Road to Safer Streets: Bolt test tandem riding feature in Malta

Aug 11 2022

Bolt, the largest scooter provider in Europe is currently testing its tandem riding feature in Malta.

Tandem riding is the activity in which a scooter is being ridden by more than one person. Riding a scooter designed for one rider with an additional person is a frequent cause of accidents. Many cities have regulations against it, and most scooter operators have rules and conditions prohibiting this unsafe behaviour.

However, Bolt is the first operator to actually design an in-app functionality aimed at detecting tandem riding and discouraging it. The tandem riding prevention system is a truly revolutionary development, as it tackles one of the most recurrent safety issues in the scooter industry. The system is based on the Bolt 4 scooter’s in-built accelerometer, which was initially designed to measure the scooter’s acceleration rate.

Bolt’s engineers are using the same hardware to detect sudden changes in mass, which is a clear sign that there are several people on one scooter. In this case, the user receives a push notification on his app. Bolt is being considered for a patent for this feature by the European Patent Office and if the patent is awarded it will be valid in 154 countries.

The tandem riding prevention system is part of a wider safety features package, which also includes a cognitive reaction test and a skid braking prevention system.Bolt is the first company in the world to introduce a tandem riding prevention system and is on its way to obtaining a patent for the feature from the European Patent Office after its submission was accepted.

“We are more than a micro-mobility provider. We want to be partners for cities and communities. This is why we have decided to take on the most pressing safety challenges in the scooter industry: tandem riding’ said Kristian Kobescak, Rentals Country Manager in Malta.

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Bullets and Bad Driving: Canada’s warning to tourists visiting Malta

Aug 11 2022

According to the Canadian Government’s travel tips for tourists visiting Malta, travellers should be wary of bad driving habits as well as stray bullets from hunters.

That’s right – Canadian tourists are informed to keep an eye out for several hazards when visiting the islands. Although deemed as relatively safe, the island does apparently have a knack for its drivers not respecting traffic laws as they ‘do not follow safe driving practices.’

The roads themselves were described as poorly maintained, congested, winding and narrow, thus posing hazards. But roads aren’t the only thing travellers need to be weary of.

‘Be vigilant if you visit a rural area during hunting season, as accidents involving stray bullets have occurred’ says the document in reference to the island’s hunting season.

This is made worse by the fact that hunting areas are ‘rarely marked’ and ‘often overlap with camping areas.’ Among other things, coastal waters and riptides were highlighted for swimmers visiting for the island’s beaches.

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The era of €10 flights is over says Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary

Aug 11 2022

Budget airline Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has admitted that it will no longer be offering insanely cheap flight prices due to the rising cost of fuel.

The era of €10 ticket has officially come to an end, confirmed O’Leary, saying that the average fare would rise from around €40 to around €50 over the next 5 years.

However, he still remained hopeful, saying that people will continue to fly despite the rising cost of living. He stated that there is no doubt that at the lower of the marketplace, the really cheap promotional fares – the €1, €0.99 and €9.99 fares – will essentially die out.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said that people will still continue to fly frequently. ‘But I think people are going to become much more price sensitive and therefore my view of life that people will trade down in their many millions.’

Airfares became cheaper in recent decades, but the number of flights actually taken rose up. Many people have resorted to taking short breaks abroad on top of an annual holiday.

Ryanair, along with airlines like Easyjet and Wizz Air, have competed to offer low-cost no-frills services. This did come with some critique however as commercial flights now account fr around 2.4% of global CO2 emissions.

In regards to this, O’Leary argued that road transport and shipping are much bigger contributors of CO2 overall, saying that the focus on reducing emissions from air travel was misplaced.

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Flooding as heavy rain hits the Maltese islands

Flooding in Mriehel due to heavy rain fall all over Malta

Aug 11 2022

As expected, the Maltese islands are currently being battered by a heavy rainfall, with various areas of the island even experiencing extreme flooding.

The rain did come as a relief for some however – a quick break for the scorching summer heat. For others, however, the rain only meant stalled traffic, drenched office attire and possibly some vehicle flooding.

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Footage sent to this newsroom shows parts of Mriehel engulfed in bouts of water as the island continues to be battered by a sudden rainfall.

The stormy weather had been forecasted for days and has finally hit, temporarily breaking the streak of heat being experienced as of late.

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The rainfall is also a yearly expected occurrence known as ‘L-Għerejjex ta’ Santa Marija’ ahead of the Feast of Mary’s Assumption.

We urge everyone to be careful out on the road as the rain is very much known to cause a ruckus on Maltese streets. If not, we suggest you kick back and enjoy the downpour at your own comfort.

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