Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Linked to Keyless Ignition Fobs

It seems that the driving public now has another problem to worry about. You know those cars that don’t have a key anymore and all you have to do is push a button to start the  engines?  Well, those same cars that have keyless ignitions are now being blamed for at least 3 deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  If you’ve come across the story, you know that one of the deaths occurred in New York and the other two in Florida.  In each case the  drivers did not shut off their engines after arriving home and parking their cars in their garages. Now, how in the world does this  happen?  Apparently, the keyless ignition (called a fob) is  supposed  to shut  off the engines after a specified time period of inactivity.  But, the engines did not shut down and the homes filled with carbon monoxide killing three people and seriously injuring a fourth person. Should the drivers have been responsible for shutting down their engines? Are these deaths the direct result of negligence on the part of the drivers?  Certainly, drivers are responsible for the operation of their vehicles.  But what happens when that responsibility is taken away from them?  What happens when you’re supposed to rely on some gadget to do what it’s supposed to do in order to keep you safe?  Think about it for a minute.  The auto makers want us to believe that their cars are safe.  Their ads tell us that for the sake of convenience, safety, or whatever reason, we should trust what we are told and place our lives in their hands.  So, how does someone forget to shut down their engine?  Answer: they depend on their keyless fob to do its job.

More Natural Gas Explosions

Last week, two natural gas explosions occurred; one in Allentown, PA on February 9 and the second in Hanover Township, OH on February 10.  Although it is too early to know what caused these explosions, the question of an aging pipeline cannot be ignored in either case.  An accidental explosion caused by excavation equipment is bad enough and the company doing the excavation can usually be held responsible.  But, when natural gas is ignited from a leaking pipeline, there is no excuse for the placement of consumers in mortal danger.  Gas utility companies insist that the transporting of natural gas in safe. It usually is safe – until there is an explosion!  Repair and/or replacement of pipelines is an expensive process and is usually deferred until absolutely necessary. We know this because if the repair or replacement was undertaken when the leak was discovered, there would be no explosions.  Since the explosion in San Bruno on September 9 of last year, there have been five additional explosions: Wayne, MI on December 29, Philadelphia, PA on January 18, Fairport, OH on January 24, and the two mentioned above.  Another gas explosion that occurred In Nashville TN has been profiled on our website (www.rjhill.com click on “WSMV Iteam Report”). That incident was the result of a leaking pipeline.  Before these explosions occur, the public must be made aware of the danger to which it is placed by the utility companies and demand that the management stop taking dangerous chances with the safety of its customers.

Government’s report on Toyota’s sudden acceleration problem

The government released its findings yesterday (2/8/11) and if you haven’t heard, there is nothing wrong with the electronics in Toyota vehicles that cause them to suddenly accelerate. According to the Associated Press, NASA engineers were involved in testing the vehicles in question. So much so, that we, the consuming public are supposed to get a warm and fuzzy feeling that all is right with the world and Toyota has our backs when it comes to safety in their vehicles. Wait a minute!  Are all the people that experienced sudden acceleration problems crazy? Did they fabricate their stories in an attempt to defraud Toyota? Is this a massive conspiracy? Common sense says no way! There are way too many incidents to discount. Just because the NASA people didn’t find a cause doesn’t mean that they were looking in the right place or running the right tests. Maybe there has to be more history before the cause can be found.  Random events occur  in the workings of electronics. I can’t prove what they are much less prove they occur. If this were possible, then I or someone else would be able to explain the sudden acceleration problem. In my dealings with machines that are electronically controlled, I have seen inadvertent movements that have been unexplainable. For example, I have investigated electronically controlled washing machines that, for no explainable reason, allow their front loading doors to open when the wash tub in filled with water. Needless to say, people are complaining and I don’t have any answers. But, something is obviously happening to cause the doors to open when they are supposed to be electronically locked. I don’t mean to place the damage caused by wash water on the same level as that of a vehicular accident. But, what I am saying is that I believe that something happens that takes control of the machines that we are supposed to have control over and sometimes, hurts us.