MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
Whether it's a new cell phone, a new car, or a loan at the bank, they all come with stacks of paperwork. There are all kinds of guidelines, and warranties, and warnings to look over. But be honest. Do you read all that stuff. One recent study shows that 1 out of every 10,000 people read all that paper work.
Some contracts are confusing, others are just tough to read with font sizes as small as one sixteenth of an inch. "The amount of disclosure banks and companies that deal with consumers need to provide to them is overwhelming," said attorney Alan Kaplinsky. They are trying to list everything possible to avoid lawsuits down the road.
But folks with spoke with in East Montgomery say these contracts are too long, often confusing, and a waste of time. In one users manual it states, "use of a phone while riding a bicycle may be distracting." Another says, "turn of your phone if you are in a potentially explosive atmosphere." Some of that stuff may sound ridiculous, but the bottom line is, if you sign it, you're responsible for what's in the contract. It costs people thousands of dollars a year in fines and fees they were not aware of.
Now when it comes to size, some financial institutions and banks face legal font size requirements so the writing can't be too small. But most other industries don't have those rules.
If you want to report a confusing contract or one where the font it too small, go to the Center of Plain Language website. Here's the link:
http://centerforplainlanguage.org/@
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