Are People Really That Dumb?

Wow, glad that there were no injuries on the ground and the pilot might well make it. Re the warning, meh. Who know how far the guy was or how much fuel was on the ground. The fireman did his job but don't see that as worth the mention in the press.
 
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Shepherd said:
Never underestimate the depth, breadth and height of human stupidity.

:(
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We are so quick to get all superior and consider others to be idiots. Do you know the difference between the odor threshold for gasoline and the LEL? The guy with the cig was probably posing zero danger. The fireman did his job. Doesn't make anyone an idiot.
 
alfadog said:
We are so quick to get all superior and consider others to be idiots. Do you know the difference between the odor threshold for gasoline and the LEL? The guy with the cig was probably posing zero danger. The fireman did his job. Doesn't make anyone an idiot.
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Yes, I understand the difference. And yeah, probably not would cause a fire or ignition, maybe. But massively idiotic to take the chance.
 
There is no limit to how superior some people think they are.
 
Good job firefighter, saved that guy from getting lung cancer/sarcasm
 
Ya know, I'm usually the first one to say "wow, that guy is an idiot." In this case, it doesn't strike me as all that horrible given the information provided. Yeah, if there's a gasoline tanker that's been in a crash on the highway and a witness lights one up it's dumb. But if you're a guy in a mobile home park hanging out smoking a cigarette while you walk your dog, and you wander over to see a plane crash scene, I'm not sure most people's reaction would be concern over spilled fuel.

In the grand scheme of stupidity, this isn't at the top of the list.
 
Bob Noel said:
Yes, I understand the difference. And yeah, probably not would cause a fire or ignition, maybe. But massively idiotic to take the chance.
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Actually I meant the numerical difference. Point is that if an airplane crashed over yonder and you are over here smoking and you do not smell gasoline then you are not taking any massively idiotic chance. Actually, you are not taking any chance at all.
 
Psh come on, everyone knows that crashed GA planes have no fuel in them.
 
There are some really stupid people around, but no one holds a candle to this guy.
ProppedUp.jpg
 
Whew, I am SO glad the TSA is investigating. I feel SO much safer.

:rolleyes:
 
alfadog said:
Guess I look at these things differently.
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You don't weld, do you?

This guy could be dumping gasoline all over himself and not know it. With red hot bits of slag flying into it. With an arc running, that arc is ALL you can see, smell and hear. You can't feel anything because of the jacket. But he's not wearing a jacket either, so maybe he can. Hot slag and UV sunburns make for interesting body art....

Not to mention, the oh-so-safe "lift" he has his truck on. Not only can the supports slip, they are just holding up body sheet steel. Two tons on a rusty truck can easily punch through that.

That's the fuel tank he's welding. Probably because it has a hole in it.
 
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Geico266 said:
Anyone ever try to light gas with a lit cig? :dunno:
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It doesn't, you can drop a smoke in a bucket of gas and the cig goes out. If you have just the right vapor density and take a drag, you can get enough heat to flash it off.
 
MAKG1 said:
You don't weld, do you?

This guy could be dumping gasoline all over himself and not know it. With red hot bits of slag flying into it. With an arc running, that arc is ALL you can see, smell and hear. You can't feel anything because of the jacket.

Not to mention, the oh-so-safe "lift" he has his truck on. Not only can the supports slip, they are just holding up body sheet steel. Two tons on a rusty truck will easily punch through that.

That's the fuel tank he's welding. Probably because it has a hole in it.
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You are right, I don't. I thought you were referring only to his solution to working under the truck. As regards that, I just saw someone that solved a problem with presumably very limited resources (although that welder does look pretty new).
 
Henning said:
It doesn't, you can drop a smoke in a bucket of gas and the cig goes out. If you have just the right vapor density and take a drag, you can get enough heat to flash it off.
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Yup. Liquid gas doesn't burn. It's the vapors. Just because you can drop a lit cigarette in a bucket of gasoline and (usually) get away with it doesn't mean that smoking around vapors is a good idea at all.
 
MAKG1 said:
You don't weld, do you?

This guy could be dumping gasoline all over himself and not know it. With red hot bits of slag flying into it. With an arc running, that arc is ALL you can see, smell and hear. You can't feel anything because of the jacket. But he's not wearing a jacket either, so maybe he can. Hot slag and UV sunburns make for interesting body art....

Not to mention, the oh-so-safe "lift" he has his truck on. Not only can the supports slip, they are just holding up body sheet steel. Two tons on a rusty truck can easily punch through that.

That's the fuel tank he's welding. Probably because it has a hole in it.
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Ever weld a fuel tank? :dunno:

Fill it full of nitrogen or CO and weld away. :yes:
 
MAKG1 said:
You don't weld, do you?

This guy could be dumping gasoline all over himself and not know it. With red hot bits of slag flying into it. With an arc running, that arc is ALL you can see, smell and hear. You can't feel anything because of the jacket. But he's not wearing a jacket either, so maybe he can. Hot slag and UV sunburns make for interesting body art....

Not to mention, the oh-so-safe "lift" he has his truck on. Not only can the supports slip, they are just holding up body sheet steel. Two tons on a rusty truck can easily punch through that.

That's the fuel tank he's welding. Probably because it has a hole in it.
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First time I saw a gas tank welded, I thought it strange as it was full of gas. The guy lit the filler neck on fire and threw a MIG bead on the crack, done.
 
alfadog said:
You are right, I don't. I thought you were referring only to his solution to working under the truck. As regards that, I just saw someone that solved a problem with presumably very limited resources (although that welder does look pretty new).
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There is nothing wrong with working under a truck. I do it all the time. But there really are safer ways to do it than with two 2x4s and a rock. Most pickups are high enough that you can leave them on all four wheels and just climb underneath. That's a LOT safer than what this guy did. And if you need more clearance, you can drive (or push) the truck half onto the curb.
 
MAKG1 said:
You mean CO2....

Or Ar or He or even water.

That's a wire welder. If he had a He or Ar tank to go with it like he's supposed to, we'd be seeing it.
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??? Cored wire doesn't need a tank. Can't recall ever seeing anyone use He on MIG.
 
Henning said:
??? Cored wire doesn't need a tank. Can't recall ever seeing anyone use He on MIG.
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You can use any gas that won't react with the steel. He works fine. Ar is more common and you need less of it, but He may be lying around if a lot of leak checks are done.

But you miss the point. This guy didn't bother removing the tank, so he didn't do any of these things.
 
MAKG1 said:
There is nothing wrong with working under a truck. I do it all the time. But there really are safer ways to do it than with two 2x4s and a rock. Most pickups are high enough that you can leave them on all four wheels and just climb underneath. That's a LOT safer than what this guy did. And if you need more clearance, you can drive (or push) the truck half onto the curb.
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They are 4x4. The truck is near the balance point and there is likely no more than enough weight on them to keep them from slipping. He has two of them there. Is it great? No. Would I want my kid doing it? No. Would I do this if that is all I had to hand and that was only way I saw to get the clearance I wanted? In a heartbeat. And it certainly beats trying to weld that tank over your head. Let us assume for the moment that he inerted the tank. No evidence either way on that and I do not automatically assume this is his first trip to the rodeo. Like I said, I look at these things differently. Biggest problem I see there is side-load on the wheels.
 
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