AA warns of automated penalties

DRIVERS are still suffering a year on from the time most wheelclampers were banned from operating in private car parks, according to the AA. Twelve months on, parking enforcement firms are reaping large sums from issuing automated "penalty" tickets. The AA said that while Communities Minister Eric Pickles is reining in local authorities who over-zealously use CCTV, private parking operators now rely heavily on this technology and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to watch drivers and issue tickets through the post when they put a foot wrong in parking areas.

Parade of Woodward Dream Cruise classics gets underway

Friday marked the final prelude of the 17th annual Woodward Dream Cruise but pre-event festivities have been underway for days throughout suburban Detroit. A lights-and-sirens cruise graced the streets of Ferndale, Mich., during late afternoon, while an emergency-vehicle show ran through the evening; live DJs set up to play through the day and night in Pontiac, Mich.; a classic-car parade lit up the streets in the nearby suburb of Berkley; and classic-car displays have now claimed much of the pavement in Royal Oak. Among local car enthusiasts participating in the week-long buildup to the Woodward Dream Cruise, Kathy Lang and her husband have been set up with their 1964 Dodge Polara in the Royal Oak vicinity since Monday.

2010 Astra – the advert

Vauxhall / Opel are pushing the boat out with an advert for the 2010 Astra The 2010 Astra – whether it’s an Opel or a Vauxhall - is a very big deal for GM in Europe. So it’s probably just as well that it’s got a lot going for it. There’s something for everyone from the entry level Astra (the Exclusiv 1.4i) with 86bhp and a decent spec which includes Aircon, to the replacement for the old Astra 1.8 SRi – the SRi 1.4 Turbo.