# Really, head scratchingly, stupid things that people do. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 23, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430 "2008-12-23T12:34:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/21 "2008-12-24T15:53:14Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > People who drive ten miles to a health club to exercise. Why not walk the ten miles and save the fees? Because I have two young children, and it’s a lot easier to get a good workout if they’re in the child care room. They can’t walk 10 miles at the speed I would want to go (which is why my 2-mile morning walk is taken without them). ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/22 "2008-12-24T15:58:50Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > People who drive ten miles to a health club to exercise. Why not walk the ten miles and save the fees? That is exceptionally naive, bordering on ridiculous, for a barrelful of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/23 "2008-12-24T19:04:02Z")
“Never stuff a live lobster into your underpants. A simple maxim, you may think, but…” So began a news item in the Fortean Times several years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/24 "2008-12-24T19:26:13Z")
I recall reading about a fellow who, lacking a hedge trimmer, held his lawnmower up by it’s housing to trim his hedge. Fingers wrapped around the edge, relying on the gap between the blades and the inside of the housing to protect him. It worked real well too - until his hand slipped, and his fingers went flying. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/25 "2008-12-24T19:38:25Z")
…jump into car, clog highways, and rush to supermarkets (to buy bread and milk). also, rush to HD and buy snowblower. I don’t get it-the roads here are usually plowed and cleared with 24 hours of snow-do you think a famine is about to set in? I’m always amused at the idiots who get stuck-stay home, and wait for the plow!:mad: ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/26 "2008-12-24T20:05:50Z")
I’ve worked at both JCPenney’s and Macy’s, where cash registers are spread throughout the store as opposed to having them all up front. I’ve seen walk back and forth between all the registers, both upstairs and downstairs, trying to find one without a line. Wouldn’t it just be easier to just stand there for a while? And for “Really stupid things” in the news: [Man tries to melt ice on porch with a blowtorch: Results Not Surprising](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081223/ap_on_fe_st/odd_blowtorch_fire;_ylt=An6QXVy2jkFagwF3THCouX7tiBIF) ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/27 "2008-12-24T20:22:49Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > That is exceptionally naive, bordering on ridiculous, for a barrelful of reasons. Why? I don’t go to a gym, I walk at least an hour each day, usually in the evenings. Keeps me in good trim, costs nothing, and I don’t have to queue to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/28 "2008-12-24T20:48:14Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > Why? I don’t go to a gym, I walk at least an hour each day, usually in the evenings. Keeps me in good trim, costs nothing, and I don’t have to queue to do it. Like others have said: high crime neighborhood, different types of exercise, bad weather, and daycare. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4491bb/32.png) [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Have_Hippos_In_My_Garden)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/29 "2008-12-24T20:55:05Z")
> [@](#): > > People who drive ten miles to a health club to exercise. Why not walk the ten miles and save the fees? I live a 5minute walk away from my gym. I drive and park as close to the door as possible because: 1. I have a lot of stuff with me-trainers, running gear, shower stuff, swimming stuff, a litre bottle of water 2. Its normally raining and dont like to exercise in the rain and cold. 3. After running 20km and using the xtrainer and bike, and then swimming I am so tired I can just about make it out of the door. 4. I quite often come from somewhere else before the gym or need to go somewhere after the gym 5. I dont like walking to or back in the dark and cold. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/30 "2008-12-24T22:15:31Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > Why? I don’t go to a gym, I walk at least an hour each day, usually in the evenings. Keeps me in good trim, costs nothing, and I don’t have to queue to do it. Walking is about the only exercise I’ll do regularly; I’m on the same page as you. Others for whatever reasons want to make it more complicated, and I’ll leave them to it. **Der Trihs** , your post made my face do this for quite awhile - :eek: ---
**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:** [December 24, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/31 "2008-12-24T22:35:32Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > [ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photocu3.jpg) > > I just took that a few minutes ago while out **having a smoke.** The guy was using two paint tins earlier. > > Every minute or so he has to use his hand to stop himself losing balance. > > Moron. Bolded for irony, considering the OP. I am guilty of the same stupid behavior, however. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/32 "2008-12-24T23:11:01Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > ..jump into car, clog highways, and rush to supermarkets (to buy bread and milk). also, rush to HD and buy snowblower. > I don’t get it-the roads here are usually plowed and cleared with 24 hours of snow-do you think a famine is about to set in? > I’m always amused at the idiots who get stuck-stay home, and wait for the plow!:mad: Hurricanes have a tendency to hit the same region in the US year after year. So year after year we see the same news stories about people buying a generator, plywood for the windows, etc., within hours of the storm making landfall. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/33 "2008-12-24T23:20:35Z")
[Getting engaged to Drew Peterson comes to mind.](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-petersondec18,0,312016.story) ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/34 "2008-12-25T00:10:26Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > My dad does this on all gas pumps. He keeps filling it up until the price is a round dollar amount. He actually has a good reason for it, though—he has really complicated taxes, being a doctor with two ex-wives and a partner (one of twenty) in his practise, so every little bit to make it simpler helps. (I can’t say it’s all justified though; he is a little obsessive about things like this.) > > Valete, > Vox Imperatoris I don’t even fill all the way up or get to a round number. I just fill till I get board and stop. It bothers people that notice. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/35 "2008-12-25T01:30:49Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > [ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photocu3.jpg) > > I just took that a few minutes ago while out having a smoke. The guy was using two paint tins earlier. > > Every minute or so he has to use his hand to stop himself losing balance. > > Moron. In a similar vein: [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/2378/2379522696_7c1a286315_b.jpg "Window washers - 2") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmrocher2001/2379522696/) I’ve posted this photo before. Eight and nine floors up, no safety equipment, no hand-holds, one-foot ledge. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/36 "2008-12-25T06:55:50Z")
vote republican ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/37 "2008-12-25T08:17:56Z")
Around here we or horrible about bleak snowstorm forecasts, 4 inches of the white stuff will send the city into panic mode. You would think that people could survive without milk, bread and eggs for 24 hours but I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/38 "2008-12-25T12:52:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Question: Why would a particular day be a cheap day to fill up your car in Sydney? Is the price of gas lower on a particular day of the week? Australian service stations have a weekly price cycle. I’m not sure of the history behind it but if you are aware of it you can save a good 10% on fuel. As an example, fuel the day before yesterday was about $0.99/litre in some places, today it was over $1.10/litre. The cycle changes around holidays as well. I think they basically jack the price up on public holidays and weekends, targeting people who don’t bother filling up until they’re about to go for their weekend drive to a holiday home or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/39 "2008-12-25T16:56:42Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > The gas-filling thing- it’s actually a bad idea to “top off” the gas after the pump shuts off. It’s shutting off because the gas has hit a level that allows a bit of expansion room at the top of the tank. If you top it off so it’s completely full of gas, it could screw things up. Yes and no. I have to tell the person pumping (no self serve gas in Oregon) to keep going after the shutoff because on my car the initial kick off point happens when there’s still room for about a gallon and a half in the tank, which is pretty considerable since it’s only a 12.5 gallon total capacity. I also fill to the top because I track mileage and that gives a more consistent reading. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430/40 "2008-12-25T17:13:43Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > People who drive ten miles to a health club to exercise. Why not walk the ten miles and save the fees? What others said, plus: the only useful exercise is the one you actually do. For a while I went to the gym at McGill, which happens to be halfway up Mount Royal. Great! you say. Except the slope was a psychological barrier to actually going and working out. (And a physical barrier, on certain icy days.) Now I go to the Concordia gym, which is actually directly connected to the metro, and _I actually go._ Last time I was there I astonished myself by treadmilling for 50 minutes before I even began my program. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-head-scratchingly-stupid-things-that-people-do/478430.md?page=3)