First of all - this belongs in here because it has EVERYTHING to do with future vehicles, how they are made, and why they have tons of stupid BS crap on them that cost money, weight, efficiency, and more.

There is a barely heard-of lawsuit that was just concluded yesterday, and Ford is out another $17-million plus their fees. Putting any of my biases aside, this crap has GOT to stop. I think it's as bad as (if not worse than) the McDonalds coffee burning the lady that spilled it while driving and then won million$ in a suit.

In short, a lady was riding passenger in a Windstar on a road trip. She had her seat belt on, but decided to recline the seat all the way back and sleep. The Windstar hit another vehicle at a high rate of speed, and the lady slid under the seat belt, under the airbag, and impacted the dash. She suffered spinal chord damage and is paralyzed.

They claimed that Ford didn't warn them about the risk of driving with the seats reclined... OMFG!!!
This is proof that Darwin's principle doesn't ALWAYS work properly, because this stupid wench should not be allowed to procreate IMO.

Quote from her attorney - [I]"Ford will warn you when your windshield fluid is low, but they won't warn you about this," Langdon said. "Ford's sales brochure says the seat reclines, making it great on long trips."[/I]
Do the world a favor and shoot this moron too.

Oh, and get this... "This was a tragic accident caused when the driver fell asleep at the wheel and drove into a stationary ambulance," Vokes said in an e-mailed statement. "The air bag deployed as it should have, but the passenger was reclined in her seat with her feet resting on the dashboard."
Here's a link to the story...

I digress.

Folks, we can complain about the rising costs of medical insurace and blame letigious lawyers and malpractice suits - and that's politically acceptable.
But finding fault with MORONS that are operating automobiles in MORONIC fashion, then suing because something bad happened is taboo.
There's $17-million that could be helping Ford pay medical costs down, paying people's salaries, developing new vehicles or features, supporting local businesses, donated to local charities, cancer studies, hurricane relief... who knows what all good could come of it. Instead, it goes to some freakin' lawyer and his moronic client. This is happening WAY too often these days. And frankly, if the government can legislate a maximum liability limit for malpractice suits, I think they should also legislate liability limits for product liability too. It should not be the responsibility of the carmaker to design a car that is 100% totally safe to everyone inside and outside of it... because that is just not physically possible.

Rant off. [/ pity mode for the auto industry and it's workers - ALL of them]

 

Maybe she outta learn how to read an owners manual. At least in the GM manuals, they specifically mention that reclining the seat with your seatbelt on increases the risk of injury in the event of a collision. Its a shame where companies need to put warnings on practically every part on a vehicle because of all this sue-craziness.

 

God Bless America.

 

this has nothing to do with the McDonalds thing. The McDonalds thing was NOT FRIVALOUS! Not in the least, it wasn't hot cofee, it was superheated, WAY WAY WAY hotter then you're average cup of cofee. It was also handed to them through the drivethrough and the top wasn't pushed on all the way.

However, this seems like to me. They should have laughed her out of the court room.

 

I have no words.

But it does make you wonder how many hitmen could be bought with that kind of money. Best that people like this are simply out of the gene pool.

Again, I have no words. That was my evil twin speaking.

 

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Offer valid only to those with red hair under 4 feet tall or over 120 years of age.
Not all exclusions or inclusions apply.
Void where not prohibited by law.
Use only when directed by a medical physician unless otherwise noted.
Please read the instructions... follow instructions carefully... do not use in a manner that can be harmful or dangerous.
Shake well before opening... do not inhale, breathe vapors, contact with skin, contact with clothes, contact with painted surfaces, or use in a manner not consistent with label.
Warning - lab assistants have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals...

and finally...
Warning - doing ANYTHING may be hazardous to your health.

Yup, GBA.

 

Are you kidding around, or being serious?!

 

I'm 110% serious. http://lawandhelp.com/q298-2.htm

 

This is so funny... yet it is the truth in every sort of way.

 

You can't be 110% anything. The most you can be is 100%

Interesting information to know though.

 

Well, actually you can. "I am 110% as strong as I used to be" would translate to a 10% increase in your strength. "I am 110% stronger than I used to be" would translate to just over doubling your strenght. Just for example.

And yeah I've mentioned that coffee case not being so frivolous many times here in the past. In fact most 'frivolous' cases that get mainstream negative publicity seem to be missing key facts when they get spread around the social rumor mill.

 

I can just see it now... riding shotgun in my wife's 2014 year model whatever on a road trip, looking to take a nap so I start reclining the seat back. *ding ding ding* - look over at the nav screen. "In order to recline your seat back you must press "OK" on this screen to agree to the added risk of injury associated with sitting in this position." "OK"

Start snoring *ding ding ding*, "in order to snore in this vehicle the driver must agree to this added distraction as it could keep him from hearing oncoming emergency vehicles." "OK"

Later on swap seats and wife starts giving me road head *ding ding ding* "Fellatio while in a moving vehicle is considered not only an unsafe position for both occupants in case of a wreck, but may cause significant distraction, you must waive all liability within 30 seconds or the car will stop for your blow job to resume"

Getting close to our destination on the beach in Florida so I lower the window to feel the breeze *ding ding ding*, before the window can be lowered you must agree to assume all liability of a child or animal potentially jumping out, as well as the added risk of objects flying in through the window and hurting you. Please hit "OK" or, "tell me about sticking my arm outside the window" if you wish to do so."

 

EXACTLY.

THIS is what my sarcasm was aimed at. Nobody can make anything that is 100% safe for everyone, but legislators want us to try...

 

Yeah, but those are used in a comparative sense (comparing strength now to a previous strength). Not sure you can be 110% serious without comparing to a previous level of seriousness, which he did not.



Anyway, Proud, we're with ya. While we are on the topic, allow me to bring up the $4.9 billion dollar judgment against GM a few years back for a family who suffered burns in a 1979 Malibu that was sitting still and got rear-ended by a big-*** pickup truck at a high rate of speed. Some of this stuff is just absurd, and it needs to stop.

 

Umm the liquid could not have been superheated without it being under pressure and then it would have most likely turned to steam causing even worse burns.

BTW 185° F coffee is a good thing. At 165° F is the pasturization point where most harmful bacteria are killed. Lets say that the morning is really busy for coffee and the pot isn't staying on the burner like it should, or someone leaves it off of the burner, well the temperature can drop a few degrees and at 170° F it is fine but if the maximum temperature is 165° F and it drops then you end up growing bacteria. There is always a reason something is done one way, perhaps McDonalds was trying to avoid a lawsuit over contaminated coffee.

Also I have had 185° F water on my hands, used to be a dish washer, and I know it is VERY hot and could cause very real injuries to a sensitive area like the groin. I think McD's should have paid her bills plus less than a hundred grand and it would have been over with, but they didn't do that and that is what the suit stemmed from.

I tell my wife not to put her feet on the dash maybe I will show her this story.