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Transportation Feed

Stop using $13 bicycle helmets sold at Walmart, the CPSC advises

In addition to recalling products, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issues warnings about hazardous products. A recent warning from the agency is to immediately stop using black TureClos bicycle helmets. The helmets don’t comply with federal safety standards. They can fail to protect riders if a crash occurs, posing a head injury risk. Read more →


Safety of e-bikes for kids comes under scrutiny

Until this week, I hadn’t heard about a potential safety problem with electric bicycles or “e-bikes.” An article in The Washington Post, “A Child’s Death Prompts Questions About Brake Safety on E-bikes,” caught my attention. A lawsuit has been filed against Rad Power Bikes by the parents of a 12-year-old girl who was killed in an e-bike accident. Read more →


Watch out for deceptive loan practices when you buy a used car

Don’t get tricked into signing up for a high-cost loan when you buy a used car. Credit Acceptance Corp. misrepresented the cost of credit and turned the car-buying experience into a nightmare for many of its borrowers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and New York Attorney General’s Office charged in a lawsuit. Read more →


As inflation weary voters head to the polls Tuesday, oil companies are chortling all the way to the bank

It’s one of the biggest frauds unleashed on the American public: high gas prices despite falling oil prices. As consumers prepare to vote, it’s often the high gas prices that are on their minds. Recently, I wrote about price gouging: about one-third to half of the current inflation in the U.S. is being caused by corporations making excessive profits. Read more →


Boeing agrees to pay $200 million to settle SEC charges that it misled investors about the 737 MAX

Like most Washingtonians, I admire the accomplishments of The Boeing Co. However, when allegations were made about a “culture of concealment” and a flawed regulatory system, which led to two crashes, I was shocked. The SEC charged Boeing and a former CEO with making misleading statements after crashes in 2018 and 2019. Read more →


The new Inflation Reduction Act will benefit consumers in many ways

It seems like a miracle. The Democrats finally came together and passed major legislation to benefit American consumers. It’s called the Inflation Reduction Act. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said the law will have a lasting impact on the planet and will help lower costs for Americans across our country. Read more →


Hover-1 Superfly hoverboards are being called by DGL Group due to fall and injury risks

DGL Group is recalling about 93,000 Hover-1 Superfly hoverboards. A software malfunction in the electrical system can cause continued movement when the rider isn’t controlling the hoverboard, posing fall and injury risks. The company has received 29 reports of the software issue. Read more →


Super Bowl ads continue to be unimaginative in 2022, with violence again being used to sell

The Super Bowl ads for 2022 were mostly disappointing. Although a few had a good message, the overall feel of the game show was dystopian. A QR code drifting across the screen, ads for apps and betting websites I’d never heard of, and supposedly clever ads featuring stars from TV series I’ve never seen. Read more →


The best states to retire in 2022

It’s a question that comes up frequently these days. Where’s a cheaper place to live? Using safety, affordability, quality of life, health-related factors, and more than 40 other categories, WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared the 50 states to help retirees find the best way to retire. Read more →


Progress made in public health, climate, and consumer protection during 2021, consumer group says

Since I wrote an article recently on the top consumer and personal finance stories of 2021, I was interested in a list offered by U.S. PIRG on the progress made in health, climate, and consumer issues in 2021. U.S. PIRG, a public interest research group, and its state partners worked on or supported many of these issues. Read more →