• All right, hands up those who know where the
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M1 1 is? Is that it? I am surprised, especially when you consider that the truck industry is full of people who know the highways and byways of Britain like the hack of their hands.
Next, who knows where Basingstoke is? — and "who cares?" is not the correct answer. We do, but it seems Volvo does not.
The latest missive from Volvo Towers in Warwick proudly tells the world of its newest truck dealership in Basingstoke. I quote, "Basingstoke. . . is conveniently located for both the M4 and the Mu l motorways."
Really? Most interesting as a good friend of mine would say. • I had cause to make use of the Rapide service from Haverfordwest to London the other day and getting on the bus at Carmarthen was pleased to find the only seat available on the upper deck was mine. After sitting down I found out why the seat had been left empty. The considerate previous occupant had left a nice puddle of vomit in the middle of the seat and the people who check the buses at Haverfordwest bus station, where the vehicle turns round for the return journey, hadn't found it necessary to clean it up. Well done Rapide! Your "luxury" service really reaches the parts that other companies can't reach. Reach! Geddit?! I've heard of deposits on a suit, but. . . Mi If you thought delays caused by the striking Italian customs officers were serious just spare another thought for all those Italians currently waiting to sit their commercial vehicle licence exams.
Applicants for road tests, including aspiring HGV and PSV drivers, face long delays following the arrests of a hundred officials at the Italian equivalent of the DVLC in Milan and their accomplices up and down the country on charges of widescale corruption.
The arrests, carried out at dead of night, were the latest chapter in a scandal that first came to light at the end of 1986 when the authorities discovered that the Milan office had issued driving licences to people, many from Sardinia and southern regions of Italy, who had failed driving tests on their home ground.
The bearers of these licences had used the addresses of friends and relatives living in the Milan region to qualify for al test there. It was discovered that in some cases the people involved had been nowhere near the test area on the day in question, or resident in the
region long enough to take a course of lessons.
Police have since established there was a black market price list ranging from £1,000 for an HGV licence to 2500 for a taxi and £350 for a private motor car. In addition to corrupt officials in Milan, the racket also involved driving schools, local government officials, who attested to the authority of signatures on licences, and doctors, who issued false medical certificates. . . at a price.
The authorities estimate that something like £50 million changed hands. Now massive search is underway to track down what is believed to be thousands of illegal licences.
• AA Mobile Communications has warned the Hawk about buying second hand car/cab phones. Apparently each phone has its unique electronic serial number whch is only released for reconnection if outstanding debts have been paid by the previous owner. It is very important to ask the seller who the number is registered with then to check that the phone is free to be connected.