Michael McAleeranswers your questions
From Eamon Tierney, Co Wexford:
I was interested in Patrick Moore's letter last week about the need for motorists to move their cars after a minor collision where there is no injury.
The problem is that even if an injury is neither likely nor apparent, it is possible that either party might complain of neck pain or other pain a few hours later, resulting in an unanticipated casualty attendance and subsequent personal injury claim.
On ringing 999 from the crash scene, one is asked whether there is an injury and the answer to this should be that one is uncertain and that an injury is a possibility.
It is important therefore that the Garda should be called to all collisions in anticipation of this type of late-onset pain and secondly that the cars should not be moved pending the arrival of the Garda.
You highlight the problems that arise with potential litigation following crashes, but in relation to very minor incidents, where the problem relates to low-speed minor scrapes to the bodywork, it would seem to be a sensible alternative to take photos of the scene and then clear the road for other motorists.
From Richard Dixon:
We're expecting triplets and the logistics of moving them about are the cause of some debate.
Our current car - an 05 Nissan Primera - won't do the job. It just will not hold three baby seats plus two adults and all the added extras.
So, we're now looking for a used seven seater. We have a budget of around €20,000. Ease of access to the rear of the vehicle is (obviously enough) important, and a decent-sized boot to hold the triple buggy. Diesel is probably more economic, but we're open to persuasion. Any suggestions?
Last week we discussed the diesel issue in detail, so you would need to work out your average annual mileage to decide if diesel is a viable option for you.
For €20,000 you should be able to pick up a 2004/2005 people carrier without too much trouble, and I would point you towards two vehicles in particular: the Citroën Xsara Picasso and the Opel Zafira. You could certainly get a two-year-old 1.6-litre Picasso with good specification for that sort of money.
It offers plenty of rear space, easy access to the back for loading in the children, and a decent boot. It's also easy to park in town.
The Zafira has long been one of our favourite people carriers and it will accommodate three baby seats in the back and a sizeable boot, provided you are not using the third-row of seats. Again you could pick up a range of engine options for your budget. I would opt for the 1.8-litre if you find a suitable one for sale.
From A O'Mara:
What is the best rated city car for emissions? I just need a small car to commute to work - there is no public transport available - but I don't want to destroy the planet in the process. Any ideas?
Volkswagen's new Polo Blue Motion 1.4-litre has a rating of just 99g/km and will be launched in Ireland in August next year. It's spacious, and from the statistics we have on it - with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 12.8 seconds - would seem pretty nippy as well.
VW is also claiming a fuel figure of over 70mpg, though we'll wait to test it before confirming that. Certainly the package as claimed by VW seems very enticing.
If you don't want to wait that long, then you could try the smaller cars like the Toyota Aygo or Peugeot 107 - both with ratings of 104g/km.
From B Brant:
As a visitor to your country recently I was surprised by the number of speed bumps in operation, in particular the system of intermittent bumps across the road, as if they were not quite finished.
I found the full speed bumps were very severe on my rental car, while the intermittent ones - with gaps between two or three mounds - simply forced drivers to swerve and slalom rather than slow down.
At home in Spain, we have overcome speeding traffic in towns by using speed sensitive traffic lights that turn red if an approaching car is detected to be exceeding the limit. Might this not be a better idea for Ireland?
Speed sensitive traffic lights are also used in Britain. They are a much better system of slowing traffic, but the cost greatly exceeds that of a few cement speed bumps, so I guess councils would not be too keen on introducing them everywhere. We do have a big problem with speed bumps in Ireland, and many exceed the legal height for such ramps. What's needed is better enforcement of the rules regarding speed bumps rather than more investment in traffic lights.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, Tara St, Dublin 2, or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie