In this report
Overview

Your letters

Last reviewed: July 2010
July issue cover This article appeared in
July 2010 Consumer Reports Magazine.

Driver safety

There can be no argument that making cars safer would be a good thing (Viewpoint, May 2010). But wouldn't it be cheaper and potentially life-saving to drastically improve driver training and testing? How far can we go to make autos perfectly safe while ignoring the most significant piece of equipment in the car: the driver?

Frank M. Smith
Campobello, SC

 

Mattress misgivings

Your May 2010 issue says that mattresses are now one-sided and no longer have to be flipped to extend their life. Isn't this just a clever way to cut in half the time before a mattress must be replaced? I have a hunch they'd last longer if manufacturers didn't upholster them to be one-sided.

Joe Snyder
Monterey, CA

 

Tractor travails

I eagerly awaited your Ratings (available to subscribers) on lawn tractors, since mine refuses to back up on an incline. Reverse power is pitifully low. My dealer says there's no fix. What are people who live on hills supposed to do?

W.D. McCurdy
Franklin, NC

In our tests, which include some operation on slopes and hills, lawn tractors haven't had the problem you describe. Your tractor's transmission seems to be at issue. We suggest that you don't stop at the dealer; contact the manufacturer and demand a fix.

 

Putting out the fire

In your report on fire extinguishers (May 2010), you say to replace them 12 years after the date of manufacture, even if full. How do we dispose of old extinguishers?

Diane Dane
McDonough, GA

If your old extinguisher is full, take it to the McDonough Fire Department for disposal. If it's empty, take it to a scrap yard. Because local laws vary, other readers should check with their towns.

 

Corrections

To treat baldness, there's no generic equivalent for the drug Propecia. A report in May 2010 incorrectly said that there is.

The Bosch Linea 800 B22CS80SN, a side-by-side refrigerator, rates second highest in its category with an overall score of 76. The May 2010 Ratings (available to subscribers) showed a lower score.

 

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