NEWS: TomTom Traffic Index Survey Reveals UK's Worst Cities

How much time do you think you spend stuck in traffic a year? And which cities in the UK are the worst for the misery of gridlock? Well, TomTom has the answers, from a recent Traffic Index survey – revealing British commuters are spending nine working days a year stuck in traffic. Ouch!
The survey out today reveals:

Traffic jams in 11 out of 17 of Britain's biggest cities have got worse in the past year. Cities where congestion levels have gone up since this time last year include Belfast, Brighton, London, Manchester, Leicester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Only Edinburgh, Leeds-Bradford and Nottingham have seen congestion levels improve. In others such as Bristol, Birmingham and Glasgow congestion levels have remained just as bad in the past 12 months.
The TomTom Traffic Index shows that Belfast remains the most congested city in the UK, with journey times up to 88 per cent longer in morning peak times and 32 per cent throughout the day.
Second is Bristol with journey times up to 66 per cent longer in evening peak times, followed by Brighton where travelling during rush hour takes 45 per cent longer than usual.
Despite the congestion charge, driving in London now takes more time than last year with drivers enduring rush-hour journey times of up to 60 per cent longer than non-peak times. Over the course of a day, driving in London takes 29 per cent longer than it would if traffic were free-flowing, making the capital the fifth most congested city in the UK – just behind Edinburgh.
Sat nav firm TomTom analysed more than nine trillion pieces of data worldwide to compile its traffic index, which showed that Moscow remains the most congested city globally, followed by Istanbul and Rio de Janeiro.
“We are seeing a clear pattern which shows that congestion levels increase as economies emerge from recession. The traditional responses to tackling congestion, like building new roads or widening existing ones are no longer proving effective. The way traffic is managed needs significant change,” says TomTom's Chief Executive Officer, Harold Goddijn.
The TomTom Traffic Index is the world’s most accurate barometer of traffic congestion in 169 cities across six continents. It compares travel times during non-congested hours (free flow) with travel times in peak hours. The Index takes into account local roads and highways.
“The findings indicate that real-time traffic information has the potential to ease congestion in urban areas by routing drivers away from gridlock, and help commuters to make smarter decisions,” commented Goddijn.
The TomTom Traffic Index shows that across the UK, typical journey times take 23 per cent longer in morning and evening rush hours. Cardiff has seen the biggest increase in congestion in the past year, followed by Portsmouth and Brighton.
Contrary to popular belief, the average driver in London does not experience the most extra travel time due to congestion - those in Belfast, Bristol, Brighton and Edinburgh are in worse shape. While those cities are smaller, congestion adds relatively more travel time to driving trips than it does in London.
Belfast, Bristol and Edinburgh all top London when it comes to evening rush hour commuting. In Belfast an average morning commute travel time can be almost doubled by congestion. With new bus lanes, commuters may have better options during peak periods.
Bristol has the highest proportion of people cycling to work in Britain and that may be the best option, especially in the centre.

How depressing! Try getting one of the latest TomTom GO 6000's like us… it's helping us avoid traffic hell all over the place. Ace!

NEWS: Funny New TomTom Ads Campaign

Portable Navigation Device specialists, TomTom don't just make perfect sat nav devices designed to take the sting out of navigating and now avoid traffic jams (like the GO 6000 we have on test does, which is mega, see below...!) – they are branding genius'.
To prove this, TomTom has teamed up with DDB and Tribal Worldwide to create "a light hearted and funny take on the frustrating experiences of being stuck in traffic" for some new advertising in the UK and Germany.
TomTom says: "The campaign plays on insightful, awkward moments when you want to reach your destination as quickly as possible – such as sitting in an unexpected traffic jam after mistaking your travelling partner for being pregnant.
"The aim of the campaign is to change how people think about and use their portable navigation device (PND), from it being a thing they use for the occasional journey to an unknown destination, to a device they use every day to help avoid traffic jams on their daily commute and get to their destination faster.
"So whether you are trying to make it to an important meeting on time, trying to get home to see the kids before they go to bed, or simply trying to escape an awkward moment in your car, TomTom Traffic will always find the quickest route."
Gary Raucher, SVP of Marketing for TomTom added: "The team really helped bring the TomTom brand to life and show how a PND becomes relevant to daily driving when it delivers real-time, accurate traffic information. This is an important campaign for us, being the first significant above-the-line campaign we’ve launched since 2009 and the first to be developed with DDB."
And Mark Chalmers, ECD at DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam said: “Best friends or colleagues, husbands or wives, we've all dropped some clangers and need a quicker journey as a result. Just like our scenarios, the TomTom device is for the daily commute, the airport trip or the big day out. As the campaign develops, we'll be opening it up to the public with a real time, social media tactic, created by consumers, as they contribute live, via Twitter, to improvised comedy shows in cars. “
The campaign runs in the UK and Germany until the end of 2013. Listen to the radio commercials here, and check out the full campaign on the TomTom website. Check it out...

NEWS: Istanbul to Rotterdam: 50 City Stop-Start Index Unveiled

TomTom and Castrol have just revealed the results of a survery of 50 global cities – to highlight which suffer from the most stop-start traffic – with drivers in Istanbul coming out worse, experiencing 31,200 stop-starts a year, compared to the lowest ranked city, Rotterdam, where drivers might only experience 6,211 stop-starts - more than 24,000 fewer.
The study was carried out for Castrol by TomTom, using information from its satellite navigation systems on vehicles in 50 cities worldwide. The goal was to highlight the pressures that changing driving conditions place on vehicles across the globe.
Here in the UK, the total number of stops per year by all drivers in London is 225,644,745. The figure for Manchester is 10,521,105. Other cities in the study include Beijing with 28,200, Manchester with 22,680, London with 21,000 stop-starts, New York with 15,480, and Sydney with 13,200. Stop-start driving can increase microscopic wear in car engines and Castrol’s studies have shown that even a normal driver can experience as many as 18,000 stop-starts every year. 

According to Castrol engineers, frequent stop-starts can cause increased wear to a car engine. The number of stop-starts reflect the driving conditions and situations drivers are facing in each market. These results show the size of the stop-start problem and indicate that precautions are necessary, one of the reasons why Castrol commissioned this study.
Castrol have identified three levels of stop-start driving, Green, Amber and Red (detailed below): 

· GREEN: Moderate level of stop-start driving, as drivers are experiencing less than 8,000 stop-starts per year. Recommend drivers to take necessary precautions against stop-start engine wear.
· AMBER: Heavy level of stop-start driving, as drivers are experiencing 8,000 stop-starts or more per year. Drivers should take actions to protect against stop-start engine wear.
· RED: Severe level of stop-start driving, as drivers are experiencing 18,000 stop-starts or more per year. Drivers should take actions to protect against stop-start engine wear. 

Amber and Red warn drivers of heavy stop-start conditions which are likely to bring about serious stop-start wear to the engines. They will trigger drivers to take appropriate actions to fight against stop-start wear and protect their engines every time they start.
The project highlights stop-start driving, including traffic, urbanisation, and short journeys experienced in each area. Data from vehicles and trips within a region and time span was aggregated by TomTom, total driven miles and total number of stops calculated, and an average number of stops per driven mile per region derived.
Gareth Bracchi, Senior Development Technologist at Castrol, said: “This project confirmed that drivers were making lots of stop-starts in their vehicles. In fact the numbers of stop-starts per year far exceeded our initial expectations – almost double in some cases! This highlighted that there are many more drivers out there that need the stop-start wear protection of Castrol MAGNATEC STOP-START.”
Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Head of Traffic at TomTom, said: “The results from the Index are fascinating and working with Castrol to produce the Index has been very revealing. Istanbul’s highest stop rate among the big cities corresponds to its very high congestion level, followed by Moscow and Mexico City, certainly founded by heavy daily congestion as well. Traveling in Rotterdam however goes along with the lowest stop rate as the city has moderate congestion.”
Please check out the Castrol MAGNATEC STOP-START Index report here to see where your local city stands globally. For more information on the methodology of the study and implications of stop-starts on your engine, please visit http://magnatec.castrol.com/campaigns/stop-start-index.html

EXCLUSIVE NEWS: New TomTom Traffic Jam Buster Is Go!

Leading portable navigation device manufacturer, TomTom, has launched a new version of their superb TomTom Traffic – with its real time information service, assisting you in avoiding the hell of sitting in traffic, and keeping you safe.
And until the Government's recently announced £28 billion investment of our UK roads kicks in, the new TomTom Traffic system is the best chance you've got of avoiding traffic jam hell – being accurate down to 10 metres (whereas other services are precise down to 100 metres) and now covering 99.9% of all roads.
Best of all, the TomTom Traffic service is FREE on all if you buy any of the company’s new generation sat nav devices, for the lifetime of the product! A few years ago, a subscription would set you back £100 a year. Bonus!
The new TomTom Traffic also now includes an innovative ‘Jam Ahead Warning’ – which pinpoints the precise location of a traffic jam and sends an early-warning alert so that drivers can safely reduce their speed, or even avoid it by turning off the road they are on.
TomTom say: "This Jam Ahead feature has been developed to help reduce the likelihood of accidents from sudden unexpected jams ahead on the road (e.g. over the brow of a hill or around a bend where the slow moving traffic might not otherwise be seen). Often accidents occur as vehicles are unable to slow from higher speeds to the slow speed of the back of the queue.
"TomTom leverages the accuracy of being able to pinpoint the back of a queue and the relative difference in speed from the approaching road. If the speed difference is significant, drivers are alerted with a message as they approach the jam. On the new range of GO sat nav devices, the navigation bar changes colour to red as a warning.
"In a recent survey of over 1,500 British motorists, 44% say they’ve had to brake sharply because of a sudden traffic jam ahead. Nearly one in four (22%) claim the car behind has driven into the back of their vehicle when they’ve had to brake suddenly because of traffic.
"Whilst 58% of British drivers claim they always leave the required stopping distance between their car and the one in front, only 44% knew the correct distance at 60 mph (240 feet) – with 56% either under-estimating it or admitting they didn’t know.
"According to a recent TomTom survey, awareness of the stopping distance at 30 mph (75 feet) was even worse, with only 35% getting it right and 65% putting themselves and others at risk by under-estimating it or not knowing. Despite these findings, a staggering 90% think they have the necessary skills to be able to judge speed and distance accurately whilst driving!"
The latest version of TomTom Traffic also detects road works on highways, enabling drivers to adapt their journeys to avoid delays or adjust their journey times.
Additionally, the automatic detection of road closures is now extended and includes major secondary roads as well as highways. This improves the accuracy of routing and helps road users save time and fuel from unexpected diversions.
Tests have consistently shown TomTom Traffic, which is now available in 32 countries, to outperform competitor traffic products. Traffic quality should be judged on four key points: reliability of data, road coverage, accuracy of reports and frequency of updates. TomTom Traffic outperforms competitor services on at least three out of four of these criteria.
Cool stuff! Go TomTom... saving us from time we will never get back sitting in traffic jams. That's got to be good, right?  

TEST: Garmin nüvi 3590 LMT: European Test

We have a brand new Garmin nüvi 3590 LMT PND (Personal Navigation Device) on test at the moment, which is proving to be tremendous – intuitive, user-friendly, accurate and stylish. And I'm still a Luddite road map book, OS map and co-driver pace notes man, so that's high praise indeed for new technology!
The nüvi 3590's light, ultra thin, huge and clear five-inch screen is easy to read and its menu system and 'Guidance 3' navigation system are superbly simple and smart, with handy features like 3D Traffic mapping and access to Live Services via Garmin’s Smartphone Link app. It also has brilliant maps of road junctions approaching with auto zoom and clear instructions – covering an amazing 65,000 junctions in Europe. Naturally, we can only test a few 100 of these here in the UK. So, to put the Garmin to the test, we're off on a 1,600-mile+ road trip to the Alps shortly, via Parisian autoroutes (sure to test any PND) and middle-of-nowhere-winding-back-roads, in the serious snow of ski season. And we'll be throwing a few wrong turns in for good measure, to see how the nüvi 3590 copes. More here soon.

To combat the Winter weather and travel in comfort, economy, safety and style, we're going in a kick-ass, oh-so under-rated Subaru Outback. The Alpine road trip feature will make the cover story for our forthcoming, second Subaru special of Road Magazine, out mid-March. More details up soon here and on Facebook where you will also find more images of the Garmin here.

COMPETITION: Win £150 TomTom Via 135 GPS & more with Road this Christmas

In addition to us giving you a FREE daily blog, great social media pages and a monthly magazine, we've now drummed up two great Yuletide competition giveaways, with season's greetings from us from us at Road Magazine HQ and our pals at TomTom! Happy Christmas!

1. TomTom are running a great online competition - 'TomTom Gives You More,' with a chance to win amazing do-before-you-die driving adventures.
And, as its Christmas time, we'd like to offer you lucky readers an even better chance of winning – by giving you a personalised token enabling you to claim 250 FREE virtual credit coins in the game. Merry Christmas from TomTom and Road Magazine & Blog!

The fun game (highlighted by the "almost viral" video above) gives you the chance to “unwrap the world” and win one of six unforgettable driving adventures – including the Grand Alpine Tour and the South African Garden route. Plus, there are thousands of other prizes to be won every hour.

All you need to do to claim your free plays is enter the code Road_TomTom at www.tomtom.com/more to play. Good luck! Thanks TomTom!

2. How would you like to win a brand new TomTom Via 135 sat nav device, worth £149? We thought so...! 

The new TomTom Via 135 has a five-inch screen and features a new "Speak & Go" function, aiming to make the use of the SatNav safer, as drivers can control the device with just the sound of their voice, as well as making hands-free calls, helping them keep their hands on the wheel and focus on the road.
We've just been sent one on test and it's absolutely fabulous – with great design and build quality, intuitive SatNav menus and idiot-proof, crystal clear colour displays. And the new "Speak & Go" software works a treat. It's the best there is on the market, for under £150, we think.

The Via 135 features:
· Hands-free calling via Bluetooth
· Advanced lane guidance, giving drivers extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions.
· Improved IQ Routes, which uses real travel information shared by millions of drivers to get the best routes and arrival times at every time of day.
· TomTom Map Share, which provides drivers with free daily map changes for life from the TomTom Map Share Community.
· Integrated mounting; a convenient foldaway mount that is integrated with the device, so it is always there when needed.
For further information on the ace product, please see here.
We can't recommend this superb system highly enough – and you could WIN it! 

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is:

1. Like us on Facebook here.

2. Like our publishers, Royle Media, on Facebook here &

3. Send us an email to proyle@roadmagazine.co.uk, with the correct answers to these questions below and why you should win, in less than 90 characters, Twitter style.

Hint: You will find the answers in our latest issue of FREE Road Magazine here:

Quiz questions:

1. What is the bhp figure of the Pikes Peak Lexus IS F CCS-R in the latest issue of Road Magazine?

2. Where did we drive the Lexus GS250 to in the latest issue of Road Magazine?

3. Who is advertising opposite our editorial in the latest issue of Road Magazine? Click on the hyperlink! 

The winner will be revealed here and on our social media in the new year.
10 minutes effort and you could win a fabulous, £149 SatNav from TomTom.
Have fun & good luck!

Oh, and Merry Christmas Roadies, from Team Road.

COMPETITION: And the TomTom Handsfree Kit Winner is...

Congratulations to Stuart Staples – Road Magazine & Blog fan, Facebook liker and Twitter follower who has just won himself a fabulous, brand new, £80 Hands-Free Car Kit for his iPhone/smartphone for his efforts – offering the highest quality audio for loud and clear calls and navigation on the move, legally. And all Stuart did to win was like our Facebook page and sent in this winning story on speed cameras:

"Back in the day, when I'd landed my first sales job and company car, three of us decided to do some paperwork in the office on a Saturday morning. The office was near Chelmsford and the three of us left in our matching Ford Sierra's towards the A12. All of the cars were brand new (told you it was back in the day!) and we all rolled on to the A12 at the same time, one in each lane. You know what's coming, don't you? New company cars and an open road mean that it was pretty much guaranteed to have a head to head, so off we went towards London all building speed up and over 100mph! I know it was stupid, and I can't make excuses. So there we were three abreast in our red, blue and white Sierra's all neck and neck. We must have looked like Dagenham's version of the Red Arrows as we all got zapped by a handheld camera as we passed the bridge near Stock! Doh!
"A week or so later the summons came through, we all called one another to exchange tails of woe, but I was secretly kind of proud – as I had the highest measured speed! In those days the courts had the ability to give you a choice of longer ban and higher fine, or vice versa. I simply took a fortnights holiday, thanked the judge for his time and paid my £400 fine plus costs and walked out of the court knowing that I'd got away with it.....big time! Not sure that this story presents a safety conscious message, but I thought it was worth sharing and the image of three mates all neck and neck on the A12 still makes me smile to this day."Naughty... but nice Stuart!

So, what has Stuart won, thanks to Road Magazine and TomTom? Well, it's a fabulous bit of kit, featuring:
· Sound boost – An in-built 2 watt speaker means that drivers can hear hands-free calls and navigation instructions loud and clear.

· Extendable microphone – The microphone can be brought closer to the driver for clearer conversations.
· Noise and echo cancellation – Cancels out background noise so drivers can have even clearer conversations.
· Dual phone connection – Connects two phones simultaneously.
· Fast charging – Fast charges the driver’s phone on the go.
· Dual mounting system – Drivers can choose to mount their device on the dashboard or the windscreen. It includes a self-adhesive disc that allows use of the suction mount on the dash or centre console.
· Voice menu and spoken instructions – Drivers can connect their phone easily using the voice menu and spoken instructions. 

· Easy-reach answer and reject buttons – Answer and reject calls, even when the phone isn’t mounted.

NB: TomTom has also just revised and re-launched their iPhone app for speed cameras – available for free in the Apple app store. And find out more at their website and by reading our post here.

Look out for more great giveaways and competitions here on the blog and on Facebook and Twitter (@roadmagazine) in the new year folks.

Meantime, well done Stuart (and thanks for making us laugh) and thanks again to TomTom.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS: Couple of Christmas Crackers

Stuck for some Christmas present ideas for your mates, dad, brother or even need to drop some hints to your missus what you want? How about these two classics?
Driving to the in-laws on Boxing Day? Get there stress-free with a new sat nav! The TomTom VIA 130 (£129.99 from Halfords) has a "Speak & Go" function so you can control it with your voice – just say an address or 'take me home' and it plans the route straight away. Bluetooth enables you to make and answer calls safely whilst driving, and advance lane guidance gives clear directions when navigating difficult junctions. It uses travel info shared by millions of drivers to get the best routes and most accurate arrival times, whatever the time of day. Highly recommended. We just had one on test and can't fault it.
And, as you may have seen on TV, in a special Christmas promotion, TomTom is offering free maps for the lifetime of the product on selected devices – worth £79.99. You'll be able to download four brand new maps every year, totally free, meaning you receive all the latest updates to the road network, addresses and points of interest. Redemption is online with proof of purchase and the promotion runs until 24 December on all TomTom VIA and GO LIVE models.
Alternatively, the TomTom Start 60 (£169.99 from Halfords) boasts a 6" screen, their biggest yet. Resolution is really sharp, whilst larger menus and buttons make inputting even simpler. It can be mounted on the dashboard as well as the windscreen. Parking Assist helps you to find car parks at your destination and spoken street names make turnings clearer. It comes pre-loaded with maps of 45 countries across Europe. For further info visit www.tomtom.com
OR...
Buying a gift for a DIY enthusiast or someone who likes to 'tinker' under the bonnet? The Dremel 3000 Limited Edition Tool Box (£89.99 from dremel-direct.com and amazon.co.uk) is stuffed full of goodies. The Dremel 3000 multi-tool is essential for any project that involves cutting, grinding, sanding, routing, drilling and pretty much everything else. The tool box also includes 45 easy-to-change accessories plus six attachments such as a flexshaft for detailed work and a line & circle cutter. The combined value of the contents is £125, so this great gift saves nearly 30% on normal selling prices. Now there's no excuse for not getting down to all those repair and maintenance tasks in the New Year! For further info visit www.dremel.co.uk

NEWS: TomTom Update iPhone 5 Navigation App Software

TomTom has released a fresh update of its navigation app for iPhone – aimed at taking full advantage of the larger screen on the iPhone 5. The app has been optimised to run in full-screen mode, enabling iPhone 5 users to see more of the map when driving, or walking about, with the new larger screen. Menu and search screens have also been enhanced, so drivers can see more options and search results.
TomTom’s navigation app for iPhone and iPad is fully functional with or without signal. Offline maps mean that drivers will stay connected to accurate, reliable and up-to-date navigation wherever they go. And, unlike other navigation apps, they won’t incur costly roaming charges when navigating abroad.
TomTom Navigation app for iPhone and iPad v.1.12 is available from the App Store, priced £39.99 for the UK/Republic of Ireland map.
To see all the changes to this new version, visit the iPhone App Store.

Don't forget too! You could WIN an £80 TomTom smartphone/iPhone handsfree kit for your car with Road Magazine & Blog. All you have to do is read the post linked below and follow the simple instructions to stand a chance of winning. Five minutes and you could win the kit: Simples! 

Details here: http://roadmagazine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/win-win-win-new-80-tomtom-smartphone.html

NEWS: New TomTom Via 130 & 135 With "Speak & Go"

TomTom has released a brand new SatNav device – the TomTom Via 130 (4.3-inch screen) and TomTom Via 135 (5-inch screen) – featuring a new "Speak & Go" function, aiming to make the use of the SatNav safer, as drivers can control the device with just the sound of their voice, as well as making hands-free calls, helping them keep their hands on the wheel and focus on the road.
We've just been sent one on test and it's absolutely fabulous – with great design and build quality, intuitive SatNav menus and idiot-proof, crystal clear colour displays. And the new "Speak & Go" software works a treat. TomTom say: "Speak & Go recognises over 1,000 spoken commands and their synonyms, so drivers can speak naturally to interact with their device and this is a vastly improved version of TomTom’s existing voice command and control function." We concur.
And it's still great value too – with the TomTom Via 130 available at £129 for the UK/Republic of Ireland map and £149 for European maps and the larger screen Via 135 priced at £149 for the UK/Republic of Ireland map. Plus, the new SatNavs also include hands-free calling via Bluetooth® enabling drivers to make and answer calls safely in the car. And the Via 130 & 135 come with a USB cable, with cigar lighter adaptor and adjustable screen suction clamp. "The new Speak & Go feature helps increase focus and concentration by allowing users to keep their hands on the wheel," says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director of TomTom. "Just say an address, a Point of Interest or simply ‘take me home,’ and TomTom plans your route straight away. Interacting with your navigation device has never been easier; it slots perfectly into your everyday drive."
The Via 130 is also pioneering TomTom’s lifetime free daily map changes. Updates are based on reports from TomTom’s Map Share community of 21 million, and help drivers to deal with frequent road changes such as new speed limits and blocked roads. A Map Share service has previously been available to certain customers using maps which are less than 12 months old, but it will now be offered to cover the lifetime of a device.
Other features of the TomTom Via 130 and 135 include:
· Hands-free calling via Bluetooth
· Advanced lane guidance, giving drivers extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions.
· Improved IQ Routes, which uses real travel information shared by millions of drivers to get the best routes and arrival times at every time of day.
· TomTom Map Share, which provides drivers with free daily map changes for life from the TomTom Map Share Community.
· Integrated mounting; a convenient foldaway mount that is integrated with the device, so it is always there when needed.
For the world’s most up-to-date route planner, including live traffic information go to www.tomtom.com/livetraffic
For further information, please visit www.tomtom.com
We can't recommend this superb system highly enough. The best on the market we have tested at this price. Buy one for Christmas for someone you love – or indeed as a treat to yourself – and be very happy! It's way better than a lot of integrated car systems we have tested of late, and a whole lot more affordable too. You can even use them walking about a city you don't know. Cool product.

WIN! WIN! WIN! New £80 TomTom Smartphone Handsfree Kit

Road Magazine & TomTom have teamed up to give you guys a chance to win the brand new Hands-Free Car Kit for Smartphones from TomTom – offering the highest quality audio for loud and clear calls and navigation on the move, legally.

All you have to do to stand a chance of winning the awesome iPhone/smartphone kit, worth £79.95 (see www.tomtom.com\smartphone) is:

1. LIKE our Road Magazine & Blog Facebook page (not just the post!) & add a comment on the thread about the TomTom giveaway at: https://www.facebook.com/roadmagblog
&
2. Send us your 'worst speed camera story' (eg. the most fines received, the most unreasonable fine etc.) to Road Magazine Editor, Phil Royle at proyle@roadmagazine.co.uk. The best one picked by Road Magazine and TomTom will win the TomTom smartphone kit. Simples! 

And we will publish the sorry tale here on the blog too (send us a photo of you & your car, or the Gatso screen grab)!

So, what will you be winning? Well, it's a fabulous bit of kit.
The TomTom Hands Free Car Kit for smartphones features the highest quality audio for loud and clear hands-free calling and navigation. The new Car Kit features an advanced noise and echo cancellation system, which dramatically reduces background noise for the caller and removes ambient noise for the driver.
New mounting options make smartphone use on the move safer and more convenient. The newly designed Car Kit has an adjustable grip to fit any smartphone with or without its cover. An extendable microphone can be clipped to the sun visor to ensure conversations are louder and clearer.
"The new Car Kit has been designed for safety and convenience," said Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director at TomTom. "With fantastic audio quality and new mounting options, we are making it easier and safer for drivers to make calls and use navigation applications on the move. With advanced new features, our aim is to help drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road."
The TomTom Hands Free Car Kit comes in two versions to support iPhone and micro USB compatible smartphones such as Android phones. Two iPhones and/or smartphones can automatically pair simultaneously. When connected via Bluetooth®, voice recognition functionality can be activated - enabling drivers to navigate and dial without taking their hands off the wheel.
A video providing an overview of TomTom Hands Free Car Kit can be found here.
The TomTom Hands-Free Car Kit for iPhone or Smartphone is available in selected retail stores and from www.tomtom.com\smartphone priced £79.95. Or FREE to one of you lucky Road readers, if you enter this giveaway special offer.

Below is a full list of the new TomTom iPhone & smartphone handsfree kit features:
· Sound boost – An in-built 2 watt speaker means that drivers can hear hands-free calls and navigation instructions loud and clear.
· Extendable microphone – The microphone can be brought closer to the driver for clearer conversations.
· Noise and echo cancellation – Cancels out background noise so drivers can have even clearer conversations.
· Dual phone connection – Connects two phones simultaneously.
· Fast charging – Fast charges the driver’s phone on the go.
· Dual mounting system – Drivers can choose to mount their device on the dashboard or the windscreen. It includes a self-adhesive disc that allows use of the suction mount on the dash or centre console.
· Voice menu and spoken instructions – Drivers can connect their phone easily using the voice menu and spoken instructions. 

· Easy-reach answer and reject buttons – Answer and reject calls, even when the phone isn’t mounted.

So, what are you waiting for? Get liking us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/roadmagblog & email us your sorry speed camera tales to proyle@roadmagazine.co.uk to be in with a chance of winning.

NB: TomTom has also just revised and re-launched their iPhone app for speed cameras – available for free in the Apple app store. And find out more at the tomtom.com website and by reading our post here: http://roadmagazine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/news-new-tomtom-speed-camera-app-update.html

NEWS: New TomTom Speed Camera App Update

TomTom has today released an update to its Speed Cameras app for iPhone – giving drivers a free 12-month subscription to the Speed Camera service. The FREE to download app also includes new features: Drivers will now receive audible and visual speed camera alerts when the app is running in the background or the screen is off and average speed check support has improved, helping drivers to stay below the limit, even when exiting a tunnel.
TomTom say: "The Speed Cameras app for iPhone warns drivers of upcoming fixed and mobile cameras, helping them to stay safe and avoid fines. It informs drivers of their speed, the speed limit, the type of camera ahead and the remaining distance to reach it. With the latest version of the app, both new and existing customers will receive 12 months of the Speed Cameras service for free. Existing customers will get an extra, free year of the service when their active subscription expires."
"Our Speed Cameras service is already powered by a 1.6 million strong community of drivers. That’s everyone using the service on their navigation device, in-dash navigation system or smartphone. As more and more drivers share newly added or removed cameras with each other, the service will get even better and benefit from the power of the growing community," says Gerry Hinds, Vice-President Mobile at TomTom.
The latest version of the app also gives drivers the option to receive warnings for mobile camera hotspots. The update also allows drivers to stream audio alerts to the TomTom Hands-free car kit, or other A2DP Bluetooth compatible devices, to amplify the sound.

For new customers, the app is available for free in the Apple app store. And find out more at the tomtom.com website.