In the midst of this era of rampant consumerism, a relatively surprising piece of news emerges: one fraud related to the mandatory consumption of the V-16 beacon that all cars will have to have them from January onwards if they don't want to receive a fine. Facua, a consumer rights organization, has accused the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) of promoting massive fraud by the laxity Regarding the approval of this mandatory lamp, many consumers have purchased a model that is theoretically approved but, in reality, is not, meaning they will have to incur additional expenses if they want to avoid the corresponding fine. In the event of an accident, not having a light approved by the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) will cost €200. And €80 if you are caught without one during a routine check. Regardless of what we think about this system invented by two former Civil Guard officers to supposedly prevent accidents when placing warning triangles—and which, for the moment, will only be used in Spain, as if other countries didn't have accidents caused by triangles—and about the possibility that the DGT-approved lights only serve to keep us in the dark. Whoever gets the money. Because, ultimately, poor management always ends up costing consumers extra. And if you have to file a complaint, add the extra time and patience.
The flu epidemic has made face masks "fashionable" again. We don't have to go back too far to remember the scam that took place during the pandemic and the public money (a lot) that ended up in the pockets of private hands (a few). Masks were also mandatory. And fines were issued for not wearing them.
But let's get back to the same point. Here, the debate isn't whether masks or beacons are necessary. That's a different debate. A perfectly legitimate and necessary one. The issue here is who gets rich and why from the mandates imposed by governments. And why, oh, surprise!, there are always thieves in the equation. I understand that these are very tempting proposals, but can't the scam really be prevented? Should consumers always end up paying, most of whom won't even bother to complain because complaining is much more of a hassle than paying? All of this is almost as disheartening as seeing that, since the ban on unwanted commercial calls, they continue to flood our phones, while some people keep talking about data protection. In this era of maximum spending on safety, we feel most defenseless. Paradoxes of a strange world.
Another example of absurd spending. I recently had to take a workplace safety course. It was mandatory to keep my job. The course consisted of an hour-long explanation of how to climb scaffolding, what safety glasses to wear to protect my eyes from sparks when using an angle grinder, and a reminder to wear ear protection when using a jackhammer. It's true that thanks to the course, I discovered I work in the construction sector, when I always thought I was in communications. Joking aside, it's outrageous that, given how much these courses cost, the companies that offer them aren't required to adapt them to their specific work environment.
Since the list of examples is long, at some point, a stop should be put to the shady dealings of staff who sell you either an uncertified beacon or masks at exorbitant prices. At some point, the brakes should come before the complaint. For a change.
