A fierce debate has been sparked online by a picture of an electric car wire stretched across a pavement. The snap has led to a wider argument on social media over public walkways being used for personal use as more and more drivers choose electric.
Posted to Twitter, the photo depicts a cable running from an outside charging point in to a house. A cover is placed on top of the wire as a safety measure but pedestrians would likely have to step over or around the wiring, reports Wales Online.
The post gained more than 490 likes and 250 comments as users debated, in mixed reactions, what it signifies. Some described it as a trip hazard, while others assert the method of choosing electric is better than using petrol.
Above the original image posted the user wrote: "I’m not sure why we allow this in Wandsworth [South London] - it’s not what we want pavements to be used for. It’s the public space being dominated for personal use." The poster believes the owner would be better off using a dedicated charging point rather than running the wire.
One Twitter user wrote: "Don’t think I agree… (1) electric is a step forward even if it doesn’t solve all problems - until better charging solutions are built, this is better than diesel and (2) when I park my bike on the pavement, I’m using public space for my personal use."
Another said: "One of the better ones I've seen. The reality is with the uptake of electric cars this will need a proper council-led solution." Another said: "Happens where I live too. But tbf the owner has put out a covering, plus the state of pavements here generally has more trip hazards than a few cables."
Similarly, another user wrote: "At least they put a mat out. Until it is easier for people to charge their cars at home who have no driveway — seems fair. What's the issue?" One responded: "For the short term it’s useful to encourage electric car ownership which has benefits for lungs. But it is a trip hazard so not a good long term solution."
Another added: "My only problem is that the mat is not wide enough to cover the cable for the whole width of the pavement. The house occupier – car owner tried to do the right thing, i.e. make his use of the pavement not an inconvenience or hazard to others."
Meanwhile one said: "This is also in my street...I did trip on it to begin with, and I have good eyesight and walking gait. Now I make sure to look out for it."
A user replied: "It’s something the council needs to get ahead of and start investing in more electric charge points on the street. I saw a lamp post...have a charge point integrated into it. Thought that was a clever idea to stop cables across the street."
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