# Things you learned the hard way **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 3, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922 "2020-04-03T00:05:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/121 "2020-04-10T22:53:33Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I’m pretty sure they said it can cut deep and cause good injury. What they said was false, was that it can slice you into two pieces. I consider getting an instant amputated leg due to a breaking cable to be the same as being cut into two pieces. Does that counts for you? No, I guess you are correct, he was not sliced in half, a slice is much, much neater than what happened to him. No, the doctors were unable to reattach the leg, partly due to the jagged ends, the missing flesh & the shattered bones. The grease, dirt, & wood chips did not help either. Yet, he was lucky, if it had caught him at neck height, well…it would have been much uglier. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/122 "2020-04-11T20:14:32Z")
More lessons: Interchangeable parts won’t and Murphy was an optimist. Men, do not argue with women. “R” on an automatic transmission does not mean “Race”. Guitar strings don’t like over-tightening. Do not try to out-elbow a Chinese grandmother in a shop. One can be ticketed for reckless bicycling. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/123 "2020-04-12T01:37:25Z")
It is never a good idea to co-sign a loan for anyone, friend or family. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/124 "2020-04-12T14:03:07Z")
If the Wife/Girlfriend says “Do what ever you want”. She doesn’t really mean it. Particularly if motorcycles are involved. ---
**Author:** ![MrLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@MrLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrLee)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/125 "2020-04-12T16:18:38Z")
If you think a girl is flirting with you, step back, pause, objectively appraise your situation. Think with your head. Always over-estimate costs and under-estimate income. Look people in the eye. Only use edgy humour when you’re 100% sure it will be well-received. Don’t drink more than everyone else. Have your car serviced regularly. Make sure there is toilet paper before you begin business. Establish boundaries with toxic people immediately. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/126 "2020-04-12T17:40:15Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Technically rabbits aren’t rodents they’re their own group called lagomorphs (rabbits, hares and pikas). How about pookas? ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/127 "2020-04-13T06:04:49Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > One can be ticketed for reckless bicycling. A corporal in my reserve unit was ticketed by the MPs for speeding on his bicycle. Not really learned the hard way, but just this week after decades of instances when it would have been useful: You can slip a box wrench over the handle of most screwdrivers to get extra leverage on a tight screw. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/128 "2020-04-13T06:16:30Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > A corporal in my reserve unit was ticketed by the MPs for speeding on his bicycle. MrsRico’s father and I were both bicycle couriers in San Francisco in far different decades. I was ticketed for reckless biking - I earned it, wheeling against motor traffic on the financial district’s main drag. That was before the mass bike streaks. Fun! Other hard-earned lesson: Do not anger crows. They seek revenge. Ick. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/129 "2020-04-13T07:35:32Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > Much worse than that - was in company with another frigate that was trying to resupply at sea - steering gear failed and they had to do an emergency breakaway to prevent collision, the tension on the cable between the frigate and the supply vessel was so great that the cable slip just locked solid, result was that something had to give - the cable snapped like it was a piece of elastic which whipped back - it came back at incredibly high speed - even made a whip crack noise - the strands were as good as knife blades at that speed, killed one deck master and seriously injured a few others. > > Seems to me that Myth Buster know absolutely jack about cable and rope snapping - having observed the outcome of the real thing - its messy but fortunately very very fast. There was an accident last year with a cable for a cable car, described as being the thickness of a tennis ball ([article](https://www.schweizer-illustrierte.ch/people/klartext/das-seil-drama-am-titlis) in German), which killed one person and injured 6 others (shorter [article](https://worldradio.ch/news/2019/06/06/snapped-titlis-cable-kills-worker-and-injures-6/) in English). Terrifying that something that is done regularly (shortening the cable on a cable car due to stretch) can go so wrong. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/130 "2020-04-13T12:11:39Z")
If you are offered a promotion with added responsibilities but no raise - start looking for a new job. Don’t tell a kid he can do anything with his life he wants. He’ll think you mean “without working for it.” When you have a sheet of plywood cut at a lumber yard, don’t take their word for it that all the angles are 90 degrees. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/131 "2020-04-13T13:40:19Z")
> [@MrLee](#): > > Look people in the eye. ??? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/132 "2020-04-13T14:14:32Z")
One of the posts on the death of John Conway noted that he co-invented the pencil-and-paper game [Sprouts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprouts_(game)) with Michael Patterson, who I knew. Learned the hard way: Don’t a play a game you barely know with the inventor of it. There’s losing and then there’s embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/133 "2020-04-13T20:54:35Z")
When somebody who knows, tells you you better get it in writing, you better get it in writing. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/134 "2020-04-13T22:09:42Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Guitar strings don’t like over-tightening. Try mandolin strings sometime. Hint: protective eyewear encouraged. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/135 "2020-04-14T03:42:17Z")
> [@MrLee](#): > > If you think a girl is flirting with you, step back, pause, objectively appraise your situation. Think with your head. I suspect that should be “Think with your big head and not the other one.” 😉 Ladies, the same goes for boys, men, and other women flirting with us. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/136 "2020-04-14T03:50:17Z")
double post ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/137 "2020-04-14T07:41:52Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > ??? Yeah, that surprised me, too. Even animals don’t seem to like it. I might do it when defending my position in serious circumstances (authorities, bullies, etc.) Otherwise, I think it comes across as rude and aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/138 "2020-04-14T08:44:47Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I was strolling through the woods once and as I passed a hollow tree stump I peeked down inside. There sat a cute looking little bunny. I reached down and picked it up by the ears. It literally turned my forearm to hamburger with its back feet before I could let go. > > Note to self: don’t fuck with rabbits. Good. What kind of cruel azzwipe picks up a bunny by the ears? someone should pick you up by the balls. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/139 "2020-04-14T09:22:24Z")
If you’ve been cutting up chilis, it’s a good idea to wash your hands BEFORE you take a piss break. Never made that mistake again. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922/140 "2020-04-14T13:14:27Z")
If your new landlord has an electronic lease, get a hard copy ASAP, because electronic is easier to alter when selling the rental property to make it more attractive. \*Jerk changed the length of the term so when we moved out we were fined for breaking the lease early. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-learned-the-hard-way/850922.md?page=8)