Fire chiefs warn of growing risk of e-bike ‘explosions’

 

A total of 149 fires caused by exploding e-bike batteries were recorded by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) in 2023, an increase of 71pc from 2022.

Three people died as a result of the incidents while around 60 people were injured.

And at least a further 40 e-bike fires have been recorded so far this year.

The fires are typically triggered when the lithium battery of an e-bike becomes damaged or is charged using the wrong equipment, said Charlie Pugsley, the London Fire Brigade’s deputy commissioner.

He said: “Growing e-bike ownership is a good thing if they help people get around and it supports our climate objectives.

“But what really worries us is the speed and severity of these battery fires when they break out.

In December last year, the LFB revealed how a mother and son were forced to jump from the first-floor windows of their home in Ilford, east London, after an e-bike that had been left charging overnight burst into flames indoor. Both survived but had to be treated in hospital, while large sections of the house’s first floor and roof were destroyed.

The amount of energy packed into lithium batteries makes them particularly dangerous when they explode, leading to fierce flames and billowing smoke that fills the area within seconds, Mr Pugsley said.

The LFB is now advising households not to charge e-bikes when they are sleeping, to avoid placing them next to exits or stairways that could block escape routes and to always use the correct charger, among other things. Households have been advised to store them outside or in outbuildings, where possible.

Mr Pugsley raised concerns about growing spread of illegal e-bikes with more powerful motors and batteries, as well as DIY conversion kits that can lead people to charge batteries with the wrong charger.

Despite the legal limit for e-bikes being 250 watts of power, a string of models with capacities of up to 2,000 watts are openly sold online, described as “road legal”. In UK speed limit for electric bikes is 15.5mph, this means that the motor's assistance must stop when bike reaches this speed.

“In the vast majority of cases, it is not the fault of the consumer because they have bought the bikes in good faith.

“But obviously for those who buy the motorbike-style ones that is a deliberate choice.”

He added that proposals recently set out by the Government to increase the legal limit of e-bike power to 500 watts should not go ahead until more research had been done around the safety implications of such a move.

Can I Learn To Drive as Lockdown Eases ?

Can I learn to drive as lockdown eases?

Official routes to obtaining a licence are suspended, except for key workers

Can you take driving lessons from a professional driving Instructor during lockdown?

The short answer is: no. Although driving instructors are technically  able to return to work during this first phase of lockdown easing, none of their clients will be able to join them in the car – unless the instructor erects a screen between himself and the driver. 

And if they did it would leave the instructor without proper control of the car – he or she wouldn’t be able to grab the wheel in an emergency, for example, so that probably isn’t going to work.

Driving  Instructors will not  be able to accompany learner drivers under social distancing guidelines, but  there are some exceptions.

Official advice to instructors from the Driving Instructors’ Association is that they are still allowed to train key workers who have an essential need to drive –doe example a key worker who need to drive on motorway or at night etc.

In these circumstances, driving instructors are being told to conduct a risk assessment, and to follow safe working practices, so if you can find a driving  instructor willing to teach you, you may take lessons but be prepared to answer  about your and your household before each lesson; you may have to sanitise your hands or to wear a face mask. 

Learning to drive privately

There’s nothing in the regulations which prohibits provisional DRIVING licence-holders from driving to essential  shopping trip, as long as they’re accompanied by an eligible member of their household and the car is correctly insured and wearing L-plates. 

Learning to drive with someone who isn’t within your household is not allowed under the current lockdown rules.

Are driving tests still taking place?

Currently driving tests are suspended until at least June 20, and this suspension may  be extended further. If you already had a car driving test booked, and it was cancelled, you’ll be emailed details of a new date when tests are once again taking place. 

If you’re a key worker, and you need to drive in order to continue to do your job, it may be possible for you to apply for an emergency driving test. However, you’ will need to be available  to take your driving  test at short notice if you apply, so only do so when you’re ready and you feel you’ve had enough training and practice.

Visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-emergency-driving-test to find out more.

What about theory tests?

Theory tests have been suspended until at least May 31. And suspension may be  further  extended. If you already had a theory test booked, and it has been cancelled, you’ll get a refund and you’ll have to rebook it yourself when tests suspension is lifted.

As with the practical driving test, if you’re a key worker you can apply for an emergency theory test. Again, the DVSA says you’ll need to be  available  at very short notice, so make sure you’ve done plenty  of  practice and feel confident enough to take the test at short notice.

Visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-emergency-theory-test to find out more.

MOT status and Driving during lock down ?

The Government has now  suspended all MOTs for six months for cars, motorbikes and vans starting from Monday 30th March  2020. This means that all MoTs are now effectively 18 months long. The Department for Transport said that car owners' MoT dates will change about a week before their test is due, and they will be able to check the new date online. This will means MoTs due from March 30 with be valid for another six months, and so your  insurance won't be effected. 

However, ministers have warned that people need to keep their cars roadworthy and anyone found driving a dangerousvehicle will be prosecuted. 

Drivers whose MoT was due before March 30 will still need to have their test done. If they have been unable to do so because they are self-isolating, they can still have their test done at a later date. An agreement has been negotiated with insurance companies and the police so they will not be unfairly penalised.

Garages Driving Schools will remain open for critical workers and people who depend on their cars for essential trips like shopping to get necessary repairs done.

Smoking in cars carrying children is set to be banned

Smoking in cars  by driver or paggengers, carrying children is set to be banned after MPs overwhelmingly backed the plan in a free vote.

Shadow public health minister hails great victory for child health after vote which divided Conservative backbenchers

The House of Commons supported the plan, first put forward by Labour despite the misgivings of some cabinet members, including Nick Clegg over whether it will be too difficult to police.

Under the proposal the government will now have powers to introduce a new offence of exposing children to smoke in vehicles, with breaches of the law likely to incur a small fine.

David Cameron, who missed the vote, gave his personal backing to the idea, despite the government saying last week there was no need for the legislation.

For visitk story visit :   http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/10/mps-smoking-ban-cars-children

Black drivers are more likely to be stopped by police

                                   Stopwatch estimates five million unrecorded stops in one year.

Millions of cars are pulled over by the police every year without being officially recorded – and black drivers are significantly more likely to be targeted, figures reveal.

Although there is no official available data on the number of vehicle stops, researchers from Stopwatch, a coalition of academics and legal experts which monitors the use of stop-and-search powers by the police, used figures from the British Crime Survey to estimate that around 10% of adults in England and Wales are stopped in a vehicle by police each year.

"We estimate that there were approximately 5.5 million vehicle stops in 2010-11, approximately five million of which did not involve a search and therefore were not covered by the recording requirement," said a Stopwatch briefing document.

Research commissioned by the group based on British Crime Survey data between 2008 and 2011 also found that black people had reported higher levels of car stops  in the past year than white people and that "the disproportionality could not be explained by any other social or demographic factors". Rachel Taylor of the legal firm Fisher Meredith, who is a member of Stopwatch, said the practice of stopping cars without recording the incident using section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 was alarming. It allowed officers to circumvent the conditions of reasonable suspicion that the driver is carrying an unauthorised weapon or drugs.

"This throws the power wide open to abuse, and research indicates that there are very high levels of racial disproportionality in its use," she said.

For full Story Visit : http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/feb/02/black-drivers-stopped-police

Google is under pressure to close private sites that charge

 

 

 

Google is under pressure to close private sites that charge :

      ·          £85 for driving licence ( driving )renewals that cost £24.50 at the Post Office,

      ·         £29 to apply for "Ehics" (European health insurance cards) that are issued free by the NHS;

      ·         £172 for UK passports that should cost £72.50.

      For full story visit  :  

        http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/jan/30/tax-return-passport-health-copycat-websites

Driving licence records to go online

DVLA to launch a system that will allow insurers to check driving licence records online, making deception and mistakes less frequent. 

Also Insurance premiums for motorists may be cut by up to £15 a year after the government announced that all driving licence records were being put online as part of my lisence project .

The searchable database for individuals and companies to check speeding endorsements and other details could also bring down the cost of car hire.

Currently insurers are unable to check licence details when they sell policies, and so have to "price in" the risk that drivers either lie to them about endorsements to get a lower quote, or simply make a mistake.

But a system due to be launched by the DVLA in March will allow them to access the information through the gov.uk website using an individual's licence number, national insurance number and postcode.

The Association of British Insurers has estimated that honest motorists could save £15 on their premiums thanks to the data being put online.

Car hire companies will also have their administration burden reduced through being able to check drivers' details online rather than by phone.

The paper counterpart to the driving licence card is due to be phased out by 2015, and there will be an assisted service for those who find it difficult to use the internet.

Queen Street Mill in Burnley gets Grade I-listed status

Queen Street Mill in Burnley, has frequently been used for film and TV shows, is recognised as last working steam powered cotton mill in the world.

The Queen Street Mill in Burnley Lancashire, which gets Grade I listing in the new year. Photograph: Alamy

A magnificent survivor from the age of steam will greet the new year as a Grade I-listed building, its importance finally recognised as the last working steam powered cotton mill in the world.

The giant Victorian steam engine of Queen Street Mill in Burnley Lancashire, was originally named Prudence; steam engines of the time were often affectionately christened. The engine, still running after 120 years, was renamed Peace in 1918 in honour of the fallen soldiers of the first world war, who included many former mill workers.

For Full story Visit

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/dec/25/victorian-queen-street-mill-grade-i-listed-status

Motoring Laws You May Have Broken Without Knowing them

Legislation to make driving under the influence of drugs as a specific offence has been welcomed after it was announced in last week's Queen's speech. It's already widely known that driving after taking banned drugs such as cannabis or cocaine is illegal but did you know that patients on prescription drugs also face prosecution if their driving is impaired by medication?

To stay on the right side of the law, a modern driver needs to be fully aware of the catalogue of potential motoring offences that they might be committing, and  this list seems to be growing by the day.Here are 10 examples of less common offences that might catch you out:

Warning fellow oncoming motorists
Warning other drivers of a police speed trap could land you with a fine of up to £500. A 64-year-old male motorist from Grimsby helped a fellow driver avoid a potential prosecution and was hit with a fine and costs totalling £440 by magistrates.

Dirty number plate
Number plates that obscure the registration details can lead to a £1,000 fine.

Beeping your horn
Sounding your horn while stationary is illegal, unless to warn a moving vehicle of danger. In fact, you can't use your horn on a residential street from 11.30pm till 7am in any circumstances.

Changing a CD
...or, sipping a hot drink, eating food or doing your make-up while driving could be considered careless or even dangerous.

Pulling over to take a mobile phone call
You may still be considered by police to be 'driving' and therefore breaking the law if the engine is running, even if you are parked at the kerbside. Be safe: park up and switch off or use a hands-free phone.

Playing loud music
Playing loud music, especially with your car windows down, could be regarded as causing a distraction for either yourself or other road users.

Cradling a baby in your arms
As a passenger, holding a baby while the car is moving, even if you are wearing a seatbelt, is unlawful and the driver is responsible. All children must have a 'restraint', such as a booster seat or baby seat, until their 12th birthday or reaching 135cm tall. Travelling in a taxi is an exception.

Road rage
Being abusive or making rude hand gestures to a fellow road user or pedestrian can be judged inconsiderate, careless driving 

'Morning after' drink-drivers
Convictions of motorists who are over the alcohol limit from the previous night are on the rise. Some people who stop drinking alcohol at midnight may still be above legal limits for driving at 4pm the next day - 16 hours later - depending on the amount consumed.

Even beyond these less well-known laws there are numerous motoring myths that can land you in trouble. Inaccurate but commonly-held beliefs, such as the 'two-week leeway for changing a tax disc' or the 10% speed limit discretion, often get motorists fines or points on their driving licence, which can in turn lead to an outright ban via the totting-up system.

Solicitor Natali Farrell of Just Motor Law said: "It is useful for motorists to refresh themselves of the law by re-reading the Highway Code to avoid some of the myths.''

"Knowing the law can help a motorist avoid breaking it. Some offences are less clear-cut than say, speeding, and open to interpretation, which means there may be scope to challenge on several grounds."