DIY Maintenance fail
Recent research by Haynes, the eminent publisher of the DIY workshop manuals, has uncovered that one in three drivers would fail their theory test, if they were expected to take the examination without any prior notice. While my road safety colleagues would be horrified at this seemingly widespread lack of road law awareness, I am ...read more
Happy Valentines Day
I WONDER WHAT jaw-dropping headlines will grace the newspapers this Valentine’s Day. What will be revealed in the latest love surveys? What will we find out about our other halves? Do 46% of men really care about their cars more than their girlfriends? No doubt all will be revealed when the big day arrives. A ...read more
Are we tiring of Diesel?
Arising from the numerous technical enquires, received from GEM members, there appears to be mounting dissatisfaction with modern diesel cars. The blocking of diesel particulate filters (DPF) seems to be the main gripe. While this system acts as a ‘soot filter’, to prevent unburnt diesel particulates from entering the atmosphere, infinite quantities cannot be held ...read more
Guess the car
Last month’s competition drew a wide variety of answers, from Jaguars to Rovers. Ultimately, many people drew clues from the clock and stereo and gave the correct answer of a Ford Escort Ghia, Mark Six. The car pictured dated from 1995. This month’s obscured car was spotted by the editor of Good Motoring Magazine, while ...read more
The unsung motorcycle blood courier heroes
All about the volunteers who transport vital blood and milk supplies to UK hospitals A lot of organisations, coast guards and mountain rescue teams among them, have been referred to as the ‘fourth emergency service’ over the years. And perhaps we should apply the same term to an organisation called SERV. The men and women ...read more
New study shows women are better at parking
AT LAST, GEM can offer the definitive answer to a question that has dogged humanity for decades: who are better at parking – men or women? One stereotype had spawned countless jokes – and became a truth universally acknowledged by men across the land – women were the less proficient gender when it came to ...read more
Real Life Road Safety: Heading for Trouble
JACKIE BELL, 41, was stopped by a police officer as she joined a motorway in the south of England. She had been exceeding a temporary speed limit and was not wearing a seatbelt. She was driving a four-year-old, 1.2-litre company car. Jackie explained that she covers 600-700 miles per week. Her job involves emptying pub ...read more
‘Appy news: GEM Motoring Assist wins App of the Week
It’s always nice to get some recognition for the work we do to improve road safety, so we were delighted to win this week’s Auto Express ‘App of the Week’. Many of the members we provide breakdown cover to can already vouch for the extra reassurance and expert assistance this app provides them with. The ...read more
GEM announces latest competition winners
***Update: our twitter followers have shot up to 1000! We are very proud and excited and will try hard to keep you all entertained! Congratulations to our 1000th follower Adelle Blake @_AdelleB_ who wins a whole years’ free breakdown cover. Follow GEM on Twitter and win breakdown cover There are many advantages of following us on ...read more
Guess the car
The first competition of the year sees us staying inside but within which car are we sitting? Following the healthy response to last month’s competition, many people guessed Triumph Dolomite Sprint. The answer is almost correct; the pictured car lacked the front spoiler, making it a stock Triumph Dolomite.