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Old 08-02-2014, 02:40 PM   #1
Festus2
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P.F.D.'s Another "China Bomb"?

We have read volumes here about members who have either experienced blowouts on one or more of their "Made in China" tires or have swapped them out for something made elsewhere - preferably the USA. Concerned about the safety of themselves and their family, people go to great lengths to avoid having to ride on these "Chinese Bombs". They just can't be trusted and you are putting your life in danger by taking such a big risk. The solution to all of this is to get rid of them immediately and put on something that is safe and trustworthy.

Enter the Personal Flotation Device - otherwise known as a Life Jacket.

Today, I was out and about looking for some boat supplies at one of our large Canadian retailers ( Canadian Tire) and happened to browse through a large selection of PFD's. The store had a broad selection ranging from children's to adult sizes as well as the usual basic "economy" PFD's to the more expensive models including the inflatable, vest type PFD's.

Out of curiosity, I happened to look at the where these things are made. Well, guess what? Every one was made in China and they were all Canadian Government approved flotation devices. So, where am I headed with all of this? Glad you asked.

If people are worried about the integrity of tires made in China and are concerned that their lives could be at risk, shouldn't people be concerned about strapping on a life jacket made in China? If I end up in the water, will the darn thing keep me afloat or will it eventually become an anchor and drag me under? People buy these things and don't even give it a thought. They couldn't care less where it is made and almost no one even bothers to look to find out.

The life jackets have been approved by our Coast Guard and Ministry of Transport. Aren't the Chinese tires used by the RV industry given a similar "stamp of approval"?

I realize the comparison may not be entirely fair but my point here is that we have two products, tires and life jackets, both of which we depend upon for our safety and both of which are made in China.

I didn't bother looking at anything else because I knew that whatever it was, it would be made in China.

Oh, and by the way, between the wife and I, we have 6 PFD's. 3 are made in Canada, 1 in the USA, 1 in Mexico, and 1 in Indonesia. None of them have ever been personally tested so I have no idea whether or not they are any better than those made in China. But knowing that they are not makes me feel better.
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Old 08-02-2014, 02:58 PM   #2
hankpage
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What scares me even more is how much of the frozen foods offered for sale are from China as well and from big name brands no less. I didn't know the big green guy had a valley in China also. I would like to know what the sampling rate for government inspection is. In most cases you have to search to find country of origin.
Oh well, I guess I'll go put on my lead apron and make some dinner in my Chinese microwave.

Keep your speed under 65mph and all should be good.
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Old 08-02-2014, 03:36 PM   #3
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Too funny, but true. Seems like EVERYTHING is made in China.

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Old 08-02-2014, 09:39 PM   #4
outwest
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankpage View Post
What scares me even more is how much of the frozen foods offered for sale are from China as well and from big name brands no less. I didn't know the big green guy had a valley in China also. I would like to know what the sampling rate for government inspection is. In most cases you have to search to find country of origin.
Oh well, I guess I'll go put on my lead apron and make some dinner in my Chinese microwave.

Keep your speed under 65mph and all should be good.
I'm right there with ya on the food thing. Another one that some don't know is that if the food has only one ingredient (such as an apple, an orange, etc) then they must provide the consumer with the country of origin. However, if the food product has more than one ingredient, the consumer doesn't have to be told where the ingredients were sourced from. So, that can of soup, etc. could have meat (or any other ingredient) from China (or any other country) but you don't have the right to know it.
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Old 08-02-2014, 10:50 PM   #5
Ken / Claudia
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At work in the marine unit we were issused survival suits, floation jackets and inflatable PFDs all high end. All imported and we tested them each year during training. I have several inflatables along with the regular vests. I test mine at 20 bucks a pop each year. I trust them. If any get ripped or faded they get ripped up further so no one can use them and get tossed.
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Old 08-03-2014, 03:39 AM   #6
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If you really looked at where everything was made, you would be shocked how much gets outsourced overseas. There is another "Emergency" item that comes to mind that is now made overseas. This item has been made here for over a hundred years, in multiple states, in multiple cities in those states. This item can me substituted with other things such as leaves (DO NOT use poison Ivy), or a shirt sleeve. The item I am speaking about is toilet paper. Here in the North East there have been 5 or more paper mills all close in the last 20 yrs due to outsourcing overseas. They all made "tissue" and supported thousands of families. In most cases the cities that they were in turn to towns and leave homes and stores empty. This forces the communities to look for other things to manufacture, most unsuccessfully, before the focus turns to tourism.
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