Business Diary: May 3

Commercial drivers are being warned against over reliance on sat-navs after new research showed that fleet drivers concentrate on the road just one third of the time.

The Fuelcard Company claims that while satellite navigation systems have transformed life for commercial drivers, the devices tempt motorists to rely solely on the directions and pay no attention to road signs.

According to The Fuelcard Company, one of the worst sat-nav trouble spots is the North Yorkshire village of Crackpot.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A number of sat nav systems have sent vehicles up a steep, unclassified road.

It appears that visitors to Crackpot have had more faith in their Tom Tom than the actual road signs as they ignored the “no through road” warning sign and even a five-bar gate showing that the road should not be used.

Despite this motorists have carried on and it’s now a regular sight to see friendly local farmers on tractors helping them out.

While visitors to Crackpot might be forgiven as the village is not exactly on the beaten trap, you would think a coach party containing 60 school children might find their way to Hampton Court Palace, but oh no.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The eight-year-olds missed out on their trip when their bus driver delivered them to a side street in North London.

At one stage a teacher bought a map to try to find the real Hampton Court Palace, but the trip was abandoned after a wasted seven-hour drive.

But perhaps the funniest sat-nav blunders have happened abroad.

Two Swedish holidaymakers on their way to the beautiful Italian island of Capri went 400 miles off course to the industrial northern town of Carpi after they misspelled their destination.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman for the Carpi regional government said: “It’s hard to understand how they managed it. I mean, Capri is an island.

“They were surprised, but not angry. They got back in the car and started driving south.”

A group of UK tourists on a Christmas shopping trip to Lille ended up in a Belgian village of the same name 100 miles away after their driver chose the Belgian village over the French one.

The detour meant the shoppers had just two hours to make their purchases before the shops shut.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jakes de Kock, sales and marketing director at The Fuelcard Company, said this lack of attention is a real concern and should be tackled by fleet companies head-on.

“Communication devices are essential for the business driver and the sat-nav in particular has revolutionised fleet operations.

However, we are developing a worrying over-reliance on this technology which is all too often overriding common sense and undermining road safety.

Drivers should never follow their sat-nav blindly and always pay attention to road signs which deliver important safety warnings, such as road or lane closures, which cannot be picked up by satellite navigation systems.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fuel cards are used to pay for petrol, diesel and other fuels at filling stations.

Eye surgery specialist Ultralase is on the lookout for sponsorship for its latest charity fundraiser as a team of employees parachute from 15,000 ft, allowing a freefall at speeds of 120mph until the parachute is deployed at 5,000 ft.

The Leeds-based company is hoping the challenge will help it to reach its target of raising £27,000 for Vision Aid Overseas by February 2012.

Last year the company tackled the 15 Welsh peaks that stand over 3,000 ft in aid of Vision Aid Overseas.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The £27,000 target would allow Ultralase to build and establish a vision centre in Uganda, providing access to eye care for people who without it would be unable to lead a normal life.

Ultralase said 10 per cent of the world’s population do not have the glasses they desperately need because of the lack of eyecare services available.

For donations visit www.justgiving.com/Ultralase-VAO

Related topics: