When Pet Doors Cause Child Deaths - Wall Street Journal - InspectionNews

Brian Hannigan · #1 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 10:31 PM

InspectionNews has found this information related to pools and spas that might be of interest to you.

When Pet Doors Cause Child Deaths
Wall Street Journal
The phenomenon is rare compared with other ways that drowning deaths occur, pool-safety experts say. But the problem is likely more widespread than reported ...

More...

A.D. Miller · #2 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 09:01 AM

BH: Informative article. Thanks.

Jerry Peck · #3 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 11:16 AM

Again, the stupid parents take no responsibility themselves.

"The Ranfone family filed a lawsuit last year against Radio Systems Corp., the manufacturer of the pet door. The door should have had a warning label, says Ms. Ranfone"

No, the manufacturer should counter-sue them for failing to exercise parental common sense.

One does not, with common sense, take a well designed and thought out pool barrier, with alarms on the doors, and install a hole through a door directly by-passing all the alarms and barriers otherwise installed.

That is called "stupidity", "no common sense", and then to try to blame the manufacturer because the manufacturer did not put a label on it which says "HEY STUPID! YEAH, YOU! USE YOUR COMMON SENSE! DO NOT INSTALL THIS OPENING WHERE *YOU* (YEAH , *YOU*, YOU IDIOT) ARE MAKING A HOLE THROUGH YOUR POOL'S PROTECTIVE BARRIER!"

I feel for their loss, I DO NOT feel for their STUPIDITY in by-passing all the barrier systems installed.

No matter who does what, it is the parent's final responsibility to act with common sense.

A.D. Miller · #4 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

No matter who does what, it is the parent's final responsibility to act with common sense.

JP: Chances are, if they are just now having kids that young, they hail from the X- or Y-generations which, by default, have little of any kind of sense. What else can you expect?

Jerry Peck · #5 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

JP: Chances are, if they are just now having kids that young, they hail from the X- or Y-generations which, by default, have little of any kind of sense. What else can you expect?

I guess.

That (the stupidity of it) is like saying that car doors need to have a warning label which states: "HEY, STUPID! YEAH, YOU! IF YOU CLOSE THE CAR DOOR ON YOUR FINGER IT IS GOING TO HURT LIKE LIKE HECK!"

I mean, dang, pretty soon EVERYTHING will be required to have a label which warns people of any possible stupid scenario, but wait, then you would need a label which tests their reading and comprehension skills so as to not expect too much - "IF YOU CAN READ THIS, CONTINUE READING. IF YOU CANNOT READ THIS ... GO HOME, SHUT YOURSELF IN A CLOSET AND STAY OUT OF EVERY ONE ELSE'S WAY."

As Forest Gump's mother said: "Stupid is as stupid does."

william siegel · #6 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 11:26 AM

Almost as dumb as passing a law that says you cannot text while driving. When does common sense come into play. I guess if someone gets into an accident texting, they can sue the phone compnay because there isnt a warning label on the phone cover. Howerver, if they do that, then they need to pass a law that makes putting makeup on while driving, shaving while driving, reading while driving, the list could go on and on. Forest Gumps mom had it right.

Ted Menelly · #7 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 12:15 PM

I feel for any accident involving chilren, no matter what the accident.

When it comes down to it there is no blocking all possible scenarios against all types of accidents other than parents looking after their children.

I Guess if you want to think about it I cannot even begin to count the enormous amount of homes that have pools that I have inspected where there has never been any form of alarm or door locks or barriers of any kind and children were born in and grew up in the home to happy healthy adults.

In saying all that I do believe greatly in preventive measures.

For someone to have to be told that their should be protective measures in place when owning a pool and having chilren is insane. (big deap puddle of water, child, hmmm, must look after child and take precautions)

For someone to go after a dog door company because their child had an accident due to one and a pool is absolute criminal.

Hmm. Ride a bike and get killed. Darn, there was no note on the bike telling me I could die when riding it. My survivors can at least sue the folks that made that bike and teach them a lesson and probably make a bunch of money to boot.

Michael Thomas · #8 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 12:57 PM

1) I feel for the parents.

2) But in this case, what's needed is fencing around the shallow end of the gene pool.