# Have you ever left something on for a very long time that shouldn't have been? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542 "2012-10-12T18:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/1 "2012-10-12T18:36:29Z")
**Tarwater’s** post in the good housekeeping thread contained this gem of a footnote that made me think of the silly things I’ve left running due to moments of absentmindedness I thought it would be more fun to laugh at yours than cry about mine. To get us started here is **Tarwater’s** Originally Posted by Tarwater > [@](#): > > - And also because I jumped out of the shower one morning, got dressed, grabbed my shirt from the bathroom, and sprinted out the door without turning the shower off. I had left it on while I was getting dressed, just to press the shirt a little better. It was only later that night, after coming up from the subway and looking at my apartment window and seeing that it was totally opaque with steam, that I realized what I had done. The scene in the bathroom, after the shower had been blasting heated water for ten hours, is beyond my ability to describe. And mine: Our gas barbeque is hooked up to the natural gas feed for our house. About a week before we left for vacation in February we grilled something for dinner. Apparently my husband forgot to turn off and cover the barbeque. The week prior to vacation was insanely busy with work for both of us so we ordered in a lot and just tried to wrap everything up so we could get away. We were gone two weeks. A couple days after we got home we’d finally shopped for food and he went out to preheat the barbeque. That was supremely unnecessary. It had been running at about 500degrees for 3 weeks. Luckily we’re on equal billing and it had been a mild winter because we used as much gas in that month as we did the rest of the winter combined. For one where it was actually me doing the leaving on - a few years ago I was getting ready to go somewhere and it was very cold so I slipped outside and started the car so it could warm up while I was getting everything ready to go. Something came up, plans changed and I no longer had to go out but I didn’t go out and turn off the car. Several hours later my husband came home and turned the car off before coming inside. Oops! At least I had enough gas left to drive to the station for a fillup the next day. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/2 "2012-10-12T18:48:56Z")
Just last night: After a particularly exhausting week, Celtling fell asleep in the car on the way home. I carried her into the house and proceeded to accomplish the myriad tasks that had built up over the course of what had been a largely sleepless week for her (and therefore for me). She got up around 1:00am and finally ate some dinner and had some sofa-cuddle time with Mom for a bit before settling back down around 3:00am. Net result for me - slept from 3-5:00 am. She helpfully (not sarcasm) let the dog out while I was in the shower. After I got out, I realized he had slipped his harness and found yet another hole in the fence to escape from. Hurriedly dressed and ran out front to find the saintly elderly nun from next door had resourcefully leashed their dog and walked her out to lure him back. I ran out in a dither and grabbed him up, thus muddying my hastily chosen outfit and further increasing my sleep-deprived confusion. After apologizing and thanking and kow-towing profusely I headed back up to the house; it was then that I noticed the car doors standing wide open from the night before. (carrying the Celtling in while holding the dog on a lead doesn’t allow for so much as a toe to close the car doors with.) Thank goodness the battery wasn’t dead, my purse was still sitting on the front seat and my laptop was still in the trunk. We got off to work/school only about 15 minutes late. Sigh. Please Lord, let her sleep late tomorrow!!! ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/3 "2012-10-12T19:20:29Z")
I turned the sprinkler on in the front yard in the afternoon and forgot about it. It was on all night and all the next day while I was at work. When I arrived home, there was water running down the street. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/4 "2012-10-12T19:28:01Z")
I let a friend move in with me for a bit while she was in between apartments. I warned her about my clothes dryer. She put her clothes in, turned it on and went out. I came home from work and didn’t hear it right away. The dryer ran at least 12 hours straight. I’m surprised it didn’t start a fire. Her sweaters looked real cute on a cabbage patch doll. My reaction wasn’t when she told me I needed to pay her for damaging her sweaters. ---
**Author:** ![FrancisCastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FrancisCastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrancisCastle)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/5 "2012-10-12T19:36:37Z")
**TruCelt** , I’ve left my car doors open overnight too. I just blame it on the kids. 🙂 The worst thing I usually do is leave my straightening iron plugged in and on in the bathroom. Eventually, someone will walk upstairs and say “Hey, do you smell something burning?” Oh yeah… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/6 "2012-10-12T19:49:10Z")
A couple of years ago I returned from vacation, mortified that I had left my alarm clock on all week. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/7 "2012-10-12T19:57:09Z")
I’ve left the car lights on, I’ve boiled a pot dry, and I’ve left my alarm clock on all day. I’m sure there are more examples, too. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/8 "2012-10-12T20:41:56Z")
Gas clothes dryer for about 4 days. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/9 "2012-10-12T20:58:34Z")
I left my heart in San Francisco … … in 2002. Haven’t had a chance to get back there. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/10 "2012-10-12T21:05:27Z")
Let’s see: Left the gas barbecue on - check Doors open all night in the car - check Sprinkler on for a weekend - check Alarm clock on during a weeklong vacation - check Boiled a pot dry - check I have also left my curling iron on (I now have one with auto shut off), left the oven on for several days (while wondering why it was so hot in the house). Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get dressed in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/11 "2012-10-12T22:57:04Z")
A couple of weeks ago when I stuck my hand into one of my supply bins it was kind of warm. I then pulled out the small hot glue gun that I’d forgotten to unplug about a month and a half previously. :eek: The glue inside it had turned a very dark brown. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/12 "2012-10-12T23:15:00Z")
**Have you ever left something on for a very long time that shouldn’t have been?** A Red Sox T-shirt. People begin to look at you funny, even in Boston. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/13 "2012-10-13T01:39:29Z")
The morning after, the strange whistling sound, the warm kitchen. Tiny tiny baked all night potatoes - they whistled. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/14 "2012-10-13T02:11:53Z")
Left the tower pc running two weeks while on vacation. Ms Word’s clippy was dancing around complaining when I got home. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/15 "2012-10-13T02:36:19Z")
A number of years ago, I made toast. Or tried to, anyway. Came out of the computer room, put bread in the toaster, went back to computer, forgot about the toast. Until my roommates came home, wondering why the kitchen was on fire. Apparantly the toaster, which had worked fine up until then, chose that time to stay down and not pop up. So of course two hours later my roommates come home to find flames coming out of the toaster and licking the upper cabinets. \>.\< IT WASN’T MY FAULT!!! ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/16 "2012-10-13T02:40:47Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > A number of years ago, I made toast. Or tried to, anyway. Came out of the computer room, put bread in the toaster, went back to computer, forgot about the toast. I did this same when boiling eggs. 30 min eggs don’t taste too great. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/17 "2012-10-13T03:11:36Z")
I once left a stove burner (with nothing on it) on overnight, only noticed it was still on the next day when I saw the indicator lights (one is on when any burner is on, the other indicates if the stovetop is still hot; this is an infrared flat cooking top stove). Luckily the stove has temperature regulation so the burner will cycle on and off with nothing on it even if you set it on high (although this mean there isn’t any visible glow from it most of the time). ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/18 "2012-10-13T03:24:22Z")
I’m in Afghanistan and just realized I left my data roaming on for my iPhone. It’s lgonna be a $300 mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/19 "2012-10-13T03:34:44Z")
My Dad deep fried something just before leaving for a weekend getaway. Burned down half of the apartment complex. No one was injured, but he lost all his stuff and was no longer welcome there. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542/20 "2012-10-13T04:00:34Z")
> [@Michael63129](#): > > I once left a stove burner (with nothing on it) on overnight, only noticed it was still on the next day when I saw the indicator lights (one is on when any burner is on, the other indicates if the stovetop is still hot; this is an infrared flat cooking top stove). Luckily the stove has temperature regulation so the burner will cycle on and off with nothing on it even if you set it on high (although this mean there isn’t any visible glow from it most of the time). I’ve done this too. I was kinda freaked out in the morning when I realized it. -D/a [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-left-something-on-for-a-very-long-time-that-shouldnt-have-been/637542.md?page=2)