t have to be drunk to have been affected by alcohol, which is why if you are planning on driving, the best advice is to not drink at all.

If you are hosting a party this Christmas and new year here are some things you can do to look after your guests so they get home safely:

• Make sure you provide plenty of food, soft drinks and water
• Offer to let your guests stay over and
• Don’t let guests drive home if they have been drinking.

Driver Fatigue
Tiredness is another major killer on our roads. At this time of year many people are driving long distances on unfamiliar roads and often people leave for their holiday in the early hours of the morning to avoid traffic – it means they are driving when their body is programmed to sleep.

The statistics show if you drive between 10pm and dawn you’re four times more likely to have a fatal, fatigue-related crash.

Some tips:

• Plan ahead
• Take regular breaks (see NSW Driver Reviver locations)
• Share the driving
• Don’t start a long trip after a long day’s work and never drive when you would normally be asleep. Fighting tiredness won’t work – the only cure is sleep.

Wear your seatbelt
It’s remarkable how many people still don’t wear their seatbelts. Many fatalities could have been prevented if only the driver and passengers were wearing their seatbelts. Often it’s not just you that needs to buckle up, so make sure your kids are properly secured in a child restraint.

Roadwork speed limits
If you’re driving along the Pacific Highway, remember roadwork speed limits still apply although works have stopped for the Christmas break. While there may be some inconvenience during this time, the NRMA is pleased that the Government is getting on with the project to deliver the Highway by 2016.

Travelling on country roads
For those of you travelling on country roads, keep in mind that the road conditions are not like local areas. Be extremely careful of:

• Potholes and rough surfaces
• Soft or broken road edges
• Single lane bridges or road surfaces that change without notice
• Livestock and wildlife  - they often cross country roads, particularly just near sunrise or sunset which is why it is crucial that you drive to the conditions.

Petrol Prices
The NRMA will be working over the Christmas period to monitor petrol prices and there will be no justification for any sudden Christmas price hike.

Please remember, each and everyone of us are responsible for keeping our roads safe this Christmas.

Have a safe and merry Christmas.

Wendy Machin, President of NRMA Motoring & Services

Is it just me or are the years going faster?  This Christmas seemed to arrive about three weeks after the last one! I saw my first Santa Claus on the streets in early November!

I guess that shows what a busy year it has been for everyone.  For the NRMA Board a State election and then our own Board elections has meant a busy time for the Directors.  I was pleased to see that many of the issues we advocated for in our “Seeing Red on Roads” state election campaign were picked up and implemented by the new Government.  And I was delighted to see all nine Directors resoundingly returned to serve on the Board in our own elections – the first time this has happened since demutualisation.

For the Group, the financial results last year were very good, with continuing growth in the number of Members joining us and yet another Award for Service Excellence for our brilliant Roadside Assistance service.

On behalf of the Board I want to thank our Members for your continued loyalty and wish all of you a happy and safe Christmas break.

Best wishes

Wendy Machin

President

Zebra Crossing etiquette - should you be thanked for stopping?

You might think that traversing a zebra crossing is fairly straightforward. As a pedestrian you cross the road when you’re ready and as a driver you stop if you see a pedestrian stepping onto a crossing and give way to them.

Rule 81 of Road Rules 2008 states that a driver must give way to any pedestrian on a pedestrian crossing. And that a driver approaching a pedestrian crossing must drive at a speed at which the driver can, if necessary, stop safely before the crossing.

The rules are pretty straightforward, but zebra crossing etiquette is not.  For example:

• Should a pedestrian thank a driver who has stopped at the crossing even though the driver is just following the road rules?
• If a driver does not see a pedestrian at a crossing (if a tree is for example is obscuring them) and has to stop suddenly, should they provide an apologetic wave to the pedestrian?
• If its peak hour, people are rushing to get home and emotional temperatures are rising, you can appreciate the patience of a driver who stops at the crossing. Is a courtesy wave from the pedestrian appropriate in this instance?
• What if a pedestrian is on their mobile phone and completely ignores the driver who stopped for them. Should they be expected to thank the driver?

It’s a grey area. What are your thoughts?

As a driver do you think pedestrians should thank you for stopping?

Would you put "My Family" stickers on your car?

Whether you love them or hate them, the “My Family” rear window stickers are on the rise with more than 2 million being sold in the last two years.

The stick figure bumper stickers, designed by Gold Coast couple Monica Liebenow and Phil Barham, represent individual family members (including pets) with stickers ranging from golf playing Dads to pregnant Mums to superhero kids.

Many people see the stickers as a bit of fun and an opportunity to proudly show off their family to their fellow drivers. However, critics of the stickers see them as smug and an unrealistic representation of people’s families, with some comparing them (unfavourably) to the frangipani stickers that became popular a few years ago.

Do you have a “My Family” bumper sticker on your car? Do you love them, hate them or just don’t care? 

Back to the Future - 80's classic car the DeLorean DMC-12

Some people buy a car because they like the curve of its rear wheel arch. Some buy a car because it represents a slice of motoring history, or so they can do it up and make a motza from it. Some people even buy a car as a no-nonsense runabout and use it to pick up the kids from school.

But time travel? Not usually on people’s lists when they check their local vehicle classifieds.

Just as well one car was built with the express purpose of bending the space-time continuum. It’s the only set of wheels you need if ever you fancy checking out Hendrix during his heyday. That car is, of course, the DeLorean DMC-12.

Word of warning, though. The DeLorean’s era-hopping prowess has been known to malfunction. At least it did in Back to the Future, the high-grossing film franchise from the 1980s that made the DeLorean a household name.

Not that the car’s tendency towards temporal hiccups has ever deterred James Politino. For him, the car’s cultural cachet, downright zaniness and rarity on Australian streets were reason enough to import one from the United States. And soon after he did, he imported another…

Read the full story in the July Edition of Australian Classic Car.

If you could drive any car in the universe, what would you drive?

The most recent issue of Open Road has some great road trip experiences including:

• Cairns to Karumba
• The New Zealand South Island Zig-Zag
• A Trek to the snowy Mountains

It got me thinking about my favourite road trips taken throughout my life. Having grown up in South Africa, most of my road trips as a youngster were from Johannesburg to Durban. This trip was done numerous times a year and included breathtaking vista such as:

The Drakensberg

The Valley of a Thousand Hills

As I started to ease into my twenties, the location and scope of the road trips I took were quite different in their location and scope. From an epic 30 hour bus ride through the heart of Brazil to a leisurely 3 day trip from Sydney to Melbourne. The details of one of my favourite pastimes may have changed over the years, but my fondness for them has not.

How have your road trips changed over the years and what is your all-time favourite route? 

We continue to follow NRMA Marketing Manager, Lucy and her young family on their 4,900km road trip from Sydney to Kangaroo Island via the Flinders Ranges.

Final destination – Kangaroo Island

Finally arriving at Kangaroo Island

Arriving in Adelaide we set up camp at a city beach near Glenelg, which felt like New York City compared to the outback. It was the first week of January and the campground was fully booked so even though we had an allocated site, we had to peg one corner of our tent into the bark chips of the playground. At least one of us enjoyed this location, darting off his lilo at first light to stake his claim as king of the slippery dip!

City campers are a different breed to those we encountered in remote areas. The majority appeared to have set up shop for the entire Christmas holidays and had more gadgetry than I have at home. We were one of the few families that forgot the Christmas tree and flashing icicle lights.

Next we headed to the final and perhaps most anticipated destination of the holiday, Kangaroo Island. We stayed in a cute limestone beach house at Vivonne Bay, judged as “Australia’s best beach”, according to researchers at Sydney University. I don’t know how they decided. There are dozens of breathtaking beaches on the island that could have easily taken the title. For miles there’s nothing but pristine white sand and the glistening aquamarine of the cool Southern Ocean. Remarkably, despite being peak season, it was still possible to enjoy Australia’s best beach alone.

Some other highlights on the Island were the New Zealand Fur Seals that live and play at Admiral’s Arch, the stunning and precariously stacked Remarkable Rocks and the Flinders Chase coastline.

As we packed the family wagon and bade farewell to the stunning island I dug out the maps once again and planned our way home. Keen to get back to familiar surrounds, we chose the most direct route from Adelaide to Sydney via the Sturt Hwy (1400kms). It was a pleasant journey, much of which follows the Murray River (or what remained of it after a long hot summer). Sadly the Murray was so dry in spots it looked more like a salt plain than a river.

When I said the route was pleasant, I hadn’t accounted for stepping out of the car. On a January day with catastrophic bushfire warning it was not so pleasant. As incentive to keep quiet just a bit longer, Jasper had been promised an ice cream at the next town after Mildura. When the town finally appeared on the horizon he was champing at the bit. Never have I seen a chocolate Paddle Pop run down a chubby 3 year old’s arm faster than this! Meanwhile, as I stood under a gum tree by the Murrumbidgee, the heat on my legs felt like I was standing next to a campfire. Miraculously the region managed to avoid major bush fires during this extremely hot summer.

Eventually we arrived home – exhausted but satisfied. With the infinite optimism and selective memory of a three-year-old, Jasper announced that it was the best holiday ever and asked when we could do it again. Would I do it again? I’m sure my inner adventurer will conjure up plans to explore other remote locations in the future, but in the meantime we’ll probably stay close to home.  Central Coast anyone?

What tips do you have for surviving a long family road trip with your sanity intact?

We continue to follow NRMA Marketing Manager, Lucy and her young family on their 4,900km road trip from Sydney to Kangaroo Island via the Flinders Ranges.

Arriving at Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges

Wilpena Pound by air is the best way to see it!

The summer heat in the outback is intense – by 10am the temperature gauge in the car registered 40 degrees Celsius, leaving another 10 hours of daylight for the current record of 51.2 to be broken. It came close.

Fortunately, as the mercury was rising, so too was the mood in the car, as we finally approached Wilpena Pound. The scenery became progressively more interesting, with gentle hills turning into mountain ranges and the odd dead tree replaced by healthy cypress pines.

Although native to Australia, the trees had me thinking I was in the United States.  It reminded me of the approach to Yosemite – the pine trees, the impressive rock formations (albeit on a smaller scale) and the sense we had arrived somewhere really special.

We were extremely pleased to be staying put for a few days at the Wilpena Pound Resort. Situated at the base of the Pound and shaded by river red gums, the resort was no fancy-Port Douglas style resort. Far from it.  It was friendly and casual, catering for campers as well as more upmarket holiday makers.

One memorable evening was spent by the pool – a welcome oasis – as we watched 10 or more kangaroos grazing and generally hanging out under the gum trees just metres away. In what turned out to be a fairly regular occurrence a family of emus casually wandered by as we ate breakfast.

The nearby visitors centre provided excellent information on the many walks in the area – which I considered doing for about 10 seconds – before deciding to see the Pound by air! Please allow me to list a few excuses. Although fit, I was 6 months pregnant, had a child in tow and it was 40 degrees.

Jasper struggles with his earmuffs

From the cosy 4 seater Cessna we enjoyed breathtaking views over the Pound and surrounding mountain ranges. I spent 30 minutes gobsmacked by the geological formations below, while concentrating hard to hear the pilot’s explanations over the loud, but reassuring noise of the plane’s single engine. All while I was fighting the overwhelming urge to burst out laughing at Jasper in earmuffs.

I was relieved to discover that I’m not the only person who thought Wilpena Pound was a volcanic crater. I learned that the 17 x 8 km bowl is the result of millions of years of erosion which you can clearly see from the seams of layered rock which surround the Pound.

Next stop – our final destination of Kangaroo Island.

Do you think long family road trips are a thing of the past?