Opinion or fact?

This week I shoppsed a gas station/C-store/truck stop. In the bathroom comments I included that the hot water temperature was way too hot to be safe for children. It was. I received a "9" rating, minus 1 for including my "opinion." How in the world is this safety observation more of an opinion than my deciding if the music playing in the store is "appropriate" or not?? Incidentally, this truck stop offers showers for truckers, and I imagine hot water is an important issue. It still doesn't mean the women's bathroom should have running water that would injure a child. Has anyone run across having to decide what will be considered opinion instead of fact?

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I think when you interpreted the water temperature, deeming it "too hot to be safe for children", you entered a subjective area. I think if you had just described it as being too hot, or reaching a scalding level, you would have been okay.

Interesting question...if it were put at the bottom of report they shoud have accepted it, or maybe the editor has no kids and not savy about those things. I bet the client would like to know that, they could get sued if an accident were to happen like a child got scoulded. The water being needed hot for truckers might not be able to be changed....do many kids go there? I've never come across that type of thing.

Live consciously....

Sorry I didn't proofread my post. Thanks for your comments - yes, I should have been more brief! I said "too hot for children" under the comments section about the bathroom. I considered it a comment

Opinion = I think the water temperature was too hot to be safe for children.

Fact = The water temperature was 140 degrees, and capable of burning a child within 6 seconds of exposure.

I'm not saying that we should go around with thermometers in our pockets, but you can't say for a fact that the water was hot enough to burn a child without one. That's why it was opinion and not fact.

A quick search shows that pediatricians suggest setting water heaters at 120 degrees, which would take several minutes to burn a child with repeated exposure, BTW

It may be plainly obvious that the water was too hot and the client could be possibly in danger of a lawsuit for not taking child safety into account, but that wasn't the question asked. You need to accurately gauge the temperature before making a comment like that if opinion is not allowed in the report.

Information noted, thank you. Next time I'll just let it go....

SteveSoCal Wrote:
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> "...but that wasn't the question asked."

Bingo. Not that SteveSoCal's entire post wasn't, but this comment is particularly so! I've learned to check myself on this point.

I wouldn't let it go in future reports but I would state that I found the water uncomfortably, if not dangerously, hot. I would do this especially if there was no opportunity to mix it with cold because it was a 2 handle sink. I have frequently commented on water temperature in restrooms as there being no hot water during the time I left it on to wash my hands or that hot water was available for handwashing. They need to be alerted if their is a potential issue, but I state it regarding my own experience and perception, not vis-a-vis someone else's potential.

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