KEY POINTS:
Mark this one down for next Father's Day. It is the latest in tailgate barbecue gimmicks from the US, called trailer-hitch sling chairs. A couple of hammock-type easy chairs swing from a steel frame that hooks on to the standard towbar. Just the ticket for Dad and his best buddy to find a deserted spot and sort out the world's problems.
Teens admit drink driving
One in five 17-18 year-old drivers in Britain admits to drink-driving and one in 14 drives on drugs, according to a survey by road safety charity Brake. More than 30 per cent of 3118 teenagers questioned said they had been a passenger with a drunk or drugged driver. Government statistics show that drivers aged 17-19 are 14 times more likely to be involved in a drink-drive crash resulting in injury than 35-49 year-olds.
Insects bug drivers
More than 500,000 motorists in Britain have had an accident caused by insects that have flown into the car. An insurance company survey found that such accidents cost around $120 million a year. Female drivers tended to be more distracted by insects (78 per cent) than men (70 per cent). However, men admitted to having more insect-related accidents than women. Women were more concerned about an allergic reaction if stung, while men didn't like the idea of pain.
Volkswagen sexiest car
Women's motoring website evecars.com has picked the Volkswagen Eos coupe/convertible as its car of the year. Editor Alex Jenner-Fust said: "The Eos is a car you can buy because you love it and because it makes perfect sense. It's a convertible without the potential weakness of a cloth roof, practical enough to carry four, but sexy, too. While it feels sporty to drive, it's not so demanding you couldn't drive it every day."
Split goes bad over mini
It is the most bizarre love split Scotland has ever seen - two respectable professionals fighting a fierce custody battle ... over a Mini Cooper. The war of the wheels between Nancy Renwick and Mark Harris even made it to court, where a judge branded it "ridiculous". Renwick claims the battle over the Mini is a petty attempt by Harris to get back at her after she caught him cheating with another woman.
We are the world
A truck overturned and spilled its load of chicken manure over junk dealer Richard White's property in Maine. He grumbled that the truck company was slow on the clean-up. "They think I'm a hick and don't matter. But my life didn't smell like this before. And I hate flies."
alastair.sloane@nzherald.co.nz
