Speed bump video (now tort law discussion)

[BLINGMW]

Personal responsibility is on the downturn here in America.

Amen brother. And to the rest of what you said. 8)

[bassmangrammy]

HEADLINE: I'm sorry Jeff. America needs to listen to NPR!

Just putting in my 2 cents. I'm glad you feel this passionately about the case. I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad. And Jeff, I'm sorry..it was rather rough on re-read.

I just believe that Americans need to stop getting their news from a 30-second blip on the national news or from the headlines of the paper.

Americans need to take time to understand issues more in-depth before believing they have the issue wrapped up with a bow on top. Try listening to NPR. Most conservatives brand NPR as liberal, and visa-versa. But from my extensive listening to NPR, in comparison to FoxNEWS Radio, CNN Radio, etc., it's balanced, simply because reports on NPR take the time to visit different angles and go deeper into the story.

[Mike]

my head a splode.

[Andy]

Aside from the polemics, I think Aaron makes a good point about most folks in our society not knowing much especially if they get their information from TV. Also, with regard to the perceived liberal bias in public programming, the former Bush-appointed President of PBS and NPRÔÇÖs parent, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, appointed two ombudsman to monitor content/quality of programming and they both came back with nothing but praise for both organizations. They also both said that they could not find any liberal bias in the reporting.

[bimmerboodle]

You'd be surprised, some people stretch the f out of their budgets to buy stuff like that. And of course the cost to replace stuff on the Italian bling is stratospheric.

We were just talking about that at Dave and Buster's Friday. Apparently the cost to replace the hydraulic pump that actuates the F355 F1 transmission costs...$16000 hock:

Is that because there is some unbelievable superior quality or because of something else. Sole source and you need it.

[bimmerboodle]

Try listening to NPR. Most conservatives brand NPR as liberal, and visa-versa. But from my extensive listening to NPR, in comparison to FoxNEWS Radio, CNN Radio, etc., it's balanced, simply because reports on NPR take the time to visit different angles and go deeper into the story.

I agree about NPR. I listen to a lot of public radio news and BBC news. The in depth reporting gives you much more info to digest. Some ideas cannot be condensed to 1o seconds and be even close to accurate.

[Jeff]

I see the point about the news media not giving the whole story. But what does that have to do with anything? If this thread turns into a gripe session about American laziness and lack of interest in what is going on around them that is fine with me. However the implication I see in reading this is that my understanding of this coffee story comes directly from what others here see as my choice to be ignorant. ItÔÇÖs pretty lame to say that because I 'didn't know anything' about a court case that happened 10 years ago that I don't find out what is in the news. I stay informed of what is going on out there, and when you say ÔÇ£AmericansÔÇØ in bold in this contexts I see that as you talking to me. Oh and by the way, the BOLD is really too much.

[Dragon]

What it all boils down to in my opinion, is that in this country we have to protect the stupid from themselves. If we don't they will do something that's going to hurt themselves or others. When this happens they're going to complain because they weren't protected from their own stupid actions. Not saying that all of them are bad, but then there will be a lawyer out there somewhere that will represent them and attempt to win them a lot of money for what anyone with common sense wouldn't have done in the first place. Because this is America though they'll win because we feel the need to cater to the least common denominator. Personally I say screw em, let darwin sort them out.

That's my opinion on the whole speed bump/coffee/don't swallow that it's poison/don't run around the lion cage w/raw meat hanging out of your pants/if you put a loaded gun in your mouth and pull the trigger you may die, issue.

[Jeff]

Exactly right. If I spilled hot coffee on myself it would be because I suck at holding coffee and need a cup holder. I wouldn't even think of suing anyone over something stupid that I did or that happened to me. Like the kids on the roof. At the garage we have high school kids that like to climb on the roof and smoke that reefer. I keep telling dad we need a "no climbing on the roof" sign... because when one of their dumbasses falls through their family will own the shit.

[Andy]

I donÔÇÖt think it has to do with stupid so much as opportunistic. The coffee lady was probably looking for help to pay her medical bills and when McDonaldÔÇÖs refused (whether right or wrong), she went to a lawyer who told her she could stand to get a whole lot more than her medical bills. Who here would say no to 2 million unearned dollars?

[G.Irish]

Who here would say no to 2 million unearned dollars?

Me, if it involved a frivolous lawsuit.

[Jeff]

Who here would say no to 2 million unearned dollars?

Me, if it involved a frivolous lawsuit.

Its just something I have a problem with. If you get money because you are stupid...its like robbing a bank. Maybe in this case McD's was to blame, but I, myself, Jeff, would never have even thought they would be.

[Andy]

In theory everyone would, but I suspect your answer wouldn't have arrived so quickly had their really been 2 million dollars.

[bimmerboodle]

I see the point about the news media not giving the whole story.

I didn't mean to imply anything about you in particular. Just agreeing with the comment about the news and general lack of knowledge about the world a lot of people have.

[Jeff]

I see the point about the news media not giving the whole story.

I didn't mean to imply anything about you in particular. Just agreeing with the comment about the news and general lack of knowledge about the world a lot of people have.

Maybe I wasn't talking to you :wink: You are right, there is truth in what was being said. There are TONS of people in this country who are out of the loop and love it. I don't listen to NPR everyday, but I hear whats going on and keep my ear to the streets.[/thuglife] As to Andy, you are right friend. I can't say truely what would come of the situation if someone said "I can get you this money, all you have to do is raise your hand and say you were hurt." I mean, if someone else fooled something up I am all about the money; but I think I would think it over and wonder what others would think if it was something like spilled coffee.

[G.Irish]

Speed bumps to tort law, now that's OT!

I will say this, no need to call someone out for not knowing the details on something like the McDonald's case. No human being on Earth can possibly know all of the details about every news story that they hear about. Obviously if you are someone with an interest in that field you are going to know a little bit more about a given subject. There is the matter of comprehensiveness in reporting but that's a whole 'nother subject.

As for the McD's lawsuit, if we're talking about temperatures approaching 300 degrees that's one thing. But chances are the coffee was not boiling when they gave it to her so it had to be under at least 212 degrees. If it was hotter than average coffee, okay maybe McDonald's should lower their temperature but I don't think that is worth a multi million dollar settlement. Pay the woman's medical bills, pay her legal fees and be done with it.

The problem with all of these lawsuits is that its crippling business (and life in general) in America. There are so many things in this country that simply can't be done for fear of getting sued out of existence. Madison Motorsports very nearly did not become a JMU club at all because of an irrational fear of litigation by JMU risk management.

Ultimately the problem is that people see litigation as an opportunity to get rich quick. To justify this shameful, immoral, and disgusting behavior people try to blame others for things that are either their fault or just the result of happenstance.

That's not to say that there are no useful lawsuits but there are certainly too many frivolous ones.

[Andy]

Speed bumps to tort law, now that's OT!

I will say this, no need to call someone out for not knowing the details on something like the McDonald's case. No human being on Earth can possibly know all of the details about every news story that they hear about. Obviously if you are someone with an interest in that field you are going to know a little bit more about a given subject. There is the matter of comprehensiveness in reporting but that's a whole 'nother subject.

As for the McD's lawsuit, if we're talking about temperatures approaching 300 degrees that's one thing. But chances are the coffee was not boiling when they gave it to her so it had to be under at least 212 degrees. If it was hotter than average coffee, okay maybe McDonald's should lower their temperature but I don't think that is worth a multi million dollar settlement. Pay the woman's medical bills, pay her legal fees and be done with it.

The problem with all of these lawsuits is that its crippling business (and life in general) in America. There are so many things in this country that simply can't be done for fee of getting sued out of existence. Madison Motorsports very nearly did not become a JMU club at all because of an irrational fear of litigation by JMU risk management.

Ultimately the problem is that people see litigation as an opportunity to get rich quick. To justify this shameful, immoral, and disgusting behavior people try to blame others for things that are either their fault or just the result of happenstance.

That's not to say that there are no useful lawsuits but there are certainly too many frivolous ones.

Agre with that, and thank you for not pushing caps on settlements.

[ultimagtrlover]

Just a little extra info on the coffee lawsuit, as we were discussing this in Business law class JUST a couple of days ago...The lady had 3rd degree burns between her legs, and at the temperature that McDonalds served their coffee back then, it was capable of burning skin to the 3rd degree in 3.5 seconds. Oh yeah, I believe the lady received $5 million when all was said and done.

[D_Eclipse9916]

In defense of Aaron, he was proving a point that we are looking at this from a vague 3rd person view, and that to make comments about it and using it as an example is wrong. I do not beleive correcting someone's mistake is 1st) calling someone out, and 2nd) I highly doubt Aaron is hiding behind a computer screen just cause he corrected you over the internet instead of face to face. Unlickily (more luckily) we are not able to see each other 24 hours a day and have this conversation in public so therefore him saying it over the internet WHERE the discussion is appropriate.

I find it more disturbing in almost every other post of yours that you "call" people out for correcting other people when they are wrong, and even more disturbing, trying to tell them that they are the ones that are hiding behind the computer screen.

Sorry had to rant, nothing against any of you personally, just responding to your statements. Come on, how can I hate the turbo dodge owner?

[G.Irish]

Just a little extra info on the coffee lawsuit, as we were discussing this in Business law class JUST a couple of days ago...The lady had 3rd degree burns between her legs, and at the temperature that McDonalds served their coffee back then, it was capable of burning skin to the 3rd degree in 3.5 seconds. Oh yeah, I believe the lady received $5 million when all was said and done.

What temperature was that at?

I'm not condoning lethally hot fast food (lest I have my mouth horribly burned by a Chipotle burrito) but as far as I know coffee is very hot when brewed, possibly up to boiling point. But, by the time it is poured at the very least it wouldn't be boiling anymore.

When you brew tea, you boil the water first no? So that water temperature could be near boiling as it was poured. If someone spilled that on themselves could they sue because the water was so hot?

Maybe McDonald's should have been forced to regulate the temperature but $5 million is a lot of freaking money. Had that been a smaller chain it could have put them and all of their employees out of business.

My problem with a lot of this litigation is that it punishes mistakes and oversights with wild settlements. This causes people and companies to be so paranoid that they're effectively held hostage to the litigation state. Of course there has to be corporate accoutability but at the same time nobody can think of every possible permutation of how things can go wrong and cause someone to get hurt. Shit happens.