Friday, September 18, 2009

Ever Had a Garage Sale?


Thinking about having a garage sale?  Read this and comment.

59 comments:

Dustin D. said...

I think that these new laws mean well, but I think they may be a little harsh. No one can afford a $100,000 fine. And besides, if there won't be people going to garage sales inspecting the toys, how will these laws be enforced?

zacp06 said...

Dang that is crazy!!! Every time my family has a garage sale, we just check to make sure all the pieces are in the puzzle box. It scares me that possibly all of my old toys that i have or have sold could have faulty wiring or be full of lead paint. I believe however, that the 15 million dollar fins are a bit too harsh on those who are simply reselling the toys. Most people probably didn't know there was a list online that listed all of the recalled toys and some of those who know have no access to the online list. Maybe we should consider lightening the punishment just a little.

kara.m_xoxo said...

I think this is really crazy because some people don't even know of the law, so how can somebody get in trouble for something they didn't have knowledge to. I mean it does kind of make sense because these toys people are selling could harm people, but get the law out, give people knowledge about it, put it out there. That's crazy!!!

KyleS6 said...

I think this new rule is pretty bad. I think this because i don't think people can just pull 100,000$ out of their pockets. I think that if their parents can't keep their toy out of their mouths its their problem not the sellers.

drp11 said...

I think this law is interesting in many ways. People have garage sells without knowing the risk of recalled toys or things like that. And the fact that there is a 100,000 fine is a lot of money considering the fact that are economy is already in a tight hole. Also people don have access to tv's or computers to know when items are recalled. I just think its quite interesting.

ChloeM6 said...

The law is a good idea; every adult should check recall lists regularly for a toy he or she may have bought for their child, especially if they may someday resell that toy to another child.
However, the fine is excessive. Not every garage sale organizer can make sure that every one of their items for sale hasn't been recalled. That's just absurd to fine someone for ignorance instead of absolute apathy.

Chris Edwards said...

Well I'm speechless at this point but i don't think people are aware of the law so I really wouldn't blame them for anything. 15 million dollars is a lot of money no doubt about it but I really am speechless right now.

RebekahW6 said...

First of all, I highly doubt that people are going to look online for laws regarding garage sales and don't even know about this law. And to expect people then to pay large sums of money for those fines is ridiculous. My family has had garage sales and the stuff we sold didn't harm us as a child so I don't think it will harm anyone else. It is good that the government is trying to keep children safe from lead and other hazardous materials but I think that they have overstepped the line on this one.

Marilynツ said...

Whoa! That fine is outrageous $100,000 per infraction, about a law that no one ever knew existed. I think that this needs to be taken into more consideration because people having garage sales are selling their things to make money- so they don't have tons of money in the first place.

msalser7 said...

I think this is a good law. It just needs some revisions. It is impossible for people that are having a garage sale to pay so much for accidentally selling a banned toy. How are they supposed to know? A lot of people don't know about this law and even if they do, they aren't going to check the long list on the internet.

Indigo&Cotton said...

This law seems like it was thought of with the right ideas, but a 100,000 dollar fine seems a little steep to me. Especially when people don't normally check on if the things they are selling have been recalled.

AJDowning4 said...

These new laws are a little harsh. People can't pull $100,000 out of their pockets, especially with how the economy is today. I personally don't think that there is anyways inspectors going around to every garage sale, inspecting toys

Anonymous said...

I definitely wouldn't consider having a garage sale. These laws are ridiculous.I don't know of anyone getting affected physically by toys from a garage sale. This makes me think that the government just can't find any other way to make money off people in this country.

BreeLipscomb08 said...

The fines for these new laws are pretty harsh. Its a pretty scary thing to think that all your old toys could have lead poising. Enforcing these new laws will be hard. But if it stops someone from getting sick, i guess there worth it.

Sarah B. per#4 said...

wow... my family used to have a lot of garage sales where we would sell a lot of toys. It really does scare me to think that the toys we have sold could have put any children in danger. Most people who have garage sales probably did not know that something they were selling could be putting children in danger. I think that the huge fines are a little out of hand though. I don't think that anyone can really afford to pay a huge fine like that. If they really are going to put a law like this in effect, they need to make sure that all citizens are aware of it because Im sure no one can afford to pay it. But honestly, I think that they are kind of going overboard on this one...

Anonymous said...

The fines are ridiculous. Not many people, especially now a days, can afford the high priced fines. The law is a good idea, but they're really just pushing it with the fines.

dpaynter4 said...

I was very shocked to hear this. I had no idea about this law. I'm sure many people do not know about it. When people have a garage sale they just take old items and put them up for sale. They don't even pay attention to things like this law. It is a good idea though because it will protect people who are buying recalled items who don't know there is something wrong with them.

Abbie said...

I feel that the laws are a good idea, but excessive. The dollar amounts are beyond ridiculous. Also, I highly doubt they would strongly enforce these laws upon garage or yard sales or that people would even take the time to check and see if the items had ever been recalled. I believe most people having a garage sale are just trying to get rid of some old items and make a little bit of cash. They would never intend to sell something that could be harmful to a child and I don't feel a fine would be necessary.

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Alec said...

I think these new laws are a little over the top. A 100,000 dollar fine is not very reasonable, and I can't see how these laws will be enforced. I don't think it's the seller's responsibility to know if the toys have lead paint.

kaygibb said...

the new laws are definitely surprising. i had no idea about it and the fact that you could owe that much money for a couple toys that you sold is crazy.

MeganS4 said...

I think that kind of punishment is pretty harsh, I mean, when I get ready for a garage sale, I just go through my old stuff, put on a price and I'm done.
But now they're wanting people to look at everything they have and go through a huge list to make sure it's not dangerous?
I understand the risk they are trying to avoid here but that price they are smacking on people is outrageous.

HOLOGRAPHICpizza said...

"A child who eats the wire binding from a notebook is going to have significantly worse health problems than lead."
That is an awesome quote, and sums up how stupid it is when people get super upset about minuscule amounts of lead in things that no one would EVER EAT, but they don't care about the crazy chemicals they ingest at McDonald's.

briannab5 said...

i think the fine is a little too extreme. But its weird to think that all the garage sales my mom has had , that we could of possible been fined all that money for something like that, money that we for sure dont have

briannab5 said...

i think the fine is a little too extreme. But its weird to think that all the garage sales my mom has had , that we could of possible been fined all that money for something like that, money that we for sure dont have

Lindsay Sweatt said...

That's nuts!! I think it's crazy that a toy that cost my mom a couple of dollars could cost us ten thousand dollars.. It's recycling! If the stupid toy makers would make good products we wouldn't need a law about that.

elyniP4 said...

even though i agree that people don't need to be selling toys to chilldren or other people that have been recalled or otherwise because there not safe. However I don't agree with the hefty fine that has been attached to breaking this rule. Yet most people aren't going to the take the time out to get there items approved, wether they know if there things have been recalled or not.

KayceeW5 said...

I think that law is ridiculous! They can't expect people to come up with that kind of money for something so little an stupid. I think it's great that the government is worried about our children's health but a $15 million dollar fine is WAY too much.

Anonymous said...

If you ever go to a classic garage sale, most of the time you will find that it is located in the driveway of an elderly couple about to retire and move to a condo in florida. Most elderly people do not have internet or they have no idea how to use it. To imagine punishing somebody for trying to be economically smart by having a garage sale, is crazy.

Luke Sherron said...

I think these laws are for the best but they are a bit too strict. Its bad that they had to be made in the first place. Toy companies should not be putting lead paint in toys. They should be inspected before they are sold. I think the punishment is way to strict and they should lighten up on that a little bit.

dross =] said...

i think that everyone that has a garage sale should have to register with the city of Middletown. this will make everyone aware of the laws and prevent the fines. The majority of the town can not afford a $100,000 dollar fine.

ShelleyT6 said...

i think a garage sale should be completely up to the owner of the belongings. although i know the law means well and is only trying to protect young children, the owners should make sure of that themselves. but other than that it should be up to them whether or not to have a garage sale.

BrianM6 said...

i think that it is absolutely silly that the government is starting to put certain restrictions on garage sells and certain rules , i agree that nobody should get ripped off at a garage sell however you get what pay for when you go to garage sale

BrianM6 said...

i think that it is absolutely silly that the government is starting to put certain restrictions on garage sells and certain rules , i agree that nobody should get ripped off at a garage sell however you get what pay for when you go to garage sale

kadieh6 said...

I understand the reasoning behind this law. Lead poisoning has become a big scare to all. I think the 15 million dollar fine for selling toys not approved on the pdf is outrageous. I agree with the critics that parents should be able to know what toys their children are playing with. It's not the person holding a garage sale's fault if a child is injured for using a toy the wrong way. Also, garage sales have been a way for people to make some extra money. If people can only sell a limited amount items, thats means people can sell less and can't get more money. I know why the law is enforced but I feel it has really harsh consequences.

agg2011 said...

So i think this law is a good idea and all. I just think the fine is way out of hand. It's like really silly and i dont know what person would have $100,000 handy. That is just a little over board on something that shoudn't be taken so cautiously.

kwalker11 said...

WOW!!!! This is just another way for the government to get money. Why would you charge people to have a garage sale. They are obviously trying to get some money, and then the government want to take it away. I don't think that it is a smart idea.

JBiddle7 said...

I think these new laws are stupid. If I have a toy i want to sell, the government shouldn't restrict it. I personally think that the lead paint thing is stupid because the toys in the 1990's all were made with lead paint and that was our generation and we turned out fine.

veronica(: said...

well i think that for the most part this new thing is stupid i mean if a toy is tested and proven to be harmful to children and someone tries to sell it then thats one thing but if the toy hasn't harmed anyone yet then the government has no right to tax something they THINK is harmful.

Whitney said...

This is just crazy! $15million fines!? DANG! I know that when my family has a garage sale, we expect (or atleast hope to) to make a hundred bucks or two, not go into debt $15mill.. This should be revised..

AshleyS6 said...

If they are going to be fining people $100,000 they need to tell people more about this. i bet alot of people who have garage sales have no idea about this law. that could get someone in alot of trouble if they dont know but then get fined.

Mwbeatty.7 said...

Really? Fines for a garage sale,when in all reality the money earned will most likely be spent on other items,helping the economy. So for the government to try and be shady & fine someone for this amount of money,is crazy. You cannot fine an everyday american with this amount. The government should pick on higher class citizens,ohh wait, Bill Gates doesnt have garage sales...

N_Squire said...

This is ridiculous and it really makes me mad when stuff like this happens. This is all just politics because some politicians say hey look here we are making your children safe by putting ridiculously large fines on things that could possibly in some way hurt your kids that means we care about kids right? Vote for us. They never say hey how about you guys dont buy things for your kid that are meant for a ten year old when they are three because they will probably find a way to hurt themselves with it or eat it. No noone will do that because they are too scared they might lose a vote because they offend someone who thinks well maybe they just shouldnt sell those things because im too lazy to pay attention to what im buying. I say if that is the case dont sell cars because you could wreck it and hurt yourself and dont sell houses because you could stub your toe on a wall or something.

celeste =] said...

I am not big on yard sales or secondhand stores. I think that its always a risk when reselling things that they may be faulty and cause harm or other serious problems to others. I think the penalty may be a bit large with the economic state of the nation. But, the charges are for big businesses not individual sellers.I think it is just good to be conscious of what you are selling, especially for small children to play with.

astrother7 said...

The government needs to stop worrying about the smaller insignificant matters of american households and concentrate on the larger picture at hand decreasing national debt and ending the recession instead of worrying about resold toys that may not function properly.

Stefano Ballari said...

I think the goverment is going too far with that unecesary regulation. First because they can't go and check every garage sale, and second it will be more easy to inform the buyers about what and how to buy. Also this measure will discourage some people from make garage sales.

Tyler Manley said...

The government finds more and more ways to take our money i think that if u bought it with your own money u should have the liberty and freedom to do what u want whit it and however you please. it is stupid things like getting a fine for reselling toys that drove the economy into the ground. no one can keep up with all of the laws . at this rate breathing will be a fine!!!

Allyson said...

I think that if they are this serious about this law, then i and everyone else in America would know about it. Nobody is going to go around to each and every garage sale in America and make sure they aren't selling "illegal" toys. So, i dont think anyone will really take this seriously.

Astimp7 said...

The new law is good, but it takes it's punishment a little extreme. This might cause all garage sales to stop happening ending a old American tradition. Also are the police going to go to all garage sales and enforce it. I think that it's good to motivate people to be careful what they sell but we are doing it in a manner that is a little extreme.

ConorO'Hea said...

Wow, this is nuts. This fine is dumb to begin with but for it to be 15 million dollar fine is unreal. How are some owners supposed to know about some of there toys when most of them haven't been touched in years. I guess this is why ebay is so popular now.

ChrisShort said...

This is pretty crazy. I mean how can someone be punished for selling something they might not even know there is wrong, shouldnt the people who produced the item in the first place be punished. I feel if there are going to be these fines there should be a clearer way to know what toys have been recalled.

Shamicak5 said...

I never thought about checking stuff before i sale it. we only had two garage sales in my life but it was mostly new stuff because when we move my dad don't like moving and taking old stuff he like to start over fresh. so when we sale stuff we wouldnt sale someone something that dont work just out of respect for the people who willing to support us.

KYS5 said...

I think the law is okay to have but the fine is crazy. Someone shouldn't have to pay all of that money over a toy that had only cost a couple of dollars to begin with.

AOsborne5 said...

I feel like not many people even know about this law. Cause i would never think something like that would be put in place. but you have to be careful when you do shop at garage sales, because you really don't know what you're getting sometimes. I'm sure that a lot of old old toys were made with lead. but if a toy didn't hurt the owner, it probably wont hurt anybody now, since most things from garage sales have been used. but it's good that the government is taking caution to an issue like this.

Lauren True said...

This article frustrates me to no end. I believe the government does mean well but they really do not have to right to do this to us. Garage sales should be our responsibility. The government needs to stop attempting to be the superman of children that misuse toys. And the $100,00 dollar fine is insane! no one has the means in this economy to pay them.

Jakefletcher said...

I think these new laws are pretty ridiculous. Who would have thought you could be fined, just for giving away your useless junk. The only problem that I can see is the enforcement of the laws. Are they really going to go to all the garage sales and fine everyone one of them?

A.McCullough4 said...

I think these new laws mean well but are harsh. Who can afford $100? Hopefully these laws will give more jobs to toy inspectors. I wouldn't mind being a toy inspector because your saving lives of the children. Inspectors should be recognized.

jparks5 said...

I think its a little outrageous for fines to be that high. I had garage sales before and no one has had any problems like that before. This might have been a rarity. Plus if somebody wasn't ripped off i don't think its qualified to be a garage sale.

ToriA7 said...

THIS IS INSANE! THE GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING TOO LARGE A PART IN OUR LIVES! Children that choke on small parts of toys...shouldn't the parents be paying closer attention to their child's activities? Maybe that's too radical idea for today's Americans. Everyone is just looking for a reason to fine everyone else and sue everyone else.