As I unfold my ladder, which has safety warnings at each joint, I wonder how anyone managed to live to a ripe old age 100 years ago.
Kids did dangerous things back then, like riding their bikes without helmets. Toddlers did not choke on small parts of toys because parents made sure that anything able to be choked on was not available to the children. Babies slept on mattresses that did not trap and strangle them in cribs that did not collapse.
When people broke down and bought an item rather than making it, they did not receive a 10-page booklet filled with proper use instructions, warnings, and disclaimers in six languages. The maker of the product either expected that the buyer had sense enough to figure it out, or provided simple instructions.
Were people more intelligent back then? Maybe they just displayed more common sense or were more cautious when it came to the products they made, bought, and used.
We seem to have a lot more demands on our time, and we probably don’t take the time to carefully consider each item we purchase. When you think about the people living 100 years ago, however, they did not have the plethora of time-saving devices at their fingertips that we do today.
So what conclusions can we draw? Manufacturers churn out a lot more products in less time, so the resulting products cannot possibly be made with the same care and oversight as they were 100 years ago. Just take care, Kentucky consumers.
If a defective product caused the death of someone you love, contact a wrongful death attorney in Louisville. Call Gray and White Law at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456 to set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation.