us v them

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 02/22/2002 5:59:04 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> How else can you explain the warning sticker on a lawnmower that tells you
> not to stick your hand under it????
> 
> Hopefully, you folks in other parts of the world don't have to deal with
> this kind of senselessness, but America is crawling with people who want to
> blame someone else for their own mistakes.
> 
I am sorry to say it, but I believe our US liability laws and a suit-happy 
public, abetted by a vast oversupply of contingency-seeking lawyers who crave 
the status of a profession but who disdain the usual math or blood, leads to 
a situation where the reward for being effective at blaming others for our 
own stupidity or carelessness is a flood of money.  well-publicized awards 
and drooling ambulance-chasers have trained us to be on the lookout for a 
financial gain from our misdeeds.

There are many examples of improvements and developments (or just harmless 
gimmicks) that are not allowed in the USA because of a fear they might lead 
to a judgment.  For example, the Spider headlight covers are really not 
allowed because you're not supposed to cover the headlights with anything.  I 
think it was Citroen that had a secondary set of headlights that swiveled L 
and R according to the position of the steering wheel, but of course they 
weren't allowed to sell that in the USA.  Some of our friends in Europe are 
amazed at the things that are prohibited, by law, in the USA, because people 
"need" to be protected from themselves as well as from the unscrupulous.  

That's enough of that, I have to get back to balancing a paper cup of boiling 
water on my lap to find out FOR MYSELF whether or not heat is hot.

Charlie
LA. CA, USA 

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