PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE ARTICLE TO GET TO THE POINT !
Have you ever taken the time to read a warning label? If not, start doing so, if for nothing else a little comic relief! Not sure what I mean? Allow me to share a few of my favorites… Ladies, imagine you are going to take a shower, then dry and style your hair… the following are actual warnings that you would have to consider while taking on these tasks…
Take a look at your shampoo, one bottle actually bears the following "Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish."…
Okay so you made it through the shower… now grab that hair dryer but keep this advice (actually found on hair dryer warning labels) in mind; "Do not use in shower" and "Do not use while sleeping". Now for the real danger…the following warnings were on a curling iron; Warning: This product can burn eyes". So you see the point!
Some warnings may seem a little silly, but are likely the result of someone, somewhere trying an act the rest of us already knew not to do!
The serious side of this coin is that any time there is a warning or recommendation for proper use; it is in place to prevent injury. The purpose of this community alert is to bring attention to a recent “Hot Topic” in the City of Dothan. With the arrival of fall weather, there has been the normal increase in pedestrian and bicyclist traffic at Westgate Park.
The Dothan Police Department has recently been receiving calls from concerned citizens about the designated bike trail. The issue seems to be that despite the warning sign walkers and joggers should stay off of the bike path, cyclists are taking frequent falls in order to avoid pedestrians. The recommendation of the Dothan Police Department is that you follow instructional signs in the park for your safety and the safety of others.
To give you an idea of why the signs prohibit pedestrians on the bicycle paths, consider the following… If an average size male were bicycling 20 mph, rounds a blind curve and strikes a walker, the force of the impact to the pedestrian is 3037 ft. lbs. What does that mean in practical terms? The force is equivalent to being hit by two to three full grown horses.
Not to mention the bicyclist who is likely thrown from the bicycle and continues traveling at 20 mph until impacting the ground, a tree, or whatever stops him. We hope these speed calculations help you understand the importance of staying on walking trails if you are a pedestrian, and wearing your helmet and safety gear if you are a cyclist. We hope everyone can enjoy this beautiful park while keeping safety in mind!
Lastly, we leave you with two more important warnings to keep in mind…"Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover." – Warning seen on a pair of shin guards and "This product not intended for use as a dental drill." – Warning seen on an electric rotary tool!! Happy trails to you…
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