A driver has sparked outrage among local residents by running an extension cord across a suburban footpath to charge an electric vehicle.
Keith Bensley was out for his morning walk in Sawtell on the New South Wales mid-north coast when he came across the cable leading to a car parked on the side of the road.
“I was shocked, it was a real trip hazard,” he told ABC.
Mr Bensley said the cable snaked from the gutter to the top floor of a nearby apartment block.
The electrical engineer noted that the unconventional charging method not only posed a tripping hazard but also a serious fire risk.
“There was no attempt to put anything over the cable and it had rained the night before so it was nice and wet,” he said.
“If water had gotten between the plug and the socket, it could burn and cause a fire if it was on dry grass,” he explained.
Mr Bensley assumed the car’s owners must be “desperate”.
Keith Bensley was on his morning walk in Sawtell on the mid north coast of New South Wales when he came across this extension cable crossing a footpath.
Keith Bensley was on his morning walk in Sawtell on the mid north coast of New South Wales when he came across this extension cable crossing a footpath.
Mr Bensley sparked a heated debate in the community after posting the photo on a community Facebook page, with many locals quick to share their dismay.
“My God! But that is dangerous as it can cause an electric shock and a trip. Where is the common sense and consideration for others?” asked one woman.
“What about wheelchair and walker users? Call the city hall. That’s ridiculous,” commented another.
Others said Mr Bensley should have simply unplugged the cable.
The debate comes as electric vehicle sales are set to double by 2023, according to the EV Council
But some commentators failed to see the problem and suggested the issue was just “one more thing to complain about”.
The debate comes as electric vehicle sales are set to double by 2023, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.
A report by the council found there are currently more than 180,000 electric cars on Australia’s roads, with the majority of them sold in outer metropolitan and regional areas.
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