Washington University Record, October 26, 1995
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Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Record Washington University Publications 10-26-1995 Washington University Record, October 26, 1995 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, October 26, 1995" (1995). Washington University Record. Book 704. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/704 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Record by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS iecord Vol. 20 No. 10 Oct. 26, 1995 Buyers beware: Consumers 'protected' by antiquated laws Anyone who has ever tried to buy a car or make another major purchase knows it is a jungle out there and con- sumers are the prey Michael M. Greenfield, ID., Walter D. Coles Professor of Law, has written a new guide that will help lawyers represent • consumers in a legal area in which, histori- cally, businesses have had the upper hand. The treatise, titled "Consumer Law: A Guide for Those Who Represent Sellers, Lenders and Consumers," was published in August by Little, Brown and Company. Greenfield's treatise analyzes numer- ous areas of consumer law, including warranties, decep- tive practices, credit insurance, credit reporting agencies and debt collection. In the course of research- ing his book, Greenfield became concerned about two issues: Many Michael M. Greenfield iaWs represent business interests more than consumer Sophomore Jeff Carney gives his redesigned bicycle a test run while his classmates watch. The three-dimensional design interests, and many consumer laws need class required students to build bicycles that could replace cars in modern society. Some bikes, for example, had storage to be updated and/or revised. compartments, and others featured protection from the elements. Carney rebuilt the bike with sophomore Tim Stoll. Although numerous consumer laws have been enacted over the last few de- cades, many such laws are outdated or inadequate. "Consumers of the '90s are being protected by codes of the '60s and Modern mobility '70s," said Greenfield. The Uniform Commercial Code Students, community group collaborate on bicycles-of-the-future (UCC), for example, was adopted almost 30 years ago. Although the 11-article A group of students in the School concept, with two Wheels in the front and chanics from the youths and develop code governs many consumer transac- of Architecture earlier this fall one in the back. The fourth bicycle was a friendships with people from different tions in all 50 states, there are numerous were asked, in the simplest terms, two-wheeler that had a steel storage com- backgrounds, the BicycleWORKS par- transactions, such as car leasing and rent- to replace the automobile as a form of partment in the back. ticipants got a chance, many of them for to-own, that have only recently become transportation. On the last day of the five-week the first time, to visit a college campus. popular and are not adequately addressed And they had to complete this task course, the students gave their bicycles a Derek Bise, a 13-year-old from last in the UCC. using only paper and pencil, their minds, test run in the parking lot near Givens year's program, told Bonn the two neatest Businesses set the rules their hands, old bicycles and the expertise Hall. All of the bicycles-of-the-future rode things for him were riding his bike down of mechanics from Bicycle WORKS, a well, the students said, but because they the Brookings Hall steps and teaching In addition, said Greenfield, when it community-based program in which ran out of time, three of the four bicycles college students how to fix bikes. comes to laws governing transactions youths learn how to repair discarded didn't have working brakes, meaning the The architecture students first had to between consumers and companies, bicycles in exchange for bikes of their drivers had to stop the contraptions with draw their proposed bicycle designs on a businesses set the rules. Because they own. the rubber of their tennis shoes. two-dimensional surface — paper. Then have a vested interest in this legislation, To the casual observer, the architecture they transferred their designs from the businesses work to have their representa- students' finished products looked like a two-dimensional surface into a three- tives sit on committees for such groups as cross between science-fiction transporta- "The students have a lot of dimensional object — the bicycles. The the National Conference of Commission- tion modules and contraptions used by ownership in the bikes students also were required to ers on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL). clowns in a circus gag. Nevertheless, the deconstruct the bicycle before rebuilding This group drafts consumer-protection students did such a good job designing because it is their first it, so the project required that they alter laws for enactment by state legislatures. the bicycles-of-the-future that plans are the frames of the bikes. People like Greenfield play the role of being made to display some of the bikes chance to design and build The students soon discovered that David to the Goliaths of assorted busi- in January in the Chicago Bicycle Mu- altering a bike frame is easier said than ness interests involved in legislating seum on Navy Pier. something for real ... ." done. As Stouffer said, an idea for a consumer laws. Greenfield, author of "The projects this year were very — Lindsey Stouffer design is not enough; the idea can change another book on consumer transactions successful," said Lindsey Stouffer, lec- when confronted with reality. and numerous book chapters and articles, turer in architecture and teacher of this The redesigned bicycles will be dis- is one of a handful of legal experts repre- three-dimensional design class. "The The project was a collaboration be- played over the next several months in senting consumer interests on these students have a lot of ownership in the tween the architecture school and various locations. For more information, NCCUSL committees. He and others bikes because it is their first chance to Bicycle WORKS, which donated the old * call BicycleWORKS at 664-0828. work to keep consumers' interests on the design and build something for real, not bicycles. This is the second year — Debby Aronson table and, in these days of deregulation, to just in theory and on paper." BicycleWORKS and the School of Archi- fight for those laws that protect key Eight architecture students, all sopho- tecture have collaborated. consumer rights in areas such as product mores, were asked to redesign four old BicycleWORKS is an alternative- In this issue ... warranties and automobile financing. bicycles in such a way that they could education program that began in 1988 in replace the car in modern society. One Bohn's garage. Through the program, Some laws 'counterproductive' Restricting recovery 2 Greenfield notes, however, that some redesigned bicycle, painted in gold had youths discover that success results from consumer-protection laws have gone too two wheels in the back and one in the goal-setting, and, in the process, they get Study suggests workers' compen- far. For example, the Truth in Savings front, a storage compartment and a vocational training and small-business sation system adversely affects Law, which attempted to regulate how canopy over the driver in case of inclem- entrepreneurship experience. (The outcome of carpal tunnel surgery ent weather. The canopy even had a plas- participants sell the repaired bicycles banks compute interest and how they Redefining Michelangelo... 3 advertise it, is "so complicated that it's tic windshield for the driver to see the through BicycleWORKS, which is difficult to comply with and counterpro- roadway. This bicycle, now housed at located at 4102 Shenandoah Ave. in William Wallace, Ph.D., is writing an ductive." Bicycle WORKS, is so popular that St. Louis.) extensive biography on the artist Although this particular book is de- Bicycle WORKS head Roy Bonn said "BicycleWORKS was instrumental in signed for professionals, there are many he can't keep the youngsters off it. making this design studio successful," Neutrino breakthrough 7 elements of consumer law the public Another bicycle had a storage com- said Stouffer. A late alumnus participated in an would do well to know, said Greenfield. partment sandwiched between two rear The benefits flowed both ways, experiment that eventually resulted wheels that had independent suspension. organizers point out. Not only did archi- in a Nobel Prize Continued on page 8 A third bicycle reversed the three-wheel tecture students learn about bicycle me- 2 Washington University Record Workers' compensation influences outcome of carpal tunnel surgery Surgery is the most common treat- tics found that 32,000 carpal tunnel pa- ment for carpal tunnel syndrome, a tients were discharged from non-federal nerve problem in the hands and hospitals in 1992. So Higgs and his col- wrists. But patients who receive workers' leagues wanted to determine whether the compensation may take more time off work availability of workers' compensation and be less satisfied with their recovery influenced discharged patients' recovery. than those who do not receive workers' "In surgical circles, there has been a compensation, a new study shows. suspicion that people covered under Carpal tunnel syndrome causes tingling, workers' compensation have a different pain or numbness in the hands and wrists. post-operative course than those who are People who engage in repetitive move- covered by conventional insurance or are ments, such as grasping tools, scanning self-paying," he explained. groceries and typing, are most at risk. The researchers surveyed 166 people School of Medicine researchers sur- by phone, inquiring about job status and veyed 166 people who had undergone the duties, pain, numbness and nocturnal surgery during an eight-year period.