Tag: safety

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Tesla wants ‘defamatory’ videos of its vehicles striking child mannequins taken down

Tesla wants videos showing its vehicles running over child-sized mannequins taken down, claiming the videos are “defamatory.”

Per The Washington Post and The Verge, Tesla sent a letter to an advocacy group alleging the videos misrepresent the capabilities of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software. This comes after the advocacy group, called the ‘Dawn Project,’ published videos of testing it did with Tesla’s FSD software. The group claimed FSD failed to detect child mannequins and routinely struck them in its tests, as shown in the videos.

However, the videos immediately generated significant controversy, with many leaping to Tesla and CEO Elon Musk’s defence. Some fans went so far as to seek out actual children to stand in front of their cars to prove that FSD could, in fact, detect and stop for children and that the tests didn’t work because testers used mannequins.

Alongside the deranged response from Musk fans, other critical observers noted potential flaws in the testing, such as one video clip that appeared to show that FSD wasn’t activated properly during the test. The Dawn Project released additional footage that showed FSD was activated, but there are still inconsistencies.

Others have raised concerns over Dawn Project founder Dan O’Dowd’s motives. O’Dowd launched a Senate campaign in California that was explicitly focused on Tesla’s FSD, and O’Dowd also runs Green Hill Software, which does business with Tesla competitors like General Motors, BMW, and Ford, according to The Verge. The videos released by the Dawn Project were part of an advertising campaign intended to sway the U.S. Congress to ban Tesla’s FSD.

Interestingly, The Verge noted that Tesla doesn’t appear to have filed objections to fan videos using real children to test FSD, although the letter comes days after YouTube removed several such videos. However, Tesla described the Dawn Project videos as portraying “unsafe and improper use of FSD Beta and active safety features” in the letter.

In response to the letter, O’Dowd called “Master Scammer Musk” a “crybaby.”

Regardless of your thoughts on O’Dowd and the Dawn Project, the concerns raised about FSD are legitimate. Critics have taken issue with Tesla allowing regular people to test beta software on public roads, and there have been calls for regulators to step in. Others have accused Tesla of being misleading with the name and marketing of FSD. Musk has repeatedly promised FSD would become fully autonomous, but as of now, the system still requires the driver to stay engaged and ready to stop or correct the vehicle. Tesla also fired an employee over videos they uploaded showing issues with FSD.

Source: The Verge, Washington Post

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Safety tests show Tesla vehicles ‘repeatedly’ fail to detect children

Studies show Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ (FSD) Beta technology fails to recognize children, further building on concerns about its safety as the company makes it available to more users.

First, a safety test conducted by the ‘Dawn Project‘ (via The Guardian) found that a Tesla Model 3 with FSD “repeatedly struck [a] child mannequin in a manner that would be fatal to an actual child.” Dawn Project seeks to improve the safety and reliability of software by stopping the use of commercial-grade software in safety-critical systems.

Further, investor Taylor Ogan shared a short video on Twitter showing a comparison between a Tesla and a vehicle equipped with LiDAR tech from Luminar — in the video, the Tesla hits the child mannequin while the LiDAR-equipped car manages to stop. In follow-up tweets, Ogan criticizes Tesla for not adopting LiDAR technology for its autonomous vehicle software.

LiDAR, for those unfamiliar with the term, refers to light detection and ranging or laser imaging, detection, and ranging. The tech allows for determining the range between two things by bouncing a laser off one object and measuring the time it takes for the laser to return.

The Dawn Project test will form part of an advertising campaign intended to encourage U.S. Congress to ban Tesla’s FSD.

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have so far disputed concerns over the safety of FSD. At the same time, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched investigations and requested information from the company about FSD. It’s worth noting that Tesla has also recently made FSD available in Canada.

A common line of defence appears to be claiming that FSD still requires driver assistance and is not fully autonomous. And while Tesla does state this on its website, the name — Full Self-Driving — suggests otherwise. Moreover, Tesla made the software available to thousands of Tesla owners to use on public roads, many of whom have misused FSD. Tesla has also delayed or pulled FSD updates over bugs and other issues several times and even fired an employee who shared a video of flaws with the FSD system.

There are clear safety concerns at play here, and critics have highlighted these concerns in an attempt to get governments to regulate the use of autonomous driving systems on public roads until the systems are safer and more reliable. Tesla fans have responded by attacking these critics online, with one Twitter user going so far as to request a child volunteer to run in front of their FSD-equipped Tesla to prove it will stop.

“I promise I won’t run them over,” the person wrote. Yea, sure bud.

Source: Dawn Project, Taylor Ogan (Twitter) Via: The Guardian

Categories
Cottage Life

Health Canada issues major recall on DeWalt saws after multiple injuries

Photo courtesy Health Canada

Health Canada has issued a recall on DeWalt 12-inch sliding compound mitre saws after receiving multiple reports of the saw causing laceration injuries in both Canada and the U.S.

If struck, the saw’s plastic rear guard assembly can break or shatter, exposing the blade and posing a laceration hazard, says Health Canada.

The saws are yellow with black accents and have a model number located on the saw’s nameplate. The affected saws include model numbers DHS790AB, DHS790AT2, DWS779, DWS780, DWS780LST, DWS780RST, and DWS780WS sold between April 2019 and May 2022.

Excluded from the recall are DeWalt 12-inch sliding compound mitre saws marked with a green dot on the carton near the UPC code or on the nameplate, as well as saws marked with a black dot on the arm adjacent to the rear guard.

Recalled Saw
Photo courtesy Health Canada

According to Health Canada, DeWalt sold 118,583 of the saws in Canada and 1,364,340 in the U.S. As of June 13, the company had received 571 incident reports of the rear guard assembly breaking or detaching, including one report of a laceration injury in Canada and eight reports of laceration injuries in the U.S.

“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact Stanley Black & Decker Canada Corporation for a replacement rear guard assembly kit, or go to a DeWalt Service Center for a free repair,” said Health Canada.

For more information on the recall, consumers can contact Stanley Black & Decker Canada by telephone at 1-800-990-6421 or online at https://www.dewalt.ca/miter-saw-recall.

Categories
Cottage Life

What three words can save your life?

By bodnar.photo/Shutterstock

If you were in an emergency, what three words would you choose to get help to your location as quickly as possible? Smartphone’s GPS services are not 100 per cent reliable and, even street addresses can be too vague.

A new application, what3words, has assigned every three square metres in the world a unique and precise address, using three distinct words. The words are randomly assigned to each square and are unchanging.

Ontario emergency services are increasingly using the app to find people who are lost, like a 70-year-old Huron County man who lost his way going out one day in April and was not rescued until 6 a.m. the following day.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) introduced the app to locals December 1, 2020, and since, provincial communication centre agents recognize and are trained to coordinate emergency rescues with the app. What3words uses minimal cellular data to generate the three-word address. If the caller does not have the app already, dispatchers can send a link that can quickly generate the address.

“It’s a real game changer for us in the north,” says Andrew Hurlbut, the boating, safety, and emergencies rep for the Georgian Bay Association (GBA).

When the app launched, Hurlbut thought, Wow. The Georgian Bay itself spans 15,000 square kilometres. When you include the kilometres of coast and its 30,000 islands, “there are all kinds of places you can disappear,” Hurlbut says.

While longitude and latitude coordinates are just as precise, the three-metre-square approach is easier for the everyday person to relay over the phone, Hurlbut finds. This is why the association is actively encouraging their members to adopt the app.

“Whether I’m at my dock, whether I’m out back, whether I’m off to the side in the woods, or on my particular island…it makes that kind of rescue that much easier,” says Shannon Farquharson, the GBA’s communication and executive services coordinator. “My in-laws, who are in their 80s, have it on their phones, and my son, who is 11, has it on his. It’s something that anybody of any age can use, and can figure out how to use in a hurry,” she says. The GBA wants the bulk of their members to be at least aware of the app, and hopefully also start downloading it and using it.

Before technology like what3words, people relied more on themselves and good samaritans, Hurlbut says. Not long ago, marine radios were used to contact the Coast Guard—an asset in and around Georgian Bay, he adds—and rescues went from there, often coordinated by the Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers dotted around the bay. Otherwise, boaters relied on paper charts.

“Imagine,” Hurlbut says. “Big waves, rolling thunder and winds and this map is blowing around,” he says. “Technology has been a boon to boating safety.” He reminds us that outdoor safety starts with a few basics: “If you’re travelling out, it’s best not to go alone. Go with someone, and notify people of what your intentions are, where you’re going, and when you expect to get there, so people know to look for you when you don’t show up.”

For emergencies at your cottage, Hurlbut says to consider giving the three-word address for your dock if it’s the easiest access point to your property. Before you go off hiking in the woods, figure out the what3word start point and end point. This is useful for trips on foot and boats. “You can be 3,000 metres off and it can point you back in the direction you came from.”

Farquharson says the app can also help you mark, for example, a picnic spot you found and want to get back to. “Every family on the Bay,” she says, “has a story about a rescue.” On the Bay, she adds, quoting Hurlbut, “you’re your own first responder and you have to rely on yourself first.” A tool like what3words makes the responsibility a little less daunting. “If I can pull out my phone and say ‘911 can get me’, it’s a load off.”

Categories
Cottage Life

Work gloves review: our 5 expert-approved picks

Photo by Liam Mogan

Our editorial team independently selects these products. If you choose to buy any, we may earn a commission that helps fund our content. Learn more.

Before you grab any old pair of cotton work or gardening gloves and launch into your spring checklist, take a stroll through your local hardware store. You’ll find superior hand protection in a variety of technical fabrics, specialized coatings, and form-fitting designs. What you may not find, especially if you have smaller hands, are gloves in your size. As a woman who renovates, I often have to buy online or ask the store to order my size. In general, choose a specialized glove that is geared to the hazards you’ll encounter.

A hand wearing grey Premium Defense cut resistant gloves against an orange background. Photo by Liam Mogan
Cut-resistant gloves

Premium Defense A4 Cut Resistant gloves

While no work glove is completely impervious to cuts, some are far more resilient than others. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) scores cut resistance on a scale of one to nine. An A4 glove offers good protection for cottage construction projects.

Buy from The Home Depot
$14.98

A hand wearing a black and red MAXIMUM heavy duty impact glove against a camo-green background. Photo by Liam Mogan
Impact-resistant gloves

Maximum Heavy Duty Impact glove

If you’re planning to build a retaining wall or rock garden this summer, you’ll want a glove that protects you from scraped knuckles and bruises. Impact-resistant gloves offer padding on the palm and heavy-duty rubber on the back of the hand, fingers, and knuckles. There are three levels of ANSI impact protection—level 2 will stand up to most cottage chores.

Buy from Canadian Tire
$34.99

A hand wearing a black and orange Mechanix Wear Leather FastFit glove against a blue background. Photo by Liam Mogan
Blister protection gloves

Mechanix Wear Leather FastFit gloves

Loose gloves chafe your skin, so don’t settle for oversized work gloves for repetitive tasks, such as clearing brush. Choose a form-fitting glove with elasticated material and padding for blister protection.

Buy from Home Hardware
$32.99

A hand wearing a cobalt blue PVC gauntlet chemical resistant glove against a yellow background. Photo by Liam Mogan
Chemical-resistant gloves

Ansell Ultimate Heavy Duty PVC Coated Gloves

Whether you’re cleaning, painting, or pouring concrete, every cottager should own watertight and chemical-resistant gloves. A heavyweight 8-mil nitrile disposable glove will protect you from most splashes. However, if you’re going to be submerging your hands in anything nasty, a PVC-coated gauntlet glove is your best bet. Check the manufacturer’s label to see what chemicals a glove is approved for before diving in.

Buy from Home Hardware
$7.99

A hand wearing a yellow Mastercraft leather welding glove against a red background. Photo by Liam Mogan
Heat-resistant gloves

Mastercraft Leather Welding gloves

If you plan on welding, grilling, or managing a campfire, a specialized heat- and (possibly) flame-resistant glove should be on your shopping list. Materials like leather, silicone, rubber, and aramid fibres (including Kevlar) resist heat to varying degrees. Only use a glove that’s been manufacturer-approved and certified (ANSI ASTM F1060-08 or EN407) for your intended application.

Buy from Canadian Tire
$22.99

This article was originally published in the May 2022 issue of Cottage Life magazine.

Categories
Cottage Life

Changes may be coming to address noise emissions across Canada

Photo by freevideophotoagency.

We love boating—but we know noisy boats can be disruptive to both cottagers and aquatic life. While current legislation mandates all power-driven boats to have a muffler, noise emissions have no specific performance limits. Transport Canada is proposing five policy options to avoid unnecessary noise disturbances. 

What is Transport Canada proposing?

The first policy option will make no changes to existing regulations, and the second will modernize existing regulations. The third option introduces performance measures for manufacturers, while another introduces performance measures for boaters. 

The last option is the most comprehensive, introducing new regulations for both manufacturers and boaters. According to Transport Canada, this policy option would ensure that new and existing boats don’t exceed noise emission limits, will allow police to use a tool to measure decibel limits, and will require operators to modify their boats to meet new standards.

So many options. What do the people want? 

Rob Bosomworth, chair of the Decibel Coalition, is passionate about keeping Canada’s lakes quiet and safe. He supports policy option five. “We need to put decibel limits on both manufacturers and operators to regulate manufacturing importers and to ensure all boats are compliant,” says Bosomworth. “This would not be an overly difficult job for Transport Canada because they already have safety standards and environmental measures for boat manufacturers.” 

Bosomworth also believes that option five would address the larger part of noise emission issues: boaters who do not comply with current regulations. “By increasing performance measures for operators, we manage the largest portion of the problem,” he says. “This would address the outliers whose boats have no mufflers and make an extreme amount of noise.”

The fifth policy proposal would make waves in the movement, not accomplished by previous strategies. For example, municipalities have tried passing by-laws but have been unsuccessful because they do not have jurisdiction. There has also been an increase in public support. Safe Quiet Lakes’ 2021 survey, consisting of almost 6,000 participants, indicated a strong correlation between enjoyment on the lake and noise limits. 

The Decibel Coalition is in frequent talks with Transport Canada and are encouraging supporters to write to their MPs. 

Is option five best for everyone? Let’s dive in further. 

Sara Anghel, president of National Marine Manufacturers Association of Canada (NMMA), supports policy option four. According to Anghel, it would support “building to the standard that would meet the limits that Transport Canada may wish to impose,” while meeting the best interests of all stakeholders. 

The association is concerned that introducing stricter performance measures for manufacturers will make it more difficult for people to enjoy boating. “As an industry, we support people getting into boating and believe that of all the critical priorities that the government should be addressing, boat noise is not at the top of the list,” she says. ”There are more pressing issues, such as improving boating safety, modernizing the pleasure craft licensing system, and supporting the boating community through opportunities to expand recreational boating.” 

While the NMMA doesn’t believe that noise is of top priority, Anghel acknowledges that, “there’s a small number of boaters that pose a nuisance on the Canadian waterways, and we don’t want to promote that kind of boating.” Anghel says the larger issue resides with boaters who use outdated engines or add aftermarket modifications. 

How about the ones who have to enforce the policy? What do they have to say?

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) support option four and five, with concerns rooted in officer and boater safety. According to Sergeant Dave Moffatt, the provincial marine coordinator of the Highway Safety Division under the OPP, these options would allow police to use an instrument to determine decibel limits, similar to the one used when assessing impaired driving. 

Currently, it can be difficult for officers to determine decibel noises or check if there is a muffler present. “This instrument would give us a quantitative result like a pass or fail,” says Sergeant Moffatt. “This will also assess noise emissions for boats that have a muffler and comply with current regulation, but are still loud.” 

Sergeant Moffatt says that noise emission issues are limited to small pockets of the country, yet the OPP receives many complaints about loud boats. “Everyone deserves the right to enjoy the water,” says Sergeant Moffatt. 

Transport Canada is currently analyzing the comments received through public consultation. They will provide updates during the next meeting of the Canadian Marine Advisory Council in fall 2022. 

Categories
Cottage Life

Tick talk: Ontario Lyme Disease Map 2022

Photo by Public Health Ontario

Are you heading to the cottage and thinking about visiting parks and wooded areas? Maybe you fancy going hiking, golfing, hunting, camping, bird-watching, or fishing. Before you jump into this season’s fun, stay safe by checking out Ontario’s annual Lyme Disease Map for 2022: Estimated Risk Areas. The map highlights common high-risk areas, where blacklegged ticks (ticks that have the potential to carry the bacteria causing Lyme disease) are typically found. Many popular cottage spots are on the map.

What exactly is the Ontario Lyme disease map?

The Ontario Lyme disease map is released annually by Public Health Ontario in an effort to assist public health professionals and clinicians to make informed decisions on testing and treatment. According to Public Health Ontario, the risk areas are calculated “as a 20 km radius from the centre of the location where blacklegged ticks were found through drag sampling.” Drag sampling is a surveillance method which involves dragging a white flannel cloth over vegetation to determine if ticks are present. Public Health Ontario decides where to conduct drag sampling based on historical location data of black-legged ticks, assessment of exposure from local human Lyme disease cases, and evidence of  suitable tick habitat. Drag sampling is completed over a three-hour period between May and October where ticks have previously been found, and is conducted twice a year where ticks have not been previously found.

If I’m not in a high-risk area, can I still encounter a blacklegged tick?

You may encounter an infected blacklegged tick almost anywhere in Ontario. They thrive alongside forest edges and in shrubs, leaf litter, wood piles, and long grass. These ticks also feed on and can be transported by migratory birds. The map is not intended to be a fulsome list of where black-legged ticks are found in Ontario, but rather to highlight high-risk exposure locations. 

Is the problem getting worse?

While there is an uptick in trends of Lyme disease for all ages and sexes, according to Public Health Ontario, there was a decrease in cases from 2019 to 2020 (the last year of trend data) in Ontario. Moving to the broader Canadian scale, reported cases of Lyme disease did rise from 1,615 in 2019, to a preliminary case count of 2,851 in 2021. 

Lyme disease rates and cases for all ages for all sexes in Ontario
Photo by Public Health Ontario

There is minor variation in comparing the Ontario Lyme disease maps between the years of 2019-2022, however, similar estimated risk areas have been identified. 

Follow these three simple tips to help protect yourself against Lyme Disease.

Categories
Cottage Life

The answer to your tick problem may lay in your kitchen

KPixMining/Shutterstock.com

Did you know that vampires and ticks have something in common? They both hate the smell of garlic! Since 2018, the City of Kingston has been applying a 100 per cent natural garlic-based spray to the city’s public parks and dog parks to combat tick and mosquito populations. This spray is not harmful to humans and pets, but it can keep your family safe from tiny, terrorizing ticks. It’s applied every six weeks during the spring, summer, and fall and repels ticks and mosquitoes that can carry Lyme disease or West Nile Virus.  

How effective can garlic really be? 

Garlic is a natural defence because “ticks have a sense of smell that is 10,000 times more sensitive than ours and, lucky for us, they don’t like garlic,” says Troy Stubinski, the operations manager of the Public Works Department for the City of Kingston. Further, Stubinski says that “the product has not been proven to be 100 per cent effective, but certainly is very effective. Our residents have been very happy, especially in regards to the use of the spray in our dog parks. Residents are finding that dogs are no longer bringing ticks home with them.”

But garlic smells! Will my dog and I reek of garlic?

No need to worry about garlic’s pungent odour because the product only smells immediately after application. In good conditions, the product dries in 30 minutes and does not smell thereafter. The City of Kingston prioritized education of the initiative, making residents aware of the product’s safety and short period of which someone may detect a smell. 

Will this program be extended?

The city must consider where the spray will best protect the public from the risks of ticks and which settings are most cost effective to maintain. The city is partnering with local universities, who are conducting drag testing studies to determine the number of ticks. For private businesses and organizations who are interested in partnering with the City of Kingston to reduce ticks on their property, the city is “open to anyone who has an interest and is willing,” says Stubinski. 

Can I use this at home?

Yes, individuals are able to purchase a garlic-based spray or contact a pest control company. Stubinski recommends that residents “make a decision based on cost and the number of ticks located on the property.” While individuals may wish to explore this option, there is a cost and reapplication factor to consider.  

For those looking for more information, details can be found on the City of Kingston’s website including a safety data sheet. 

Categories
Cottage Life

Cottage Q&A: Woodstove inspection alternatives

By Joshua Rainey Photography/Shutterstock

Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to Wood Energy Technology Transfer inspection of woodstoves for areas where qualified WETT inspectors are very hard to get? What do insurance companies suggest for such regions?—Phil Dean, via email

There certainly aren’t any alternative certifications. “WETT is the only program in Canada,” says Zigi Gadomski, the president of Wood Energy Technicians British Columbia. But, since “it’s not a government certification or mandated by the government, an insurance company can use anyone they want.”

They can. But they probably won’t. “All companies that I know of will now only accept a WETT certification on units such as free-standing woodstoves, pellet stoves, and steel fireplace inserts,” says Bob Dixon of Mason Insurance Brokers in Welland, Ont. “It’s just a fact these days.” The folks at the Insurance Bureau of Canada agree.

But everyone gets the problem when it comes to cottages: “Understandably, the more remote a town or area is, the less likely that there might be WETT inspectors available,” says Dixon. Plus, COVID has messed up woodstove inspections the same way that it has messed up every other part of our lives. “I’ve heard that getting an inspection has been tougher due to backups and restrictions.”

We assume that you’re not willing to remove your woodstove. We also assume that you’d like fire insurance. Unfortunately, even if you wanted to, you probably can’t get a property policy that excludes fire losses caused by a wood-burning unit, says Bev Mitchell of Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies Group in Maple Ridge, B.C. “A regular market carrier is not likely to agree to that as an option. As a special risks underwriter, I see a lot of homes and cottages with woodstoves, and if the information provided on the unit indicates that a WETT inspection is required, we will give the client time to deal with the request,” she says. “In the interim, we will approach it with an extremely high deductible—for example, $100,000—to discourage the use of the unit.” But this interim arrangement only works if the woodstove is “auxiliary use only,” says Mitchell—you need a different, approved main heat source, such as a furnace or baseboard heating. 

If it’s strictly remoteness, not inspector availability, that is the issue, consider forking over the cash to bring one to you. (And in case it expands the pool, keep in mind that some home inspectors also have their WETT certification.) 

“I was once approached by a client who owned a private fishing lodge in a very remote area,” says Mitchell. “The main source of heat was a woodstove, and as the only alternative would be to self-insure, the client had to fly in a WETT inspector—at some expense.” 

It’s not outside the realm of possibility that a company would insure you with no inspection. But is that really what you want? “WETT is the most extensive and correct form of inspection,” says Dixon. “This is not just all about the insurance company requirements. This is about the safety of your family and friends. To me, that is always more important.”   

Got a question for Cottage Q&A? Send it to answers@cottagelife.com.

This article was originally published in the May 2022 issue of Cottage Life magazine.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Telus launches new wearable security line

Telus has launched a new security service that allows users to call for help at a touch of a button.

The company’s SmartWear Security line offers personal safety devices disguised as wearable accessories.

Users can purchase the safety feature in the form of a necklace, bracelet, keychain, or charms.

“By simply double-clicking your wearable device, you can immediately alert selected contacts and share your geolocation,” Zainul Mawji, president of home solutions and customer excellence at Telus, said.

“It’s empowering our customers with technology that immediately connects them to the support they need in an emergency.”

Telus is partnering with U.S-based invisaWear, which creates the devices. It’s connected through Telus’ wireless network and monitored by the SmartHome Security team.

Once the user clicks the device twice, the user’s pre-selected emergency contacts will be alerted, or they’ll be put in touch with the monitoring team for emergency assistance.

Users can manage SmartWear Security through an app that provides round-the-clock monitoring and alert modes users can personalize.

Prices start at $12 a month if bundled with another Telus service.

Source: Telus