TIL miniblinds with pull cords to raise and lower them are now illegal to sell in the United States - eviltoast

Replacing a broken set of blinds in my house and apparently no one sells the old standard kind where you pull the cord to raise them, I guess because kids and/or pets could tangle in the cord? Bit of an education in miniblinds today.

  • MNByChoice@midwest.social
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    2 months ago

    I used to think it was “only” toddlers. Tragic stories of 12 year olds dying from the pull cords. Fucking horrible.

    • kungen@feddit.nu
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      2 months ago

      Am I misunderstanding what pull cords are, or why not have it so the two strings can separate easily? The two strings in my blinds “snap” together so that it’s easy to raise/lower the blinds, but the strings separate very easily from each other if applying force in any other kind of way (would be impossible for a child to accidently hang themselves with it for example)

      • kn33@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        It’s not just going between the cords. There’s also a problem that under the wrong circumstances, the cord can whip around the neck and become tangled on the tassel, around the neck.

        • cadekat@pawb.social
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          2 months ago

          I’m going to need to see a reenactment or video before I believe this.

      • MNByChoice@midwest.social
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        2 months ago

        The strings come off the “screwed in” part?

        I don’t think politicians came up with the new design, but embraced the new design. This has been an issue for decades and the ban is newin USA.

    • Elkenders@feddit.uk
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      2 months ago

      I know a family whose baby hung themselves on the cord. Must be common enough that they just banned them.

      • AnIndefiniteArticle@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        Take two pieces of string with wooden knobs at the ends and hang them up together.

        Put your arm between them and pull down quickly.

        Repeat, and notice how a fraction of the time those wooden knobs may wrap around each other and become tied by a knot held by the downward force of your arm until you pull up which you can’t do if you’re hanging.