It seems like everything I buy nowadays comes with ridiculously insane warning attached to it. Just off the top of my head I can think of the following:
Deodorant: Do not use on broken skin
Shaving Cream: Avoid spraying towards open flame
Talcum Powder: Avoid contact with eyes
Hand lotion; Do not swallow
Toothpaste: If you accidentally swallow more than intended blah blah…
Matches: Strike away from face
Pain Relievers: Do not exceed recommended dosage…if condition remains unchanged after a few days see a doctor
Garbage Bags: Can cause suffocation
Staples: Keep out of reach of children
On Planes: Read instructions to buckle seatbelt
And on and on and on…I’m sure you can come up with hundreds more. Are we becoming a nation of idiots? Is suing on behalf of sheer stupidity the national pastime? Why do we need to be told these things? If you’re dumb enough to do any of the above…what makes anyone think you’ll bother reading the warning labels first?
Oh, yeah…those paper napkins at the diner? Don’t eat them :rolleyes:
No, we’ve become (or always have been) a nation with some idiots in it. One idiot points a paint stripper at her head, or one idiot loses a limb from using deodorant on broken skin, and then files suit against the manufacturer for “negligence” or “failure to warn.” So now Mennen or Gilette or whoever puts a warning label on the product so that the next time someone loses an arm they can’t tap the deep pocket because they’ve been warned right there on the package.
I believe this was mentioned on the Snopes board-some wife getting back at her cheating husband by tying up, face down, sticking her curling iron in his ass, then plugging it in before she left.
Ooh! Ooh! But my favorite warning is with my “Car Shade” – you know, that thing you put in your windshield to keep the sun from coming in and thus keep the car a little cooler?
Of course, in big red letters, it says, “Do not drive while sun shield is in place.”
Why a friend of a friend of a guy my mom used to know, knew a woman who had a friend whose son donned a Superman costume, and then jumped off the roof. The little tyke broke his little leg.
They did get compensation from the costume company, but if they had only put some sort of warning on the box, this tragedy would have never occured.
Fair enough. But I think some manufacturers actually use the warning as a selling point. Case in point, how else would you explain the following caution found on Viagra® ?
"An erection that lasts longer than four hours requires prompt medical attention."
Knife: Caution Sharp
Water: Caution Wet
Ice: Caution Icy
My wife’s great aunt is 85 years old. A while ago she bought a hair-dryer. She was so freaked out by all the warning labels that she packed it up and took it back to the store.
