I started diving off of starting blocks when I was eight years old. I am now 51, and train at the Y, almost always alone, as there is no Masters program in the county where I live, or in any of the immediately adjacent counties. (There are several age group programs.) I want to work on my starts, but none of the Y's where I swim will let me use the blocks - saying that a national Y policy prohibits anyone from using the blocks unless a team/club coach is on the deck.
I have never heard of anyone suing a YMCA because of an accident on a starting block.
Yes, perhaps a coach would be valuable to me in this regard, but I'm not looking for a coach - I need and want a cooperative facility. The age groups' program schedules are not conducive to my schedule, and besides, the age group coaches already have enough on their hands during those times with lanes full of kids working their programs. I also am not excited about having to dodge those kids to do the work I need to do.
Anyone find a way to conquer this litigation-fear-induced insanity yet? Thank you.
Parents
Former Member
McDonalds deliberately and cynically serve coffee that is far too hot. I have ordered coffee from McDonalds, this was 3 months after they lost the case in question. About 2 mins after sitting down with my meal i took a sip and burnt my tongue, it was super hot. Go into a McDonalds today and it is still served at a very high temperature.
Many times i have defended the courts decision there to others who have not understood what it was about. In the case of a wilfull and continued disregard for others, a punishment that makes the company take notice is needed.
Punitive damages have to be a large amount to make the company pay attention, $50,000 is meaningless to them $2.6 milion is not.
It is my understanding that the policy is to have super hot coffee to discourage people from staying too long in the restaurant. They do not want anyone to actually drink it.
The Y is right to restrict use of diving blocks. Without a coach to supervise their use, you could really only set them up at one end of a lane and make that lane a one way direction. You cannot have the danger of someone swimming into the dive zone.
When you dive, track or grab start there is a period of time, 1 - 2 seconds just before you take off, when you are looking straight down. In this time a person could easily move into the area that you will dive into.
You may be happy to take the risk but what about the person you could collide with ?
McDonalds deliberately and cynically serve coffee that is far too hot. I have ordered coffee from McDonalds, this was 3 months after they lost the case in question. About 2 mins after sitting down with my meal i took a sip and burnt my tongue, it was super hot. Go into a McDonalds today and it is still served at a very high temperature.
Many times i have defended the courts decision there to others who have not understood what it was about. In the case of a wilfull and continued disregard for others, a punishment that makes the company take notice is needed.
Punitive damages have to be a large amount to make the company pay attention, $50,000 is meaningless to them $2.6 milion is not.
It is my understanding that the policy is to have super hot coffee to discourage people from staying too long in the restaurant. They do not want anyone to actually drink it.
The Y is right to restrict use of diving blocks. Without a coach to supervise their use, you could really only set them up at one end of a lane and make that lane a one way direction. You cannot have the danger of someone swimming into the dive zone.
When you dive, track or grab start there is a period of time, 1 - 2 seconds just before you take off, when you are looking straight down. In this time a person could easily move into the area that you will dive into.
You may be happy to take the risk but what about the person you could collide with ?
