Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller blind.

Guess what - they breakaway when you roll the blind up (but are OK down).

Anyway - ebay to the rescue for some proper connectors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290968897608
Top right - yes I know, 80p each - but what can you do??



And for anyone who does not know what I am talking about, this is the
crap useless item:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/k/261159298233


If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller blind.

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.





If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

Hopefully, even they wouldn't be that stupid.

On 07/05/2015 20:15, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller
blind.

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?

If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

Hopefully, even they wouldn't be that stupid.

If Nigel thought it would get him an extra vote he might.


--
Colin Bignell

On 07/05/15 20:23, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:15, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller
blind.

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?

They could even fit the breakaway by default and include the 2p's worth
of regular connector with a little warning.

I think if the kids managed to get into a position where they could hang
themselves, they are more likely to fall out of the window in my case -
the chains are not that long.


If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

Hopefully, even they wouldn't be that stupid.

If Nigel thought it would get him an extra vote he might.



Quite probably

In message , Nightjar
writes
On 07/05/2015 20:15, GB wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?

Surely the simplest solution is to supply one of each connector with
every roller blind sold?
--
Graeme

On 07/05/2015 20:40, News wrote:
In message , Nightjar
writes
On 07/05/2015 20:15, GB wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to
whom it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?

Surely the simplest solution is to supply one of each connector with
every roller blind sold?


Or just superglue the breakaway.

--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 07/05/2015 20:23, Nightjar cpb@ wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?


So, you can guarantee that no child will ever enter a particular house?
And that house will never be sold to someone with kids or grandkids?

Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly.
That can't be impossible to design.

On 07/05/2015 21:05, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:23, Nightjar cpb@ wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?


So, you can guarantee that no child will ever enter a particular house?

I can be sure that no child is ever likely to enter my house while I am
alive.

And that house will never be sold to someone with kids or grandkids?

Child proofing a house is the responsibility of the person doing the
buying, not the one doing the selling. There would be a lot more than
just blind chains to worry about if somebody bought my house and wanted
to child proof it, like the original 1930s balustrades, which are far
enough apart that a small child could easily fall between them.

Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly. That
can't be impossible to design.

Probably is, as the two requirements seem to be mutually exclusive.
However, a version that can be converted from one to the other quickly
and easily ought to be possible.

--
Colin Bignell

On Thursday, 7 May 2015 21:21:31 UTC+1, Nightjar wrote:
On 07/05/2015 21:05, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:23, Nightjar cpb@ wrote:

I can be sure that no child is ever likely to enter my house while I am
alive.

dare i ask

Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly. That
can't be impossible to design.

Probably is, as the two requirements seem to be mutually exclusive.
However, a version that can be converted from one to the other quickly
and easily ought to be possible.

use 2 tails rather than 1 loop, problem solved


NT

On 07/05/15 21:21, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 07/05/2015 21:05, GB wrote:


So, you can guarantee that no child will ever enter a particular house?

I can be sure that no child is ever likely to enter my house while I am
alive.

I can be sure that no child will be unsupervised in my house beyond
their ability. I've had "egg hunts" in my garden with piles of wood with
rusty nails sticking out. Solution: assess the risk, put all the
dangerous crap over one side (it mostly was anyway) and lay my bright
yellow hose down with the rule "no going beyond the yellow hose".


I might rant like someone who thinks natural selection is a good idea,
but I'm not really (execpt in jest). I

I don't like being treated like an idiot and told I will have the cotton
wool option because some other people are too irresponsible to use their
heads.



And that house will never be sold to someone with kids or grandkids?

Child proofing a house is the responsibility of the person doing the
buying, not the one doing the selling. There would be a lot more than
just blind chains to worry about if somebody bought my house and wanted
to child proof it, like the original 1930s balustrades, which are far
enough apart that a small child could easily fall between them.

Totally agree. There's a difference between this silliness and good
building regs which might say "bannisters and barriers shall not pass a
100mm ball or whatever the test is" because that deals with a very
common case for not much inconvenience and certainly dies not make the
result non functional.



Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly. That
can't be impossible to design.

Probably is, as the two requirements seem to be mutually exclusive.
However, a version that can be converted from one to the other quickly
and easily ought to be possible.

Nightjar.me.uk" "cpb"@ insert my surname here wrote
GB wrote
Nightjar cpb@ wrote

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords
in this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?

So, you can guarantee that no child will ever enter a particular house?

I can be sure that no child is ever likely to enter my house while I am
alive.

No you can't, particularly when you are out of the country or in hospital
etc.

And even if you could, that is an irrelevant edge case anyway.

And that house will never be sold to someone with kids or grandkids?

Child proofing a house is the responsibility of the person doing the
buying, not the one doing the selling. There would be a lot more than just
blind chains to worry about if somebody bought my house and wanted to
child proof it, like the original 1930s balustrades, which are far enough
apart that a small child could easily fall between them.

Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly. That
can't be impossible to design.

Probably is, as the two requirements seem to be mutually exclusive.

I doubt believe that.

However, a version that can be converted from one to the other quickly and
easily ought to be possible.

But quite dangerous for visiting children.

On 07/05/15 21:05, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:23, Nightjar cpb@ wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those to whom
it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?


So, you can guarantee that no child will ever enter a particular house?
And that house will never be sold to someone with kids or grandkids?

Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly. That
can't be impossible to design.

You might have thought so.

I am annoyed because for a couple of edge cases, I have a product that
fundamentally does not work.

But everyone's happy because "it's safe".

It's funny how we managed all these decades without.

On Thu, 07 May 2015 21:40:10 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

But everyone's happy because "it's safe".

It's funny how we managed all these decades without.

It's called "coomon sense" that is becoming anything but common.

Health & Safety is positive feed back loop. The more you protect
people from their own stupidity the less they are aware of hazards so
you need more Health & Safety to protect them from their own
stupidity...

Any "cord" has the abilty to strangle from the umbilical cord as No.1
Daughter attempted to demostrate, onwards.

Is it not "common sense" to a) tell small chidren that puting things
around their neck is not a good idea and for the really littlies
removing it when they do. b) remove or place out of reach hanging
down loops of cord etc when small children are present.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 07/05/2015 21:40, Tim Watts wrote:

So, you can guarantee that no child will ever enter a particular house?
And that house will never be sold to someone with kids or grandkids?

Surely, what is needed is a breakaway version that works correctly. That
can't be impossible to design.

You might have thought so.

I am annoyed because for a couple of edge cases, I have a product that
fundamentally does not work.

It's more than a couple of cutting edge cases, though. It's two
avoidable deaths a year on average. You should not have a non-working
product, but it's wrong to deny that there's an issue that the
non-working-ness is trying very badly to address.





But everyone's happy because "it's safe".

It's funny how we managed all these decades without.

We had far fewer of these sorts of blinds IIRC a few decades ago. But
more recently we've been 'managing' with two funerals a year.

Nightjar.me.uk" "cpb"@ insert my surname here wrote
GB wrote
Tim Watts wrote

Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller
blinds on the internet and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves
on a roller blind.

Around two children a year die from hanging
themselves on blind cords in this country.

So, why not offer a child friendly break away version for those
to whom it matters and a stronger version for the rest of us?

Presumably because you can't be sure who will have
visiting children who can end up hanging themselves etc.

On 07/05/15 20:15, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller
blind.

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

I'm guessing they are very young? In which case, common sense might say
"hang the chain out of reach"? Ironically right next to the chain is a
curtain cord in a loop with no breakaway option.

I'm not stupid - I put kiddy catches on a the cupboards with bleach in
and had stair gates. But beyond the age of 2 it seems unnecessary -
given that it makes the chain not actually functional.

On 07/05/2015 20:43, Tim Watts wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

I'm guessing they are very young? In which case, common sense might say
"hang the chain out of reach"? Ironically right next to the chain is a
curtain cord in a loop with no breakaway option.

I'm not stupid - I put kiddy catches on a the cupboards with bleach in
and had stair gates. But beyond the age of 2 it seems unnecessary -
given that it makes the chain not actually functional.

You have my sympathy. You should not have been sold a non-working roller
blind. You should have been sold one that works AND is safe.

On 07/05/15 20:15, GB wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller
blind.

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

How can we improve this?

Should be 200





If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

Hopefully, even they wouldn't be that stupid.




--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

On 07/05/2015 21:41, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

How can we improve this?

Should be 200

An annual cull, maybe?

GB writes:

On 07/05/2015 21:41, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Around two children a year die from hanging themselves on blind cords in
this country.

How can we improve this?

Should be 200

An annual cull, maybe?

Not enough. Slightly more than 3 new people are born every second. For
a long time I've been suggesting a 'Stop the Children' fund, but I can
see that the idea is unappealing so my cause is hopeless.



--
Windmill, Use t m i l l
J.R.R. Tolkien:- @ S c o t s h o m e . c o m
All that is gold does not glister / Not all who wander are lost

On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller blind.

Guess what - they breakaway when you roll the blind up (but are OK down).

Anyway - ebay to the rescue for some proper connectors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290968897608
Top right - yes I know, 80p each - but what can you do??



And for anyone who does not know what I am talking about, this is the
crap useless item:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/k/261159298233


If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

Unlikely, seeing as the latest prediction is that they will probably
only get one or two seats.


--
Colin Bignell

On 07/05/15 20:16, Nightjar "cpb"@ wrote:
On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller
blind.

Guess what - they breakaway when you roll the blind up (but are OK down).

Anyway - ebay to the rescue for some proper connectors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290968897608
Top right - yes I know, 80p each - but what can you do??



And for anyone who does not know what I am talking about, this is the
crap useless item:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/k/261159298233


If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

Unlikely, seeing as the latest prediction is that they will probably
only get one or two seats.



I'm off to vote now... Not saying who...

I do I got one with a blind at Wilkinson's. Spotting the two halves seemed
to be connected together with what looked liike a bit of double sided tape.
I superglued it before it could fall to bits. I was not aware it was a helth
and safety thing. if you tried to hang yourself from this cheap blind the
bracket would break long before you wer as much as finding it hard to breath
I fancy.
brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Tim Watts" wrote in message
news
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet and
very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller
blind.

Guess what - they breakaway when you roll the blind up (but are OK down).

Anyway - ebay to the rescue for some proper connectors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290968897608
Top right - yes I know, 80p each - but what can you do??



And for anyone who does not know what I am talking about, this is the crap
useless item:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/k/261159298233


If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-

On 07/05/2015 20:00, Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller blind.

Guess what - they breakaway when you roll the blind up (but are OK down).

Anyway - ebay to the rescue for some proper connectors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290968897608
Top right - yes I know, 80p each - but what can you do??



And for anyone who does not know what I am talking about, this is the
crap useless item:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/k/261159298233

All blinds come with cleats or chain loops these days to prevent kids
hanging themselves. On a £10 Argos blind they are a waste of time, the
slightest force would break the flimsy chain or the equally flimsy
mechanism, or snap the cardboard tube.




--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Tim Watts wrote:
Seen it all now...

Just bought a couple of made to measure roller blinds on the internet
and very nice they are too.

Except for one thing.

Heavy metal ball chain (no 10 gauge, aka 4.5mm balls) - good.
Ball chain connectors - special "breakaway" safety type because
apparently, somewhere, some numpty has hanged themselves on a roller blind.

Guess what - they breakaway when you roll the blind up (but are OK down).

Anyway - ebay to the rescue for some proper connectors:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290968897608
Top right - yes I know, 80p each - but what can you do??



And for anyone who does not know what I am talking about, this is the
crap useless item:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/k/261159298233


If I vote UKIP tonight, will they put a stop to this nonsense? Enquiring
minds want to know... ;-


Elf and safety? may be you should make helmets mandatory to use a ladder.
http://tinyurl.com/luwlzpr