Thursday, January 22, 2004
Perhaps they should put warning labels on the warning labels!
A fishing lure sporting three steel hooks and carrying the label "Harmful if swallowed" took fourth prize in the latest annual American wacky warning label contest. First prize was earned by this warning on a bottle of drain cleaner: "If you do not understand, or cannot read, all directions, cautions and warnings, do not use this product." Second prize, by a snow sled label: "Beware: sled may develop high speed under certain snow conditions." And fourth prize, by a compact-disc storage rack warning, "Do not use as a ladder."
Wacky warnings show the lengths to which manufacturers will go to avoid lawsuits stemming from misuse of products, says Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, which organises the annual contest. "It used to be that if someone spilled coffee in their lap, they simply called themselves clumsy. Today, too many people are calling themselves an attorney," said M-LAW president Robert Dorigo Jones. The trend was also adding to the cost of goods and services to families, he noted. (Also: check out past winners of the contest.)
My all-time favourite (not in these lists) is the reputed instruction on a Swedish chainsaw: "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals." (This has even made it into Websters on-line dictionary!)
A fishing lure sporting three steel hooks and carrying the label "Harmful if swallowed" took fourth prize in the latest annual American wacky warning label contest. First prize was earned by this warning on a bottle of drain cleaner: "If you do not understand, or cannot read, all directions, cautions and warnings, do not use this product." Second prize, by a snow sled label: "Beware: sled may develop high speed under certain snow conditions." And fourth prize, by a compact-disc storage rack warning, "Do not use as a ladder."
Wacky warnings show the lengths to which manufacturers will go to avoid lawsuits stemming from misuse of products, says Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, which organises the annual contest. "It used to be that if someone spilled coffee in their lap, they simply called themselves clumsy. Today, too many people are calling themselves an attorney," said M-LAW president Robert Dorigo Jones. The trend was also adding to the cost of goods and services to families, he noted. (Also: check out past winners of the contest.)
My all-time favourite (not in these lists) is the reputed instruction on a Swedish chainsaw: "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals." (This has even made it into Websters on-line dictionary!)
