Woman still hasn't passed her test after spending £5,000 on more than 250 lessons over 14 years

Janine Mars, 31, has spent more than £5,000 on 250 lessons over a 14-year period, She has been through five different driving instructors, despite the intensive instruction, Ms Mars is still unable to pull away from a junction without stalling her car.

She said, now the situation is so bad, she cannot find an instructor near her home in Chatham, Kent, willing to take her because of her poor motoring skills.

It is estimated that during her driving lessons, Ms Mars has driven the equivalent of a road trip between London and Perth in Australia.

Ms Mars said: 'Every year since 2001, passing my driving test has been my New Year’s resolution.

'I took a break after my last test in October but I want to do an intensive week course.

'I reckon that’s the only way I can pass now.

'The last time I tried to get an instructor in Kent nobody would take me because they know how bad I am.

'It’s as if I’ve been blacklisted. I don’t blame them though!'

Despite her inability to pass her test, Ms Mars has never had an accident and believes her problem is a lack of confidence.

'Driving doesn’t come naturally to me. I can’t quite master using both legs and hands at different times. I’ve had the same problem for the last 14 years.

'I’ve never had a crash or accident. Everything will be going really well, calm driving, and then suddenly I fall to pieces. It might only be a minor thing, like I miss a junction or turn, and I’ll be thrown completely off course.

'Everyone tells me I’ll get over that - but 250 lessons later and I’m still waiting.'

'Maybe I’m just one of those people born to be driven. I’m fed up of planning my life around train and bus timetables too. It takes almost twice as long as driving. My mum has promised to go halves on a new car once I pass so that’s even more of an incentive.'

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One camera dishes out 1,600 fines in just ONE MORNING

Shortly 1,600 people will get Fines in the post for being caught speeding through roadworks on the M6 on Tuesday 10th March.  The fines will generate upwards of £160k for the government.

The camera in question is located  on the M6 at junction 17, the speed limit has been lowered to 50mph on that stretch while roadworks are carried out.

NW Motorway Police tweeted: “The speed cameras on the M6 J17 in the road works are working, the limit is 50mph. In one morning 1600 offences have been recorded. #noticket”

Ferrari 458 Seized after driver found to have no driving licence

This £200,000, 200mph was seized after police found out that the driver didn't have a valid driving licence. The grey Ferrari 458 was stopped on the M40 near Bicester, Oxfordshire, after a member of the public reported a sports car driving over the speed limit.

The driver - who was using a German number plate was reported to Thames Valley police and taken to the 'nearest point of safety'.

First officially unveiled in 2009, the Ferrari 458 packs a direct fuel-injection V8 engine capable of producing 458 horsepower, taking it from 0-62mph in less than three seconds. The car, which has a top speed of 202mph, was decorated with a novelty bumper sticker pronouncing it an 'official speed camera testing vehicle'. It was last spotted being loaded onto a flatbed truck for the long, slow journey to the car pound.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: 'The Ferrari was pulled over at about 9.15am this morning by junction 9 on the M40 on the northbound carriageway. 'The driver had no licence so the car was seized and he was reported for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. 'We used a recovery vehicle and he was dropped off at the nearest point of safety. I believe it was a Ferrari 458 with a German number plate.'It was pulled over after a report that a sports car was driving quite quickly. We do not know if this was the same vehicle that was reported for speeding.' Officers will now carry out a background check on the driver before deciding on their next course of

Bristol mayor who fronted 20mph scheme is caught speeding

George Ferguson, the mayor of Bristol who spearheaded a £2.3m project to implement 20mph zones across his city has been caught speeding doing 35mph in a 30mph zone

Ferguson, who usually drives an electric-powered car or rides a bicycle, was behind the wheel of a Bristol city council fleet car at the time. He was clocked speeding on the A4 Portway road by Avon and Somerset police.

In a statement issued through the council, Ferguson described the offence as an inexcusable mistake and said he would be paying the £100 penalty charge.

“I am shocked to have just discovered I exceeded the speed limit on the Portway last month ... on one of the rare occasions when I have had to use a council fleet car.

“It serves as a sharp warning to me and goes to show that I am no exception to the rule. I am only too aware of the dangers of exceeding speed limits and commend the Avon and Somerset police for their vigilance.

“I have blemished an otherwise clean licence and shall be paying the penalty charge willingly from my own pocket.”

Ferguson became Bristol’s first directly elected major in 2012 and is an advocate of a 20mph pilot scheme run by the council.

The council voted in July 2012 to bring in the 20mph speed limit throughout Bristol in a six-phase scheme costing £2.3m. All roads except dual carriageways, 40mph and 50mph roads are considered for the 20mph speed limit, which applies to all motorised vehicles on the road.

Speaking at the time of the rollout, Ferguson said: “The new speed limit is part of a number of measures that we are introducing that will help to promote road safety, improve traffic flow, support sustainable transport and active travel and help to make Bristol a more positive place to live and work.

“We realise that the change in speed limit will take a little getting used to but I know from my own experience how little impact the reduction in speed will have on journey times.”

Warning over drug-driving law and prescribed medication

People who have been prescribed powerful anxiety or pain relief drugs are being warned about a new drug-driving law.

The new legislation will includes some prescription medicines.The limit levels for which are set above  prescribed doses so most patients should still be safe to drive. Those who are unsure are advised to seek the advice of a pharmacist.

The new law, was introduced 2 March 2015 in England and Wales, aims to catch those who put the lives of others at risk while driving under the influence of drugs.

It sets very low levels for eight well known illegal drugs, including cannabis and cocaine, but also includes eight prescription drugs, where the levels have been set much higher.

Prescription drugs covered by the new law

• Clonazepam (seizures or panic disorder)
• Diazepam (anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms or muscle spasms)
• Flunitrazepam (AKA Rohypnol is a sedative) 
• Lorazepam (convulsions or seizures caused by epilepsy)
• Oxazepam (relieve anxiety, including anxiety caused by alcohol withdrawal)
• Temazepam ( insomnia problems)
• Methadone (heroin addiction and for pain relief)
• Morphine (moderate to severe pain)

Robert Goodwill MP, Road Safety Minister, says as long as they stay within prescribed levels, most people will still be able to get behind the wheel of a car.

"If you are taking your medicine as directed and your driving is not impaired, then you are not breaking the law and there is no need to worry," he said.

"We advise anyone who is unsure about the effects of their medication or how the new legislation may affect them, to seek the advice of their doctor or pharmacist.

"There will also be a medical defence if a driver has been taking medication as directed and is found to be over the limit but not impaired.

"Drivers who are taking prescribed medication at high doses [are advised] to carry evidence with them, such as prescriptions slips, when driving in order to minimise any inconvenience should they be asked to take a test by the police."

Ed Morrow, campaigns officer for road safety charity Brake said the organisation strongly welcomed the new drug-diving law.

"This much-needed progressive move by government will make it much easier for police to deal with illegal drug-drivers," he said.

"We are confident that the necessary measures are in place to ensure drivers who take prescription medication are not unfairly penalised.

"However, many prescription medications can have a negative effect on your ability to drive safely, and there is a worrying lack of awareness of this among the public."

Man Abandons Wheel Of Speeding Minibus To Dance

Engaging in another activity while you are driving is incredibly dangerous. So you will probably find it hard to believe that one man thought it was okay to abandon the driving wheel of the mini bus that he was driving entirely to engage in a dance all while the vehicle sped on.

The dance is called the “horon,” a traditional dance in Turkey’s Black Sea region, had gone viral. The driver can be seen briefly leaving the driver seat of a moving vehicle to perform the dance. Turkish authorities who watched the video identified the man as Metin Kandemir, a driver in Istanbul’s Sultanbeyli neighborhood, where the viral video was shot in his minibus by one of the passengers.

Astonishingly, the man has been let go with a just a fine of 160 Turkish Liras and suspension of his driving license. Speaking to the media, the man apologized for his act.

£40,000 speeding ticket for going 14mph over limit

Finnish authorities take a very dim view of speeding, as they demonstrated when they fined one driver a staggering £40,000 for going just 14mph over the limit.

The huge  sum was demanded because in Finland, fines for speeding are scaled up according to the wealth of the law-breaker. 

Unfortunately for this businessman  who was caught travelling at 64mph in a 50mph zone he is a multi-millionaire and the authorities took a peek at his tax return.

Reima Kuisla's tax return showed that he earned 6.5m euros (£4.72m) a year, so they dished out a 54,000 euro fine, the Iltalehti newspaper reported.

The fine has a logic to it, but Mr Kuisla complained bitterly on his Facebook page about the sum he was asked to hand over posting a picture of the ticket and saying: ‘Finland is impossible to live in for certain kinds of people who have high incomes and wealth. I’m considering leaving the country.’

However, sympathy levels in Finland for his plight have been fairly low. One user wrote on the Iltalehti website: ‘He should stop complaining and hang his head in shame instead.’