You cant fix stupid #2

[cazisme]

Way back in the early 1980s I worked in an alarm company control room all night so I could go to school during the day. One of the daytime employees job was to drive all the company cars to the gas station across the Grocery store parking lot like 10 acres of parking and fuel them up at 6 am. One Sunday he takes a car and doesnt come back fund out he was going 70 in the parking lot and hit those old cement posts that held up the sign for Raleys. 3 months in hospital for him. How the hell can you hit the only thing in a 10 acre parking lot on a Sunny morning?

 

[cazisme]

Stupid is hereditery. My Brother made a dune/brush buggy when he was 18. Cut down vw with rollbar and big rear tires. We went on the Rubicon trail with it, we get all the way in and to end of road there is a steep granite face that has motorcycle tire marks on it. My brother thinks he can go up it so everyone else bails out he tries the dune buggy rolled he fell out no saftey belt the roll bar hit his head drove his face into the only patch of sand for a block his glasses were flattened i mean straight out his mouth was full of sand and huge bump on his head. Other friend in jeep hauls him to emergency room in truckee like 4 hrs away and they get back the next day he has pain killers and we were told to watch him for any weird signs. After that he rarely if ever used the dune buggy. Fast forward about 15 years his teenage son gets the dune buggy running on my brothers 10 acres. My brother told him not to drive it without supervision. Brother goes out of town and my nephew takes dune buggy in back and does donuts rides around then rolled it and the steering wheel bent and broke off hit him in the sternum totaled the dune buggy. He crawls to his bedroom about 75 yard and hides in bed for 3 days saying he has a stomach ache. That kid I would bet wouldnt make it to 21 but he is doing good now and he is near 30. Isnt it incredible how invincible we are when we are young.

 

[Oregon Viking]

They keep inventing stuff that causes stupidity!
A friend of mine is getting one of these, up to 22 MPH. I see a lot of epic fails...

 

[boogeyman]

They keep inventing stuff that causes stupidity!
A friend of mine is getting one of these, up to 22 MPH. I see a lot of epic fails...

View attachment 1242378

Is that the scab maker 2000? Heard they make 6 bruises per mile COOL!!

 

[Chadeaux]

They keep inventing stuff that causes stupidity!
A friend of mine is getting one of these, up to 22 MPH. I see a lot of epic fails...

View attachment 1242378

Nah, it don't cause stupidity ... mom and dad already did that.

It simply "enablesthose who are already stupid to demonstrate the depth of their "stoopidity".

 

[Limitool]

I was standing on my pool table one day long ago installing a new ceiling fan and light. I didn't need to turn the breaker off because the fan and light were on a switch. So I just turned the wall switch off and started to dismantle the old fan and light. I got the old unit out and was mounting the new one up when my 13 y/o son came into the room. As I was wiring up the new fan he decides he'd "help" because it was too dark in the room.... You KNOW what he did.... must run in the family!!!!

 

[releventchair]

I was standing on my pool table one day long ago installing a new ceiling fan and light. I didn't need to turn the breaker off because the fan and light were on a switch. So I just turned the wall switch off and started to dismantle the old fan and light. I got the old unit out and was mounting the new one up when my 13 y/o son came into the room. As I was wiring up the new fan he decides he'd "help" because it was too dark in the room.... You KNOW what he did.... must run in the family!!!!

A situation where you want to say "o.k. boy, it's your turn ,get up on the table and grab them wires..."



Had the daughter watching the outdoor security light while I shut off breakers one at a time because the labeled box was not labeled correctly in a prefab.
(Not that many I have seen are labeled correctly.)
After going through all the breakers one at a time she had never indicated the light went off...so let's repeat the failure.
She did ask in jest if a wire ran from the neighbors...
Which reminded me the neighbor is an electrician. Hmmmm.

So he gets recruited a few days later and I go through my well rehearsed breaker off, back on ,next breaker.....
Same results , so I said "just touch the wires together and see what trips."
Smoke..sizzle...wiggly neighbor on ladder.

So back down into the basement on crutches yet again, no breaker had tripped and I killed the main. "Hey! the light went out!" comes from outside.

So now I switch off all breakers and slowly , (damn I'm gettin good at this breaker stuff) start turning them back on when after several are passing that mysterious un-see able energy through them the neighbor hollers,"it's back on."
After nearly wearing out my breakers and patience it turned out the light is wired to two breakers.
"Why?" I ask my electrician neighbor.
Because that's how some one wired it he replied.
"Well can we wire it to just one breaker?" I asked.
Well we could , or just leave it like it is he said.

At least I didn't know what I was doin I guess, but kinda hoped I'd learn somethin out of the deal.



At a shop I worked at "Sparky", an electrician, (of sorts) was working on his wrist watch on a work bench.
Now I would not bother just any one, but he was deserving and jumped like a pro when I snuck up and made a loud BZZZZZZ!

 

[Limitool]

Long ago I bought an OLD home in Constantine MI. This home was in town with neighbors all around. I was 34 at the time (60 now). Within 1 year an "old" closest neighbor guy about 65-70 comes over. He asks if I had any breakers thrown...? I asked him why? He said HE & HIS WIFE DON'T HAVE ANY HOT WATER!!!!! So.... I ask, what does that have to do with ME? He said... "Somehow" long ago the wiring for our hot water heater was hooked up underground to your main breaker box"...?

This other home is 40 yds. away. I asked "How do you know?" "I don't know why" he states. Then he said.... "But if you throw the breaker back on... we'll have our hot water back... please and thank you!"

Not their problem... RIGHT??

 

[releventchair]

A hundred year old house I rented ran off the other house on the property's waterpump.
Water pump resident got a slight discount on rent eventually.
Found out through a lot of shovel work the septic system was shared too.
Houses were not that close, but built same time/year was the consensus.

 

[pepperj]

Long ago I bought an OLD home in Constantine MI. This home was in town with neighbors all around. I was 34 at the time (60 now). Within 1 year an "old" closest neighbor guy about 65-70 comes over. He asks if I had any breakers thrown...? I asked him why? He said HE & HIS WIFE DON'T HAVE ANY HOT WATER!!!!! So.... I ask, what does that have to do with ME? He said... "Somehow" long ago the wiring for our hot water heater was hooked up underground to your main breaker box"...?

This other home is 40 yds. away. I asked "How do you know?" "I don't know why" he states. Then he said.... "But if you throw the breaker back on... we'll have our hot water back... please and thank you!"

Not their problem... RIGHT??

Thanks for a good

Bought a home/cottage in 09, and got into some serious renovations which the perimeter of the building was all dug up, well it looked like an octopus with all the pipes running in and out to either get water from a neighbour or to dump the septic into the other neighbour's septic field. Now it's been said that fences make a good neighbour but I thinking a mote might be needed as well.

 

[Limitool]

Thanks for a good

Bought a home/cottage in 09, and got into some serious renovations which the perimeter of the building was all dug up, well it looked like an octopus with all the pipes running in and out to either get water from a neighbour or to dump the septic into the other neighbour's septic field. Now it's been said that fences make a good neighbour but I thinking a mote might be needed as well.

I totally agree... I had neither a fence nor mote. My old home was VERY OLD. One of the first built in the community. Used to be a hospital I found out later. I actually dug 4-5 hundred old medicine bottles from many privy pits around the property. Later it was wired with the old knob and spool wiring and the breaker box was about 70-80 amps total. So, since I knew everything then I decided to rewire the house with a modern 200 amp system and 12 gauge wire. I got it done but damn it was a job to do "later" rather than first.

Little by little over time I got each circuit rewired and many new ones ran. Finally.... I came to the neighbors "hot water" circuit. I went over to his house and knocked. I told him what I was doing and offered to look at his breaker box and see if I could hook up his water heater to HIS meter. He "declined" and said no thanks it's working just fine... (duh). So I tried the more DIRECT approach and said I'm not paying for his hot water no more. He still doesn't "get the message"... and says to me "Well its been this way for 50 years and there's no good reason to change now". So... I was shown the door by him and his wife and left. Makes you wonder who the "stupid" one is.... Them or me?

Now I hated to go home and throw the breaker on the (then) old folks. They truly didn't understand I believe no matter how it was explained. They were upset with ME. So off went the breaker that late afternoon. Next morning he's at my door politely asking me to turn THEIR water heater back on. Around and around we went. He wasn't interested in throwing some bucks my way nor rewiring HIS home. He said he didn't the money to rewire and he wasn't going to pay ransom money for hot water. He left real mad and with no hot water... WHAT THE HELL IS SO HARD ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE SITUATION?

He actually called the local law and over comes Bob Brewer the local police Chief. We knew each other well. He completely understood... (again, duh). Bob explained they were Holocaust survivors and were stuck in there ways and had little money. He said he'd get a friend of his (electrician) to fix the problem for free in a few days. I said that I offered and that they "weren't interested". So I turned the breaker back on and then five days later everybody was happy again. Sounds like something out of Mayberry RFD. That neighbor stayed mad at me for the next 5 years when I sold the home.

 

[Honest Samuel]

These stories make me remember over 30 years ago, while living in Milford, I was living in a apartment in a old house, and the day that I moved out, I had the electric shut off in my apartment, and my neighbor complain about losing some of their electric, which I believe that the landlord was paying for, and I had found out the landlord had wire change so I was paying for some of my neighbor electric. I should had called the cops and sue the landlord, but I was more concern about moving into my new apartment.

 

[Honest Samuel]

# 106. Next time, bring in the all family including cats and dogs in the same room, and you sure have no problems. Did you learn your lesson?

 

[excav]

Good thing you had beer!

 

[J hoss]

# 106. Next time, bring in the all family including cats and dogs in the same room, and you sure have no problems. Did you learn your lesson?

Plan B make sure the whole family is gone with all pets to the park or petco then upgrade the beer to Rum. I guess that last part is my personal 2 cents

 

[Limitool]

Plan B make sure the whole family is gone with all pets to the park or petco then upgrade the beer to Rum. I guess that last part is my personal 2 cents

I'm going with plan "B".... or I'll hit the breaker. I'm also considering that upgrade from beer also. Story sounds funny to me now.... but at the time it was anything but!!!!! Had my back to him at the time when he threw the switch. He's lucky I didn't chock him out... laws and all you know...? An hour later he had the nuggets to laugh about it. Damn laws.

 

[boogeyman]

Long ago I bought an OLD home in Constantine MI. This home was in town with neighbors all around. I was 34 at the time (60 now). Within 1 year an "old" closest neighbor guy about 65-70 comes over. He asks if I had any breakers thrown...? I asked him why? He said HE & HIS WIFE DON'T HAVE ANY HOT WATER!!!!! So.... I ask, what does that have to do with ME? He said... "Somehow" long ago the wiring for our hot water heater was hooked up underground to your main breaker box"...?

This other home is 40 yds. away. I asked "How do you know?" "I don't know why" he states. Then he said.... "But if you throw the breaker back on... we'll have our hot water back... please and thank you!"

Not their problem... RIGHT??

Common problem for the utility companies around here. Neighbor A runs wires to neighbor Bs box when their power gets cut off. This one guy was having his power stolen for over 6 years! He didn't even know until some new neighbors moved in and all of a sudden his bill goes through the roof. Some of the things I see are just outright scary!!! Saw one where someone had their meter head removed and a lockout installed. Sooooo, they go nextdoor and take the ring off that meter, add in (I kid you not) two pieces of a file thet was cut in half. Wrapped extension cord ends around that and dropped the cord to the ground. OK, that's scary enough but in the process fo running the extension cord to his house he spliced 5 18ga cords together using wire nuts, no tape no nothing!!! When we went in, we realized he had done a head to head bridge not just to a breaker or anything! Running a whole house off an 18g extension cord!?!?! Not to mention it was backfeeding so there was a good chance a troubleman or installer could've gotten smoked.

End of story? Naw I've seen way worse over the years! If you run across any electric company security people or trouble men ask them, they'll tell you stories that'll curl your hair! I've got some doozies people losing body parts etc trying to steal power but I don't think it would meet the family friendly site criteria.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Well working at an auto parts store, you run into some real wieners, and where I work it seems most of the customers have a higher tooth count then an IQ.

Just the other night we had two of these what we call the "How did you manage to live this long" types.

#1, Late model BMW 525i owner comes in saying his car is running rough and making a noise, had checked the oil, but none is showing on the dipstick.
Okay.
"Yeah I checked it two days ago when I filed up with gas, and it was low then, and since I have to fill up again I might need some oil."
Okay. Sell the owner a quart of our best, actually the cheapest recycled crap as they don't want to spend money on good oil.

Owner comes back in says he added the oil , but it's still making a ticking noise.
Ask if he checked the oil level, and he says it's till not showing on the stick. I walk out to see what is going on, pull the dipstick and yep, bone dry.
Suggest he add at least another quart of oil.

He buys another quart of the good stuff.

REPEAT THIS 2 MORE TIMES!, on the last trip he also buys an additional quart of oil additive, now making 5 quarts he's added to a car that only holds 6 quarts.

As he buys the last of it, he states he's in a hurry and needs to get going. With the noise it was making when it left, he most likely didn't get far.

#2 young man, maybe 18, drives up in a new 2015 Nissan 350Z. What we call a Ricer, someone who took a perfectly good car and destroyed it with their modifications. Got green painted wheels, a wing on the back that looks like it came off of a top fuel dragster, front bumper cut apart to fit the turbo intercooler, held together with zip ties, neon lights,and of course a boom boom stereo.

Comes in the store, says he just had the oil changed, and now the car is running rough, making noise (how he heard it over the stereo I have no clue) and his oil pressure light is on, and the gauge is on zero. And do we know what might be wrong? And can he drive it to Port St. Lucie (125 miles away) as he has to get to a party.

Gist of it. Did you check the oil? Don't know how.
Where did you have it changed? Some Discount tire store, was cheaper then the dealer, they only charge 20 bucks.

Pull the dipstick, and there is nothing showing on it. Advise owner to contact said oil change shop and not drive it.

Owner calls, then comes back in the store and buys a quart of oil. Says the shop told him to add one, and drive back over.
Sell oil. Couple minutes later owner comes in says he doesn't know where to put it. Go out show owner cap marked OIL on the engine. Again I explain that I wouldn't drive it like that. He gives me the you don't know what you're talking about look.

Fine, walk back in the store, hear him fire up the engine and then bury the throttle in it. I guess he figured that would bring up the oil pressure. It ran for maybe 4-5 seconds before it made this god awful squall, followed by a loud banging, which could be heard over the stereo, then silence.

He comes back in the store, and says now his car won't start. Oh what I wanted to say to him. But I didn't. I told him, we can't help you, call the shop back and tell them to send a tow truck and you probably aren't going to be driving that car to the party.

 

[Limitool]

I was at the nearby gas station yesterday afternoon (beer run). Went in, made purchase and opened door to leave. I heard the god awfullest sound coming from a car pulling in. A young girl (21-25) driving an older Honda. Her brakes were SCREAMING for mercy!!!! She pulls up to pump across from me. She gets out and I ask her... "Can't you hear those brakes screaming for help?" She responds... "Well I hear something... and I only hear it when I press the pedal"... DUH! So I repeat again... IT'S YOUR BRAKES TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. Then she asks "Do you think I need to have them looked at?"

How the hell I get into these conversations is a mystery to me. I guess I need to mind my OWN BUSINESS. She then asks me "Do you know what to look at?" Hell yea.... THE BRAKES! So I put beer in car and walk over to front of car. I looked through both the front wheels and the rotors are beyond ruined. Both rotors outside pads are MISSING with only the pad mounts remaining. So I tell her she has almost no braking function remaining and your front rotors are junk and I wouldn't drive it anymore this way. She says "Well it's got to last till I get my tax return".

She would be a poster child for stupid!

 

[boogeyman]

Got a coupon in the mail for a free brake bleed, so after replacing the pads on the ole jeep went down to have the system bled. While talking to the mechanic they bring this minivan on to the next lift for a free brake inspection. The minivan owner looks like a first runner up in the I tripped on my IQ contest. They pull his wheels and one of what's left of a pad falls out on the ground. They tell him his brakes are beyond unsafe and the guy asks how much. After a couple calls trying to borrow money from mom and someone else, he tells the mechanic to just put it back together. About this time I tapped the shoulder of the mechanic bleeding mine and told him "Hey partner take your time." He looks at me "Why?" Told him I wanted to make sure that guy was way down the road in front of me before I left. The mechs & manger all noded at me grinning and the manager asked me if I'd like a cup of coffee.

We had a girl in high school that got a Camaro for Christmas. A couple months later she's running around telling everyone she's getting ice packs on her car. Yup her dad's buying her ice packs. Well, she pulls into the school parking lot with two new glass pack mufflers tucked under. Then after all the laughter had died down one of the guys told her that if she really wanted to freak people out to cruise by shut the key off for a second and turn the key back on while gunning it and it'll make a big bang! Well, after 4 or 5 times she blew everything out the pipes and dad told her she had to buy this set herself. She ended up getting some crappy pep boys mufflers but paid more than glaspacks! The real kicker is ran into her a few years later and she was a surgical nurse!?!?! Now do you understand why I have no faith in hospitals?