November 20, 2020 - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

10-Tips To Keep You Safe When Driving in the Rain

vuyi on November 20, 2020

When it rains, most motorists seem to forget how to drive. Others slow down completely while others seem to power on as if trying to out drive the rain! Vuyi Mpofu shares 10-basic tips aimed at keeping you safe on the road when it rains.

Driving in the rain requires motorists to drive with an extra sense of caution. Factors such as tyre tread, slippery road surfaces, speed, malfunctioning brakes and human error all contribute towards setting the scene for a pile-ups, fender benders, head-on collisions and roll-overs to mention a few.

Here are 10 easy habits to keep in mind when next the heavens open up and water the earth:

Treat non-functioning traffic lights as four-way stops.
Be calm and respectful. Wait your turn. Better to arrive late than not arrive at all.
Be extra vigilant for pedestrians, motorcyclists and bikers.
Switch on your headlights.
Pedestrians should avoid walking close to the road, particularly at night.
Focus on the road. Do NOT drive distracted.
Ensure your windscreen and wipers are in good condition.
Drive slower than the speed limit suggests because wet roads are slippery.
Avoid driving through pools of water as these might be hiding potholes
Avoid driving across low lying bridges and driving through streams of water or flooded areas.
Maintain a safe following distance.
Do not drive in the emergency lanes – keep these open for emergency vehicles.

7-Basic Maintenance Tips Your Tyres Will Absolutely Love

vuyi on November 20, 2020

Many drivers don’t seem to realize that tyres are the only point of contact cars have with the road, at any given time. Vuyi Mpofu shares 7-basic tips all motorists should get into the habit of practicing.

Some motorists don’t appreciate how dangerous it is to drive on worn or damaged tyres. Granted, tyre are expensive to replace, but what all road-users should be aware of is that in the event of an accident, your insurance claim could be repudiated if accident investigators discover that the tyres were in poor condition and as a result, were the cause of the collision.

Here are some basic tyre maintenance tips all motorists should get into the habit of following:

Some tips on tyre maintenance:

Check all tyres (including the spare) whenever you refuel your tank.
When parking your car, turn the front tyres so that they are at a slight angle. This will make it easier for you to check the tread of your tyres.
Check the tyre pressure indicator in your owner’s manual or in your car, and inflate your tyres according to the load they will carry. Don’t over, or underinflate, your tyres,
Attend to tyre related problems immediately regardless of how insignificant they might appear to be. Bear in mind that tyres can be quite expensive to replace and as the saying goes – prevention is better than cure.
Replace your tyres as soon as is necessary but NEVER buy your tyres at the side of the road. Buy tyres only from credible tyre outlets.
Ensure that your tyres are Only buy tyres from reputable tyre dealers, not from the side of the road. Remember, a good deal now may cost you more later on,
Ensure your tyres are correctly aligned and balanced, particularly before and after a long-distance trip.

Watch: Vuyi Mpofu taking the new Mercedes-Benz range of SUVs through their paces.

vuyi on November 20, 2020

I could hardly wait for the day I was scheduled to drive not 1 but 6 brand new SUVs from Mercedes-Benz. And when the day arrived I almost had to be surgically removed from the driver’s seat of each one!
– Vuyi Mpofu, MD – Driving in heels South Africa

I was really looking forward to the presentation of the new range of SUVs from Mercedes-Benz South Africa because I would get to play with quite a few vehicles. These included, the:

Mercedes-Benz GLA

Mercedes-Benz GLB

Mercedes-Benz-AMG GLC 63 Coupé

Mercedes-Benz GLE 400d Coupé

Mercedes-Benz G 400d

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Also read: https://heelsandhorsepowermag.com/at-a-glance-meet-the-glb-the-newest-compact-suv-from-mercedes-benz/

Arriving at the AMG Training Academy at Zwartkops Raceway I quickly completed the registration and complied with COVID regulations. After gulping down my lunch I made my way to the business presentation area where Siya Kholisi was introduced to the motoring media in his new capacity as the newest Mercedes-Benz Friend of the Brand.

Also read: https://heelsandhorsepowermag.com/4152-2/

Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Following that, we made our way to the hanger, where the media presentation of the vehicles was made in spectacular fashion. Each vehicle was driven into the hanger and a brief overview of each vehicle was made.

Also read: https://heelsandhorsepowermag.com/at-a-glance-meet-the-mercedes-benz-gle-400d-coupe-a-coupe-for-heightened-standards/

Then, the time I had been waiting for was upon us and I skipped to the GLE 400d and made my way to the activities area. Over a period of 3 hours I got to drive the various SUVs in different environments, starting with the GLA on the skidpad, then the GLS 580 on a short 4×4 course before feeding my insatiable adrenalin rush in the G400d.

I’ll be better positioned to give a full review on the various vehicles once I’ve had each on test.

Video credit: Opak Media