h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Okay, we've firmly established that there is a problem. So what's the solution? And don't go putting down "do unpleasant things to the people who write this stuff" or "get rid of all the stupid people". While these might be theraputic, they aren't going to fix it. Any ideas?

OK, several points;

Are these stupid warnings placed on stuff because someone, somewhere has actually done it or....

is there a secret society of solicitors and deranged people who take each product and thinks of all the possible mis-uses for it.

I suspect the latter as I cannot believe anyone is stupid enough to play PlayStation®© games with a DualShock®© controller strapped to their heads...or thinking of it I have seen some very odd Japanese TV shows.

Next, If these things didn't have warnings on them would anyone coming to grief have the inteligence to take legal action...I think not.

Finally another entry, not quite as stupid, but at work, on a walk way running past a solvent store with 4 No Smoking signs 3 Hazardous materials signs and 2 explosive signs, is a sign saying not to walk by it when the fire alarms are going. Me I will run as fast a possible, as far away from it as possible.

CH

Maybe all the warnings are there because of the same reason McDonald's has to warn that the coffee is hot: to avoid law suits. People will do just about anything, even eat urinal mints, if it means they can sue someone and make a lot of money from it. Sickening.

Are we really so far gone as a society that people will put their own lives at risk simply for the opportunity to make large sums of money? Can we really sue others for our own stupidity and win, without members of the jury asking you what the bloody hell were you thinking?

Yes, apparently.

Er...good point, that. Very sad.

yes, it is quite sad isn't it??....myself, i think the solution to most of these needless warning and instructions is to disallow any lawsuits that might come from pure stupidity. i mean if you do not know that the coffee is hot, that the mints in the toilet were not left there for you as a snack, that you should not blowdry your hair while you are sleeping or any others that you can think of then you do not need to be allowed to sue, you need to just keep your mouth shut and play the hand you dealt yourself. i know this will never happen but it would be great if it would.
monsy

...and isn't it true that all the people who are sad enough to attempt these dangerous stunts for the sake of suing and making money,have all appeared on *The Jerry Springer Show*!!

you know, i had not thought of it before but i believe you are right
monsy

yep
shazz

Sorry to butt in, but your train of thought is leading to a rather frightening conclusion.

Here in New Zealand we have a thing called ACC, which is a type of accident compensation scheme. It's all very complicated and no one understands it, but the basic gist is that it's a no-fault scheme of compensation, and if you suffer a personal (that's physical or mental) injury by way of an accident, then you receive compensation financed through the government and employers. The upside to this is that under the scheme, you cannot sue anyone for compensatory damages (although punitive damages are allowed albeit rare).

Of course the problem is that it doesn't really work.

which leads us back to the original problem of people purposely missusing products to cause themselves some sort of harm so they can make a fast buck.....in the US it is far too easy to sue someone and even easier to win, it seems that everyone is ready and willing to hand over large sums of money for stupidity....as i said before the whole thing would be solved if only we could do something to make it to where if you were caused harm through stupidity then you could not sue, but alas, i am in the US and so it will never happen, we will continue to have stupid people doing stupid things and profiting from it
monsy

In the US, alright - but why do we have all those stoooopid instructions on german-made, german-sold products, where it's much much harder to sue a company? Maybe it became a fashion? So maybe it will be unmodern again sometimes?
self-solution? *I fear not, though*sigh*

Do you mean that they have instructions on German products that will never make it to America, or that they have instructions on products exported to the States?

The first. They are made in Germany and sold in Germany and not exported (my coffee mug isn't)

ermmmm, you mentioned your coffee mug isn't.....does this mean that your coffee mug is made in germany, not exported to the states and contains a warning????......monsy

okay this is going to seem really out of order, and i apologise in advance, but what about education? that seems to be the only realy explanation to me. the law is not exactly a good tool for educating people btw. of course how exactly we manage to educate and thus eradicate the ignorance of millions (and there are millions) of stupid people is a little beyond me, but hey i'm just a concept grrl.

yes, exactly monsy - it goes like "Open side is top, pour here".
I don't know whether this brand of espresso is exported anywhere (Eilles), but I doubt it - and the can says "open before consumption"
*sigh*

right, and I found one on a car battery saying "Don't remove while driving or if the motor is running". Big deal - I'd like to see THAT.

well, obviously the stupid ones have difficulty with reading so maybe we can start with picture books to educate them you know, like the dick and jane books except without words
monsy

I made the same point on education on another strand of this Article,Stupidity Vs Ignorance. Check it out, if anyone else wants share in my new business venture then let me know.

CH