Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

Harlan Levy. Courtesy photo

By Harlan Levy

On April 16 I was driving to an appointment with my hearing aid audiologist in South Windsor and had entered the small parking lot, slowly approaching an empty spot, when a strong jolt rocked my car and me. I looked around and saw that a state truck had backed out of its parking spot without looking and had crashed into my rear right fender, causing extensive damage.

I jumped out and shouted some choice words at the driver, who apologised and said he had not seen me and that it was his fault.

After police arrived on the scene and wrote a report, I drove, with my back fender flapping in the breeze, to AC Autobody in West Hartford – my highly recommended auto body shop. Owner Aldo Carlucci examined the damage and surprised me, saying it would cost the state thousands and take weeks to repair. I finally retrieved it almost a month later.

There’s a lesson here for every one who parks head in and then backs out of a spot, and that’s probably 90% of you, but not I: Back in to your parking spots. Do not head in, thereby avoiding being smacked by a careless driver who didn’t see your emerging car’s butt. It doesn’t take much to cause major damage.

Click-to-cancel

If you’ve ever had problems trying to cancel a subscription that includes an automatic renewal provision, the Federal Trade Commission is on your beleaguered side.

The FTC began enabling its “click-to-cancel” rule on May 14, requiring that subscriptions be as easy to cancel as to start, although the agency won’t enforce the rule until July 14.

Also known as the Negative Option Rule – because offending companies only allow cancellations if the subscriber makes the move to cancel – the main provision is that “it forbids companies from making customers jump through hoops that differ from the process to sign up for an account,” the FTC said. “If you can sign up online, you must be able to cancel online, too.”

The FTC also ruled that misrepresenting material facts in selling any good or service with a negative-option feature is an unfair or deceptive act or practice, also mandating companies that sign consumers up for recurring charges to clearly and conspicuously disclose all material terms of the transaction and to obtain express informed consent to a negative-option feature.

Listeria alert

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert last week for ready-to-eat chicken and bacon wrap products due to concerns that the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The following ready-to-eat chicken and bacon ranch wrap products were produced on May 2:

• 10-oz. clear plastic clamshell packages containing “Big Y quick easy meals CHICKEN BACON RANCH WRAP” with “Sell By 05/07/2025” and lot code 25122.

• 10-oz. clear plastic clamshell packages containing “MARKET 32 BY PRICE CHOPPER Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap” with “Sell Through 05/07/2025” and lot code 25122.

The products bear establishment number “P34657” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors in Massachusetts and New York and further distributed to retail locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.

The problem was discovered when a state public health partner notified the agency of a product sample that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.

And now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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