On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:27:52 +0000, T i m wrote:

On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:32:58 -0500, Jules
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:20:32 +0000, T i m wrote:
This seems relevant (WS) 2:15 onwards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAGJpISVERg

Ha, ta for that. My missus was amazed when she was over in the UK and saw
signs at the side of the road reminding people to think...

The frightening thing is it's true though. Even insurance Co's paying
out simply bogus claims because it will be cheaper, not because it's
the morally correct thing to do. This includes it seems paying those
who are stupid enough to drive whilst holding a cup of coffee between
their legs the suing because they get scalded (or whatever).

Actually, the terminally clueless should be forced to drive with cups of
coffee between their legs. Hopefully the resulting burns will prevent
them from reproducing and making the problem even worse in future
generations :-)

(have they installed any that say "breathe" yet, you know, just in
case?)

Who knows where it will stop.

The thing is, much of this over zealous PC / HSE stuff is affecting
everyone. Kids not getting work opportunity because Co's can't tick
enough boxes and / or don't want the risks.

Yeah, it's terrible here in the US - but not nearly as bad as it was in
the UK (which always strikes me as odd because the perception of myself &
peers when I was growing up in the UK was that the US was the place fo
H+S insanity).

Furthermore the rural nature of a lot of the US has an impact - there can
be a big difference between what the law says and how it's enacted out in
the sticks, where common sense tends to overrule everything (and I realise
the UK's not really any different there, but there's a lot less 'sticks'
to go around)

The worst for me are all the ambulance chasers. I've heard that
motorbike shops (and car garages no doubt) can get a cash kick-back if
they get a customer to hire a vehicle while their claim is sorted out
through the insurance Co rather than take a loan bike for free ...
because they can earn money out of the hire etc.

There's backhanders and stealth 'taxes' and sweet little deals going on
everywhere all the time, I suppose. Best to try not to think about it or
it'll make your head explode :/

cheers

Jules