Warning- Rant Alert!!!

[Doc Sprocket]

Folks, I gotta throw a couple o' cents in here...

The fine print first-
This is not directed at ANY specific member in any way... It was not one example, but many of them that give me the urge to speak out.

That said-
It makes me absolutely mental when I keep seeing stuff like this: Engine not working right? Throw it out and buy a new one! Seriously? Hot damm! What a wasteful society this has become! What a lazy society! Incredible!

But I shouldn't be surprised. You don't see people at the side of the road changing a tire anymore. Nope. Too hard. Too dirty. Too... Menial.

Instead, we (and believe you me, I am NOT in this group) simply grab that phone (which was probably in hand anyways, 'cause god forbid we put it down long enough to DRIVE) and call AAA or whatever. Let some other poor schmuck do it.

Change the oil? Ewwww! Gross! Nope, we got Jiffy Lubes and stealerships for that!

Snowblower not running right? Buy... WAIT!!! Hire somebody else to do it!

1800 million phone calls to tech support because you knocked the plug out, and are waaaay too helpless to figure out you gotta plug the dang thing in.

To he// in a handbasket we go.

Now, listen- I understand that if you've had a catastrophic failure resulting in a hole in the block big enough to drive your kart through, it may be a better plan to just buy another engine. But how many times have we seen someone say that things aren't quite right, only to have a bunch o' folks come on and say, "Well, go buy a new clone"!

Where I come from, that's cause enough to surrender your man card.

 

[ML-TOYS]

Thank you, i believe in the try and repair first myself. If i cant then i buy new if absolutely necessary.
Unfortunately there are a lot of things i cant do on my car due to my health but i still try anyway.

If you want toys learn how to at least do the basics, then try more after doing research on HOW TO REPAIR it.

 

[souperman000]

Ah, another rant!

Some solid points. I have something to add. If you try to fix it yourself, and get stuck, make a few calls. I'm sure you have a neighnor or friend that is in to this stuff. He or she will give you a few tips and tricks to get you back on your feet.

This happened for me. I was always told to make connections, you never know when they might come in handy.

 

[OzFab]

1800 million phone calls to tech support because you knocked the plug out, and are waaaay too helpless to figure out you gotta plug the dang thing in.

According to a recent study, only 7% of people have any "common sense"; not as common as you think

Thank you, i believe in the try and repair first myself. If i cant then i buy new if absolutely necessary.

Has everyone seen my sig lately?

If you want toys learn how to at least do the basics, then try more after doing research on HOW TO REPAIR it.

Here, here! But I'll take it one step further: While driving (on the roads), I've recently taken to using the phrase "if you can't drive it, DON'T BUY IT!" usually directed at soccer moms attempting to reverse park an SUV.

It's amazing how many people these days try to do things way beyond their abilities, not to mention the fact that they have no abilities to begin with!

Unfortunately, the USA has become a "throw away" society so, that mentality is becoming inbred into the younger generation &, therefore, the ability to fix something is gone.

When I built my daughters kart, it wasn't just an expression of my abilities; apart from the raw steel, there are very few new parts on it & they're not major parts (I'm talking nuts, bolts, etc), it's all recycled or hand made from scrap materials.

A neighbour has a two seater buggy; looks great, goes great but it cost him a few grand. When he was bragging about how good it was, with a huge grin on his face, I said "great, now build one & I'll be impressed." He wasn't smiling for long

 

[souperman000]

Here, here! But I'll take it one step further: While driving (on the roads), I've recently taken to using the phrase "if you can't drive it, DON'T BUY IT!" usually directed at soccer moms attempting to reverse park an SUV.

It's amazing how many people these days try to do things way beyond their abilities, not to mention the fact that they have no abilities to begin with!

I think its also more of the fact (and this points to your SUV example) that people buy things that other people have because the other people appear to be rich and well-liked. This is especially prevelant in my area where wealthy people and mid to lower middle class people intertwine. People watch the Kardashians and other celebrities and want to live just like they do, which is not possible for them at the moment. There was a family in my neighborhood that had to move away because the got in with the "wrong" crowd and ended up living beyond their means.

A lot of people are not content with what they have, and want more. The American Dream is dying, it is getting harder to work your way up from the bottom, but everyone should still try. Reuse things, not buy new things is a way to start.

Throwing away stuff (like engines) also hurts the environment.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

According to a recent study, only 7% of people have any "common sense"; not as common as you think

I find that... pretty believable. I call it "uncommon sense".

Has everyone seen my sig lately?

Yup. Love it.

Here, here! But I'll take it one step further: While driving (on the roads), I've recently taken to using the phrase "if you can't drive it, DON'T BUY IT!" usually directed at soccer moms attempting to reverse park an SUV.

It's amazing how many people these days try to do things way beyond their abilities, not to mention the fact that they have no abilities to begin with!

And it's only getting worse. ABS, Reversing camera, automatic parallel parking... What happens when the technology fails?

Unfortunately, the USA has become a "throw away" society so, that mentality is becoming inbred into the younger generation &, therefore, the ability to fix something is gone.

Sad, but true

When I built my daughters kart, it wasn't just an expression of my abilities; apart from the raw steel, there are very few new parts on it & they're not major parts (I'm talking nuts, bolts, etc), it's all recycled or hand made from scrap materials.

Yep, and good on ya, too! Building the Green Machine for my kids was a real experience too. Beyond just ordering a ready-made kart, beyond just assembling stuff off a shelf- A lot of it was an uphill battle, but a VERY rewarding experience!

A neighbour has a two seater buggy; looks great, goes great but it cost him a few grand. When he was bragging about how good it was, with a huge grin on his face, I said "great, now build one & I'll be impressed." He wasn't smiling for long

Yup, that's pretty much my answer to such things, too...

EDIT- Wow, Soup- I never knew I was an "environmentalist"!

 

[souperman000]

EDIT- Wow, Soup- I never knew I was an "environmentalist"!

Some could say that our hobby is not the most environmentally friendly, but we can always do our part.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

My recycling virtues nullify my hydrocarbon-burning sins.

EDIT- Hmm... New sig? ^

 

[souperman000]

My recyling virtues are for my own profit. Recycling plastic, aluiminum, and glass is my major (ok, only) source of income.

 

[devino246]

And it's only getting worse. ABS, Reversing camera, automatic parallel parking... What happens when the technology fails?

Don't even get me started. I'm constantly filling up people's tires at work because their tire light came on. God forbid they actually attempted to check and fill their own tires. Heck, I shouldn't even have a job, but since Darwin isn't getting his way, I do.

Unfortunately (or really, fortunately) I probably won't be working there much longer.



Remember the "sticky" Toyota gas pedal? Wasn't the car's fault. People piled multiple floormats on top of each other (ignoring multiple warning tags) to the point that the tip of the pedal would get hung up on the inevitably bunched-up floor mats. What do they do when the pedal sticks? Turn off the car? Noooo, that's just too simple. The recall on the pedal involves removing the pedal, cutting off a chunk of the pedal with a hack saw, and reinstalling it.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Remember the "sticky" Toyota gas pedal? Wasn't the car's fault. People piled multiple floormats on top of each other (ignoring multiple warning tags) to the point that the tip of the pedal would get hung up on the inevitably bunched-up floor mats. What do they do when the pedal sticks? Turn off the car? Noooo, that's just too simple. The recall on the pedal involves removing the pedal, cutting off a chunk of the pedal with a hack saw, and reinstalling it.

Where's that facepalm emoticon I've been crying for???

 

[devino246]

Where's that facepalm emoticon I've been crying for???

How's this?

 

[matman55]

When me and my dad see that nissan pathfinder commercial with the little birds(representing all they cameras strewed around the car) help the guy parralel park his car we just look at eachither like "wtf". I recently tried doing that and needless to say ill be hering from those trash cans insurance compainies shortly.


I don't have a "good" camera!

 

[OzFab]

And it's only getting worse. ABS, Reversing camera, automatic parallel parking...

The first two I'll go along with, they're safety features. Don't get me started on the auto parking though...

What happens when the technology fails?

They call their husband who calls the dealership who sends a tow truck to take it to the dealership who charge them $1000 to change a light bulb

My recycling virtues nullify my hydrocarbon-burning sins.

Ditto

 

[landuse]

Here in South Africa we are still pretty good with not throwing things away. You will never find anything thrown away on the side of the road unless it has been fixed a million times and is totally beyond repair. While this is not good for my dumpster diving urges, it does give me some hope that we are still far from becoming a throw away society.

It is definately starting to head that way though

 

[jamyers]

Preach it, Brother!!!

 

[OzFab]

Man, you'd need a big truck over here & undoubtedly more in the US

 

[sideways]

I remember having exactly this rant on here years ago.

 

[souperman000]

Man, you'd need a big truck over here & undoubtedly more in the US

Trust me, guys make a living off of loading big stakebeds full of stuff they find people throwing out.

When I go digging through trash cans for recycling and people ask me what I'm looking for, I say money. I have a little spasm every time someone throws away an aluminum can or the sort.

 

[carter]

Change the oil? Ewwww! Gross! Nope, we got Jiffy Lubes and stealerships for that!

To be fair on this one, My dad bought an '08 charger and the oil and transmission system is sealed, he has no way of changing or checking the oil or the tranny fluid and has to have it taken in to get done, When He had his old truck (my new truck) he changed the oil himself. however if he did that with this car it would void his drivetrain warrantee.