Things that make you go "Hmmmmm.."

[WoundedBear]

Was looking at product labels today. Crazy little habit I have .

First up is a box of Bachmann's SceneScape trees that I had in the studio. Simple trees, that look fine right outta the box. They have a base to stand them up or you can clip it and plant the trunk in a drilled hole on your layout. Not a "hero" tree in any sense, but quite acceptable as forest fill and I have a bunch of these for the layout.



Next are Scenic express' SuperTrees product. A natural material that requires a good deal of preparation and painting and flocking to make work. These will make all sorts of trees, from Foreground "hero" trees to background fill to little shrubs and bushes. I just broke this box out to start using them for the first time.



Both types of tree have a place in any model railroad and I am not advocating one over the other.

What I want to point out is the lack of common sense and good reasoning that has become part of some of our corporate world.

Here is the warning label on the bottom of the Bachmann box............



And here is the warning on the Scenic Express box............



A 5 year difference in age suitability, and the Scenic Express product has small foliage flakes, and is many times more difficult to use successfully, as are the Bachmann trees.

Question. Who comes up with these ridiculous age groupings and why does Bachmann think the average 7 or 8 year old isn't competent enough to safely use their trees?

These are things I wonder about as we sort out our brave new world.

Sid

[Ton N]

If these products were made in only your country  you could compare them.
But there are differences between consumer laws in your country and mine.
And most of the consumer laws in my country have been tainted by European Union laws as well.

Ton

[WoundedBear]

Consumer laws in my country are most tainted by American policies.

Sid

[RAM]

Well maybe the Scenic Express product is safe to eat and the Bachmann product is not.  If you eat the Bachmann trees you may get cancer.

[Trainman203]

Yeah, requirements of all kinds can vary by location and by the "AHJ", which when I was in government meant "authority having jurisdiction."

But also, kids can vary widely in maturity and sensibility at any age.  A lot of kids at age 6 are still sticking things in their mouth.  My modeler friend's son, already a real model railroader at age 6, was building Accurail kits.

[Piyer]

I suspect that the 14+ age on American-market items might come down to childrens' toys having stricter regulations (choking hazards, lead content, etc.) than hobby products for mature people (14+).

That said, I'm 48, and it amazes me that so many of the toys I grew up playing with, as well as stuff from earlier generations, is now considered dangerous and / or illegal to sell as a kids toy. I'm not sure if we were lucky, or if people today are just living in a Nanny State.