Tuesday, January 14, 2014

VW Kombi to disappear. Nothing Scooby Do can do

Few vehicles have ever defined the image of the "white van" as successfully as the VW Kombi. For although these iconic vehicles are more familiar in two-tone incarnations – think orange and white or green and white – there have also been, over the years, countless all-white models of the VW Kombi.
But for the lucky white van insurance holders who own a pristine white VW Kombi, the time has come to really reconsider just what time of insurance they will be seeking – white van insurance or vintage van insurance. This is because Volkswagen has announced that finally, after 63 years, it is to stop producing the vehicle.

Actually, European safety laws forced VW to cease production of the Kombi in Germany during 1979, so for 25 years all new Kombis have come from Brazil. However, even that country has had to embrace a safer future in which anti-lock braking and air bags are compulsory, and, unfortunately, the Kombi just can't comply.

Even though we understand why this must be so, there is a sad inevitability about the way the free-loving, free-spirited, and unconventional Kombi should eventually meet its fate.
But for those who do already own a Kombi, this perhaps represents good news. It is likely that their vehicles will now appreciate in value, while the rest of us who don't own one can only sit back and dream before getting back behind the wheel of our Transit vans.

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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Tesco van driver saved from floodwaters

It seems no one in the UK is safe from the effects of flooding, whether or not they're near the coast.
The recent bad weather has led to homes being vacated, trees being downed, and roads becoming impassable due to deep water all over the country.

And it's not just the general public who have been struggling, companies and organisations are also feeling the strain, with many trying to fix the damage or attempting to deliver goods as usual.
Large and small business van insurance policyholders have been affected – with some unable to send products to certain stores, small village shops struggling to re-stock, and home deliveries being delayed or even cancelled.

For example, one Tesco delivery van driver needed rescuing from floodwaters on the Cumbria coast yesterday between Allonby and Silloth, right next to the Irish Sea.
At about three in the afternoon, the man was attempting the drive to a customer's house along a road adjacent to the beach when his vehicle became caught in floodwaters caused by the rain and 15-20ft high waves.

The police, fire and ambulance service, as well as the coastguard all attended the scene to get the driver and his van to safety. They managed to successfully tow the stranded motorist to the village of Mawbray. The man was not hurt during the incident.

A spokesperson for the Cumbria police states, "Officers from the police and other agencies are working hard to keep the public safe, and ask the public to help them do this by obeying road signs and taking no unnecessary risks."

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