LAWSUITS: End the frivolity, folks

Regarding your “slippery slope” article on page A5 on Monday, dateline Des Moines, Iowa: Have we become such a litigious society that none of us dare bear the responsibility of our actions? When I was a youngster growing up in Iowa and sledding every winter, we had incidents too but my parents never once considered suing the neighbor kid’s parents when his sled ran over me and cut my arm or the owners of the dog that ran out and bit me as I slid down the hill. I’m sick of the many frivolous lawsuits that we see today and the judges that permit them.

We probably should ban bicycles for anyone under the age of 18 for, as you know, they can be extremely hazardous or heaven knows what could happen when a person learns to ski as they could hit a tree, but I guess that provides one more entity they have to sue due to their inability to steer straight.

The last time I was called for jury duty the case was a plaintiff suing a service station owner because the attendant ran over his toes when he entered an area in the garage posted in bold letters “DO NOT ENTER…THIS AREA FOR WORKERS ONLY.” When the lawyer questioning began, I told the judge I was tired of frivolous lawsuits and was immediately dismissed by the defense attorney. I rest my case!

WILLIAM LANE

Coeur d’Alene