Friday, June 19, 2015

Expert Who Discovered Blue Indy Was Non-Compliant Told To Butt Out By City Officials

John Storm
UPDATED: John Storm, a farmer, Purdue-graduated engineer and highly successful business owner of Indianapolis-based Contour Hardening, Inc. discovered more than a year ago that the Bollore Blue Indy electrical car sharing system rolled out in Indianapolis was not in compliance with industry-accepted standards or city-imposed standards. When he attempted to call this to the attention of city officials, he was essentially told to butt out.

Storm testified at yesterday evening's Indianapolis City-County Council Public Works committee meeting. City officials and representatives of Blue Indy, who were invited to address council members about concerns raised by Storm, failed to show up and defend the safety of the electric car sharing product. Storm noted that when he first inspected the power stations installed on Washington Street last year, he immediately noticed they lacked the UL stamp of approval which the city's code expressly requires. That led him to contact one of IPL's attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg, who passed along his concerns. When city officials learned of his concerns, rather than thank him for bringing the matter to their attention, he was met with an angry response. He was essentially told he was just bitter his patented product wasn't being utilized and to butt out because it was none of his business.

As word began circulating among members of the City-County Council after Councilor Christine Scales brought Storms' concerns to their attention, Storm was contacted and urged to go back and re-check the charging stations. He learned the original charging stations had been changed out; however, they still lacked the UL stamp of approval. Instead, a Canadian company had certified that the charging stations met standards equivalent to UL standards, which still doesn't meet the mandatory UL standard imposed by the city's code.

It's not just the charging stations that are a concern. Storm also learned the French-made electric vehicles have not been approved for highway use in the United States by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration. The cars were only granted a temporary permit to be used in the U.S. for demonstration purposes under an import waiver. As it stands today, the vehicles cannot be used by the public unless an employee of Blue Indy accompanies the driver. They don't have passenger-side airbags. They don't have braking systems or bumpers that meet federal standards. The batteries used by the cars are yet to be tested and certified. Yet the Blue Indy cars have been on our city streets now for more than a year despite all of these shortcomings. Why? The public deserves answers, even if the administration lapdogs at the Indianapolis Star, IBJ and elsewhere think otherwise. Storm deserves a big thanks from the general public for coming forward as a government whistle blower.

UPDATED: Some Advance Indiana readers have complained that city officials have removed prime parking spaces at 54th and College Avenue along College Avenue to provide spaces for the Blue Indy cars. This area already has a severe shortage of parking spaces, and the wasted spaces for Blue Indy is only exacerbating those problems.

11 comments:

leon dixon said...

Dolgostroi which is communism for "interminable boondoggle" brought to Marion County by politics.

Flogger said...

You are so right Mr. Storm deserves a big thanks instead this whistle blower is given the backhand by Ballard and his crony-capitalists. I take the view that people like Mr. Storm are patriots to the people. (The expression of Patriotism these days is convoluted as only applying to the Warrior Cult.)

So I wonder with the Trans Pacific Partnership Scheme in full swing, will we as a country, state or local government have the legal ability to enforce our rules and regulations?? Since TPP is a secret we do not know for sure. However from some pieces that have been leaked about TPP and other trade deal schemes, the Multinational Corporations will reign supreme with “Investor-State Dispute Settlement,” or ISDS. The international panel of arbitrators will have the last say not US Laws or courts.

Mike said...

So...if I rent of those vehicles, crash it, claim an injury, I'm a millionaire? Blue would turn to green!! Wondering how soon those vehicles come off the streets now, I bet by the end of next week. It'll be the councils fault or lack of users or anyone's else's fault not the mayors. Hey mayor step up, Where does the buck stop?

Anonymous said...

That Greg Ballard is not now a long-term guest in a federal prison cell for his numerous illegal activities is not only beyond belief but explains why law abiding citizens here no longer have much respect for "the law". If Greg Ballard and his corrupt attorneys can lie their way to wealth through crony deals without fear of being charged or serving time, why should the honest Marion County resident bother to abide the law?

The words that are the hallmark of Greg Ballard as Mayor of a city drowning in lawlessness by white collar politicos are "pathological liar", "eight year failure", "bought and paid for", "corrupt to the bone".

Anonymous said...

I look forward to the day that the roly poly Marine and his enablers are in leg irons.

Anonymous said...

Those junk cars have been taking up prime downtown parking spaces for months! They cannot be driven. Shouldn't they be towed away by the police as abandoned vehicles or a nuisance???

Washington Street is in the heart of downtown. It should not be a junkyard where inoperable vehicles are stored! If a private citizen put an inoperable car on Washington Street, I guarantee you it would be impounded in hours, not months!!!!

Anonymous said...

IU defensive back who was arrested for dealing, Antonio Allen Jr youtube rap video with his brother Todd. God is good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQc5UQULMIo

Antonio Allen hears formal charges in drug dealing case

http://www.wthr.com/story/29364529/antonio-allen-hears-formal-charges-in-drug-dealing-case
Posted: Jun 19, 2015 5:18 PM EST
Updated: Jun 19, 2015 5:29 PM EST
By Steve Jefferson, WTHR Crimebeat reporter

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A former Indiana University football player heard formal charges against him for dealing drugs.

Antonio Allen has been kicked off the team and could face several years in jail if convicted of the charges.

Allen, a Ben Davis High School graduate, left the Monroe County Courthouse surrounded by family Friday. The family hired an attorney to help him beat the serious drug charges.

He stayed quiet walking into the courtroom to formally hear his charges. Court documents outline how Allen became the target of an undercover drug sting this week.

On two separate occasions, Allen reportedly sold drugs - namely methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine - to a confidential informant wearing a hidden camera and microphone. Investigators say the informant used marked bills, giving $770 to Allen in one of the buys.

The 20-year-old is now off the IU football field, once in the prime of his college football career.

RELATED: Antonio Allen arrested on drug charges

After Friday's hearing where a judge set a pretrial date for August 13, Allen emerged from the courtroom surrounded by family, only saying three words at a time.

"God is good," he said.

His family continued to surround the athlete to their SUV parked outside the courthouse, knowing he would soon be back in court to answer at least six different charges.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Mr. Storm.

Anonymous said...

The Indiana State Police enforce Federal laws concerning Vehicles, i.e. trucks, that travel down our highways, they receive Federal funds to make sure these trucks meet Federal standards.
I'm going to play what if here!
What if I built a dune buggy and the dune buggy didn't meet Federal standards for a vehicle to operate on our Federal highways and was pulled over by an ISP officer, I would be ticketed, and have my vehicle impounded! period no questions asked.
Whats the difference?

Pete Boggs said...

What's up with preferential parking for electric cars at 54th / College Ave? Businesses there won't be too happy losing those spaces used by customers & which the city required for some of their zoning / parking, etc.

Anonymous said...

I feel better knowing that Indy will help Mr. Bollore' move up to 328th richest man in the world.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/will-london-embrace-the-mobile-love-nest-electric-cars-10317285.html