Are People Getting Dumber?

[racerone3]

for the TENTH time this year, I just had someone bring back a mower that they had bought earlier in the day "cause it just quit and wouldn't start back up". you guessed it... out of gas what in the world is wrong with these people??? this is usually a one or two times a year thing... 10!!! and it's only July.

[amphibious drew]

Yes, just by reading the title this was a definite yes. However, I have noticed myself that I see at least 3 people a week that do not know how to pump gas. These could be the same people you have been running into. Or they just want to return the mower so they can buy one somewhere else and return it when cutting season is over. You know, so they never actually pay for a mower.

[plott hound]

a big 10-4 on that 1.i sold a snowblower to a fellow,2 weeks later he phones me to say blower wont run.i asked him to check the gas and sure enough the tank was empty.

[MarshallEpp]

If they are it started in the 70's when i serviced oil burners,and went on those no heat calls. just throw the red switch in the stairway and have them sign the invoice.thank you very much.

[Roger S]

I serviced two mowers this spring. They call with hot start problems.. intermittent when I show up.. anyway it was water in the fuel.. they leave their gas can outside all year and it wasn't even sealed right.

Then the self propelled bagger wont cut tall grass at full speed.. uhh, it helps if you empty the bag when it's full..

Oh well, they are Nigerian immigrants.. I guess they don't have grass over there..

[trebmaster]

I had someone ask me what the yellow gas pump light on the dash ment. DAHHHHHH

[lewis]

Bought a lawnmower for a gift to a couple because they were young and did not have one. They put the gas in the oil and oil in the gas.Took a little bit to get that squared away. The oil Cap had "oil" on it and the gas cap had "Gas" on it. What is hard about this?

Had a lady at work cut off her big toe a few years back......she did not know that here was a blade under the deck. She moved here from a place up North where she did not have a yard. Now she has no big toe because her dog ran off with it! Very sad but funny. When she told this story in the break room we ALL fell out

[rdr]

for the TENTH time this year, I just had someone bring back a mower that they had bought earlier in the day "cause it just quit and wouldn't start back up". you guessed it... out of gas what in the world is wrong with these people??? this is usually a one or two times a year thing... 10!!! and it's only July.

race you jest have to rember you quote you can't fix stupid raceone3 robbie

[twinke00]

Bought a lawnmower for a gift to a couple because they were young and did not have one. They put the gas in the oil and oil in the gas.Took a little bit to get that squared away. The oil Cap had "oil" on it and the gas cap had "Gas" on it. What is hard about this?

Had a lady at work cut off her big toe a few years back......she did not know that here was a blade under the deck. She moved here from a place up North where she did not have a yard. Now she has no big toe because her dog ran off with it! Very sad but funny. When she told this story in the break room we ALL fell out

that has to be the funniest thing I have heard all YEAR. I LOVE STUPID PEOPLE THAT HURT THEMSELVES

[lewis]

You would not believe the number of people that have no concept of what the work "BLADE' means. Two people this year have cleaned the exhaust shoot with the mower blades running.......end result. By the way they had jimmied the safety switch so when they get off the mower the mower will not shut off. The switch was installed to keep people from doing this type of thing Oh well...........pain is a good teacher.

[Jeff t-boss]

This stupidity isn't limited to ANY kind of fuel powered item. I worked at a small engine repair shop, and to keep things short, I made over $3,000.00 selling stuff that people were throwing out and replacing because "It didn't work" or "Was just old and tired". Sat down one day and went through reciepts, and realized I only had $600.00 spent or repair parts for all this stuff. Anything from weed-wackers to chain saws, to John Deere Riders. You name it. I kept a small Homelite chainsaw that a guy brought in and said it didn't work. "Couldn't get it started to save my soul" he said. Took it home, put some gas in it. Anyone need some trees pruned? Same with my Trail boss. Got it for $400.00 cause "It has steering issues". Got it home got with you guys, adjusted the bands, and drove it away. Since then I have rebuilt the trannys just to be on the safe side.

[racerone3]

After a days of fighting with the carb in the hustler, I've found further evidence of people getting dumber. the P.O. had "rebuilt the carb" .... I've had it apart and cleaned it several times, but never could get it to run without the choke 1/2 on. I picked up a kit this morning, and tore it apart again. everything was already really clean, all jets clear. cleaned it again for good measure and rebuilt the fuel pump (again). got it back on the machine and it was only slightly better. as anyone who has ever rebuilt a briggs carb knows, they come with a lot of extra parts to cover many models of carb. this particular kit came with 3 needles, and the carb only requires 2. I had put it back together the same as it came apart. it took a while to dawn on me, but the P.O. had put the wrong needle in the low speed jet! I of course did the same in putting it back together. switched it to the right needle and she runs like a champ!

[MarshallEpp]

Same thing here racer my old boss gave me a 250 talon mini dune buggy because he couldn't get it started. i pulled the carb and the fuel inlet needle to the bowl was stuck shut.cleaned the carb and it runs like a squalded dog.

[hydromike]

6 month old Craftsman snowblower: Stuck float needle
1 year old Homelite Chainsaw: collapsed fuel line (yeah, I don't know how it happened, either)
1987 Harley Sportster: old gas

I procured all this stuff from the same guy over the course of about 5 years. All free. All run great now.

~m

[lewis]

Fellow at work was given a brand new tiller. Complaint from the fellow that bought it was... it just hopped around on the ground. Would not dig.(Note: Why not take it back) A friend of mine took it home and turned the diggers around correctly and it worked great. He made me promise no to tell once he found the problem. That was 20/25 years ago and the guy that gave it to my friend has since passed away. I guess i can tell it now.