A buyer has no legal basis to claim money back from a dealer because a car's maintenance history is incomplete, according to a judge's ruling in a UK county court. The verdict, which set a legal precedent for similar future cases, was delivered in the county court of Oxfordshire. It stated that the principle of “caveat emptor” applies, meaning "buyer beware". The ruling was reached on behalf of a buyer whose vehicle had no record of a previous annual service, and reportedly needed a new timing belt. The customer attempted to reject the car and claimed back the purchase price. However, the judge ruled there was no obligation on dealers to check every part of a car before selling it, as long as they disclosed issues brought to their attention at the time of sale.
New relaxed rules for dogs, bikes on Montreal's Metro start today
CBC
23-05-20 16:36
Montreal's Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has launched a trial project allowing dogs and bikes onto the city's Metro at all times, except during periods of high traffic. During the three-month initiative, the animals must wear muzzles and customers can only travel with one dog, while the STM asks cyclists to avoid frontmost cars. The initiative could be extended beyond 20 August if it proves successful. Alternatively, the Metro could introduce further restrictions or alternatives to allow people to transport their animals and bikes safely.
Polling by Electoral Calculus has indicated that the majority of people in the UK are opposed to low traffic neighbourhoods, with councils that favour them costing political support. The survey of 2,118 people highlighted 57% who said councils, MPs and mayors should not make rules which force car owners to drive less. Similarly, 51% said politicians were making life “too difficult” with congestion charges, low emission zones and LTNs. The results have led to calls from senior Tory MPs to introduce legislation halting ‘anti-car’ schemes at local level. Already (DfT) is exploring excluding LTNs from central government funding.
At least 10 people killed, nine injured in shootout in northern Mexico
Reuters
23-05-21 02:58
A minimum of 10 people were killed in a shooting at a car show in Baja California, Mexico on Saturday. Nine more were categorised as injured, sustaining minor-to-serious wounds. The attack took place at a popular all-terrain racing event in the San Vicente region of Ensenada, where armed people left a grey van and started shooting at participants. It is believed the Mexican Red Cross, the Fire Department, the municipal police and the Marines arrived at the scene promptly. Researchers argue that the conflict is likely related to organised crime in the area.
Most buyers of electric vehicles should opt to install a Level 2 charge point at home. While earlier EV models were able to charge overnight from a standard 120-volt outlet, newer models with bigger batteries would take several days to fully charge at Level 1. A Level 2 charger allows owners to achieve a full charge from a typical 240-volt outlet in less than eight hours. The cost of Level 2 charge point installation ranges from $500-$1,500 depending on the model and labour costs. Rebates are available for home Level 2 charge points in some Canadian territories and provinces.
I want to cut my carbon emissions. Living in Canada's hinterlands doesn't make it easy
CBC
23-05-21 08:00
Heather Kitching, a part-time CBC reporter and producer, has written for the CBC about the unique challenges of reducing her carbon footprint as an environmentally-conscious resident of Thunder Bay, a small, sparse city in northern Ontario. Due to living in one of the country’s coldest winter locales, Kitching has encountered home heating dilemmas, limited public transport accessibility, and scarcity of affordable EV car rentals and car sharing schemes. These obstacles have hindered her ability to live a fully sustainable and low-carbon life, with even electrified train journeys producing more carbon emissions than flights, according to a recent paper cited in the article.
The driver of an A-double road train narrowly missed a car on a highway east of Perth before his vehicle overturned in a harsh swerve, causing the second trailer to roll over. Footage recorded by the camera truck shows the other vehicle heading towards the road train just as the bend appears, prompting the driver to abruptly swerve to avoid a collision. Police later charged the 27-year-old male driver with one count of dangerous driving and the case has been adjourned until 23 May.
Three men have been killed in a shooting in the southern French city of Marseille. Police have discovered a link between the crime and drug trade, bringing the number of drug-related killings in the city to 21 this year. French police have seized weapons and arrested five people following the shooting. Marseille has been described as a "power keg" for crime given the high rates of drug-dealing in the area. Last month regional prefect Frederique Camilleri warned the drug wars in Marseille were "turning into a vendetta".
Fewer than one-quarter of surveyed British customers would invest in an electric car (EV) when they go on sale in the UK in 2025, according to data from insurer Aviva and The Daily Telegraph. However, the poll revealed that customers saw lower running costs and environmental benefits as positive factors of owning an EV, though more than 50% still believed the cars were less safe than petrol cars. Respondents also said the cost of EVs and the lack of charging points around the country were hampering adoption. The figures conflict with recent research carried out by the RAC Foundation and the International Council for Clean Transport, which found EV uptake rates could climb to one-third of new car sales by 2025 if the motivation was there for consumers.
A Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) worker was seriously injured after a subway car rolled back at Greenwood rail yard in the city's east end on 11 April. The worker was pinned between the subway car and another object, but was later extricated by firefighters and taken to hospital. Toronto police said the circumstances surrounding the incident were unknown and the minister of labour has been notified.
High school drag race prepares students for career in the trades
CBC
23-05-21 21:17
Students from several high schools in New Brunswick have competed in the annual Miramichi Dragway High School Challenge putting cars they have worked on themselves through their paces, building resilience as well motor skills. Students encouraged a teacher who had been working on two cars until 3 am to keep the second car available for the event, and when the classes started there were still last-minute adjustments being made to the vehicles. The lead-up to the event offers the students career exposure in the trades.
Sleep problems are on the rise, with 30% of British adults experiencing sleep problems, up from 23% in 2012, and one in 10 suffering from chronic insomnia, according to a report from The Guardian. Research indicates women tend to sleep less well than men, and older people less well than younger ones. A recent Cambridge University study based on hundreds of health studies recommends people sleep seven to nine hours a night with each REM cycle lasting approximately 90 minutes.
Writing in The Guardian, a sleep scientist and a clinical director of the Sleep School offer the following tips to sleep better: Ensure there is natural light in your environment when you wake up to trigger the brain to stop producing sleep hormone melatonin and activate the cortisol awakening response; exercise earlier in the day, avoid vigorous exercise within three hours of bedtime; wake up at the same time every morning as consistency in the pattern will strengthen the link between the bed and sleep; do not linger in bed as this compromises sleep quality, only get into bed when sleepy; eat at least three hours before bed and avoid stimulants, like caffeine and alcohol, which impact sleep. Try progressive muscle relaxation or mindfulness techniques if stressed.
Kathreem Adams, 23, and Christopher McLean, 32, from Florida have been charged with barring their two-year-old daughter in a hot car. The parents initially claimed that their daughter was unconscious inside their home when they called emergency services, who soon discovered the child was probably left for 14 hours in the vehicle. The child was found in possession of drug paraphernalia and CBD gummies and marijuana were located on the family’s premises, following which the parents were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. With the investigation ongoing, manslaughter or murder charges are also anticipated.
Jason Kennison died after summiting Mount Everest. The Australian, who had survived a spinal injury in 2006, climbed the mountain to raise money for spinal cord research. Kennison's condition caused problems on the descent, and two sherpas managed to get him down to 8400 metres, before heading back for more oxygen and equipment to help him. When they attempted to climb back up the mountain, however, the weather deteriorated and they were forced to abandon the ascent. Kennison's condition worsened and he perished, despite the efforts of a helicopter rescue team.
