November 24, 2008

Ridiculous Warning Labels

We've all seen them: warning labels that make no sense. The ones that warn against using a product in a certain way that would have been obvious to anyone who isn't a complete moron. You know that those are put on there because some idiot tried to use a product in a stupid way, got themselves hurt or killed, then the company got sued because they did not explicitly say not to do it. My favorite one is the warning that came with one of those key chain clips that say "Not to be used for climbing." Someone probably went climbing and decided that the key chain he just bought for $1 would hold his weight. It didn't, so the company had to add the warning.

Today I found another one. I bought a pack of Safeway brand automatic toilet bowl cleaners. On the back, it has a warning:

Safe to use around pets and children...

OK, not so much of a warning as a reassurance that this product will not cause your pets or kids to spontaneously combust. But notice the ellipsis at the end there?

...although it is not recommended that either be permitted to drink from toilet.

What? Did someone actually let their kid drink from the toilet when the water was blue? What happened to the kid?

I also love the implication that it's OK to let your kids drink from the toilet when there isn't cleaner in it.

2 comments:

  1. It doesn't really say when the toilet water is blue. It appears to be a general statement. But still a normally well adjusted individual should know that it is not ok to let your child drink from the toilet in under any circumstances.

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  2. I used the phrase "toilet water is blue" as opposed to "when there is cleaner in it." The tablets are blue, so that's why I used it.

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