Sidetracked on safety topics.

[tri again]

Not sure how.
I was minding my own business and got lost in youtubeland.
People flippin' quads in creeks with kids on and on and on.

Then HAD to watch the cpsc videos part 1&2 and it occurred to me.

When someone first got 2 boards and slid down a hill, they probably never imagined that some would be doing flips and back flips.
Same with bmx bicycles. Cute and innocent looking little bikes for sure.

I honestly can't watch some of the daredevil stunts but I know these 'kids' are geniuses and world class athletes for sure.

I do ok with some of the trials slo motion stuff. Real artistry there but someone is always gonna try something a little bit harder, if not impossible.

The thing that stands out for me is the uninformed.
Parents that saw commercials and ads that looked like safe, seductive fun.
Not unlike the black dress vodka ads, or hallucinogenic beer ads promising nothin' but fun.

Then again, when I was a kid, my friends had carbide cannons and little steam engines that you light with a match and of course, we always modified them and pushed our luck.

The only thing I can think of is some people actually believed that putting a little kid on a machine that would go 30mph was nothing but safe.

Not unlike the FDA, it's all about awareness and labeling.
That's why their tv ads for depression medications include suicide.
It's probably true and limits their liability.

Don't wanna start a soapbox derby here but I also watched about a ladder manufacturer story.
Some guy leaned the ladder against his barn in frozen horse manure.
As the day progressed, the manure thawed out and the ladder fell Over!
Thing is, he WON a lawsuit.

Ladder mfg. said if they put enough warning stickers on them to cover all possibilities, they'd be slippery and unsafe.

In closing this mid shift ramble, we had some disclosure forms for people to sign, like when you go skydiving.

99 out of 100 would start to read them, I'd casually mention that it just says "you could die", they'd look at me, say, "oh, ok", and sign away.

Be safe and stay happy everyone.

[Scootertrash]

Nice post, and true.

Problem with those disclosure/liability form is if someone does get hurt or die, there is a lawyer who will convince the family that he can win them money. Even if they don't win, it will still cost the company or person a boatload of money.

We all know that the problem lies with people not taking responsibility for their actions.

From my sig:

There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences. - P.J. O'Rourke

[JasonB]

thats the world we live in now. there are so many good things that protect people these days, but 10 times that amount in things we just dont need. I am a firm believer in 'survival of the fittest'. If we continue to protect and help those that just shouldnt be 'here', we are only creating more problems for ourselves. If you die riding an ATV because you are acting like a fool, driving a car and wreck because youre going to fast for the conditions, fall off a ladder because you didnt pay attention to where you put it, than there's a good chance the world is better off without you. sad but true

[hoosierlogger]

The truly sad part about the whole thing, is that these irresponsible people that are constantly suing in winning lawsuits, are raising another generation that they are teaching all the skills that they have learned. It is not going to get any better.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Yep, and personally I believe that jurors award large sums of money to idiot plaintiffs just to leave the door open to the possibilty they themselves might be in the plaintiff's seat and win a boatload of ill-gotten money someday....

The whole mindset of "who cares as long as I get mine" attitude is a large component of why we are where we are as a society these days....