Video: Times Square Obama Afghanistan Protest Arrests
New Photo Brings Flying Overweight Debate Back
AA's "Fat Flier" Got Whole Row
State Sen. Savino Gets Noticed For Impassioned Gay Marriage Speech
Teen Gets Two Years For Killing Kitten
For at least five years, popular stroller company Maclaren knew that children had been losing fingers in their stroller hinges, but the UK-based company did not inform the public or issue a recall until federal regulators all but forced it to do so. At least twelve children have had fingers cut off by Maclaren strollers, and earlier this week the company announced a "voluntary recall" of all their strollers sold since 1999. But the Consumer Products Safety Commission [CPSC] may still come down hard on the company.
Maclaren could be hit with a fine of $1 million or more because federal law requires companies to "report to CPSC immediately on learning of a problem with a product that makes it a substantial hazard or poses a potential hazard," according to CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson, who tells the Post, "12 fingers is 12 too many. We highly, highly encourage people to take advantage of this recall."
In July 2004, 23-month-old Connecticut toddler Carlos DeWinter lost his right pinky, according to court papers obtained by the tabloid. The "traumatic amputation" occurred when his mom was shopping for a Maclaren stroller and was testing the one-handed folding/unfolding mechanism. As she was about to lock the stroller open, Carlos put his pinky in the hinge, and despite multiple surgeries, the finger could not be reattached.
The family sued, and Maclaren argued that the mother's "own negligence" was to blame; it was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. Robert Moro, an engineer and former compliance officer with the CPSC, testified that the stroller, which was designed and manufactured in China, violated federal guidelines intended to prevent a gruesome "scissoring effect." He tells the Post, "Maclaren had a legal obligation to report this. It's extremely unfortunate a lot of little kids had to get their fingers amputated."
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Look at that fucking hipster.
Seriously. Kanye shade, converse sneakers... can one get any more hipster?
fucking hispter, thinks he's so cool. he should get a real job and stop trying to be funny for once.
Only in the US of A. These lawsuits would NEVER fly in Europe, where McClarren is based. What- do the babies there not get their fingers lobbed off by the same stroller?
No one in this country takes responsibility for themselves. It's always someone else's fault. You can stick a million warning stickers on those strollers and put a 100-page user manual in the box and people would STILL heed the warnings, assemble it incorrectly (I blame a large know-it-all ego) and little junior's finger gets hacked. And it's the manufacturer's fault.
Agreed!! The babies in this country are really quick to point the finger (ahem) and launch lawsuits like like their next diaper load. It's just out of control.
Aside from the occasional amputation, they make a damn good stroller.
Seriously, are parents opening and closing umbrella strollers with the kids inside or what?
Rule #1: Blame the victim.
According to free market capitalists (Milton Friedman & The Chicago School, and rightwing Conservative republicans) this simply cannot be true: we do not need any safety regulations because no business would knowingly allow a dangerous product to be sold because the damage to their reputation would cause a drop in sales. The ol' "invisible hand of the market" crap.
I suppose their argument fails because it fails to factor in human nature, which includes a heaping helping of blind greed.
Actually, 12 fingers is only 2 too many.
I knew someone would finally do the math.
We had a couple of these strollers for our 2 kids. Fortunately, nothing happened to either of them. However, we were always careful to make sure that our kids' hands were away from the stroller while it was being folded. I mean, it's common sense -- kind of like keeping their fingers away from the hinged side of a closing door.
The tip off should have been--the stroller having a "one-handed" folding and unfolding mechanism. Once you try it, everything will be "one-handed"...
Sometimes I browse the internets one-handed. But I digress.
Ahhhhh... the sound of one hand, strollering!
The lady who sued McDonalds because the coffee she spilled on herself was (gasp!) hot! The man who sued Converse because they never told him to tie his sneaker laces, and he fell down a flight of stairs! (Sure, he was drunk... but come on, people! How was he to know?) Family who sues Connecticuit bar owner because a drunk, who was refused service in his bar, drove off and killed their daughter in a car crash! (Couldn't the bartender have taken the drunk's keys, or restrained him, or waved a magic "sober up" wand, or something?)
Yes, in our society it's always someone else's fault, and money to be made from lawsuits.
A few years ago a family moved into the town of Sonoma. Yuppies wanting to live in wine country. Now, there have been a few chickens who nest in a spot in the town square, and have since even before the old timers were kids. New folks get pecked once or twice, so they sue to get rid of the chickens. Very wise decision is made: teach your kids not to be so stupid that they get pecked by chickens.
That woman didn't sue McDonald's because her spilled coffee was "(gasp) hot" she sued because her spilled coffee caused (gasp) third degree burns and necessitated a ten-day hospital stay and skin grafts on her thighs and genitals. Look it up.
Actually, I did "look it up", as perhaps you should. Stella Liebeck put a cup of coffee between her legs and pulled off the cap, spilling the coffee onto her legs and groin. SHE put the cup between her legs. SHE pulled off the cap, carelessly. SHE spilled the coffee onto herself. Yes, the coffee was hot... that's what she ordered: a cup of coffee which is served hot, not a cup of iced coffee or a cup of lukewarm coffee.
Do you defend all idiots like Stella Liebeck, or is this about trying to show off that you know the trivial facts in moronic law cases such as this one? Get a life!
How silly. We're all here commenting on this topic. Why am I more in need of a life than you?
But I'm sure you would have been much happier had she taken a sip of the coffee and burned her mouth instead, as the other 700 victims did. Whatever.
Oh God, can this story go away. We have a McLaren stroller and it is awesome. Easy to fold up and setup. Why can't parents take more responsibility for their children? Oh, I forgot, their mobile rang and they had to, had to, take that call or they'd miss their play date and God forbid they go off schedule, because little one will be upset.
Clear your kids from the stroller before folding up the stroller. It is simple as that.
Every douchebag parent in America is now running around in a panic because of this.
Do you let your kids play with knives? Do you let them stand in the way of the car door or the door to your home while you shut it? NO, you don't. So, take the same cautionary measures when folding up your McLaren stroller.
I agree. a million sold and 12 unfortunate accidents. the percentage is just ridiculously low. It's because they are probably the worlds most popular stroller that there's even 12. Plenty of other strollers fold up and down the same way. I'd like to see the numbers of some of the cheaper umbrella type stroller accidents.
Keep your kids fingers away....
Won't somebody please think of the children?
All those future park dope trust fund doucehbags won't have their thumbs to stickup their asses.
I can feel my 15 femtoseconds of infamy slipping already. Who would have ever thunk I'd be the subject of ridicule amongst the plebes of New York.
@Gothamist Thanks for using my photo! #smlthankyou