scritch

To those who fear Big Brother telling them they must have this safety technology on their new saws:

Air bags are mandated. Would you really try to save a few hundred dollars on your next car by not having them? How about seat belts?

Child-proof tops on medicine bottles are mandated. Would you really try to save a few cents on your next prescription by not having them?

USDA inspection of meat is mandated. Would you really try to save a few cents per pound by buying uninspected meat?

Sometimes we don't know better than someone else. Sometimes we must accept mandates from someone "thousands of miles away" making us do something for our own good, even if it costs a bit more. We don't live in isolation, and sometimes personal freedom must be weighed against cost to society. I wouldn't think of taking away your current saw, but I feel it would be better for everyone if your next saw was safer.

The show "Dirty Jobs" had an episode where the host visited a shingle and shake mill. They had the scariest woodcutting tools I have ever seen, bar none. I believe the worst (to me) was the bandsaw where the sawyer cut a board into two shakes, cutting the board on edge, corner to corner. One slip and no hand!