Mercury Books Blog

December 2009

2009-12-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

Richard is asked to advise a team planning to traverse the Pan-American highway by electric car!

The 11-man team of (mostly) engineering students from Imperial College, London, want to tackle the often-treacherous route from Pategonia to Alaska in a modified 'Radical' car from Peterborough next May. Go here: www.racinggreenendurance.com

October 2009

2009-10-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

US President Barack Obama has banned text messaging among the Federal Government’s near three million civilian employees while driving on official business or while using Government-supplied equipment.

His edict comes after recent deadly crashes involving drivers distracted by text messaging in the UK. It's a growing danger on our roads, according to Dr Will Murray, research director of Interactive Driving Systems MORE

May 2009

2009-06-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Shake the tree hard enough and even the most obstinate apples will start to fall…

As the anniversary of Richard and Phil’s historic drive across the new Asian Highway draws near, news has arrived that China’s government is finally putting in some effort to reduce its horrendous toll of road deaths... MORE

January 2009

2009-02-15T06:37:00.001-08:00

Personal appearance diary of signing and speaking events for the coming year: Go Here

February 2009

2009-02-15T04:01:00.000-08:00

Planning begins for the 'Newport Muster' a major charity event to be held in September. MORE HERE.

November 2008

2008-11-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Move over Schumi: Feedback from reviewers of my new book 'DRIVEN TOGETHER' has ranged from almost praiseworthy (highly unusual from journalists!) to downright jealousy. The book raises serious issues about international travel and poor driving standards - especially in Asia - as well as the glamour of powering halfway across the world in an Aston Martin. But one question seems on all of their lips: Did it make you feel like James Bond? Here is my answer... MORE

October 2008

2008-10-22T08:52:00.001-07:00

Citizen Newspapers begin 4-part series by Richard on secret wartime work by Bond author Ian Fleming with Bletchley Park code-breakers.
Click Here for a personal view of Part One.

July 2008

2008-07-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Asian Drive operational team nominated in Prince Michael’s international road safety awards for ‘improving public education’. Results scheduled December.
http://www.roadsafe.com/

April 2008

2008-04-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Make Roads Safe" campaign hails victory as UN General Assembly agrees to call first-ever global conference on Road Safety. Agenda will demand action plan and finance from international community. To be held in Russia next year.

March 2008

2008-03-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Charity proceeds of 83,000 euros from the Asian Highway trip were presented to UNICEF at twin ceremonies in the UK and China. The money will help educate parents, community leaders and school children on road safety issues in Beijing and three eastern provinces. MORE

December 2007

2007-12-01T02:18:00.000-08:00

The record-breaking Aston Martin was sold at auction at Bonhams for £34,000 - with all proceeds going towards efforts by the China office of UNICEF in saving young lives on the roads.

June 2007

2007-06-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Aston Martin - Driving Home Road Safety 2007
Richard and travel specialist Phil are to set off on the 25th June from Tokyo driving to London in a journey to promote the UN-backed Road Safety Is No Accident and the Make Roads Safe campaigns across the new Asian Highway. The achievement was marked with a civic award presentation in September. CLICK FOR MORE

January 2007

2007-01-01T12:00:00.001-08:00

There was a song on one of those 'golden oldie' shows the other day that went something like this: "Keep your eyes on your driving, keep your hands on the wheel, and keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead". Now OK, I'm no Jack Kerouac, but when I go travelling I certainly do a lot of it by road. Car, bus, truck, tuk-tuk; you name it. So I care a lot about what happens on the highway. And right now I don't much like what I see (or, rather, what I don't see). MORE

December 2006

2006-12-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

It could only happen in Denmark ... or could it? The Road Safety Council in Copenhagen has come up with a brilliant way of making motorists think hard about keeping their speed down (Mmm, well at least the male half of the population).
They've launched a spoof news bulletin showing how topless models jiggling their bits can get men to drive more slowly. You betcha! Go here to catch some nifty pix of a couple of great danes on the move: http://5x5m.com/files/speedbandits
Enjoy the ride!

December 2006

2006-12-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Street-life danger in Bangkok. As all travellers know, the Thai capital of Bangkok is famous for its ..er ..colourful street-life. But there´s another kind of traffic in town these days that isn´t so appealing... MORE

November 2006

2006-11-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

So you think your roads are bad? Well try India's.
After a short trip to the land of maharajas, Goa, call-centre mania and a squillion look-alike Mohatma Gandhis, I am this week safely back in the UK, but still trembling. Here's why: MORE

May/June 2006

2006-06-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

Kim Woo-choong, founder of the Daewoo Group of companies in South Korea is taken from court to hospital with heart and severe medical problems.
He has just been sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined $22.6m for fraud and illegal financing (later reduced on appeal). MORE