A sneeze or sniffle has a way of creeping up on you, especially when you least expect it. Hay fever seems to affect many of us.

Here are some tips give advice on riding and driving with hay fever:

• Keep your car clear of dust and pollen by vacuuming carpets, mats and upholstery; this will help reduce the problem. Check to see if there is a pollen filter available for your car - if you have one installed, does the filter need changing?

• Keeping your windows closed and setting your air-conditioning to recycle will reduce pollen concentrations in your vehicle. Give the vents a good blow through with cold air when you are not in the car to remove any dust that may be in them

• Taking the right non-drowsy medication is vital - charging into the chemist with an itchy nose, and eyes running to pick up the nearest antihistamines can be costly and could cause drowsiness. Always read the label, or better still ask the pharmacist

• Keep tissues close by to avoid taking your eyes off the road. Putting a few dabs of Vaseline inside your nostrils will also aid in trapping pollen

• Slow down or drop back from the vehicle in front if you think you’re going to sneeze. If you can do it safely, stop. If you are one to have a sneezing fit we recommend finding an appropriate place to stop and allow yourself to recover

• Wearing sun glasses can help – but make sure they don’t have a negative impact on your vision through windows that are already tinted

If you are struggling to see and sneezing as well, you can’t be safe on the road. Visit your pharmacist or GP to see if they can offer driver-friendly medication. Here is a link so you can check your medication effects https://www.gov.uk/drug-driving-law. If in doubt stay off the road and look for another mode of transport.

Richard Gladman, Institute of Advanced Motorists’ head of driving and riding standards

Back nurses

WHEN the Government gave nursing staff another real-terms pay cut this month, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) decided to ask all 270,000 of its members working in the NHS, including thousands in Lancashire, how they want to respond.

Sadly, there is no offer on the table for us to accept or reject – the Government imposed its below-inflation pay award.

Consequently, the elected members of RCN Council voted to launch this poll of all members.

It will give nursing staff a stronger voice and a direct way to decide what action the RCN takes.

Nursing staff are beyond disappointed by six years of real-term pay cuts.

Over the same period, pressure in hospital and community nursing reached unprecedented levels.

In the online poll, they have a chance to vote for action short of a strike or even taking the historical decision to take strike action.

We find ourselves in an unexpected general election but there is no better time to hold politicians to account for the impact of their decisions.

The one per cent pay cap for nursing staff is fuelling a recruitment and retention crisis in the NHS that is as damaging for patient care as it is for the nurses themselves.

Nurses are not taking this lightly. The wellbeing of patients is top priority of every nurse and healthcare assistant. But too many are struggling to make ends meet and they should not have to cover the NHS deficit from their own pay packet.

Anne Kennedy, RCN Council member

Review needed

AS the UK starts to move towards leaving the European Union it seems to me to be a golden opportunity to review the overall governance of the country.

How many politicians do we need to interfere in our lives? Even without Brussels/Strasbourg we have four governing bodies remaining plus innumerable quangos.

Surely if we retain our borough councils and Westminster we can do without Lancashire county councillors or combine the two workforces into a sleeker and more efficient unit.

Roger Arthur, via email