News in Brief

Crash cops face rap on web pics
Police officers who bragged about crashing their cars and injuring pedestrians online have been exposed. Eighteen Metropolitan police officers posted pictures of themselves at accident scenes on the Internet. The photos appeared on social networking site Facebook in a group called ‘Look, I’ve had a Polcol’ – meaning police collision.  
 
Ford scales down to reverse slump  
Who said bigger is better? Ford is slowing production of trucks and SUVs in favour of smaller, more frugal models. The firm blamed the US economic slowdown and rising fuel costs for dwindling demand. Boss Alan Mulally said a switch to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars was likely to be permanent.
 
Our man tops vid game time sheets
Congratulations are in order for Auto Express senior sub-editor Dean Gibson, after he thrashed the competition at the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Media Challenge. Talented gamer Dean saw off journalists from several other leading publications in head-to-head virtual races around various tracks in high-performance Nissans.
 
Drivers go slow in fuel saving bid
Motorists are taking their foot off the gas to save fuel, a new survey has revealed. Traffic information service
www.keepmoving.co.uk conducted a study of 230,000 cars on the M6 between Carlisle and Birmingham. During the first half of June, it found the average speed was 0.9 per cent lower than in the same period last year.