TOPS NEWS JULY 2009

Cornwall County Council sent 4 people to conduct a survey of traffic in a pedestrian precinct in St Austell.

Peter Morley’s Range Rover was stolen from the April VSCC Oulton Park paddock, while he was racing.

In his capacity as President of the Conseil General of the Yvelines departement Pierre Bedier agreed to finance the construction of the new French Grand Prix circuit at Flins.  However, Bedier has been fighting a conviction on corruption charges.  He was prosecuted and found guilty but lost his appeal.  He therefore lost his job but it may be too late to stop the F1 project, as the money has been voted and budgeted.

Michael Cook was arrested, fingerprinted, DNA swabbed, photographed and put in a police cell for 3 hours because the DVLA thought his MOT certificate was too pale a green.

The AA has warned tourists about the dangers of hiring cars in the Mediterranean area where many were found to be unsafe. 

RM auctions beat its previous record for the ‘most expensive motor car ever to be sold at auction’ by 1,980,000 euros in Maranello in May, with the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa selling for 9,020,000 euros. 

During the Pau touring car race the Safety Car was sent out from the pit lane but the marshal on duty failed to check the circuit was clear and the leader crashed into it causing a huge amount of debris including scattered doors.  More collisions followed and so the French decided to continue as if nothing had happened…………..

Lambeth council contractors lifted up Ruth Ducker’s VW Golf, painted double yellow lines under it and then towed it away and demanded £840.  It took 2 months for the council to admit what had happened and by then fines had piled up to £2,240.  After intervention by MP Kate Hoey, Lambeth Council eventually waived the fine and offered £150 compensation.

Blind Birmingham man George Day’s protests were ignored when police officers arrested him for motoring offences.  The police did not apologise for their error.

Police have wasted £1 million in the last 3 years  by using the wrong pump in petrol stations.  The repair bill has averaged £6,500 a week with 4 cars a day requiring engines to be flushed of the wrong fuel.  The worst offender was London's Met, whose bill was £194,212 in 3 years for 671 incorrect fuel fills.   

Andy Waite, bought a Mk 1 Golf for £50 - but spent £60,000 on modifications. After installing a custom-built turbocharged engine, his VW can now do 0-60 mph in 2.36 seconds which he claims is slightly faster than the Veyron Bugatti.

General Motors has agreed to sell Saab, originally part of the aircraft company, to Swedish sports car maker Koenigsegg –  known for building super fast cars although there is a speed limit in Sweden of 60 mph.

Rolls-Royce is consulting lawyers after the Chinese launched the Geely GE, a copycat car, including a winged mascot and huge radiator grill, for just £30,000.

A drunk German sparked a slow-speed police chase after stealing a tractor to get home from a nightclub.  Six police cars began trailing the tractor, which was chugging along at 12 mph, at 5 a.m.  Officers tried holding up Stop signs, directing pepper spray through the open window and throwing nail belts on the road, but the tractor's tyres were too thick. Eventually they shot the tyres after it rammed into a police car and collided with another vehicle.

During the Mille Miglia someone in the crowd fired some kind of fire cracker at the cars, shattering the windscreen of a Lancia Aurelia leaving Francesca Boni and Giulia Gavazzi with severe facial injuries.  Francesca had fragments of glass and gunpowder removed from her eye.  

Holidaymakers visiting the Costa del Sol should not expect to pick up a car at the airport without prior reservation say rental companies.

Robert Caton drove his Rolls-Royce through a Tesco superstore window in Andover after the company delivered a bed without a mattress and later refused to serve him alcohol.  He was arrested for attempted murder.

The boundary between the Walsall Council land and the housing association land runs straight through the middle of some potholes. So the council only repaired half of the holes allowing water to gather in the other half…………………...

Max Mosley says he will not stand again as FIA president and wants Jean Todt to succeed him.  Ari Vatanen will also stand.

The management of Nürburgring GmbH says that it will not be hosting the German GP next year, and with Hockenheim having lost its support from the local government, the future of the race is in doubt.

Yves Giraud-Cabantous drove the Talbot Lago being offered For Sale by Bonhams - however they think he was two men Giraud and Cabantous……………..

Benz & Cie and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft did not formally merge until June 28, 1926,  they then agreed that all factories would use the name Mercedes-Benz on their cars.  However RM Auctions are offering a 1910 Mercedes-Benz Town Car in their October auction flyer.

An abridged version of TOPS NEWS (sent to members) edited by Trisha Pilkington