I mean, I started wrenching on things that didn't work aroung 15 years ago. Restored a number of basket case cars-things that now I wouldn't even consider working on, they were so far gone.
The first car-had no working brakes, motor, transmission, no floor, rotted out doors, 3/4 of the frame had rotted away, a melted electrical harness, and severe body rot. I fabricated fender pieces based on old pictures I could find, because that was the only way to know what it used to look like.
It's hard for me to read posts about "how to prop up a tank" or "how to take off a wheel"....or "what's the torque value of my drain plug?" (I don't know a single mechanic who doesn't just snug it by hand, incidentally). To make matters worse, most of the people I wrench with are of similar background-never bought a working car in their life, delivered pizzas in a '66 Mustang, etc etc.
I forget these things just...aren't obvious to some people. They've never owned tools before. Never taken it apart. No idea how it works. Not that I'm a great help in the local tech forum. I'm somewhat new to bikes (4 years or so now), and while I've rebuilt a couple, I'm no authority. I can probably fix mine-I don't know how yours works offhand. Definitely not well enough to diagnose online. It's just some of these questions seem so.....absurd to me-am I wrong?
Do we need a "how to" on washing a bike? Is there really a worry about riding a bike in the rain-the same one that gets routinely washed with the garden hose? How to clean your visor? This isn't directed at any one person, just wondering if I'm not the only one who thinks some of these things are woefully obvious?
I agree. Some people just get it, and some don't. It still surprises me from time to time, but..I'm getting use to it.
For the record, I've been turning wrenches for over 20 years now. At one point I was getting paid for it.
I had a buddy ask how to get gas in the f'n thing. I though to my self: "how can you not know?" After thinking about it, he can do many other things better than I can, and at those moments, he probably thinks the same of me.
Example: I am decent with a wrench. But, I'm not very good communicating professionally...sh!t...I not very good communicating PERIOD.
It's all give and take. We can't be good at everything.
If anyone says they ARE good at everything, they're f'n liars, or clueless.
But I will say, there are people out there that should NOT be working on their own motorcycles. Their lack of ability seems dangerous to me.
Quote from: DarkStaR on September 01, 2008, 12:40:45 PM
But I will say, there are people out there that should NOT be working on their own motorcycles. Their lack of ability seems dangerous to me.
+11ty billion.
My other pet peeve is when those same people offer to teach others. Those people, I *will* be harsh on.
You're right to be surprised, but you're also adult enough to understand that not everyone can have the same amount of knowledge as you.
Some will laugh at people like you who spend so much time figuring out "stuff" and doing it yourselves - "why not let someone else do it for you - spend time with people, not things". I think it's a logical argument when people don't understand that this is a passion, not something we do to save money or hide from reality.
I used to do most of the work on my beater cars 20 years ago, now I'm no longer interested. My comeback as a biker this year made me curious again. Ducati has a unique way of sparking curiosity. I started figuring out how to wash it, clean/check/wax the chain, prop up the tank. On the DML and DMF I was/am able to learn as I go. Six months ago I knew nothing about my bike - today I can and will do smaller jobs. For me it was a big deal to mount the new touring screen, levers and adjusting them, rotating the bars and controls. I'm proud of my little steps, even though I know there is more to learn than I will ever get around to.
The big DMF deal for me is that not once have I felt embarrassed to ask or felt that someone has talked down to me.
Quote from: stopintime on September 01, 2008, 01:06:09 PM
The big DMF deal for me is that not once have I felt embarrassed to ask or felt that someone has talked down to me.
You just haven't been here long enough. :P
someguy,
stop being miserable and take a day off. [cheeky]
:-*;D
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=1554.0
I'm still trying to figure out why that was posted.
But for the people who ask " HOW DO I REMOVE A CLUTCH LEVER?????" the response i always want to write is..
DID YOU EVEN make the beast with two backsING TRY????? Seriously, did you even LOOK AT IT???
1 pivot point....1 thing with a slot....screwdriver.....OH IT COMES OFF!!!!
PS. I wrench because i cannot afford to watch someone wrench. We are a product of our enviornment, and all my toys were things that previous owners didnt know how to fix. If i did paid someone to wrench though...id be eating maggot infested peaches....oh wait i already do. oh well. [bacon]
Quote from: stopintime on September 01, 2008, 01:06:09 PM
You're right to be surprised, but you're also adult enough to understand that not everyone can have the same amount of knowledge as you.
Some will laugh at people like you who spend so much time figuring out "stuff" and doing it yourselves - "why not let someone else do it for you - spend time with people, not things". I think it's a logical argument when people don't understand that this is a passion, not something we do to save money or hide from reality.
I used to do most of the work on my beater cars 20 years ago, now I'm no longer interested. My comeback as a biker this year made me curious again. Ducati has a unique way of sparking curiosity. I started figuring out how to wash it, clean/check/wax the chain, prop up the tank. On the DML and DMF I was/am able to learn as I go. Six months ago I knew nothing about my bike - today I can and will do smaller jobs. For me it was a big deal to mount the new touring screen, levers and adjusting them, rotating the bars and controls. I'm proud of my little steps, even though I know there is more to learn than I will ever get around to.
The big DMF deal for me is that not once have I felt embarrassed to ask or felt that someone has talked down to me.
Different issue, if you can afford to pay someone to do it, then dont ask how to..... just pay them to do it...
Just because all my friends are with their families and enjoying their time of, and im stuck here with no family, im gonna bust your chops. =)
You shouldnt need to ask how to wash a bike. Its not made of flour and it will not melt. Do wash smartly, dont open your tank and spray the battery with water. how to check a chain is a good question. When to adjust it is a good question. How to clean it, isnt. My best answer... scrub it! What chemicals would you recommend to use on the chain, is a good question. How to adjust chain tension, is a good question. How to rotate the bar....well. It goes back to my first question, did you try before you ask?
Okay im done beating up on you. Im going back to being grumpy and sourcing a store with more beer.
Quote from: He Man on September 01, 2008, 01:19:33 PM
But for the people who ask " HOW DO I REMOVE A CLUTCH LEVER?????" the response i always want to write is..
DID YOU EVEN make the beast with two backsING TRY????? Seriously, did you even LOOK AT IT???
1 pivot point....1 thing with a slot....screwdriver.....OH IT COMES OFF!!!!
You're missing the point. Which is-if you don't know-
it's not actually obvious.Example. My mother was a baker. One day, she was teaching me how to make a chocolate cake. This involved melting chocolate. She told me to get a clean bowl, melt the chocolate in it.
I got one that was recently washed, and still had water in it. For those of you who don't know, getting water (any amount) into melted chocolate,
ruins the chocolate. I of course, not knowing this, ruined the chocolate. To her, this was a completely idiotic mistake-it was *so* common knowledge in her world that the idea of me not knowing this was rediculous.
My response was "How would I know? Why would I know? Why on earth would this ever come up in my normal day-to-day life?" It was a mystery at the time.
It's the same with wrenching. Some people have no experience. They know nothing. They can't go get a 12mm flare wrench to do that flange tightening
because they don't even know what one is.This is what I've been doing-being harsh on inexperienced people who don't know, and this, is not okay for me to do. You shoul dlook back on when you were learning, and decide what sort of response you would've liked to some of your questions.
I applaud the ones who go out of their way to make (proper) How-To posts for everyone [clap], but I'll have to say that I actually learn more from reading how people fu@K-up their stuff.
Example:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=9795.msg176548#msg176548
I NOW know how NOT to install an oil cooler.
Quote from: someguy on September 01, 2008, 01:40:06 PM
You're missing the point. Which is-if you don't know-it's not actually obvious.
Example. My mother was a baker. One day, she was teaching me how to make a chocolate cake. This involved melting chocolate. She told me to get a clean bowl, melt the chocolate in it.
I got one that was recently washed, and still had water in it. For those of you who don't know, getting water (any amount) into melted chocolate, ruins the chocolate. I of course, not knowing this, ruined the chocolate. To her, this was a completely idiotic mistake-it was *so* common knowledge in her world that the idea of me not knowing this was rediculous.
My response was "How would I know? Why would I know? Why on earth would this ever come up in my normal day-to-day life?" It was a mystery at the time.
It's the same with wrenching. Some people have no experience. They know nothing. They can't go get a 12mm flare wrench to do that flange tightening because they don't even know what one is.
This is what I've been doing-being harsh on inexperienced people who don't know, and this, is not okay for me to do. You shoul dlook back on when you were learning, and decide what sort of response you would've liked to some of your questions.
Theres a difference between visually obvious, and knowledge obvious. I did not know that water ruins the chocolate. Thats not visually obvious. you dont know until you actually make the mistake.
But machines are different. machines are put together, therefore they can be taken apart. If a screw holds a horn to the frame and is held tight by a bolt on the other side, its visually obvious that removing the bolt will loosen the screw, and the screw will come out.
The case of the cholate and water. Well, if you pour water over cholate it just skims of. Chocolate is not soul able with water. But if you melt the cholate, maybe you boil the water into the cholate, i dont know. its not visually obvious.
That oil cooler thing totally blows. It was a mistake. Too much tension or maybe the torque wrench was off. who knows.
you know those written tests where there's a diagram with lots of pulleys and wheels and levers, and you are asked which way the one on the right side will turn if you turn the one on the left side counter clockwise?
Some people can look at those and think they are stupidly simple. Some can never ever figure it out.
If i was easy for you to figure out the first time on your bike how to pull up to a gas pump and do the entire procedure while sitting on the bike, then great....seams simple to me too, but I have taught many people how easy it is to get gas without getting off the bike.
'common sense' is only because of your background and how you grew up. There are a great many people who are adults who have never used a screwdriver.
Like Dave, I have to catch myself but not about bikes...just about mechanical sympathy. The other household member here truly cannot tell the difference in pitch when the shopvac is clogged with dog hair. To me this is truly painfully obvious. She has learned just to disassemble hoses every other use regardless. But it took me some time to not be a bit of an ass. She of course gets to look at me like an idiot when I don't know how to stitch a laceration.... 'oh common...just look at it...it's obvious where the stiches go...idiot'
Quote from: He Man on September 01, 2008, 01:19:33 PM
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=1554.0
Different issue, if you can afford to pay someone to do it, then dont ask how to..... just pay them to do it...
Just because all my friends are with their families and enjoying their time of, and im stuck here with no family, im gonna bust your chops. =)
You shouldnt need to ask how to wash a bike. Its not made of flour and it will not melt. Do wash smartly, dont open your tank and spray the battery with water. how to check a chain is a good question. When to adjust it is a good question. How to clean it, isnt. My best answer... scrub it! What chemicals would you recommend to use on the chain, is a good question. How to adjust chain tension, is a good question. How to rotate the bar....well. It goes back to my first question, did you try before you ask?
Okay im done beating up on you. Im going back to being grumpy and sourcing a store with more beer.
I didn't even feel that one - wanna try again? 8) ;D
I wash my bike differently than I do cars, but I knew how water plays a role (knew about the chocolate as well) - I needed to learn which products to use and which NOT to use. So I asked, learned and will answer others who ask me. That's normal, isn't it?
About rotating the bars - I didn't ask, I just wanted to see if rotating them would allow my wrists to fall in place - tried it and it worked. When I tightened them down I did the front bolts first, then the rear. In theory that could bend the bolts - I didn't know before I did it, luckily I understood by watching and was able to correct it. Had I asked first, someone would have told me to tighten them in a pattern that would make it all even.
I'm now a self educated graduate in mirror science and when people, who don't know what I know, ask "obvious" questions I have two choices - "you're an idiot" or "I can help you". Helping others is a good feeling for me, I like doing it (most often).
What else do I know? I now know that the things I figure out myself is "worth" more to me than the things others told me. I just don't have the time to figure out everything by myself. So, I'll keep asking and DMF'ers will continue answering. It's a great way of educating each other.
BTW - I don't have a family to take care of either. [drink]
you got water in the chocolate? Surely you don't expect me to let you change my oil ;D
Seriously, in my over 40 years of wrenching on cars and teaching people how to wrench on cars I cant even begin to tell you the disasters I've seen from people touching a wrong screw or using a wrong fluid, and some of these folks have had great mechanical aptitude and excellent technical knowledge.
Bust on those that don't use the search key, read the entire thread, don't describe what they're talking about - cause they haven't even looked first.
For the rest of us, take a deep breath, extend the olive branch and talk to us like we're a two year old.
Dad was a butcher, mom was a school bus driver. Wanna know how to carve meat or how to nudge someone out of the lane gracefully? I'm you're go to gal. Ducatis? I'v got DNS tattooed across my forehead. Some mistakes I don't want to do, because I don't know what those harmful chemicals will do to the finish of the ducati's plastic parts ( Yup! Been there, crapped them up!) .
I enjoy reading all those dub questions cause I have no knowledge. (But Dave, some questions are so dumb even I [roll]!!! Hence, the first sentence!!
Quote from: lauramonster on September 01, 2008, 04:09:15 PM
Bust on those that don't use the search key, read the entire thread, don't describe what they're talking about - cause they haven't even looked first.
For the rest of us, take a deep breath, extend the olive branch and talk to us like we're a two year old.
Dad was a butcher, mom was a school bus driver. Wanna know how to carve meat or how to nudge someone out of the lane gracefully? I'm you're go to gal. Ducatis? I'v got DNS tattooed across my forehead. Some mistakes I don't want to do, because I don't know what those harmful chemicals will do to the finish of the ducati's plastic parts ( Yup! Been there, crapped them up!) .
I enjoy reading all those dub questions cause I have no knowledge. (But Dave, some questions are so dumb even I [roll]!!! Hence, the first sentence!!
What she said.
I'm generally one who can figure things out given the time and will power. I always said the best way to figure out how something is made is to tear it apart piece by piece.
...BUT...
I'm afraid to dive in to somethings on the Duc without some proper knowledge. Partly because it's my baby, and partly because I can't afford to have it down for more than a day. Thats why I haven't tackled adjusting my valves...which I need to do.
I don't mind adjusting my chain or changing the oil. I even replaced the bars and what not after my wreck....but when it comes to engine things, I'm a little skidish.
I'm still trying to figure out how to unhook lm's bra.
is it a metric clasp?
Quote from: bobspapa on September 01, 2008, 06:56:50 PM
I'm still trying to figure out how to unhook lm's bra.
is it a metric clasp?
I never had any issues with it :P
Please don't hurt me.
yer out'a the will again
let s ad her e to t he top ic please. thank you. [thumbsup]
Quote from: Statler on September 01, 2008, 02:33:36 PM
If i was easy for you to figure out the first time on your bike how to pull up to a gas pump and do the entire procedure while sitting on the bike, then great....seams simple to me too, but I have taught many people how easy it is to get gas without getting off the bike.
You can get gas in your bike while not sitting on it ??? ???
;D
Some people just can't think analytically and CAN'T just look at something and figure it out. They also can't blindly start taking things apart to figure it out by trial and error because they won't be able to put it back together. In the extreme cases these people shouldn't be wrenching on anything but I've only met a couple people in my whole life that can't be taught how to do something that they couldn't figure out themselves. Their mind just couldn't follow the procedure and they couldn't investigate the problem in a systematic fashion.
It's so odd. Right as I opened this thread I was talking to a buddy about the new hitch he got for his Vision and how nervous he is about puting it on, due to the fact that he has to yank the fairings, saddle bags, etc. Hell, the first weekend I had my bike I just started looking around, removing things here and there and taking off extraneous bits and pieces (charcoal canister, etc). Despite the fact that he did spend 20G on that bike (don't get me started, it doesn't need to turn into THAT thread), I really didn't see the harm in taking off plastic. He on the other hand, is just that type that won't do anything without a haynes manual and a certified tech standing by.
I'm a technician by trade so mechanical or even computerized aptitude is something that has always come naturally. Being new to Ducs though, I revel in the amount of info both this site and other various sites have to offer on my bike which has helped immensely in recent months. I agree with lauramonster however. Using the search function is far more gratifying (and less repetitive) than straigt up asking whatever you want to know. Not all of us are gonna know what chocolate does when you toss in some water, and not everyone is gonna know what timing you're going to need when you valve the shims on the vertical cylinder on a carbed '99 whatever.
Statler mentioned that there are a lot of adults who can barely use a screwdriver, which I find very very odd (though too true). At the same time though, I will definitely need help with investments, real estate, public policy, melting chocolate, and the like, and these screwdriver-deficient people are going to be the ones that I go to for advice. It's all about the baby steps, and having recently scored my self a "big boy" job, post college, I've come to realze that those baby steps in whatever realm, are all I have time for.
I just proof read my post and I'm really trying hard to find some sort of coherent subject progression, but to no avail. Recap:
It takes all types
Mechanical inclination is not my strong point, however I know how to use a wrench, I have changed a tire on my car, I have monkeyed with a carb though not successfully and it did result in my being baned from my grandfathers tool bench, then again I can't say I have every met someone who always had as many spare parts left over than he always seemed to. I know how my car works, and I usually know what is broken and why.
But my bike? Hmmm I'm still so new to it, I have some fear! I've replaced broken bits on my first bike but never did an oil change myself (ok something about not doing mechanical work in the apt garage was always a nice excuse) But sooner or later I'm giong to have to start all this work myself and get a better appreciation for the bike. I have no issue with bolt on mods or electical (I've shocked myself enough to know it won't kill me) so excuse me if I ask what you think is an obvious question, don't hate me I'm at least trying to learn. This bike is my pride and joy at the moment. I get to ride it almost every day and I want to keep if for a nice long time so I don't want to foul it up.
[drink]
I am no expert at all things mechanical, by any means. I did grow up with a DIY'er as my dad, so I have in part become one as well. I'll do any routine maintenance myself, brakes, oil change, replacement of small parts. I have pulled bits of the bike and have worked on several vehicles, never replacing anything worse than a radiator or parts along the serpentine. I am hesitant to open up an engine though, seems daunting and exacting.
Mostly I couldn't imagine paying some one to do the little jobs. Pads replaced at mineke compared to DIY from Autozone is like $160 difference. An oil change with synthetic for 50-60 or DIY for 25-30? Don't get me wrong, I like pissing money away but, somethings it just doesn't make sense to not do yourself.
Coming from that mind set, in the past, I have been a tad harsh to people who have taken their car in for brakes and the like, but on the otherside I've talked some into doing it themselves and taught them to fish.
Sorry, Someguy; I just had to go ferret this out:
"Do not listen to this man. Derailers are made of black magic, voodoo and ground up kittens. Seriously. I could *not* get the one on Misinc's bike to work right, not even remotely. This is even with instructions, tools and help.
Keep in mind I'm a mechanical engineer who used to own a garage. I've spent years taking things apart and putting them back together, typically to have them work. The *only* thing I've utterly failed at is a derailer. Those who adjust them with success are the same that would hew things out of the bones of the dead. Terror awaits you if you pursue this route!"
I agree completely with your argument through this thread; some things that just seem obvious to us aren't to others, and that varies tremendously by background & areas of competency. I'd put myself somewhere to the left of average on a mechanical competency continuum, though that's measured against the people I hang out with, virtually all of whom are better at it than I am. But that self-assessment is probably a bit off -- I've also restored a farmer's-barn recovered $500 Land Cruiser & done all of my own bicycle building & maintenance, and most of my auto upkeep for a couple of decades. The old Cruiser (and even more, helping friends work on their trucks) turned me into a passable mechanic and a moderately OK welder.
A big part of what i know comes from asking stupid questions on this and other forums, and reading manuals for fun -- LT's Desmodue manual is currently on the nightstand. FWIW, I think cleaning a moto chain is a GOOD question -- had I just used my years of experience cleaning non-sealed bicycle chains I'd have likely wrecked a perfectly good DID chain, thankfully, someone had asked about it on the old board. I'm new enough to motorcycles that I'm still more tentative with what i'm willing to dig into, and find it tremendously reassuring to enjoy the camaraderie of wrenching with someone who's worked a lot on Ducatis (thanks, Alan!) before. It's also more daunting to work on a motorcycle than on a truck, as the consequences of doing something wrong can be more severe.
I went looking for the bit above from the Bicycle thread not to bust Someguy's chops, but because the first thing I've always told anyone who's picking up a wrench for the first time to work on a bicycle is that they're simple, obvious machines, unlike cars or motorcycles or washing machines -- everything is RIGHT THERE if you look at it and think through it long enough. That someone whose mechanical abilities are leagues beyond mine was stumped by a derailleur tells me I ought to rethink that basic proposition.
I'm with you & Jarvicious -- it takes all types.
Quote from: lauramonster on September 01, 2008, 04:09:15 PM
Bust on those that don't use the search key, read the entire thread, don't describe what they're talking about - cause they haven't even looked first.
For the rest of us, take a deep breath, extend the olive branch and talk to us like we're a two year old.
Dad was a butcher, mom was a school bus driver. Wanna know how to carve meat or how to nudge someone out of the lane gracefully? I'm you're go to gal. Ducatis? I'v got DNS tattooed across my forehead. Some mistakes I don't want to do, because I don't know what those harmful chemicals will do to the finish of the ducati's plastic parts ( Yup! Been there, crapped them up!) .
I enjoy reading all those dub questions cause I have no knowledge. (But Dave, some questions are so dumb even I [roll]!!! Hence, the first sentence!!
i sec that!!!
i am far from being mechanically inclined [laugh] unless u count ass wiping [laugh]
sometimes im even afraid to post anything and sound like a complete tardmuffin
thats why i PM people or just ask some of the posse [moto]
Triangleforge, I see where you're coming from on the bike deraileurs. The first time I went "mudding" on the mountain bike and decided I needed to tear down and clean ended up in a clustermake the beast with two backs covering my dorm hallway. Look at the der. system. Shifter pulls cable, pulls deraileur, moves chain to different sized cog. I think my head about exploded when a buddy explained it all to me. That being said, I have a bachelors in fine arts and can take a flat piece of silver and mold it into a wedding band. Conversely, when faced with taking one piece of wood, making a few 45 degree cuts (with a pre-set angle power mitre saw) and gluing/fastening them into a decent picture frame, I have gaps big enough to fit a quarter into. Le sigh.
I think it's human nature that we're snobs in our own way.
Ever have an argument with a Ph.D'd professor as a student in his class pointing out flaws in his lessons? They'll just fall back to the "I know it and you don't" elitist stance. Oh yeah, I was right too. After the teaching assistant pointed out and confirmed my hunches.
huhhuh
huhhuh
huhhuhhuhhuh
You said "hard on". (In your thread title.)
(And I don't have any trouble working on a derailleur. [cheeky] )
Quote from: Rameses on September 02, 2008, 11:41:52 PM
huhhuh
huhhuh
huhhuhhuhhuh
You said "hard on". (In your thread title.)
Love your style [thumbsup] [laugh] [laugh]
i have zero interest in taking apart motors, etc...
i like to watch, fetch tools and beverages though :)
and besides... it keeps you guys busy [laugh]
The thing about all this discussing going on is that not all of us are the same, unfortunately there are some people that like to make fun of mechanically disadvantaged people, but they have their place in the world, imagine a world with no boobies ;D
Quote from: Rameses on September 02, 2008, 11:41:52 PM
(And I don't have any trouble working on a derailleur. [cheeky] )
When my bike caught on fire.....
I put the fire out. ;)
Quote from: someguy on September 03, 2008, 07:16:16 AM
When my bike caught on fire.....
I put the fire out. ;)
When my bike caught on fire.....
I put the fire out too. [cheeky]
(And then I turned it into a Hyper, which I call Fenice. ;D )
I suppose now you know what most of an average workday is like for most physicians.
You wouldn't believe how few people know their frenulum from their vomer, or how to perform basic spleen maintenance.
Seriously, though: I'm not stupid. It's just that I've spent the majority of my life intensively studying other things. Those haven't included much of anything automotive. I don't look down on someone because they don't know the relative binding affinities at the 5HT3A receptor of a half-dozen different SSRI's off the top of their head, but that sort of information is a routine part of my work day. It's not just that I know how to stitch a scalp or delivery a baby in my sleep, I've actually done it in my sleep. Why look down on me if I don't know the best way to prop my tank or am nervous about removing a clutch lever?
Each of us is born with different basic skills, then each of us has different experiences and opportunities. Each of us has different knowledge bases. Certain things that have always been intuitively obvious to some people will never make the slightest sense to others. Around here, I'll always be one of the morons.
I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express...
Quote from: ducpainter on September 04, 2008, 04:35:13 AM
I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express...
and our home
[laugh]
which kinda flattens out any IQ gains from stay'n at a Holiday Inn Express [laugh]
Quote from: mstevens on September 03, 2008, 10:01:10 PM
I suppose now you know what most of an average workday is like for most physicians.
You wouldn't believe how few people know their frenulum from their vomer, or how to perform basic spleen maintenance.
Seriously, though: I'm not stupid. It's just that I've spent the majority of my life intensively studying other things. Those haven't included much of anything automotive. I don't look down on someone because they don't know the relative binding affinities at the 5HT3A receptor of a half-dozen different SSRI's off the top of their head, but that sort of information is a routine part of my work day. It's not just that I know how to stitch a scalp or delivery a baby in my sleep, I've actually done it in my sleep. Why look down on me if I don't know the best way to prop my tank or am nervous about removing a clutch lever?
Each of us is born with different basic skills, then each of us has different experiences and opportunities. Each of us has different knowledge bases. Certain things that have always been intuitively obvious to some people will never make the slightest sense to others. Around here, I'll always be one of the morons.
+1
I worked as a C130 Flight engineer. I know what all those gauges & switches in the flight station do. I do all of the work on my own bike, But I'm not very artistic and therefore not all that good at fabricating things. I have a hard time with Math, but reading is no problem for me. I feel sorry for those that cant read very well. I used to assume that everybody can swim because I could. I later found out its not true.
I wish I could play some kind of musical instrument.
I started riding motorcycles back in 1981 and have become a good competent rider, but after all this time I still cant ride a wheelie. I look at some of these stunt guys and they do things I never even thought of. We are all wired a little different.
Went over to a friends house the other day. He lives next to his land lady. the guy rents some space in her Garage. Her rule is, the Garage must be closed after 5 PM. We had the garage open around 4 ish and started up his old Bevel twin. it sounded So... sweet! she came out in under a minute and said to turn that off. She just doesn't get it, and she probably never will.
Quote from: mstevens on September 03, 2008, 10:01:10 PM
I suppose now you know what most of an average workday is like for most physicians.
You wouldn't believe how few people know their frenulum from their vomer, or how to perform basic spleen maintenance.
Seriously, though: I'm not stupid. It's just that I've spent the majority of my life intensively studying other things. Those haven't included much of anything automotive. I don't look down on someone because they don't know the relative binding affinities at the 5HT3A receptor of a half-dozen different SSRI's off the top of their head, but that sort of information is a routine part of my work day. It's not just that I know how to stitch a scalp or delivery a baby in my sleep, I've actually done it in my sleep. Why look down on me if I don't know the best way to prop my tank or am nervous about removing a clutch lever?
Each of us is born with different basic skills, then each of us has different experiences and opportunities. Each of us has different knowledge bases. Certain things that have always been intuitively obvious to some people will never make the slightest sense to others. Around here, I'll always be one of the morons.
Come on now admit it, when you read about the dood on the inter-web that self doctored his scrotum with the staple gun to close a wound, you questioned his intelligence now didn't ya?
Sorry had to.
I myself earned my living as a wrench for 12 years, HD truck and Diesel. I can repair nearly any mechanical or electro-mechanical device. DC electrical, no sweat. Rigging up a simple LED to run off my radar detector audio output? Seeking assistance from the DMF and a sparky colleague!
No-one knows it all, we all need help on something from time to time. That's why we're here!
I just adjusted my chain for the first time.
It's still making noise like it's too loose though :P
QuoteNo-one knows it all
Speak for yourself. ;D
I'm regularly expected to "know it all".
i like to wrench on those things in the air...
they fall out of the air if its not right... not good.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/sheriness/006.jpg)
Quote from: Bigbore4 on September 04, 2008, 01:58:49 PM
Come on now admit it, when you read about the dood on the inter-web that self doctored his scrotum with the staple gun to close a wound, you questioned his intelligence now didn't ya?
Actually, the first thing I did was admire his balls (though, due to his self-surgery, they weren't actually on view any more...)