I'll admit it—I'm American, born and raised. I have the mindset of an American, as much as I try to avoid it. What I'm trying to get at here is I don't know why half the places I've been in Ireland haven't been sued yet. My favorite example? The Home of Waterford Crystal Factory Tour.
Making crystal involves a lot of danger such as handling glass so hot it's melted, working around giant sanding machines and (my personal favorite) the carving machine outfitted with diamond blades—the best material to carve into crystal.
As they explained the process, I nodded absentmindedly, already trying to formulate the tour's listing in my mind. Doing four or five tours a week means that the less interesting stuff—OH MY GOD WE'RE IN A DEATHTRAP.
I finally process what's going on around me. Rows and rows of giant, whirling machines being operated by men who should be deep in concentration. They all glance up at us as we walk in.
"Be careful!" I want to shout. "Your hands are dangerously close to a giant spinning knife...KEEP YOUR EYES ON THAT!"
They don't. They look at us, at the rows of crystal behind them, at each other, and occasionally, when they are doing something difficult, look down at their work. No safety glasses. No gloves. Just thumbs waiting to be chopped off. I am hooked. I can't stop staring. I get as close as what I think is safe and intently watch one man at work.
"Heyo, why don't you come back here and get a closer look?" he booms.
What? I can do that? Stand in hands reach of the giant whirling diamond knife? Eh, why not?
I scuffle around as he explains what he's doing, demonstrating the cutting techniques. I don't really care. One cut is the same as the other to me. I have more important questions.
"How often do people cut their thumbs off?" I finally inject.
"Oh," he replies, dismissively, "hardly ever. Less than you'd think."
Less than you think? So it's happened? More than once? But I don't really have time to process.
"Want to try it?" he asks.
My eyes get huge. I look at the tour guide who bursts out laughing upon seeing my face.
"YES!"
"Okay, well hold onto the crystal real tight here, otherwise it will fly back and smash your face," he explains.
This can't be legal. This simply can't be happening. I'm about to stick my hands within centimeters of the thumb-cutter-off-ers with a good chance that a crystal scotch glass is going to smash my nose in. How is this allowed?
But it was allowed. In fact, it was hardly a big deal. My thumbs stayed on. I effectively ruined a crystal scotch glass. My nose remains un-smashed. No one is getting sued (not that they have to worry about the likes of me.) Sure, it probably would have sucked if I was a thumbless, smashed nose person for the rest of my life, but that was a risk I was willing to take (sorry mom!). You just can't get tours like that in the states.