Date: 07 August 2006 20:21

Please find attached some information regarding the news which has been
focused last week on the TV and RADIO.

                     GO-PEDS & MINIATURE RACING BIKES

·     Residents are increasingly concerned about the continuing problem of
young people riding these vehicles in a dangerous manner in this area.
·     The local Beat Manager, your Police Community Support Officers and
section patrol officers are aware of the offences that are being committed
and will report any riders found flouting the law
·     Advice from a manufacturer of go-peds

Petrol Scooters -

They are for recreational use on private land only. Other sources might
tell you the following: "If you want to drive them on the road, you will
have to be over 16 years of age and hold a valid category P, A or B
license. An excise license is required which will cost £15 and a
registration mark will then be issued. Insurance and a crash helmet are
required as is an MOT when the vehicle is 3 years old". This may well be
legally correct, but in our experience finding an insurance company to
provide insurance is impossible, so the statement above might be
misleading. We therefore state that these petrol scooters should NOT be
driven on the public highway or pavements. If you do so, you may well be
breaking the law and may be prosecuted.
Electric Scooters -

They are for recreational use on private land only. They do not have type
approval for use on public highways and you will therefore not be able to
purchase appropriate insurance. Similarly children are not allowed to ride
these scooters on the public highway or on pavements legally. We therefore
state that these electric scooters should NOT be driven on the public
highway or pavements. If you do so, you may well be breaking the law and
may be prosecuted.

                            Card theft overseas
More and more holidaymakers are relying on their credit cards to pay for
food and drink, transport, accommodation and activities when abroad. And
losing your cards can ruin your holiday, not just financially, but also
because of the hassle.
Card Watch, the card theft advice service from the UK banking industry,
offers the following advice on how to protect yourself against card theft
while abroad. Firstly, treat your credit and debit cards as carefully as
you would cash and don't keep your chequebook with your cards.
Don't leave plastic cards and other valuables unattended in a hotel room or
on the beach - use your hotel's safety deposit box if it has one. Always
keep your plastic cards with you while travelling to and from your holiday
destination. Rucksacks or suitcases are not safe places to store your
cards.
When in crowds, keep your bag either strapped across your body or held
firmly. Turn the clasp towards you, making it even harder for a thief to
get at. A concealed money belt is an ideal way to carry your cards and
valuables.
If you drive on holiday, keep handbags and wallets out of sight of
opportunist thieves - especially in slow moving traffic. Always remove
plastic cards and other valuables from parked cars. In addition, the hot
weather means less clothing, which can also mean that personal items such
as wallets in back pockets are more visible. Take extra care to ensure that
valuables are concealed.
Most importantly, keep an eye on plastic cards when paying in shops and
restaurants. Check your statement carefully when you return home. And make
sure you have a note of the emergency 24-hour telephone numbers for your
cards before you travel, so that you can report any theft/loss immediately.
You will find these on your last statement or in the telephone directory,
or on the back of your cards.
Finally, don't tell anyone your personal identification number (PIN) - even
if they claim to be from the police or your bank - and don't write it down.

John Reynolds