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From: Martin Brown <'''newspam'''@nonad.co.uk>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: energy in UK
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:29:39 +0100
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On 20/04/2025 18:25, Don Y wrote:
> On 4/20/2025 7:27 AM, Martin Brown wrote:
>>> E.g., the house I grew up in had two wire (neutral and hot) circuits
>>> throughout, using BX cable.  So, none of the outlets had earth
>>> connections available.
>>
>> The code requirement for an earthed system goes way back in the UK. I 
>> can't 
> 
> The *system* is earthed but the outlets don't present a separate
> earth conductor.  House was built in ~1956.

In the UK the only outlet that isn't earthed (and today is double 
isolated) is the 2pin mains shaver socket in the bathroom.
> 
> I recall adding branch circuits in the basement "work room" that
> added the third conductor (load center was located in the basement
> work room so little cost to use new cable, there)

Your house hasn't been rewired since the 1950's? Hasn't the rubber 
insulation deteriorated almost to the point of no return by now?

Ozone seems to make it quite tacky or cracked when it becomes antique.

>>>>> What happens if a drunk takes down a "power pole" feeding said 
>>>>> village?
>>>>
>>>> Last time it happened was the coldest day of the year and it was the 
>>>> milk tanker hit black ice and took down 2 poles and 30' of hedge. 
>>>> There is no way he was doing 30mph! Engineers had us back on by 
>>>> nightfall.
>>>
>>> Would he have been financially responsible for the repair (though
>>> likely not the secondary losses)?
>>
>> His insurers would be. Having insurance to drive on public roads is a 
>> strict requirement in the UK and relatively well policed by ANPR.
> 
> Well, *he* would be named in the lawsuit and his insurer would step in
> for his "defense".

Not how it works in the UK. Advice is don't admit liability at the scene 
and call your insurers claims number immediately. They take care of 
pretty much everything after that unless there is evidence of 
criminality or serious injuries resulted and a police investigation.

Recent juicy one with a BMW chase in Newcastle that totalled 5 police 
cars in a Keystone cops style hard stop incident. They initially only 
wanted to tell him that his rear brake light was defective too.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9mezn9ero

Major arterial road was closed for a couple of days while they did the 
measurements and scraped up all the bits. He wasn't insured and several 
police were injured so they will doubtless throw the book at him.

> But, that's just to "buy the light pole" (a euphemism here for the act of
> crashing into a utility pole, usually while intoxicated).  Would he
> also be liable for losses incurred by customers of the utility?
> E.g., the local restaurateur suing because he lost a freezer full of food?
> Or, would it be seen as an expected risk (power outage) that the
> restaurateur should have protected against?

Dunno. The power where I live is flaky enough that farms and cafes have 
their own emergency generators so that power outages don't catch them 
out. Cows still need milking mains electricity or no.

A lot of the crashes round here never officially happened since they 
typically take out a chunk of hedge on the exit of a tight bend. Single 
vehicle incidents late at night probably drunks.

-- 
Martin Brown