this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023
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[–] [email protected] 121 points 10 months ago (7 children)

If you find yourself making a male-to-male adapter stop. Question all the steps that lead you there. Probably find another way.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 10 months ago

You sound like my religious product development manager.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Stares at my network cable with disdain

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Used to do property preservation (cleaning out foreclosed homes), and would use a male-male to get power from the generator around the house. I've never felt so much fear as when hooking those things up. I was as safe with it as possible, which is, obviously, not safe enough. But my dad now knows that's possible, and I've caught him trying to do similar since, and it scares the shit out of me, because he's the type that thinks some duct tape around a frayed extension cord is good enough.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 10 months ago

That works great until you accidentally connect one side of the split-phase service with the other side... Your male-to-male cable becomes a short across 240vac.

Also: if you don't turn the main breaker off first, you are now back-feeding power into lines the local linemen expect to be dead, potentially electrocuting them... This is why specific receptacles connected with a generator interlock kit (breaker that can only be turned on while the main is off) are used.

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[–] [email protected] 89 points 10 months ago (15 children)

Check that the electrical power is off with a meter. Don't trust that you shut the switch. Some really creative wiring or frayed wires can cause them to be unexpectedly live.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 10 months ago (4 children)

I heard a story of a guy working on a high voltage, high current piece of equipment. He confirmed that the power was off. Just to be sure, he threw a big wrench at the terminals so they would short if they were still live. His wrench evaporated. Then they actually turned the power off. He lost his wrench, but saved his life.

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[–] [email protected] 71 points 10 months ago (2 children)

If you're cleaning, don't mix bleach and vinegar. It produces chlorine gas which can kill you.

[–] [email protected] 59 points 10 months ago (7 children)

Or bleach and ammonia. That makes mustard gas.

Or bleach and anything. If you're mixing chemicals to clean you're doing it wrong.

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[–] [email protected] 63 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Learn CPR for infants and small kids. It's usually a different or additional class to standard adult and kid CPR that I think goes down to 2 year olds. You don't want that memory.

Always wait a second before going if you're in the front after light turns green. See too many fucking murderous psychos trying to save 20 seconds by roaring through fully red lights that they missed when it turned from yellow.

Add a water filter with pump to your survival kit. Costs like $20 bucks and means you could drink out of a damn stream in a disaster if mains burst, etc. given the state of poor emergency response and planning that has been on display in the US since Katrina and continues through COVID, NO ONE is planning or going to save you. Water is as important as it gets.

Insulated foil bags/blankets for your car. If you get suck and have to sleep overnight, if you run out of gas they might mean the difference between keeping toes, legs, fingers or your life. They're like $5 and smaller than a deck of cards and weigh almost nighting.

Always have a hatchet in your trunk. It's a hammer, a cutting tool, weapon, and 500 other things I learned reading The Hatchet as a kid.

Know how to find north, and read a map.

Go for your free annual checkups, especially if you're healthy--keep yourself that way!

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (3 children)

I would add in addition to waiting a second after the light turns green, look both ways while you're waiting. Takes almost no time, but saves lives.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago

Please repeat that to the guy who ignored a stop sign and hit me in a zebra crossing last week.

Thankfully for me, I was paying attention. I managed to hop on the hood and roll through the impact.

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[–] [email protected] 62 points 10 months ago

If you party around people who do hard drugs (festivals, shows, etc), get a narcan inhaler and know how to administer it. It's very simple, and there are orgs that will give you one for free. Fent is way too common, and there's other bad shit out there. You could save a life.

[–] [email protected] 60 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (11 children)

Use jack stands for your car. If your body will be under the car for even a second, there should be jack stands. There were five different people at my high school who were in a wheel chair because they thought the jack was enough.

I don't care if your jack costs $100,000 made of pure titanium; do not trust it.

[–] [email protected] 60 points 10 months ago (2 children)

That had to be a HUGE wheelchair

[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago
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[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Similar to this, once you have a vehicle on jack stands, shake it lightly to make sure it doesn't fall easily. Better to find out now by shaking the car before being under it.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Related pro tip, if you're changing a flat tire and don't have any jack stands, place the spare/damaged wheel under the car while you're working on it. Better to have the car fall on the wheel then potentially your leg

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 10 months ago (15 children)

Don't carry a gun unless you put the work into the learning curve. And it's a steep curve.

Make safety an unbreakable habit, and that takes practice. Shoot with someone more experienced, let them correct your mistakes, no matter how minor.

Putting steel on target, especially under stress, takes mad practice. If you haven't put 1,000 rounds through your personal weapon, leave it at home. How do you trust a gun you haven't shot 1,000 times?! Hell, 200 rounds is standard "break in" on a new pistol.

Can you draw it and get on target, shaking yourself shitless? Because if that day comes, you'll be scared shitless. Have you tried? Try. Run until you can't breathe, draw and fire. Try. Now do it again.

You don't have to go nuts memorizing ballistics charts, but have an idea what you can expect from $round at $range. You're going to have to watch a fuck-ton of videos, and practice, to get a real-world idea of what you're carrying and what you can do with it. Adjust accordingly.

Most people are woefully ignorant of what their state law allows in self-defense. Seen the craziest comments from such people. Hint: The law allows far less than you probably think, even in the reddest of states. Again, fuck ton of videos. Learn, or you might find yourself in a concrete and steel cage.

One more thought; A pistol is not a magical self-defense talisman. A gun is not a, "Get off me!" or "Leave me alone!", ward. A concealed gun is for one thing only, killing the person you show it to. If you cannot do that thing, I get you, and I'm with you, but don't carry.

Much the same goes for a home defense gun. Learn and train. Or do not. You're my friend either way.

(I'll plug Paul Harrell's channel. Zero politics, just the facts, stated and demonstrated, mildly amusing. Hundreds of videos on gun related subjects. And some fun presentations outside the gun world!)

[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Why all the exceptions? Just don´t carry a gun.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 10 months ago (2 children)

There is definitely a time and place for firearms, though most folks in the developed world have neither reason nor knowledge to do that.

My cousins for instance - they've a farm in southern Sweden, and have hunting rifles. Mostly for hunting, protecting cattle and crops (wild boar can tear up a field in a jiffy). However, I don't doubt they'd use them for protection if it came to that. The travel time for cops if they called 112 (our 911) would be in excess of an hour.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago

That's the same issues with pickup trucks and SUVs. There are people who really need them. But most people who own them never, ever actually use the features that make them special.

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[–] [email protected] 47 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (10 children)
  • Never ever stand next to a loaded chain or a rope when something is being towed or dragged. - If, and eventually when, that thing snaps it will cut you clean in half or cause a very painful injury;
  • When messing with wires that might be powered never use both of your hands. - If you get shocked you reduce chances of serious injury significantly;
  • Never wear gloves and too long sleeves when working with rotary tools. - If a tool catches your apparel it will pull the rest of the hand into it;
  • Don't enter steel containers that only have top hatch (like boat anchor chambers and similar). - Process of rusting is consuming oxygen. Entering such room which has no ventilation is deadly. There's no time to even notice something is wrong and you'll just pass out and die;
  • Avoid painted parts on the road when riding anything on two wheels. - During the summer this is not a problem, but making a habit is a useful thing. The very first rain or frost will make painted parts be as slippery as ice;
  • Always assume everyone in traffic will kill you. - There are no safe assumptions. If a person has turn signal on, only certainty there is that they have turn signal on. Don't assume they are turning. Wait for them to start their action, then react. This is especially important if you are cycling or riding a motorcycle;
  • Always obey the traffic rules, even if there's no one close by. - Rules are set in place to make everyone behave in predictable manner. The fact you didn't see anyone doesn't mean there's no one around and doing something unpredictably can kill you. One stupid example is when someone lets you merge but they have right of way. Doing such a thing makes it a very dangerous situation to everyone else who have no idea what to expect.
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[–] [email protected] 47 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Before getting on a ladder double-check that the feet are placed firmly and (for extension ladders) the angle is not too steep.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 10 months ago

Generally the rungs of an extension ladder have a flat spot where you step, that flat spot should be level.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Cutting down trees of any real size is incredibly dangerous. They can kick or barber chair and instantly kill you.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Always cut away from yourself (and others).

[–] [email protected] 21 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Sometimes it's impractical. After several dangerously deep cuts at work, one of the older guys taught me a fantastic trick, whichever way you have to cut:

Tuck your elbow tight to your sides when you're cutting something that you're holding.

It limits your range of motion, preventing serious injuries when your knife slips.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 10 months ago (13 children)

If you need to put out a small kitchen fire in an emergency and have no other way to do it rip the top off a box of baking soda and use the contents to smother the fire. As the baking soda heats it releases CO2 starving the fire of oxygen, the remaining salt also prevents oxygen from reaching the burning material.

Even better, always have a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen - don't bury it under the sink or in a closet.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Fire extinguishers and baking soda, always have them in the kitchen.

Life saver on fire extinguishers: Practice. See a post like this? JUMP and run to your extinguisher. Can you find it by reflex?

Because if shit goes south, you don't have time to think about it. Just try it a few times when it occurs to you. Like NOW. A time or three will get you in the zone.

While you're at it, check the gauge on the side. Look good? OK, there's a place to pencil in the last time it was checked. Do so. I just did! Thanks OP!

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Never ever EVER walk under a forklifts raised load (the pallet it's carrying).

Things can fall from it, the hydraulics can giveway, the operator may not see you and lower it on you.

Especially an 'order picker' as the operator can not see under them.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Really apply this to almost any suspended load. Don't walk under loads that are mechanically or hydraulically suspended, there are many ways that the load can fall and crush you.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Shit advice. Every person I've seen go against a Sicilian with death on the line has ended up happily riding into the sunset.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 34 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Loosen (but do not remove) lug nuts from a wheel, before jacking up the car.

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (11 children)

House or apartment, make sure carbon monoxide detectors are installed NEAR GROUND LEVEL.

So many slumlords do not even give a fuck, and many homeowners think they are just some other kind of smoke detector.

EDIT: bus_factor has pointed out to me that this is actually a common misperception. CO actually more or less evenly dissipates in a room and does not settle near the floor.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21536403/

Im now going to think about my life choices that lead me to this moment, and more importantly:

Go out for a breath of fresh air =P

[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It doesn't help that they are sold as smoke+CO detectors.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Springs again, do not replace car shocks with a cheap spring compressor, my cheap ones bend and slipped when the springs were fully compressed. Literally like a mini explosion

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

If you have to secure something heavy to work under/beside it, secure some more.

My dad nearly lost a hand to it.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

And don't cheap out on safety devices. Don't buy Walmart jackstands (for example) when you can purchase better quality ones from a more reputable vendor. Your life isn't worth $20.

Edit: Better yet, since I mentioned them, learn yo'self: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6ufAL5R0mg

If you need info on most anything, this dude has tested it.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Computer Power Supplies (PSU)

Unless you have very specific training on opening one up, discharging it properly, and the skills to repair it safely for future use, just buy a new one when yours dies.

This is certainly a case of the phrase "voltage hurts, amps kill" to the best of my knowledge.

I received the above advice and heeded it.

My second IT job was filling the role of someone who never received this advice.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (6 children)

I replaced the spring on a garage door.

It's officially the most dangerous thing I've done. Even if the door hadn't almost crushed me it would still rank way up there.

I've worked on the Water with little LEO presence. I've carried a rifle for my queen. I've taken the crowchild to Glenmore exit in full drift in winter. I've fallen on my head, been run over, almost lost my arm, separate incidents. Swapping the spring on the garage door - in a rental no less - is still the riskiest and dumbest thing I've done.

So far.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Replacing torsion style garage door springs can be dangerous, but replacing extension springs is fairly straightforward and safe to do yourself. Extension springs are the ones that are parallel to the tracks the door slides on and should not be under any tension when the door is open.

One downside to extension springs is if/when they eventually break it’s likely to happen when the spring is under tension, and pieces can fly around the garage. To prevent this, string a length of wire cable through the center of the spring and attach it to the wall/ceiling at either end when the spring is extended. Leave a little slack in it so that it doesn’t interfere with regular operation of the door. This will prevent the pieces of the spring from shooting around the garage if it does break under tension.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If temperatures drop close to or below 0deg celsius, don't drive with summer tires. It can get stupidly slippery in some spots.

I remember approaching a bend after a bridge on winter tires this november and having absolutely no control - at a measly 10kph. Ended up bumping into the curb,

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