| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
lancasterlad
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 328
Location: North Lancashire
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
adam2
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Jul 2007
Posts: 4464
Location: London UK
|
 Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:39 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
With the concerns re peak oil, we should be moving away from cars to public transport, and should also be replacing diesel trains with electric ones, and diesel buses with electric trams or trolley buses.
The routine theft of cables is hardly going to encourage a move towards electric public transport.
Whilst theft can be insured against, the increased rate of theft and consequent claims will be reflected in higher premiums.
The expense will be relfected in either higher fares or greater subsidy and therefore higher taxes.
_________________
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mark
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 595
Location: NW England
|
| Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 12:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
More safety implications......
Copper theft causes electrical fires in Bolton:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8658591.stm
An electrical surge caused by copper thieves led to a power cut for almost 400 properties in Bolton and some household appliances catching fire. United Utilities said a vital copper safety component, worth just £20, was stolen from a sub-station which resulted in the power cut. No-one was injured, but within the space of three hours firefighters were called to 71 related incidents. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RenewableCandy
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 10691
Location: York
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
adam2
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Jul 2007
Posts: 4464
Location: London UK
|
| Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 1:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| RenewableCandy wrote: | | Another good reason to turn everything off at the wall when not using it. |
Absolutly, copper thefts appear to be increasing, and there is allways the risk of faults leading to overvoltage.
Mains operated smoke detectors can add to the risk since they may catch fire if subjected to gross overvoltage. For this reason I prefer the battery ones, though AFAIK these are no longer allowed in new or refurbished properties.
In the case of appliances that have to be left on all the time, I try to keep flammables away from the appliance, and in some cases fit a smaller fuse, which may blow quicker in case of overvoltage induced damage.
_________________
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
Last edited by adam2 on Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:38 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kenneal - lagger
Site Admin
Joined: 20 Sep 2006
Posts: 7072
Location: Newbury, Berkshire
|
| Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 3:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Our church had it's lead roofs stolen last year. These were replaced with no-value felt: very unchristian, not turning the other cheek. The thieves came back this year and pinched the lead flashing off the church hall instead. The church wardens are now looking for an unchristian alternative for the flashings.
_________________
BLOG
It is very, very, very serious indeed. This is the big one!" Professor Tim Lang, APPGOPO, 25/03/08. And he was talking about food, not oil or the economy! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RenewableCandy
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 10691
Location: York
|
| Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 5:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| adam2 wrote: | | Mains operated smoke detectors |
are thus even more of a pain in the ar$e than I thought: all ours are disconnected because they go off whenever the fog rolls in (they really do!!). I rang up the makers to ask how to turn the sensitivity down and got into a flaming row (at work, in an open-plan office. Ah my olde workmates must miss the entertainment!) and ended up referring to their product as "dangerous crap...except crap's at least useful in the garden".
I haven't changed my mind.
_________________
Soyez réaliste. Demandez l’impossible.
Space and Spaceability
The Year-Long Lunch Break |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
syberberg
Joined: 24 Nov 2005
Posts: 1089
|
| Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 8:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| RenewableCandy wrote: | I rang up the makers to ask how to turn the sensitivity down and got into a flaming row (at work, in an open-plan office. Ah my olde workmates must miss the entertainment!) and ended up referring to their product as "dangerous crap...except crap's at least useful in the garden".
I haven't changed my mind. |
That's brilliant, brightened my day wonderfully. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
adam2
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Jul 2007
Posts: 4464
Location: London UK
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
Expect more copper thefts, the copper price has been rising steadily and is now almost $10,000 a ton.
Rural electricity networks are very vulnerable as a number of recent power cuts have shown.
_________________
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RenewableCandy
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 10691
Location: York
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
adam2
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Jul 2007
Posts: 4464
Location: London UK
|
| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 7:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
Another theft here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-13315451
This time of live buried cable. The theft of above ground infrastructure has long been a problem, but as they are now digging up buried cables it is diffecult to see what can be done.
One can hardly gaurd every bit of land under which a cable is buried.
Although the intentional excution of cable thieves is perhaps going a bit far, I feel that a hardening of attitudes towards fatal accidents might help.
A move perhaps away from "oh those poor kids" and towards "oh good, they wont do that again"
At present TPTB seem more concerned at the dangers faced by the thieves, than by the effects on the victims.
_________________
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lancasterlad
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 328
Location: North Lancashire
|
| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 8:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
Makes you wonder if they aren't kids but a team with an ex/bent electricity employee who has experience of working with live cables? You really would be crazy to do this without any experience whatsoever.
_________________
Lancaster Lad
Who turned the lights off? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RenewableCandy
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 10691
Location: York
|
| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 3:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The perils of hiring Contract labour...much better to have a proper squad of people with lifelong jobs and a pension (or modern equivalent), they're not going to go 'round sabotaging their own company, are they?
_________________
Soyez réaliste. Demandez l’impossible.
Space and Spaceability
The Year-Long Lunch Break |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DominicJ
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 4387
Location: NW UK
|
| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 9:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The Rover staff did a good job of sabotaging their own company.
The MoD recently published a list of stuff that was nicked.
_________________
I'm a realist, not a hippie |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rue_d_etropal
Joined: 20 Jul 2008
Posts: 204
Location: Lancashire
|
| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 11:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
These crimes must have taken some time to do, and must have been seen by someone, presumably thinking they were official workers. This is a problem when we assume what we see must be OK, and we don't look further than outside appearance. Just dress up and look official, and everyone assumes you must be official.
_________________
Sow a Seed
Save
Our
World
Simon
www.rue-d-etropal.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
?