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Sure, some of these revelations are just common sense. Why
would anyone unscrew a radiator cap that plainly states “Do
Not Open Hot” on an overheating engine? Or stick their
mouth over the exhaust pipe?
I
gotta hand it to anyone who, after reading a late-model vehicle’s
owner’s manual, has the guts to open the door and insert
the key into the ignition, let alone drive the thing.
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Now, you’d think that after all the safety guys and
the legal guys and the guys that sweep the floors had a chance
to pore over the manual before it was printed, that the prospective
vehicle owner would be reasonably safe after he or she memorized
all the warnings and overcame his or her timidity about being
within 25 feet of a late-model car or truck.
Well, I’m sad to report that it’s not the case.
There are ways your vehicle can bite you that the factory
guys have never even thought of.
That fact was brought home in no uncertain terms with the
2004 Stella Awards. What, you don’t know the Stella
Awards? Shame on you!
The "Stellas'" are named after 81-year-old Stella
Liebeck, who spilled coffee on herself and successfully sued
McDonald's. That case inspired the "Stella Awards"
for the most frivolous successful lawsuits in the United States.
The fifth place award, for example, went to 19-year-old Carl
Truman of Los Angeles. He won $74,000 and medical expenses
when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr.
Truman apparently did not notice there was someone at the
wheel of the car when he was trying to steal the hubcaps.
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| Winnebago: We broke the book on RV. |
Now, if you think that was stupid, it’s nothing compared
to the first place winner, Mr. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma. Mr. Grazinski purchased a brand-new Winnebago
Motorhome. On his trip home from an OU football game, having
driven onto the freeway, he set the cruise control at 70 mph
and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back and
make himself a cup of coffee.
Not surprisingly, the RV left the freeway, crashed and overturned.
Mr. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in the owner's
manual that he could not actually do this. The jury awarded
him $1,750,000 plus a new Winnebago Motorhome.
The company actually changed their manuals on the basis of
this suit just in case there were any other complete morons
buying their recreational vehicles. 
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