Re: Brits and solar filters

From: Martin Brown (|||newspam|||_at_nezumi.demon.co.uk)
Date: 07/05/04 

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 20:00:48 +0100

In message <ec75e55a.0407040953.4d60e460@posting.google.com>, Richard
<rander3127@rogers.com> writes
>What's with Patrick Moore and a select group of Brit solar viewers?
>Moore maintains the only safe way to view the sun is via projection.

He has unfortunately been put in the position of having to cover all the
legal bases against US style ambulance chasing lawyers.

>The others say only glass filters are safe because of the fragility and
>possibility of damage and the inability to control the plastic or coating
>thickness with the mylar based filters. I'm wondering if they have
>any evidence that modern glass or mylar solar filters contribute to
>problems with people's vision? Those products have been on the market
>for long enough to have observed this kind of thing.
>-Rich

Ambulance chasing lawyers that progress spurious claims are new and
novel in the UK. It is taking some time to adjust. Safety advice has to
be absolutely idiot proof to the Nth degree. The main thing that has to
be remembered is that no good deed goes unpunished.

Amateur model railway societies have already had trouble with them. And
it is only a matter of time before someone impales themselves on a
cactus at a show and sues *despite* the thing being clearly labelled "do
not touch" and looking like a barbed Klingon weapon. Public liability
insurance for shows is fast becoming exorbitant as a result.

Amateur astronomy is potentially a very easy touch. Public injury
accidents using step ladders in the pitch dark is going to be easy meat.

Regards, 

-- 
Martin Brown