"How-To"-section anyone?

lack of common sense is sadly a problem. ergo 2 examples I came across . one when working for a major car company making engines . it started out with a helpful 'how to .section saying drain oil.change filter .renew oil plug washer etc " it failed to mention fill with fresh oil. so a gentleman followed booklet and engine seized as it would when running without oil! he successfully sued the aforesaid car company for a new engine.court accepting that pamphlet didn't say fill with new oil. hence following that no more helpful hints. pictures etc were ever given with new cars.
on another case in USA. it was reported that driver bought a new motor home with the then new . cruise control fitted . driver went on highway ..decided to make a coffee so pressed button to engage cruise control and then walked to back to make a drink. it did of course veer off road and crashed. writing off vehicle and giving injury. driver sued company saying it didn't say you had to still sit and steer and was ether for a driver to relax and allow to 'cruise' on highway. I believe he too won award.
ego modern world is devoid of common sense. look up why we now have to have warning signs above hot water taps in factories or cups saying 'contains hot water" etc one may think anybody would be aware a hot tap supplies HOT water. so in reality while we may read how a contributor managed to get a didgeridoo removed or fit his widget using x y and z home made tools and couple of brick for axle stands. the sad part is some folk won't ask selves if thats actually a good idea for them to do it! people have large skill set differentials .technically as well as common sense being arguably in short supply.
i am guilty doing a few jobs with risks. however I was aware risks .shortcuts etc and had confidence in my ability to carry out successfully. ( only once in entire lifetime nearly coming a cropper under a car -thats another story-and i was avery young man then )
probably we need a lawyer to put a disclaimer at entrance to any web site saying contents within are for reading /viewing only and do not form instructions or have any liability accepted if you choose to follow anything contained within.
I was told ( probably true) that packet of peanuts now contains a sign on back saying 'warning contains nuts'.
so can understand concerns .shame we cant apply common sense but these days many are seemingly taught that when ever something bad occurs .somebody can be blamed and sued ! like tripping on a paving slap .oh dear did we suffer injury .have time off work? w can have a no win no fee claim against council and you may be awarded ££££. no wonder we have issues . common sense would seem to be that if you didn't lift feet..see raised /broekn paving ..then you were not looking where going!
I have visited european countries where payments in dark ( streetlights not there or defunct) with entire manhole covers missing in middle of footpath. I enquired what happens to my travel rep if I broke a leg falling in one.. response was .."you get a very large bill form local hospital-better hope your insurance pays out". tautly different outlook. next we will have sign outside wood,forests saying "beware.tree roots may cause tips and falls. enter at own risk" ( or have to sign a disclaimer before being allowed in.
rant over ..
 
Hi, Some years ago when I worked in the airport terminal I got involved in a 'wash up' discussion after an incident. At one point in the discussion I made the remark along the lines of something being 'common sense', one of the managers said "There is no such thing as common sense, what's common sense to one person will not be common sense to another." The example up there /\ about the oil change, the reason for draining the old oil is to make room for the fresh, some people can't extrapolate missing information and they have to be catered for.

Colin
 
True :(
I experience the same thing on an almost daily basis.

What strikes me:
I have learned that even pros make (very few, if they are good!) ridiculous mistakes and blunders, but know how to correct/improvise/wringle out quickly enough to not let it stick.
So not even common sense, experience, good tools and paid working time do protect from parts braking, having to dismantle half a vehicle or loosing a fingernail. That was a very soothing realization!

How does the above apply to the existing threads here or elsewhere, I wonder?:confused:
 
on another case in USA. it was reported that driver bought a new motor home with the then new . cruise control fitted . driver went on highway ..decided to make a coffee so pressed button to engage cruise control and then walked to back to make a drink. it did of course veer off road and crashed. writing off vehicle and giving injury. driver sued company saying it didn't say you had to still sit and steer and was ether for a driver to relax and allow to 'cruise' on highway. I believe he too won award.

rant over ..

Ah, that old chestnut! I suppose if it says it happened in America it must be so... It is amusing to me that this "true story" is trotted out time and time again as an example of a) OMG liability; b) all Americans are stupid; and c) Those darn pesky lawyers...

It's not a true story at all, although it has great appeal to those outside the US when trying to validate their claims of "b"

My point being that liability doesn't attach just coz some bloke in the pub told me "when you nod your head I'll hit it with a hammer..." People are held accountable for there own actions - and they should be. The notion that we have to put up disclaimers everywhere destroys this concept and leads to the implication that the person posting the disclaimer somehow knows they are liable but is trying to evade the responsibility - this then furthers the notion that the end user bears no responsibility.

I know this may seem to be a bit of a thread drift but, I think these are valid points. We need these how to threads, we want them and we are grateful for them; however, if we buy into this notion that posting your procedure for putting air in the tires will somehow expose you or the forum to massive liability then we just won't get the knowledge that we want/need.

Classicalgreen makes a reference to they guy that didn't add oil - the difference in that case was that he followed the procedure outlined in the owner's handbook - it was provided to him by the manufacturer of his vehicle - this is the "special relationship" that would give rise to liability... although I would hope that as part of the settlement agreement the manufacturer got to give him a good shoeing to try and knock some common sense in to him.

Another example that is often incorrectly cited is the woman who got coffee at a drive through McDonalds, spilled it on her lap and was awarded millions in compensation - see a, b and c above for people's general reaction. Facts: 1) McDonalds were deliberately serving their coffee at a scalding temperature (it had something to do with the aroma and possibly reducing time spent making fresh coffee) - they were aware of the problem as there had been several complaints. 2) the woman received third-degree burns to her genitals :eek:; 3) she had previously tried to settle for $15,000 to cover her medical bills but McDs refused; oh yeah, and the best fact that is nearly always left out... she was the passenger in the car and not, as most people assume, the driver.

So, big long rant TL/DR - neither we, nor the forum, should be afraid to post how to threads - by all means have a quick note on the title that says perform these tasks at your own risk but, the workshop manual doesn't seem to be overly concerned about liability and neither should the forum.

Rant over... ;)
 
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