Probable reasons for the rule include fire safety, earthquake safety, and safety during biosecurity and drug inspections (yes, of empty containers too). Those are just off the top of my head; it’s likely that there are more good reasons for such a rule. Maybe the cost calculations for these risks were done incorrectly but none of us is qualified to comment on that.
Is it worth suspending this rule temporarily in an emergency? Depends on the emergency. Permanently? Not so much. So the problem becomes “is this situation sufficiently grave that it is worth suspending rules that have solid benefits, and would such supension help very much?” It’s a “balance of costs” calculation, not people being stupid. Peterson will not look so great if 5-stacking results in “The Great Fire of Long Beach”.
Probable reasons for the rule include fire safety, earthquake safety, and safety during biosecurity and drug inspections (yes, of empty containers too). Those are just off the top of my head; it’s likely that there are more good reasons for such a rule. Maybe the cost calculations for these risks were done incorrectly but none of us is qualified to comment on that.
Is it worth suspending this rule temporarily in an emergency? Depends on the emergency. Permanently? Not so much. So the problem becomes “is this situation sufficiently grave that it is worth suspending rules that have solid benefits, and would such supension help very much?” It’s a “balance of costs” calculation, not people being stupid. Peterson will not look so great if 5-stacking results in “The Great Fire of Long Beach”.