Wacky warnings

[Brian Ellis]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6236585.stm

[az]

"A front loader (washing machine) is just at the right height - speaking now as a mother and not a corporate spokeswoman - for a four-year-old," said Patti Andresen Shew of Alliance Laundry Systems.

So this four-year-old would read the warning label and decide not to enter the washing machine, close it from the inside, and then start the cycle? Or would Mrs Andresen put her four-year-old in the washing machine herself if there hadn't been a warning label, simply because the opening is "is just at the right height"? I don't want to think about what other orifices are "just at the right height" for whatever people like this might think of.

Oh hell yes I do!

"Honey, why is there a man hanging out our window?" "I don't know, I suppose tt was just at the right height. I love you!"

"Do not wash feet in the toilet!" "But it is just at the right height!"

"Has anybody seen my new laptop?" "Oh yes, I put it into that concrete mixer over there - seemed like just the right height!"

"Honey, where's our dog?" "I put him into the chute. It was just at the right height!"

I really find it hard to think of stuff that would be more stupid than to put your four-year-old into the washing machine, and I can't fathom how people could ever conceive that.

[Jessterw]

Sigh. This goes right along with some of the insane laws we have here. Take the one that would allow a burglar or other home-intruder to sue the owners if the former was somehow injured while inside the home.

Have to admit that some of those warnings are amusing, even more so because there are some people who need them.

[Brian Ellis]

Well, I do know someone who put their cat in the washing machine. It had buried itself in the clothes basket and the guy in question just stuffed the clothes with cat in the machine and started it off. Fortunately, it screamed when the water started to come in and the drum turning. He pulled the plug double fast and then had a problem: the machine had a mechanical interlock preventing the door from opening while there was water in it. However, by due manipulation of the knob and power restored, he was able to empty the machine without it going into spin dry. Pussy came out, wet and bedraggled but none the worse for her experience.

[az]

But a warning label would't have helped in that case. Most washing machines have emergency opening levers, BTW, or he could just have stopped the program and selected "pump out" or whatever it's called in english.