Is Banning Everything Really The Answer?

[ck1]

This is a really tragic story and very sad that a little girl's life has been lost, but are they right to start a campaign against banning cords on blinds? As parents we all have a responsibility to make our homes safe and these kind of accidents are hardly new. Is this just a way to assign responsibility elsewhere by suggesting the blinds are inherently dangerous?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-24318197

[Kromovaracun]

It's a strange facet of UK political culture that banning things is seen as the solution to almost very problem. I find it extremely frustrating that people are so suspicious of big governments, yet are quite happy to jump on the next tabloid-led bandwagon for banning something or another because of its incidental involvement in some horrific case or another.

[coccinelle]

A very sad story but no, banning cords is silly. A child as we know can die due to many things but we can't go and ban them all. This couple feel so wretched they feel they need to do something, had they had the security device their little girl would probably be still with them.

[Prudie]

It would make more sense to ban houses with babies and toddlers in them from having blinds rather than all of us.

[Zacs-Master]

Many cordless blinds exist
http://www.apollo-blinds.co.uk/cordless-blinds.php

[Zacs-Master]

They alter the angle of the blades Weazle but most blinds still have cords to raise and lower the whole blind.

[LeMarchand]

I understand that the parents are understandably upset, but surely a campaign to have all corded blinds labelled as "not safe in house with children" would be more sensible. Actually, a campaign to encourage parents to "risk assess" their homes would be even better, but wouldn't serve to be able to give these parents someone to blame for what was a tragic accident.

Why not ban roads? http://makingthelink.net/child-deaths-road-traffic-accidents

[Zacs-Master]

Surely roads aren't dangerous, just the traffic which uses them.

[boxtops]

It's an extreme reaction - next, people will want to ban cars because they run people over, or high heels because you can twist your ankle if the heel snaps off.

[Zacs-Master]

Weazle, see my link to just one cordless blind manufacturer.

[Gromit]

Life is not without risk. We all use cars or cross the road everyday, but children die or every year doing just that. There are many dangers in a house for a young child. There have been several deaths through televisions falling on them, I don't suppose these parents are trying to ban tellys.

I expect campaigning for a ban helps to recover from their tragedy and ease some of the guilt they undoubtedly feel for their loss.

[Gizmonster]

Like you say, "As parents we all have a responsibility to make our homes safe and these kind of accidents are hardly new".

.... where do we draw the line ?? Almost everything in the house is a potential hazard for children.

What do we ban next ..... stairs, kettles, irons, any appliance with a cord on it, doors, any object small enough to fit in a child's mouth ....... ban them all ..... BAN THEM ALL I say :P

[mikey4444]

Not sure how blinds would work if we didn't have cords to operate them. I am dreadfully sorry for this poor woman who has lost her little girl but perhaps she should have tied the cords up high enough that her child couldn't get to them ?

Simple bit of common sense is what is needed here, not more legislation.

[sp1814]

Just tie up the blinds.

This is an educational issue. I would bet that many parents don't know of this potential hazard, and it's incredibly simple solution.

If the cords are doubled up and tied off at a height above childrens' reach then the problem is solved.

[sp1814]

Weazle

We have blinds and it quite easy to tie up the cords without spoiling the 'flow'.

You can just hook them behind the slats.

It's difficult to explain, but it can work if you have nippers about...

[sp1814]

ck1

I think this story has prompted a knee-jerk reaction, and banning this type of blind is not the answer.

I think the shock comes from the fact that blinds would not feature in most parents' 'top 10 dangerous items in the home' list.