<VV> Ralph and the lawsuits

[Wrsssatty@aol.com]

I've noticed that a couple of folks have posted here recently suggesting that 
Mr. Nader's book, "Unsafe At Any Speed" prompted the Corvair lawsuits against 
GM.  The publicity the book (and GM's private "eye" response) engendered may 
well have prompted more lawsuits but the truth is the lawsuits began long 
before the book was written.  Remember, "exhibit A" in Ralph's Corvair chapter was 
GM's settlement of the Pierini case.  A couple of years ago Ralph spoke at a 
junior college here in New Jersey and I had the opportunity to speak with him 
personally while he autographed one of my copies of "Unsafe" (a friend and 
colleague had him sign another copy for me years ago).  He confirmed my suspicion 
that the Corvair controversy first came to his attention when he was 
contacted by the L.A. law firm that filed the lion's share of the lawsuits.  Ralph had 
been writing on the subject of auto safety for years in virtual obscurity 
never once mentioning (or knowing) anything about the Corvair.  The attorneys who 
were filing the Corvair lawsuits became aware of Ralph's interest in auto 
safety and contacted him apprising him of their allegations regarding the 
Corvair.  So, the book didn't prompt the lawsuits, the lawsuits prompted the book (or 
at least the notorious Corvair chapter).

Bill Stanley