Is this the end of the line for the high street DVD rental stores? Blinkbox has launched a website allowing you to watch free TV programmes onlineand also to stream or download the very latest blockbuster movie tiles for a fee. On their home page right now, they’re offering stuff like Gran Torino and TV favourites like the original Starsky & Hutch.. I’ve yet to try out the service but if anyone has an opinion, I’d like to hear more, as it could mean the end for hiking down to the DVD rental store only to find that all the copies are out…

I’ve been meaning to mention these for a while, but keep forgetting until now, so sorry if it’s a bit late.

At the end of last year, McKenna turns up at my place sporting a new pair of shades by Ryders Eyewear. “Check out these puppies, chap.”
Being true driving gear geeks, we’re quite picky about our shades, as we’ll often spend all day with them on, sometimes wearing a helmet. So what’s the big deal?

Well these things are the business. Without doubt the best driving glasses I’ve ever owned and here’s why:
1. They’re lightweight polycarbonate. No glass lenses, so not too heavy and safe to wear on track
2. The sharpness has to be seen to be believed. I pretty much put them on as I climb behind the wheel almost regardless of the weather as their ability to increase contrast in late winter light and dull days and also cut glare in bright sunlight is simply stunning.
3. They fit under an open face helmet without giving you a headache – big bonus
4. They’re not too expensive. In the Uk they seem to sell at around thirty quid a pair, which almost makes them disposable if they get scratched.

And on the subject of scratches and plastic lenses, that’s another thing – I’ve had mine more than six months now and they’re still fine, no marks or scratches on the lens. We’ve worn ours everywhere from the frozen lakes of northern Sweden working at Ice Driver, to daily commutes and track day instructional work in the UK.

The only downside I’ve been able to see is that after a day wearing them under an open face helmet, the gold logo on the arms was rubbed away, but I can live with that and let’s face it, most people wouldn’t put them through the tests that we have. Regarding looks, they might have a bit if a Ray Charles look about them in the style department, but we love them and everyone who trys them on says the same thing “Wow!”

So there you go. Their website shows the latest frames and the style we have seems to have been dropped, plus we no longer seem to be able to find them here in the UK, though the lens is still in production. We think they’re the business, do you know of a better pair of driving shades?