# Is this "Fail" photo real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411 "2017-02-09T20:47:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/21 "2017-02-09T23:33:30Z")
I see all sorts of similar things in the DC area all the time. Not exactly this, but lots and lots of situations where the original plans were interfered with by events, resulting in all sorts of doors opening into nowhere. I also looked at some of the sites that use this as something to point and laugh at (i.e. “fails”), and see also, all manner of other (again) common design problems. The single most common thing to run into, are interior walls moved in office buildings, in a manner that results in a wide variety of nonsense. It’s also common to find technically “illegal” construction these days, owing to people being generally less wealthy, and prone to hiring amateurs to do the work, resulting in even more “quirks.” ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/22 "2017-02-10T00:51:05Z")
That house actually looks familiar, but I doubt I’ve actually seen it. I was going to chime in with East Bay hills too. [Here’s another example.](https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6999696,-122.1001841,3a,75y,192.93h,77.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svk0J9PUe0BFwI-kOIIWLdw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) Most houses on the western side of that street will have garages like that. Could have been tearing down the old one and putting in a new one…though I don’t see much debris. ---
**Author:** ![ctrod22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@ctrod22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctrod22)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/23 "2017-02-10T01:26:53Z")
The owners have built a bridge: https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=%213m2%212sen%214v0%216m8%211m7%211s1hqM0K1E2_Zrmdjn-dQ9jA%212m2%211d34.105642%212d-118.2104361%213f234.64%214f7.812%215f0.375 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/24 "2017-02-10T01:44:31Z")
> [@ctrod22](#): > > The owners have built a bridge: > [Google Maps](https://goo.gl/maps/cDmVGafTR5v) Well, there ya go! Good work. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/25 "2017-02-10T02:12:27Z")
> [@ctrod22](#): > > The owners have built a bridge: > [Google Maps](https://goo.gl/maps/cDmVGafTR5v) And the neighbors went all in on the solar panels. How did you find it? ---
**Author:** ![ctrod22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@ctrod22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctrod22)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/26 "2017-02-10T02:39:06Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > And the neighbors went all in on the solar panels. How did you find it? An old reddit thread about the photo suggested the house was in the Mt. Washington area of Los Angeles and spending a little time using Google Earth I was able to find the house. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/27 "2017-02-10T07:01:22Z")
Great searching! Their fence looks OK but the city fence looks like kids can fall right through it. There is even a section missing. Man, I wonder what that driveway cost? Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/28 "2017-02-10T07:29:28Z")
BTW, these “construction errors” picture sets often seem to feature two ends of modern bridge not meeting up at the middle … thats TOTALLY FAKE. Well yesterday I drove past a modern bridge and the pieces (its composed of numerous 5 meter long pieces) were not lining up. being at all different heights… Looks surreal…even though its under construction you think "hey they are not lining up ? What ??? " They are suspended from a gantry - a framework holding them all up during construction … They will get lined up so close you won’t notice that the bridge is made of 5 metre lengths. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/29 "2017-02-10T08:07:15Z")
> [@ctrod22](#): > > The owners have built a bridge: > [Google Maps](https://goo.gl/maps/cDmVGafTR5v) Not sure i’d enjoy sleeping knowing 2 cars are parked over the top of my bedroom lol ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/30 "2017-02-10T15:25:30Z")
> [@ctrod22](#): > > The owners have built a bridge: > [Google Maps](https://goo.gl/maps/cDmVGafTR5v) The Straight Dope is amazing! And that is one funky looking house. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/31 "2017-02-10T15:50:28Z")
**ctrod22** , is a Google Fu Master. Snatch the pebble from his hand and you can become one too! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/32 "2017-02-10T16:22:17Z")
Amazing research skills, **ctrod22**! I’m also amazed that they built the house in the middle of the slope like that. It looks even less accessible [from the street below it](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1049704,-118.210499,3a,75y,330.53h,91.86t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFYzpOfGxNJGklvE4U7jveA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656). How would they have done that? ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/33 "2017-02-10T16:34:47Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > Not sure i’d enjoy sleeping knowing 2 cars are parked over the top of my bedroom lol In earthquake country no less. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/34 "2017-02-10T17:50:56Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > BTW, these “construction errors” picture sets often seem to feature two ends of modern bridge not meeting up at the middle … thats TOTALLY FAKE. We had [a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19002495) about those once, too. The most obvious tell is that you don’t build a bridge by laying the frame, concrete, asphalt and road paint every foot as you creep across the river. You’d build the entire frame first and immediately recognize your error well before you moved onto the next stage of construction. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/35 "2017-02-10T17:54:53Z")
Having seen the crazy things previous owners did to my house, I can see someone saying “hey, it’s too expensive to make a room that converts to an open-air balcony with french doors. Hey - that garage door’s on sale!” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/36 "2017-02-10T18:07:19Z")
> [@K2500](#): > > In earthquake country no less. You’ll be too busy sliding down the hill to worry about the cars overhead. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Emergency911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@Emergency911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emergency911)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/37 "2017-02-10T20:22:35Z")
+1 to ctrod22! When it comes to another comment about builders “not being that stupid”… I would disagree. Builders tend to build exactly what is on the plans. Even if it is wrong on the plans, they are covered because they followed the plans given to them. My local fire department built a new station, the plans called for a six foot wide sidewalk along one side of the building. Unfortunately, there was a typo and six turned into SIXTY foot wide. Thankfully it was caught before they started pouring concrete, but the builders had actually laid the forms to pour a sixty foot wide sidewalk. I am a member of that FD and was there when the architect stopped by and noticed it. He went a little bonkers and the construction manager kept saying, “we build what is in the plans, we don’t ask questions”. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/38 "2017-02-10T21:50:37Z")
I live in a similar house. It’s built in hilly country and there’s only a small footprint upon which to build a house, so it’s tall and skinny, 3 stories with 6 levels. The garage entrance is on the uphill side of the house – the second level down from the top of the house. The garage sits on what look like spindly legs, considering the weight of the concrete pad and two autos. If there’s ever an earthquake… My bigger concern is that when pulling into the garage if you accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake, you would shoot through the back wall of the garage and fall a good thirty feet before you hit the ground, and even then it would be on the downward slope of a hill. Talk about a wild ride… ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/39 "2017-02-10T21:58:08Z")
In addition to the weight being a concern (hopefully designed for), what about the hazard of having a gasoline spill on the top floor? No wonder they love electric vehicles in La La Land. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411/40 "2017-02-10T22:45:57Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > We had [a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19002495) about those once, too. I wanted to see what that thread was about, but when I went to it and clicked the links to show the pictures, a Google Image page briefly flashed and then it was immediately replaced with a standard Google home page. What was up with those links? I tried to examine them and they’re hundreds of characters long. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-fail-photo-real/779411.md?page=3)