Stupid-proofing

Common sense usually dictates when an area is unsafe. A person of average intelligence knows enough to stay out of a construction zone with heavy machinery and sharp objects. Most people also know enough to not enter a burning building or go water skiing during a hurricane. But for those who do not realize when they should be cautious, preventative measures must be made to protect them from life's hazards. I am referring of course, to stupid people.

Stupid proofing an area is quite a feat. It's entirely different than child-proofing or pet-proofing. Stupid people often have enough dexterity to manipulate devices like child proof containers and safety gates. For this reason, creating a safe environment for stupid people requires a different approach.

I myself use a couple different methods when stupid-proofing. I've become quite good at it since it is part of my job. Ive found large obvious signs with as few words as possible to be very useful tools. Here is one I posted today...

I had to post this due to the bad weather. An area of sidewalk outside the building had a solid 2 inch layer of ice on it. I saw trouble for the stupid people.

Using pictures is also effective. Here is a notice I posted about a month ago. It is a warning to look though the peephole before opening the door.

The other technique I like is having meetings or in services. Although this is more time consuming than posting signs, it allows stupid people to ask any questions or express concerns that a sensible person wouldn't think to address.

OK, I know what you're thinking- and you're right. Nothing can guarantee protection for or from stupid people. There is no such thing as "foolproof". But if we look at what happens when no measures are taken to stupid-proof an area, you can see why I at least make a hearty attempt to secure my surroundings...

Tonight after work I made a trip to Walmart. Before I even made it into the building I was aware that this was a place that had taken no steps toward stupid-proofing. In the parking lot I was nearly run-over by an employee pushing about 50 carts with some sort of specialized vehicle. Inside the store things only got worse. The linoleum entryway was wet from people tracking in sludge from outside. There was not a sign in sight warning stupid people that this could be slippery. I could only wonder how many casualties this floor had already claimed.

After beginning my shopping, I was tormented by a woman in an electric wheelchair/cart (those shouldn't even exist by the way, but that's another story), who continually blocked me from reaching items I wanted. I wasn't too annoyed because I figured she was injured after falling on the wet floor, and therefore had no choice but to use the chair/cart.

Stupid people will always be around, there's no getting rid of them or containing them. We can't avoid them during our daily lives, but we can try to minimize the destruction they cause. If we think ahead, we can foresee potential dangers and limit our damages through stupid-proofing.