I’m an award winning motoring journalist with 20 years experience on national publications. I was motoring editor for the News of the World between 2004 and its phone hacking-related demise in 2011 and 
I’m a regular contributor to Auto Express, CAR, Shell’s V-zine, Diesel Car and various other specialist titles. I’ve previously held editorial roles with Auto Express, Autosport and AutoClassic magazines. Outside journalism I’m a consultant on automotive press events and also write press and marketing literature for various car makers. I presented ITV1′s Car Hunt in 2004 and have been a consultant for Police, Camera, Action!
I live in West Sussex on the South Downs with my wife, daughter, two cats, four chickens and a bloody enormous ramp so I can get my aggressive inline skating fix.
February 28th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Regarding your article that was posted on CNN about the US complaining about $4 gas: Please take the time to consider the following — While everything you say is sensible and true your perspective is perhaps lacking understanding of the reality of the American people who are complaining. I am a Danish citizen who have resided in the US for the past 17 years. From that perspective I can tell you the following: The American people have been accepting an informal living standard compromise for the past 30+ years. That is : They do not get the type of work benefits you and I are accustomed to from the EU. Long hours, no real vacation, costly health insurance, poor retirement plans, and much more. Real wages have not increase for the American worker since the mid 70′s. The reason they have been OK with this is because the US government has heavily subsidized food and gas…. These day food is getting more expensive to the Americans every day, so is gas…They are getting left with basically nothing… Just something to consider – the piece on CNN really does not pay respect to the regular American people who are getting scr…..
Cheers
February 28th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Mr. Foxall –
Just read your CNN Opinion: America Quit Whining About Gas. Perhaps you should have considered some simple facts: I live in rural Minnesota, a state covering about 84,000 square miles, slightly larger than your entire country (Great Britain estimated at about 81,000 square miles). I drive 45 miles one way to purchase certain items available only in a larger city. We have no siginificant public transportation in greater Minnesota – chances are it would not be efficient.
Our winter temperature often runs below zero Farenheit (we’re always below zero Celsius) which increases fuel consumption – I would say this winter has been relatively mild (appears we’ve sent our usual weather to northern Europe – LOL). Driving anywhere here likely involves greater distances than driving anywhere in Great Britain.
Now, I dearly love scotch whisky – which is overpriced by anyone’s standards – but I may have to reduce my consumption just to be able to continue fueling my dirty old SUV (which spends time in four wheel drive on unpaved roads and often carries a group of high school girls to athletic events in various area towns). This means the UK may suffer a decrease in export income.
So I’d ask a little favor – next time please consider the big picture, not just the snapshot or sound bite.
One other favor – can’t you Brits get your act together and put a total package in Formula One? Oh where did Lotus and Cosworth go? McLaren runnning a Mercedes engine just sucks.
February 28th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Enjoyed your article.
Do you know of any studies that equate the cost of gas per gallon into equivalencies based on the average mpg that drivers in each country get.
For instance, if US gas is $4 and average for US driver is 20 mpg, and if UK gas is $10 and average for UK driver is 50 mpg, then drivers in both countries are paying 20 cents to drive one mile – obviously the same.
February 29th, 2012 at 2:20 am
Are you aware that the imperial gallon is 20% larger than the US gallon, or did you think there was some kind of magic pixie dust in your cars that gave them better mileage?
February 29th, 2012 at 2:59 am
Not only are you comparing apples to oranges with gallon sizes, you are doing the same thing with fuel economy ratings. For exactly the same car, EU ratings show consistently higher fuel economy than EPA ratings. Next time you think about engaging in “journalism”, you might want to try something we refer to in the US as “fact checking”. Just a thought.
May 28th, 2012 at 10:07 am
I read your feature in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph Motoring section (26th May) on Driving Abroad. You warned readers about the new French law making breathalysers compulsory in France and that only NF approved breathalysers will be acceptable. Yet you left readers in the dark as to where they could obtain them. Should anyone ask, AlcoSense Singles NF are single-use, disposable breathalysers which come in packs of two and are on sale across the country at branches of Halfords, via the Rac, as part of a travel kit on the AA website or direct from AlcoSense by phone or online.