The European Union has been meddling in UK affairs again. All NEW vehicles now have to have daytime running lights fitted. This comes despite British government objections.

The Eurocrats have exempted existing vehicles from these rules and there is no law to say the lights have to be actually switched on.

However, it is amazing how many ignorant UK drivers currently leave their optional daytime running lights switched on all the time.

If you drive around all day with your headlights on, you use more petrol as your car engine works harder to recharge your battery!

DON'T LET POTHOLE COUNCILS GET AWAY WITH IT

It is estimated that there are about two million of them. They are lethal and their whereabouts can take you by surprise.

We are talking about potholes, the blight of classic car motoring.

There is already a £9.5 billion council road maintenance backlog but drivers do have certain weapons at their disposal, so follow our simple guide:-

If you see a bad pothole, note its location, photograph it if you can and tell the local authority, keeping a copy of your Email or letter. Some councils have template forms on their websites. Once a council knows about a dangerous pothole, it is duty bound to deal with it.

If you hit a pothole and damage your car, note the exact location and, again, photograph the pothole and the damage. Ripped tyres are the most common. Keep all paperwork that relates to repairs.

If the damage isn't visible - such as a suspension problem or dislocated alignment of the steering, go to a garage, get your car repaired and a report prepared.

Some arrogant councils make a point of refusing to pay when a claim is made. But a local authority can only legitimately reject claims if it did not know about the pothole and can show that it is thorough in inspecting its roads.

That is why if you have previously reported a pothole, and later damage your car on the same one, provided you can prove you have reported it, the council do not have a leg to stand on.

If a council pillock says they have no money to repair the potholes, this is no excuse. It is also not true as the government has earmarked an extra £100 million to give to councils to deal with this problem.

For further info, look at www.potholes.co.uk - this gives advice of how to make a claim.

'EXEMPT CLASSICS FROM MOT TEST' says MP

Vintage and classic cars manufactured before 1960 should be exempt from MOT testing says an influential MP.

Greg Knight, the MP for East Yorkshire and Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group is calling for the law to be changed to exempt classic cars manufactured before 1960 from having to face an annual MOT test.

Mr Knight said, "Accidents involving historic vehicles are extremely rare. Having to have an annual MOT test for a vehicle which may only travel 100 miles in a year is an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle".

Although the government has recently ruled out any change in the frquency of MOTs, they have not yet decided on the classics issue. If Mr Knight's proposals are accepted by the Government, owners will still be required to ensure that their pre-1960 cars are safe, roadworthy and in a proper condition to be on the road. Mr Knight also says that any exemption should not relate to historic vehicles that are used commercially.

The government are expected to make a decision on this issue before the end of May 2012.

IS A GARAGE GOOD FOR A CLASSIC CAR?

One of our members recently asked if a garage was 'good' for a car. He wondered whether a wet car put in a cold garage would cause the car to deteriorate more quickly than it would if left outside.

There is evidence to say that you shouldn’t close a garage door on a wet car. If your garage is wet too, there is a chance that residual heat from the engine and exhaust will dry it out, but you have to leave the door open for the damp air to exit. Close the door and the car will sweat.

The answer: dry your car off before you put it away.

CHARGED ?

European electric car charging standards have been agreed, with the European motor industry agreeing on a common system for charging any electric car across Europe.

The ACEA, the automobile manufacturers' trade association, wants one type of plug to become standard for all electric cars.

However, it is not just about agreeing on using the same plug; it is also a matter of how much electricity should be pumped through it, and how fast this should be done.

Some electric cars have batteries designed to be charged slowly using ordinary household plugs, others to charge quickly using dedicated fast chargers.

However, electric motoring is likely to remain in the minority compared with cars powered by petrol or diesel engines.

"Most stakeholders assume a realistic market share for electrically chargeable vehicles in the range of 3% to 10% of new sales by 2020 to 2025," the ACEA predicted.

Never mind electric cars, here at the club we are still waiting, after 20 years, for mobile phone manufacturers to agree a common type of phone charging plug!!

'Greed Cameras' in Humberside

In Humberside, a plethora of speed camera pull-ins in tarmac have been constructed on the A614, the A165 and the A166. These locations are not, as you might think, on dangerous stretches, but are where the road is straight and you might just be tempted to stray over the speed limit.

The Humberside mobile camera money-grubbers frequently set up their operations on Sunday when unsuspecting day-trippers are on their way home.

'Thanks for visiting us....you're nicked.' appears to be their message.