Even major high street stores in the UK are being fooled into distributing consignments of counterfiet (and potentially dangerous) electrical appliances, believing them to have been made by companies whose respected brand names they carry.

Superdrug is recalling pink hair styling irons labelled as "ghd" which were sold to consumers in its stores between 3 August and 17 September 2008, after dsicovering that the products were fakes and  may breach the requirements of Regulations and Standards applying to these types of appliance.

Counterfiets of products bearing well-known brand names are an increasing safety concern for Trading Standards Authorities (and commercial concern for the brand owners) . However, until now they have mainly been offered to UK consumers through the grey market outlets of the internet, car boot sales, market stools and  itinerent traders.

Source: Recall notice in Daily Mirror 20/9/08

A Go-Ped is a scooter with a small petrol engine fitted to the rear wheel. These vehicles are sold by the manufacturer as not being suitable for use on a road, however there instances where such vehicles have been used by the rider on a road without having registered the vehicle with Driver Vehicle Licencing Agency, or having obtained the appropriate documentation or complied with Construction and Use Regulations.

A  decision in the High Court (Chief Constable of the North Yorkshire Police - v - Saddington (26.10.2000) clarified the legal position in relation to these vehicles.

The Court accepted that such a vehicle when being used on a road is a 'mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads' under Section 185 RTA 1988, and is therefore a motor vehicle as defined in that section. The High Court decided, therefore, that a Go-Ped  could not be ridden on the road without a driving licence and insurance.

Enquiries with DVLA have confirmed that before a Go-Ped can be used on a road it must be registered as a Moped. The owner and driver of such vehicles must comply with all relevant Road Traffic Act and Construction and Use Regulations applicable to the use of such a motor vehicle on a road.

Go-Peds lack the things that make a real moped safe (brake lights, indicators, a horn, etc) becuase they are not designed for road use, but the top speed of 20 mph makes them a poor mixer with pedestrians. The Go-Ped's  unsuitability for traffic means that insurance companies won't cover them.