Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt Mike Waters' blog: 12 June 2013 - Location, location, location
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Mike Waters' blog: 12 June 2013 - Location, location, location

Date: 12 June 2013

Mike Waters is senior insight & consultancy manager at leasing and fleet management company Arval

If you read the press on a regular basis, from time-to-time you will come across some great little snippets of news that are not only entertaining but also hard to believe - and relevant to drivers.

The best one from recent memory was an article that came with some amazing images of thrill-seeking motorists, so keen to get close to an erupting volcano in Iceland that they parked their vehicles at its base (in the path of flowing lava) to get a good look.

I have seen drivers in the UK take some risks when it comes to parking, but getting that close to a volcano spilling 1,200-degree molten lava takes things to a whole new level.

Erupting volcanoes don't tend to be an issue in the UK, but bad parking often is and it can cost you money unnecessarily.

At a time when most drivers are watching the pennies, and taking a prudent approach to everything that they do, parking related costs provide an example spend that tends to be avoidable.

If you get caught parking illegally you only have yourself to blame. I say that with the caveat that I have seen a number of examples where drivers have been unfairly penalised, in which instance I would advise you to appeal.

But in general terms, most drivers that get caught do so because they are parking somewhere that they shouldn't. The result is often a fine.

There are also drivers who don't think very hard about where they park. It is infuriating to stick your vehicle in a space, only to return to it and someone has damaged it.

Not only is it dishonest, it can be expensive to fix. It's really hard to avoid this kind of damage altogether, but there are mitigating steps that you can take.

First is try and keep within the space - leave you car jutting out and you are asking for someone to clip it or open their door onto your car.

Likewise, don't park next to old bangers - it is unlikely that the driver cares about another scratch or a dent on their vehicle so will not be as careful in their manoeuvring.

Finally, not leaving your vehicle anywhere where it might be at risk should be a given but the amount of cars I see parked close to junctions or roundabouts suggests otherwise.

This is all basic stuff but in these times of austerity, any chance that you have to reduce your vehicle related costs you must take. 



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