Michael McAleer answers your queries
From David Marsh, Dublin:
I've heard many stories about women's tights saving the day when there's fan belt trouble. Are they true?
Yes and no. The trick used to work on older cars and even featured in a stocking company's advertising. But nylon is no longer up to the demands of the modern engine. It's too smooth and will simply slip.
From Sean Power, Co Limerick:
Why are we warned at filling stations not to use mobile phones? If there is a law, it's widely flouted.
All forecourts have warnings but the risks are little more than theoretical.
Mobile phones can produce a spark when turned on or when they get a call but the chances of this igniting any fumes have never been proven.
From Jim Robbins, Co Cork:
As a motorist, I'm angered by the number of cyclists I see going around listening to Walkmans. Surely this is against the law? How could they possibly be aware of traffic around them?
It's not illegal but Alan Richardson of the National Safety Council is appalled by the practice which does seem widespread. "Cyclists have duties as road users too and, by listening to personal stereos, they don't have have proper concentration. This deprives them of reaction time. The fact is they can't hear anything. I would have thought it was a matter of common sense particularly when they have so little protection."
From Robert Corbett, Co Galway:
Has anybody noticed that we don't have zebra crossings any more in Irish cities and towns? They are still very much a feature of British cities and in continental Europe. Is there some reason for their disappearance? I'd have thought they provided a haven for many pedestrians who have to cross busy streets.
We actually hadn't noticed but now that you have mentioned it, we agree - the white and black zebra isn't very familiar any more. We asked the country's biggest local authority, Dublin City Council, for an explanation. Tim O'Sullivan, executive manager of the roads and traffic department, appears to concede that zebra crossings are in decline largely because they rely on motorists yielding to pedestrians. "The Department of Transport traffic management guidelines advise that they can be used where speeds are low, traffic volumes moderate and roads reasonably narrow," he says. "Dublin City Council removed most such crossings several years ago in response to changing conditions, but we do consider them of potential use in appropriate locations."
From James Plunkett, Cork city:
I'm confused having read stories in the British motoring press about a new Toyota Corolla. Has this happened here? Can you also tell me if the Corolla is the best-selling car in the world? I always thought it was VW's Golf followed by the Beetle.
An improved version of the Corolla was launched this spring by Toyota Ireland but the company stresses that it didn't amount to a new generation. The honeycomb grille has been replaced with a chrome effect and there have been specification improvements.
While Toyota claim the Corolla as the world's best-selling car, most motor industry analysts would disagree. The Golf and the Beetle both maintained a basic shape which evolved with each new generation whereas new Corollas were manifestly different from their predecessors. It's only the name that represents the continuity.
Corolla as a badge has been around for an incredible 40 years. There have been nine generations and 28 million have been sold. Last year alone, 1.2 million were registered worldwide. The Corolla was first introduced here in 1973 when its biggest competitor was the Ford Cortina.
From Jim Powell, Co Louth:
While staying in France, some friends showed me radar- operated traffic lights in their town. Basically the lights change to red if a vehicle approaches at more than the urban limit of 50km/h. It's simple, it works and is far better surely than our traffic- calming humps. It encourages people to drive smoothly within the posted limit and doesn't cause any problems for emergency vehicles such as ambulances or fire tenders.
It sounds like a good idea: maybe Minister Brennan has already heard about it. It would involve spending money but wouldn't be a revenue-raiser, so there may be limited appeal. We understand that Spain had this system about 20 years ago.
From James Ryan, Dublin:
Motoring 40 years ago we had column- mounted gear shifts and bench seats, in cars such as the Ford Consul, Zodiac and Zephyr. Why can't we have column- shifts today? What was the last car to offer it here?
It would be impractical for many safety reasons like, for instance, accommodating seat belts and their anchorages. The last car we recall with a column change was the Renault 16TS and TL but other readers may have different recollections.
Send your queries to
Motors Help Desk, The Irish Times, Fleet Street, Dublin 2 - or e-mail them to motorshelp@irish-times.ie