OK - So Jerry Screwed up

At least it is a NATURAL law and not arbitrary and subject to random enforecement and subjective interpretation.

Jerry

Speaking from xxperience?

Way back when while taking flying lessons, a friend convinced me to try skydiving. Maybe I didn't have the right frame of mind, but it struck me as valuable experience in a (hopefully unnecessary) survival skill, rather than recreation.

OOOOOHHHHHHH, yes...

Short version (from 25 years ago):

first jump of the day -- nearly died when both the main and emergency chutes tangled -- full story a bit longer, of course (and still gives me nightmares)...

so, then, the jumpmasters threw me 'back on the horse' for the next plane up in the air (bypassing the 2 1/2 hour wait), and second jump of the day went 'normally'

stretching my luck, third jump of the day -- new jumpmaster (total idiot) -- had me go out on the strut (Cessna), then realized that the wind (he thought) had changed direction, so I'm hanging on to the wing of the plane like Superman as they turn around and head back to the opposite side of the jump area. Once I'm told to let go, I realize I'm headed directly for some high-tension power lines (because the wind HADN'T changed directions), and had virtually no way to steer around them (this was old-style WWII circular chute). The drill is to undo yourself from the harness, and hold onto it with one hand until your feet clear the lines. So, I started doing that, until at 100 fet AGL the wind (ground effect) shifted direction, and blew me towards...

a construction site. I landed on top of a pile of lumber that was destined to become a house. Safe landing on the lumber, until the chute yanked me of the top of the pile of wood, where I fell 8 feet, dislocating my shoulder.

A couple of guys put it back in place in the field, then I went back to return my jump suit and boots, and found out that someone had stolen my shoes...

It just wasn't my day...

Went back once, many years later, just to 'get over it' -- and that's a whole 'nother story!!!

David Erbas-White

Dang David! You don't have a dark cloud that follows you around do you? ; )

Randy

You are about as lucky as I am with motor cert agencies!

I dunno... the ADA is a good thing... just ask a vet.

Programs like that kinda define our civilization...

But spending millions of dollars (in Texas) to increase the size of print on road signs so that the elderly can see them better when they drive...

Don't get me wrong... got nothing against old people... just got a problem with blind people driving.

I've got nothing against vets, or the disabled. I just happen to think that the ADA is the worst thing to come down the pike in decades. It has run small businesses out of business, has cost taxpayers untold millions, and has had a NEGATIVE impact on the percentage of the disabled who are employed.

As an additional note, I believe that we should be enhancing our support of disabled veterans, not reducing it. But the ADA hurts more than it helps.

A couple of quick examples - my wife teaches college math. One of the courses is 'bonehead' math. The way the ADA is structured (and this is a real example, not a hypothetical), a student can go to disabled services, take a math test, fail it, and be declared 'learning disabled'. Armed with this little item, he can then demand an in-class full-time tutor to take notes for him, he can demand that all tests be open book, and he can get twice as long a time to take the tests. Hmm, back when I went to school, we called folks who couldn't pass a test LAZY! And you and me are footing the bill for this nonsense.

My wife has also had mentally ill patients come in and tell her that they may not fail them, because they are disabled (and then file complaints against her when she did fail them for not turning in ANY work).

Another one - there used to be a local 'kid play place' near us, that had a very slightly raised area, surrounded by clear walls, where the parents could sit, read, watch TV, whatever, and see their kids. This area was raised up about 8-10 inches from the surrounding area. There were two shallow steps leading up to it. There was ALSO a separate ramp for wheelchair access. But this wasn't deemed good enough under the ADA. The owner was required to put in an elevator, which had to be used ONLY for the handicapped, thus requiring a separate structure around it, and who knows how many thousands of dollars spent, to raise up to a 10 inch high platform. In the entire time that my kids went there (over many years) I NEVER saw that elevator used by a disabled person (or anyone else).

In our city, a few years back, they went around and destroyed every single corner at each intersection in order to add 'ramps' for wheelchair access. Now, first of all, I don't think this is necessary. And I speak as someone who spent a limited time (a few months) in a wheelchair. But I also had a neighbor who was a parapalegic for over 50 years, and he didn't have a problem with it, either. I can see the point if there isn't a driveway within a certain distance of a corner, but this is RARELY the case. Anyway, they went around town and tore up/put in new corners. Then a few months later, they 'discovered' that these ramps were 3" too short (according to SOMEBODY'S definition). So, they went around town AGAIN, and tore up the ramps, making them 3" wider.

Back before the ADA, I worked at a major Fortune 500 company that had MANY, MANY disabled folks. They ranged from a guy with Down's Syndrome (who delivered our mail), to a guy with one leg in the reproduction department, to a guy who HAD no lower half in the QA department, to many others. They weren't there because of ADA, they were there because they did the job. These days, however, despite WANTING to hire disabled people, a small employer would have to be insane to open up the possible lawsuits that the ADA allows, so handicapped folks simply don't get hired as much.

And I REALLY don't want to go on about the lady who slammed into my car while she was backing up in a store parking lot (nailing the door my son was sitting next to, and collapsing it in substantially). Her response was that she didn't HAVE to look behind her, because she was disabled...

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now...

David Erbas-White