A former cheese rolling organiser has appealed for people to avoid Coopers Hill in Gloucestershire on 30 May.

Richard Jeffries said the lack of first aid cover would be a “concern” if an unofficial event were to take place.

In the past, St John Ambulance and other volunteers have provided first aid but that help will not be available this year according to Mr Jeffries.

Plans for an official two day festival were abandoned after organisers said they had been threatened with violence.

“My worst case scenario is that people are going to come from all over the place and cause such a large crowd there that we’ve got a serious problem,” added Mr Jeffries.

 

About 15,000 people turned up for the last official cheese rolling event in 2009 but Cooper’s Hill, near Brockworth, is only suitable for about 5,000.

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Always book a licensed Gloucester Taxi.

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Suggested changes include a basic test in numeracy and literacy for new drivers with additional requirements for drivers from abroad.

Views are also being sought on whether private hire vehicles should have roof lights and new rules covering “stretched limousines” are planned.

Any comments should be submitted to the city council by Thursday.

Councillor Andrew Gravells, from Gloucester City Council, said: “This is really a matter of public safety and common sense.

“It makes sense for there to be consistency across the county.

“That will make things simpler and clearer for the travelling public.

“At the end of the day it is their safety which is of paramount importance.”

The city council will discuss the matter on 24 November.

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Post Credit

Furrukh Jamil, a married university graduate, wrote the letters after he fell out with the friend and wanted to get him into trouble with the police.

Teresa Perry, prosecuting at Stroud Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, November 3 explained that staff at the police HQ in Waterwells, Quedgeley and those at Barton Street police station in Gloucester each received the bomb hoax letters on September 17.

The matter was referred to special branch police who worked extra time over a weekend to discover the letters were fake.

After visiting the man implicated in the letters they were led to Jamil, a taxi driver, who lives in Russell Street, Gloucester.

They also found that his finger prints matched those on the letters.

Defending, Robert Welch said: “Jamil and his former friend met at university.

“Jamil lent him some money but they fell out after he failed to pay it back.

“After some unpleasant confrontations Jamil was at his wits end.

“He stupidly wrote these letters in the hope that his friend would get into trouble with the police.

“He has no previous convictions and was an exemplary member of society before this incident.”

Jamil, who has a child due in April, was given four months in prison for each of the bomb hoax letters. The sentences will run consecutively.

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A 36-year-old female had an accident several weeks ago and totalled her car.
A resident of Wollongong, NSW, she was travelling between Wollongong &
Sydney. It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began
to hydroplane and literally flew through the air.

She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence!

When she explained to the policeman what had happened, he told her something
that every driver should know -

She had thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and
maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain. But the policeman told her
that if the cruise control is on and your car begins to hydroplane – when
your tyres lose contact with the road, your car will accelerate to a higher
rate of speed and you take off like an airplane. She told the policeman that
was exactly what had occurred.

The policeman estimated her car was actually travelling through the air at
10 to 15 Km’s per hour faster than the speed set on the cruise control.

The policeman said this warning should be listed, on the driver’s seat
sun-visor - NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE ROAD IS WET OR ICY!

Australia tells teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed – but we don’t tell them to use the cruise control only when the road is dry.

The only person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the
policeman), was a man who had had a similar accident, totalled his car and
sustained severe injuries.

There are several legal options available to you. Firstly, do not use your mobile phone at all if you are driving! That is the advise from road safety organisations, yet that is not allot of use for drivers who are dependent on mobiles for their day to day business. A Second choice may be a bluetooth headset, but be sure to have a fixed holder or cradle for your mobile  to sit in, as you are not allowed to hold it to make calls whilst driving, even if you are using a bluetooth ear peace. Thirdly -and this is the preferred solution to thousands of professional drivers across the UK is a fully fitted bluetooth handsfree car kit, but again, as above, make sure you have a fixed holder for your mobile to avoid falling foul of current legislation!

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