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Joined 3 years ago
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Cake day: June 17th, 2023

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  • I’ve actually got one myself. I would have to get creative to get it recharged from my solar panels. The inverter is grid tied, and would need to be bypassed.

    The original comment was talking about having a server up. That, and the networking kit to make it useful, would draw quite a bit. A lot more than you would get with a portable solar panel in the UK. To keep that up would require significant panels and storage capability, which implies fixed solar. Hence my comment warning them.

    I know a few people who thought they would be fine in a power cut, due to having solar. I set them straight on that, before it caught them flat footed at least.




  • A lot technically are electric motorbikes (or would be under UK law, where I live).

    To be an ebike, it needs to have no more than 250W peak power, have a power assist speed limit of 25kph (15mph) and require pedaling for power assist.

    If it goes outside any of these, it becomes a electric motorbike, and requires a numberplate, insurance etc.

    These rules seem very reasonable to me. Though I can see an argument for a slightly higher power limit for electric cargo bikes (400/500W). They are also starting to be enforced more critically now.

    I’ve no issues with electric dirt bikes, but they belong with the road traffic at that point, not on the cycling infrastructure.


  • It’s a mix here. Those in private businesses tend to be open and easy to grab. The ones in a box on a street corner are code locked.

    I suspect it makes sense. The slight delay would be fairly minimal. You are likely on the phone to emergency services already.

    It’s quite effective at stopping people messing with them however. Unfortunately, it only takes a few idiots to ruin things. Both thieves and bored teenagers could take an interest in them, and render them useless. A simple code lock makes it clear it’s not to be touched without need.

    I’ve not looked closely enough to see if any have a “break glass” type access system as well.








  • It’s also worth adding, if your child comes to you, having fucked up, don’t berate them, they already know. E.g. sent nudes to someone who is now trying to blackmail them. It’s so easy to do, under the pressure, but you must resist.

    Instead thank them for coming to you, and let them know you can fix it together, they are not alone. You can discuss what they should have done, and what to do in the future once you’re both thoroughly past emotional reactions to it. Till then you’re in protection mode, not teaching mode.





  • Sometimes it’s an unpleasant balancing act. If you punish too excessively, then it causes more harm. Companies that would have cooperated, or even come forward voluntarily, will, instead, bury the info. This can slow/stop the recall process and lead to more harm.

    We don’t know enough details about what happened in the background to judge too harshly. They might have bent over backwards, behind the scenes to help fix the damage (or the regulators were lazy).