UK: Car brought to a halt by radiation from a mobile phone m
Verfasst: 14. Oktober 2003 14:48
Car stopped in tracks by mobile phone mast
By Paul Symes
Quelle: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/dartg ... e_mast.php
A WOMAN’S car was brought to a halt by radiation from a mobile phone mast.
Sales manager Ellen Doyle, 37, of Dalton’s Road, Swanley, drove her £15,000 X-reg Subaru Forester to work in Petts Wood last Wednesday as usual.
Having parked in the Queensway car park in the morning, she returned to her 4x4 some hours later, only to find it simply would not budge.
She phoned Subaru Assistance, which immediately asked her whether there was a phone mast in the area.
A little taken aback, Miss Doyle replied there was not one mast nearby, but several.
To her surprise, she was told the car’s immobiliser is affected by the mast’s radiation waves, meaning it is unable to start.
A Subaru mechanic was called out and soon managed to override the system but Miss Doyle was still less than impressed.
She said: “It was only the second time I had driven the car but I won’t be getting behind the wheel again soon.
“The car had actually been lent to me by my parents — I was considering trading my old model in for it but I’m reluctant to now.
“I don’t want to go through all the hassle and expense of having a new immobiliser fitted, only for the same problems to reoccur.” A spokesman for mobile phone firm Orange said: “While acknowledging the problem, we understand Government regulations stipulate it is up to individual companies to ensure their frequencies do not clash with ours.” Despite the fact Subaru mentions in its handbook that certain immobilisers might be affected by radiation from mobile phone masts, a spokesman said the company was largely unaware of the problem.
They did, however, apologise for any inconvenience caused to Miss Doyle and others in similar situations.
Subaru’s advice is to call their free assistance hotline on 0800 777127 in the “unlikely event” that drivers experience difficulties with their immobilisers.
10:17am today
By Paul Symes
Quelle: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/dartg ... e_mast.php
A WOMAN’S car was brought to a halt by radiation from a mobile phone mast.
Sales manager Ellen Doyle, 37, of Dalton’s Road, Swanley, drove her £15,000 X-reg Subaru Forester to work in Petts Wood last Wednesday as usual.
Having parked in the Queensway car park in the morning, she returned to her 4x4 some hours later, only to find it simply would not budge.
She phoned Subaru Assistance, which immediately asked her whether there was a phone mast in the area.
A little taken aback, Miss Doyle replied there was not one mast nearby, but several.
To her surprise, she was told the car’s immobiliser is affected by the mast’s radiation waves, meaning it is unable to start.
A Subaru mechanic was called out and soon managed to override the system but Miss Doyle was still less than impressed.
She said: “It was only the second time I had driven the car but I won’t be getting behind the wheel again soon.
“The car had actually been lent to me by my parents — I was considering trading my old model in for it but I’m reluctant to now.
“I don’t want to go through all the hassle and expense of having a new immobiliser fitted, only for the same problems to reoccur.” A spokesman for mobile phone firm Orange said: “While acknowledging the problem, we understand Government regulations stipulate it is up to individual companies to ensure their frequencies do not clash with ours.” Despite the fact Subaru mentions in its handbook that certain immobilisers might be affected by radiation from mobile phone masts, a spokesman said the company was largely unaware of the problem.
They did, however, apologise for any inconvenience caused to Miss Doyle and others in similar situations.
Subaru’s advice is to call their free assistance hotline on 0800 777127 in the “unlikely event” that drivers experience difficulties with their immobilisers.
10:17am today