Hooray for Michigan

[ozzy72]

A washing machine complete with a warning not to put anybody inside has been given an award for the "wackiest warning" by a US lobby group.
The Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch says the tendency of Americans to sue companies has gone too far, encouraging absurd warning labels on products.
But others say warning labels can play a role in protecting the public.
An engine manufacturer which warned "Never use a lit match or open flame to check fuel level" won second prize.
Warnings not to dry wet mobile phones in microwave ovens and not to iron lottery tickets tied for third place.
Honourable mentions went to a phonebook which advised: "Please do not use this directory while operating a moving vehicle".
The Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (M-Law) is campaigning to cut down on what it considers the harmful effects of excessive litigation in the United States.
The winning labels were selected by listeners of a Detroit radio station from a list compiled by M-Law.
The group began the Wacky Warning Labels contest 10 years ago as part of its campaign to have "common sense warnings on products", M-Law says on its website.
But a spokesperson from the washing machine maker whose label bagged top prize, said its warning is valid.
"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.
She said other companies had been sued after small children had climbed into washing machines which had then been started.

[Hagar]

The best one I've seen was on a packet of salted peanuts.

WARNING! This Product Might Contain Nuts!

Plain nuts I call it.

[flymo]

lol

personaly i think the one about not checking the fuel level with a open flame is possibly the best

john...wondering how long it is before someone posts a pic of the korean kitchen knife set

[Chris_F]

The best one I've seen was on a packet of salted peanuts.

WARNING! This Product Might Contain Nuts!

Plain nuts I call it.

I'd be much more concerned if the lable proudly said "this product contains no nuts".  That's like a company that makes equipment used to slaughter cattle proclaiming "no animals were harmed in the testing of this product".

[Craig.]

I'm more worried it says MIGHT contain lol.

[Mictheslik]

The best one I've seen was on a packet of salted peanuts.

WARNING! This Product Might Contain Nuts!

Plain nuts I call it.

Hagar......this may seem amusing but I must, at the risk of being accused of pedancy, tell you that peanuts are not nuts. The definition of nuts are that they are simple dry fruits with one, possibly two seeds and have a seed case wall that becomes very hard at maturity.

Using this definition it also means Almonds, pistachios, brazils, cashews, coconuts, horse chestnuts and pine nuts are also not nuts, but seeds, therefore a warning is necessary but not blatently obvious, as these seeds may have been produced in a factory that uses nuts

lots more info can be found out about peanuts at The American Peanut Council

.Mic

[Hagar]

Thanks for pointing that out Mic. However, I assume this warning is intended for people suffering from an allergic reaction to nuts. Peanuts are a common cause of this reaction which can be very serious & in some cases fatal. http://www.nonuts.co.uk/info.htm

Bearing that in mind I would think that anyone suffering from a nut allergy of any kind would never consider purchasing a packet of peanuts which makes the warning completely unnecessary.

[Chris_F]

Bearing that in mind I would think that anyone suffering from a nut allergy of any kind would never consider purchasing a packet of peanuts which makes the warning completely unnecessary.

Let's dig in to that person's head for a minute.  Imagine said person is in the peanut isle at the grocery store.

"Hmm, I'm deathly alergic to peanuts but I've always wondered what they taste like.  Hmmm, salted peanuts.  Woah!  This one says it may contain nuts.  I'd better not buy this on account of my deadly alergy.  Okay, this one is better.  It doesn't say anything about containing nuts.  What the heck, what's the worst that can happen.  Oh, I'd better call my lawyer in advance just in case."

The sad thing about all this is that these lawsuits and the resulting warnings actually make life MORE dangerous.  The deluge of stupid warnings delutes the few actual legit warnings on products.  Eventually you just get numb and ignore all the warnings, but that's when the one important one bites you.