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Archive for September, 2015

Funeral Cortege Etiquette: Follow That Hearse

hearse1Nobody likes going to funerals.  For a start off, you’re dealing with having lost someone you knew, or you’re there to support a friend who’s lost someone. Then you have to dress up in smart, dark clothing, head off to a church or chapel that you may not be familiar with, sit on uncomfortable seats and hope like mad that half a billion relatives don’t stand up and give interminable eulogies. Then you’ve got the trip to the graveside, following the hearse.

This procession of cars behind a hearse going from the church/mosque/chapel/synagogue/other significant ceremonial place is known as a cortege. Or cortège if you want the fancy French spelling.  This is supposed to be a stately procession. The idea here is that the hearse leads the way, usually taking the minister/priest/rabbi and the coffin.  The chief mourners (i.e. immediate family) will come next in the procession. To take part in the cortege, set out from the chapel or wherever the funeral was held and follow the hearse. Don’t dawdle.

When you are driving in the cortege, you get to have your headlights on dip during the day (here’s where you hope you can override those automatically dipping headlights). Also don’t forget to turn your headlights off when you get to the cemetery or everybody will get a flat battery. Don’t overtake other people in the procession and let the hearse set the pace.

Well, in most situations, you let the hearse set the pace. At my father-in-law’s funeral, we (a) had quite a long way to go to get to the cemetery, (b) had a hearse with a fairly powerful engine and (c) had a petrol-head vicar who might have been egging the hearse driver on.  I don’t know how fast that hearse was going, but my husband didn’t half have to plant the boot in the Ford Fairmont  we had back then to keep up with the hearse.  Other family members struggled to keep up the pace and one bunch of my in-laws who had a less zesty Honda Odyssey MPV  were Not Impressed.  It would have been a traffic cop’s dream situation: a whole line of people all over the speed limit, quota of speeding tickets filled in one day and a great story about I Clocked A Hearse Doing 120+ To The Cemetery.

What if you are not part of the funeral procession? What’s the best thing to do when you see a long line of cars with their headlights on dip containing drivers in dark suits following a hearse? These days, you probably need to check to make sure that it isn’t just a bunch of car-pooling businesspeople with daytime running lights, but usually the presence of a hearse, children in the car and several cars that are too old to have daytime running lights are a bit of a giveaway.

What you may not know if you see a funeral procession is that you have to give way to it. This means all the cars in the procession. In New South Wales, it’s actually against the law to break into the funeral procession, cut in or otherwise interfere with the smooth process of getting mourners to the graveside on time for the final part of saying goodbye. Even if it wasn’t the law, it’s common decency and respect for others.

You can see why if you can imagine the same situation taking place on foot. If you saw the minister and the pallbearers carrying the coffin on foot along a walkway, followed by black-clad grieving relatives wielding tissues, you wouldn’t overtake them and get into the procession if you were approaching from the rear. (In other words, overtaking Cousin Hannah with all the kids in tow so you walk between her and Cousin Jeff before overtaking Cousin Jeff and Uncle Timothy…) If you were approaching them at right angles, you wouldn’t barge straight on through them, getting in the way.  The same rules of courtesy apply when you are in a car rather than on foot. Dipped headlights are the motoring equivalent of black clothes, tissues and flags at half-mast. Respect them.

Unfortunately, a number of people have reported rude drivers cutting in to funeral processions, either by not giving way to them or by overtaking and interrupting the procession. Obviously, traffic lights don’t count (if the hearse driver has any sense, he/she will drop the speed so other members of the procession can keep up and not get lost.).

If you do lose sight of the rest of the cortege, your phone will come in handy (hands-free if you’re the driver).  Cemeteries are usually located outside central business areas and may involve obscure suburban streets.  Having another relative with the phone on in other cars will help if you do get lost or separated from the rest of the procession. Just don’t forget to turn it off when you get to the cemetery.

If you are not part of the procession, then give way. Pull over and let them pass you if you accidentally find yourself in the middle of a cortege.  Yes, it’s inconvenient and you don’t want to. However, the people in the procession don’t want to be there either and they’re going through a lot more inconvenience than you. If you’re late for a meeting, your clients/boss/co-workers understand (even if it’s a job interview, this might earn you points for courtesy).  Or go around another way if you’re really in a hurry.  Yes, life is busy these days.  But it’s not so busy that you can’t be respectful of other people’s feelings and show some respect.

Have other people had experiences with funeral processions that were interrupted by rude drivers cutting in?  Or any other examples of a cortege that didn’t quite go according to the textbook plan?  Share your stories here.

Safe and happy driving,

Megan http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/moneyman-srochnye-zaimy-online.html

Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Kia Carnival S Petrol.

2016 Kia Carnival S petrolDesigning a people mover for the road is simple: take a box, slap on four wheels and you’re done. But what do you do if you want a truly stylish people mover? Many companies have tried and some have failed. Some have come out with award winners, such as Honda and their Odyssey. To make a BIG people mover look nice is no easy task yet Korea’s Kia have done so with their 2016 Carnival. Carnival is also the vehicle of choice for a company that specialises in producing vehicles for disabled and wheelchair bound people, Automobility.

A Wheel Thing was pencilled in to sample the diesel engined Carnival, however due to an incident with that car, was given the keys to the petrol powered S, the entry level model. It’s an interesting price point, too, for the big car (it’s 5115 mm long) at $41490 as it’s both well featured as standard and just $500 more than the Optima Platinum…2016 Kia Carnival S petrol engine

Kia has fitted the Carnival with a 3.3L V6 and a 2.2L diesel four cylinder, with both available through the four level range. Power and torque from the petrol engine is 206 kW (6000 rpm) and 336 torques, at a high 5200 revs. This contributes to the woeful economy of the petrol powered version, with Kia’s own figures quoting 15.9L of unleaded for every 100 klicks covered in an urban environment, right where the Carnival’s main usage would be. It also explains an 80L fuel tank being fitted. Compare that to 147 kW (3800 rpm) and a more than handy 400 Nm of torque between 1750 and 2500 rpm, with six litres of diesel LESS being consumed over 100 kilometres.2016 Kia Carnival S petrol cabin

Transmission is a six speed auto and it’s one of the best around. Under almost all driving circumstances, gear changes were invisible, with the flick of the rev counter the only indication of a change. It’s responsive, reacting to throttle input instantly and works well enough in hustling the 2048 kg beastie along nicely. There’s plenty of whoa to match the go, with a beautifully weighted pedal feel, with bite on the 320mm/324mm discs, front and rear, as soon as you touch the brake pedal and hauls the Carnival up nicely.

Ride quality surprised, surprised in that it was softer than expected. The S rolls on 17 inch steel wheels, with 235/65 rubber, with that sidewall height accounting for some of it, surely. Driven at appropriate speed over the speed calming bumps locally had the Carnival barely registering their existence. 2016 Kia Carnival S petrol wheelHandling, however, wasn’t compromised, with a surefooted and deft feel to the steering being communicated. Turn in was mostly well balanced, with perhaps too much for some drivers. A Wheel Thing was certainly surprised by the alacrity at which the Carnival responded to a turn of the tiller.

Somehow, Kia’s design team have taken a box and made it look European. Complete with the brand’s “tiger nose” signature, the sweeping headlights and a kick in the window line, the looks bely the length, the near two metre width and 1755 mm height. They’ve engineered in a 11.2 metre turning circle, wonderful for the size.2016 Kia Carnival S petrol front2016 Kia Carnival S petrol rear view

There’s no shortage of interior space, with a 3060 mm wheelbase, even with seating for eight. Kia have spent time and money here as it’s a beautiful place to be and the mechanisms for folding the seats are no more complicated than pulling a lever. There’s not just split folding either, as each seat is individually mounted on rails. There’s aircon controls for the rear and with vents for both middle and rear seats. Family friendly? Oh yes, indeedy. With seats folded and removed, there’s a massive 4022L of space available.2016 Kia Carnival S petrol rear seats2016 Kia Carnival S petrol cargo

All the seats themselves are wonderfully comfortable, especially for the driver and passenger. They also face a simple yet elegant dash, complete with dashboard mounted chiller for SLi and Platinum (the S gets a non chilled unit), a huge centre console storage locker, some of the best ergonomics you’ll see for a family car and a pleasing mix of plastcs, both for tactile and visual looks.2016 Kia Carnival S petrol cooler

Being the entry level model, it’s a small screen for the radio (Really wish the Koreans would do RDS…) and a small display for the dash, with a insert that shows what can be shown further up the range (3.5 inch OLED display for Si and SLi, 7 inch screen for Platinum).2016 Kia Carnival S petrol dash

Being a family car, it’s loaded with safety, with airbags, electronics for driving aids (the Platinum gets the extra toppings like Lane Awareness and Rear Cross Traffic Alert) plus the 7 year unlimited kilometre warranty to sweeten the deal. Lob in 3 USB charging ports and 12V sockets, 14 cup and bottle holders and it’s abundantly clear just how much thought has gone into the Carnival.2016 Kia Carnival S petrol middle row seats

The Wrap.
The U.S. market is fickle, predominantly a 4WD ute or pickup market, yet the Carnival (Sedona in the states) has cut through enough to be named the best minivan. Even with the S being the entry level model, There’s plenty to love about the big people mover, bar the fuel economy for the petrol engine. It’s fun, this Carnival.
For the complete rundown on the range, click here: The incredible 8 seater Kia Carnival.

  http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/oneclickmoney-zaim-na-kartu.html

Equipping The Perfect Parent’s Taxi

Cluttered Mums TaxiIf you have children over school age, you probably have to ferry them around to school, sports, parties, activities and heaps more. What’s more, given our busy schedules these days, it’s usually all done in a rush. Or at least getting everybody into the car with everything they’re supposed to have is done in a rush. Traffic lights and speed limits stop the actual driving being done in a rush.

Oh, the freedom that comes when your teenager gets their P-plate and can take themselves to activities!  Strange that they’re probably thinking the same thing.

However, while the madness is going on, it’s a wise idea to have your car well equipped with everything that you might need. All those family-sized SUVs, station wagons and MPVs come with stacks of storage space, so you may as well take advantage of it and put the stuff you are going to need in into it.  Careful planning will mean that your car and what’s in it will help save your sanity.

The well-equipped Mum’s Taxi or Dad’s Taxi should have the following:

  • Easily stored food that can be fed to small sports players after training who forgot to pack a post-training snack. This helps fend off the whingeing to visit McDonalds and grizzles fuels by low blood sugar.  Dried fruit and nuts store well.  If you have a diabetic in the family, a good supply of barley sugars, jelly beans or little sachets of sugar picked up in cafés are another must.
  • A first aid kit with plenty of sticking plasters. Vital when some kid decides to kill time at the traffic lights by picking off a scab and bleeding all over the place.
  • Paracetamol or aspirin. Make sure it’s the sort that doesn’t need to be taken in water.
  • A spare jacket or sweatshirt, preferably several. Inevitably, there will come a day when it suddenly buckets down with a southerly buster and someone failed to bring warm clothes. Sometimes, that person is you.
  • A few grooming tools – hairbrush or comb and a few hair ties. If you’re really in a hurry in the mornings and you have girls with long hair, the girls can brush their own hair in the car while travelling along. For that matter, so can you (not recommended if one member of the family has headlice).
  • Books to keep the troops amused if you break down or have to wait for ages for the road works. Large thin ones that tuck into back-of-the-seat pockets are easy to store. Have several handy to avoid squabbles.
  • Wipes. For dealing with the blood after putting a bandage on the child who picked off the scab. Also good for cleaning faces.
  • Hand sanitiser. Even if you find a public toilet when some child is busting to pee, said toilet may not have soap. Enough said.
  • A travel potty.  For when you are stuck in traffic on the M1 or Sydney Harbour Bridge or whatever and someone needs to pee.  It sounds disgusting but it’s a lot better than having someone wet their pants, as the smell will linger in the seat for ages. Just remember to empty it at the end of your journey. For Number 1 only, not Number 2.
  • A towel. For cleaning up vomit if someone throws up, for wiping down fogged windscreens, for protecting seats if someone fell into the mud at the park, for folding into a neck support when someone falls asleep, for using as a blanket… If you were into the sci-fi cult classic Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, then you’ll have heard of the usefulness of towels. Like Ford Prefect, know where your towel is. (Question: the alien Ford Prefect in that series adopted that name because these cars were so common on the roads. If the late Douglas Adams was writing his series today, what would he have called this character? Toyota Corolla?).

Safe and happy driving, whether or not you’re on Parent Taxi duty,

Megan http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/otlnal-microzaimi.html

Jaguar Unveils The F-Pace At Frankfurt Motor Show

Iconic British brand, Jaguar, continues its renaissance with the public unveiling of its first SUV, the F-Pace, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Not a brand to be reticent about showing off its new products, the car started its public career by breaking the world record for a car driving a loop-the-loop, with a height at an astonishing 19.08 metres. See the incredible feat here: Jaguar F-Pace record setting loopJaguar F-Pace RS SportTo quote Ian Callum, Jaguar’s head of design, “The Jaguar F-PACE is an SUV with the soul of a sports car.” This was proven, conclusively, with expert British stunt driver Terry Grant at the wheel of the F-Pace in its dramatic unveiling.

To commemorate the release of Jaguar’s first ever SUV, there will be an exclusive run of just 2000 “First Edition” models, with a choice of just two colours, Caesium Blue and Halcyon Gold, and two engines, the 3.0L supercharged petrol V6 provoking the road with a 280 kW/450 Nm output, or the outstanding 700 Nm diesel of the same capacity.Jaguar F-Pace tail light
F-Pace will also offer a 2.0L diesel, with 132 kW and a handy 430 Nm (1750 to 2500 rpm), a 3.0L V6 with a slightly detuned 250 kW with the weight of the F-Pace starting from just over 1800 kg with all variants being of an all wheel drive configuration.

Jaguar quotes a miserly 5.3L of diesel being sipped,in a combined drive cycle, for the entry diesel,from a 60 litre tank. It’ll see 100 kmh in under nine seconds on its way to a 208 kmh top speed. The higher torque diesel will be expecting a 66L tank, 241 kmh top speed and a 0-100 klick time of just over six seconds.
Moving to the 250 kW petrol and Jaguar quotes 5.8 seconds to 100, a 250 kmh top speed and a tick under 9.0L per 100 kms of 98 RON consumed from a 63L tank. The only change from the 280kW V6 is a 5.5 second 100 kmh time.Jaguar F-Pace profile

As one could guess, the F-Pace is loaded with technology. The AWD system employs a transfer case, with multi-plate wet clutch and chain drive, connected to the front axle setup. Normal drive sees all torque delivered to the rear but when called upon,will deliver a 50/50 split in 165 milliseconds. Jaguar says the front differential is the toughest and strongest of any seen in an AWD Jaguar, to the point that if the rear tyres were on polished ice, the system would still put enough torque through the front wheels to pull away, using only the front wheels.Jaguar F-Pace interior

Being seen more and more in off road capable vehicles is electronic programming to adapt to varying road surfaces; Jaguar has the ASR, Adaptive Surface Response, replacing the original Rain/Ice/Snow mode. With the parameters now expanded to cover almost any road or terrain surface, a driver will have a traction system covering light and greasy surfaces through to a measure of deep snow or gravel. Naturally, being a Jaguar, the program leaves the driving to the driver, by switching to the appropriate setting automatically and within four seconds.Jaguar F-Pace Portfolio interior

There’s a Torque Vectoring system, splitting torque between the driven wheels, to back up the ASR, a stereo camera system for the Autonomous Emergency Braking, a 12.3 inch LCD “Virtual Instrument” display for the driver offering four themes and a 3D style navigation display. Lob in the aluminuim chassis, a 2847 mm wheelbase which provides plenty of interior room, an optional four zone climate control system, seat pockets designed specifically for smartphones (plus plenty of charging points), a centre console with a ten inch screen and 60GB solid state hard drive that come under the umbrella name of InControl Touch Pro (including access to Apple and Android devices), a built in wifi hotspot allowing up to eight devices to access, it’s clear that Jaguar isn’t about speed and good looks, there’s family friendly technology on board as well.

Take it for a drive and you’ll be onboard with the Integral Link suspension design; Jaguar have investigated and separated the loading on the suspension, with lateral and longitudinal components specifically engineered to deal with the individual loadings. Allowing softer bushes for the longitudinal loading allow excellent energy absorption and provide a smoother, more quiet ride. Castor stiffness is improved, providing better stability under braking. The steering was re-engineered, with an additional mounting point and by increasing the chassis’ rotational stiffness there’s more of the 22 inch diameter tyre contact patch holding on to the tarmac. Jaguar F-Pace LE S UrbanThe wheels themselves were specifically designed by the Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations division, alongside the 265/40 doughnuts.
Exterior design is pure, classic, Jaguar; from the J shaped LED driving lights, F-Type inspired haunches, tail lights and bonnet vents.Jaguar F-Pace headlight The bold, upright grille and bonnet bulge promise power, assertive attitude, adaptive LED headlights and a full five seater interior tell you immediately that this F-Pace is a Jaguar like no other.

For your first look at the brilliant new F-Pace, click here: Jaguar F-Pace http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/platiza-mgnovenniy-zaim-online.html