are we going to be financially browbeaten into accepting black boxes?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 233
  • Start date Start date
If they're that bothered about speeding, why not insist that the black boxes electronically limit the car to the relevant speed limit that the car is in at the time rather than looking for more excuses to catch us out and rinse cash from us?

It's the curfew thing that bothers me most in a 'doom monger 1984' way; what if they take it beyond disallowing driving in the wee small hours and use it to reduce congestion; i.e. you can't use your car 8-10am and 4-6pm Mon-Fri? The slippery slope may well be getting greasier as we speak...

What if someone with the overnight curfew actually needs to use their car (e.g. for a medical emergency) and has a accident (sorry collision) whilst en route? Are they in breach of the terms of their insurance which is then null and void?
 
They have done this in Ireland for years now. It was aimed at young male drivers, as they were either not getting quotes or getting massive premium quotes.

If i remember you had to sign up for 5 years then after that it dropped your insurance a good bit.
 
Glaucus said:
To overtake safely you need to speed and/or accelerate hard.
Click to expand...

Overtaking a lorry that is doing 40 in an NSL needn't involve either of those things. Just how harshly can you accelerate from 40 to 60 anyway? Besides, I don't recall it saying harsh acceleration is a problem, only harsh braking.
 
Glaucus said:
Of course not, but everyone does and it is much safer, with such a box. You risk losing insurance or increased premiums. Hence you could get a big tailback.
Click to expand...

Lots of dodderers and old biddies on the back roads around here. I highly doubt I'm ever within the silly (low) speed limits when overtaking on the perfectly clear country B roads, but a dial with numbers is less important than looking where I'm going.

When I do get chance to look at the dials, it's to cry over how much fuel I've just used. :D
 
JonnyT said:
What if someone with the overnight curfew actually needs to use their car (e.g. for a medical emergency) and has a accident (sorry collision) whilst en route? Are they in breach of the terms of their insurance which is then null and void?
Click to expand...

I believe you can still use the vehicle, but if you do it detects it and issues you a one-off charge for that usage.

So you're okay in an emergency, but if you do it often then that "cheap" premium is going to start to skyrocket.
 
JonnyT said:
If they're that bothered about speeding, why not insist that the black boxes electronically limit the car to the relevant speed limit that the car is in at the time rather than looking for more excuses to catch us out and rinse cash from us?
Click to expand...

Because that's not the point of the box. The box isn't to make you drive safely, it's to inform your insurance company when you don't.

JonnyT said:
It's the curfew thing that bothers me most in a 'doom monger 1984' way; what if they take it beyond disallowing driving in the wee small hours and use it to reduce congestion; i.e. you can't use your car 8-10am and 4-6pm Mon-Fri? The slippery slope may well be getting greasier as we speak...
Click to expand...

You're the one greasing it. More accidents occur at certain hours of the day. The company wants to know if you're driving at "dangerous" times.

JonnyT said:
What if someone with the overnight curfew actually needs to use their car (e.g. for a medical emergency) and has a accident (sorry collision) whilst en route? Are they in breach of the terms of their insurance which is then null and void?
Click to expand...

Why would the provisions of your insurance permit you to drive in the case of a medical emergency at a time you've said you won't be driving? If you're that stuck, why wouldn't you call an ambulance? Why are you inventing these scenarios anyway? In other news, it's still illegal to speed if you're driving to a hospital. I imagine you'd contest that.
 
merlin said:
The technology is on the shelves right now now for recording of: -

Speed
Gear
Steering angle
Brake depression
ABS engagement
Lights/indicators/horn used
360 degree g-force including shock sensor
auto-dialling 999 (AND INSURERS) in the event of serious shock trigger

Be afraid.
Click to expand...
Haha, I'd think my insurer would hate seeing mine, especially my statistics for acceleration, speed, braking, steering angle, and G forces :o.

Still, I can't complain with my insurance so no need to lower it, only pay 36 per month :). They are experimenting with the black box crap here in the NL too, I'll never want one, don't need any company or the government knowing where and how I drive.
 
Last edited:
If they proposed to stick a rod up your *** most of you would probably accept it.

Quite obvious if this is the future they will just make insurance unbearably expensive until you add one. No one is capable of saying no to stupid requirements anymore.
 
Enters thread.

Reads a little of the thread.

Leaves thread and goes back to enjoying the browse of PH classifieds.

:D
 
Vonhelmet said:
Why would the provisions of your insurance permit you to drive in the case of a medical emergency at a time you've said you won't be driving? If you're that stuck, why wouldn't you call an ambulance? Why are you inventing these scenarios anyway? In other news, it's still illegal to speed if you're driving to a hospital. I imagine you'd contest that.
Click to expand...

How about this fictional scenario: you don't live at home but in the same town/close vicinity to your parents. Your Dad gets taken ill and rushed to hospital in an ambulance. You get a call from your Mum that he probably isn't going to make it through the night. How many people would just jump in their car without stopping to think about the Ts & Cs of their insurance policy?
 
JonnyT said:
How about this fictional scenario: you don't live at home but in the same town/close vicinity to your parents. Your Dad gets taken ill and rushed to hospital in an ambulance. You get a call from your Mum that he probably isn't going to make it through the night. How many people would just jump in their car without stopping to think about the Ts & Cs of their insurance policy?
Click to expand...

No Insurance company is going to expressly forbid you from driving at night - in fact, I don't think they legally can (the law says they have to at least pay out third party claims, blah blah blah). Most just charge you extra where night-time driving is actively discouraged.

Perhaps you should spare a thought for those with a daytime MOT, or even those that don't even own a motorised form of transport?
 
zain said:
If they proposed to stick a rod up your *** most of you would probably accept it.
Click to expand...

If it were an opt in scheme under which you could get money back on your premium and you didn't mind having a rod up your bum then would that be a problem?

zain said:
Quite obvious if this is the future they will just make insurance unbearably expensive until you add one. No one is capable of saying no to stupid requirements anymore.
Click to expand...

Slippery slope again.
 
Ours at work had a green, yellow and red light.

Stays green if you're a good boy.

Flashes yellow temporarily for a "Hmm you shouldn't really be driving like this". Stays yellow if you do something like that again in a short time.

Flashes red if you do something like that again, or if you do something that's reallllly bad. Again, if 2 of those things happen then it stays red.

Used to stay solid red the entire time at work, until we all got a massive rollocking. Now we use the vehicle that doesn't have a tracker in it :p
 
Zefan said:
Ours at work had a green, yellow and red light.

Stays green if you're a good boy.

Flashes yellow temporarily for a "Hmm you shouldn't really be driving like this". Stays yellow if you do something like that again in a short time.

Flashes red if you do something like that again, or if you do something that's reallllly bad. Again, if 2 of those things happen then it stays red.

Used to stay solid red the entire time at work, until we all got a massive rollocking. Now we use the vehicle that doesn't have a tracker in it :p
Click to expand...

Lol, some of them had the light system up here too. Much fun could be had.

I'd watch though, some of them have the tracker just no light in it :eek:
 
Hmmmm, so ran a quote with the AA's black box insurance insurance scheme. Admiral's renewal price for the Jeep was £520. With a black box the AA kindly offered me £2360. Think I'll pass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom