I am SOOOO Mad!

Originally posted by emmett Imagine the list of modern conveniences we would have to do without if Big Bad Corporations had to stop providing them (or dumb them down) because a very tiny minority of people using poor judgement, a diminished skill set or less than prudent caution, manage to hurt themselves. Absent a modicum of personal responsibility darn near ANYTHING can be hazardous to your health (the Darwin Awards come to mind here.) Isn't that why the plastic bags have a warning label "do not put over your head" and my blow dryer says "do not use in shower" "Do not eat toner." -- On a toner cartridge for a laser printer. "Do not use orally." -- On a toilet bowl cleaning brush. "Remember, objects in the mirror are actually behind you." -- On a motorcycle helmet-mounted rear-view mirror. "Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage." -- On a portable stroller. makes me wonder what kind of lawsuits caused these... :p and few others... www.rinkworks.com/.../warnings.shtml

Originally posted by mattson I don't see how knives are part of this argument. If everyone else's knives cause you a small cut (normal cup of coffee), and brand X causes gangrene/hand chopped off/whatever at a high rate (3rd degree burn from overly hot coffee), then maybe you'll have something. I have a set of 'ginsu' knives. Can I sue now? oh, darn, I never cut myself with them... but man, they're as sharp as the commercials claim. Love them for cooking and paring etc...

Originally posted by Bob McAdams I don't see how McDonald's coffee is part of this argument, which is about competitive swimmers being allowed to use the starting blocks to practice their starts. A more relevant question is whether cars should be allowed to turn at intersections. Left turns should clearly never be allowed, because a car that is turning left could be hit by a car that is travelling the other way going straight. Of course, the car that is turning left could watch for cars going the other way and wait until there's nothing coming. But what if a car comes zooming through at the last minute and the driver doesn't see it? And right turns are not really safe either, since a car that is turning right has to slow down to turn. What if a car that is going straight doesn't see that he's slowing down and rams him? Or what if he hits a pedestrian who is crossing at the intersection? The fact is that everything I've just said is perfectly true and valid. The only thing it ignores is the fact that people need to turn. But if you even consider that fact, you are admitting that rules and regulations should take into account what people need and not just safety. All of which brings us back to the topic: A pool has a clearly posted policy that says: "Starting blocks may only be used in otherwise vacant lanes by certified swimmers." Only 4 of the 6 lanes are in use. Swimmer #5, who has a certification badge on his suit, informs the lifeguard that he is going to be practicing starts in one of the empty lanes. Why shouldn't this be allowed? because on an off chance something goes wrong, someone will most likely get sued, or at least they're afraid that they might, and some facility may end up losing it's insurance and having to close doors... so rather than risking that, they tighten the rules. This is where the generalized impression that there are too many sue happy people out there spoils it for everyone. Sort of borderlines to the zero tolerance policies that are getting more and more popular... again, lack of common sense and generalized fear of something happening and someone being held responsible for something they couldn't predict happening.

This is my favorite-"how dumb can people be? or What lawsuit brought this one on" In the shower area of my Y, there is a sign that says "Wet Floor" Now, please. It really is a sad commentary on the state of our society that we have to have a sign telling people that the floor may be wet in the shower area!

Originally posted by Guvnah I do almost all my swimming at YMCAs. Even when I travel. (Love that AWAY program!) I may have visited 50 different facilities coast to coast by now. Most Ys don't even have blocks available. One in Bridgewater NJ has permanent blocks, and lots of teams that use the facility, but non-team swimmers -- no matter how good or experienced or capable they are -- cannot use the blocks. I'll be visiting some near Orlando next week, including the big one on International Drive, so I'll be sure to keep an eye out for policies there. Just thought I would close the loop regarding something I wrote early in this thread. I visited three different YMCAs in Florida last week, including the Aquatic Center in Orlando. None allowed uncoached starts from the blocks. The Aquatic Center had posted rules. One of them was "Always enter water feet first." I chatted with a life guard there. "Unless the coach is on the deck, no starts from the blocks." That even applied to sanctioned team participants -- they couldn't use the blocks until their coach was there.

Originally posted by Tom Ellison Each of us pay for these law suits in the form of increased prices/rates. ... This is very true. In the long run McDonalds did not end up paying the settlement. We consumers did. And, as if this thread has not been ratholed enough, I'll just say that we (consumers) also ultimately pay all corporate income taxes too.

Yes we do. Everybody wants to tax the "big, bad corporations" that have all the money, but what they don't realize is that the first thing they will do is pass those increases on in terms of not only higher prices, but layoffs. I never got a job from a poor person-rich people, and rich corporations create jobs. If you want to work, you want companies to make money that they can reinvest in new business. Also, the higher the tax on the corporation in the US, the more likely they are to take their business (and their jobs) overseas to a more tax friendly environment.

Each of us pay for these law suits in the form of increased prices/rates. ... Really? If McDonalds has to charge higher prices, I can always go to Burger King or Taco Bell. How is that an increased rate? That way, irresponsible corporations learn a lesson in a competitive environment. McDonalds, as an irresponsible corporation, was certainly doing something that raised my health insurance costs. Things change in a monopoly, which is why monopolies are more heavily regulated.

Not wanting or meaning in any way shape or form to demean our great American diving team, or the way they have worked hard to admirably represent themselves, their families, their sport, and our country at these just finished Athens games, I will suggest that our wholesale societal surrender to both trial lawyers and insurance companies is very closely related to the fact that the American diving program is not bringing any hardware home from the games. No evil diving boards in YMCA's or at community pools where kids could first get enthused about the sport = no diving medals. (Please don't question whether or not I value Olympic medals more than I value human life - I believe the risks of having diving boards is manageable, and honestly believe that this all is really more about financial loss rather than about the potential loss of life or limb.) Last week I received notice of two class action lawsuit settlements I am eligible to participate in. (It won't be long until I receive as many class action lawsuit notices each week as I do pre-approved credit card offers.) In both instances, neither of the defendants who have agreed to the lawyers demands wronged me, even though the lawyers told them they did. (Whether or not a judge would have agreed is immaterial, as who needs the hassle of letting it go to court.) If I were to subscribe to either of the settlements, I might get a couple of bucks - literally - but what are the lawyers getting? I shudder to wonder.