People with no mechanical knowledge, giving mechanical advice

Owen

I'm not a Doctor. If someone told me they'd a sore hip, I wouldn't advise them to go get a new one, I just don't know enough about it to give an opinion.

Why then do people who clearly have absolutely no mechanical know how whatsoever always give an opinion as fact when talking about car problems? Just had my mother on the phone panicking because some numpty neighbour heard her grating steering wheel (Which just needs some PTFE fluid behind the boss to stop the noise) and told her because her car is an automatic, the car has to be moving before she turns the wheels or she'll destroy the pump, and that she's probably contaminated the power steering fluid, and the whole system will have to be drained.

As far as I can tell, this only happens with cars and computers. Drive anyone else crazy?

Plug

Thats why they set up the motors tech help here.

Mr. Manager

Plug wrote: »

Thats why they set up the motors tech help here.

Me thinks his mother isn't very computer savvy and she would not be able to navigate her way to the Motor Tech Forum

Big Nasty

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'm not a Doctor.

:D:D

Owen

lol MCMLXXV, there's a faux pas if ever there was one

Yakuza

Oddly enough, I'm not a Japanese crime syndicate.

Certain relations of mine are prone to making similar pronouncements, I know well enough to take the car to my local mechanic (whom I've dealt with for years) if anything goes wrong.

Anan1

I don't think the problem is as much with the people giving advice as with the ones accepting it without engaging any of their critical faculties. Qualified mechanics are quite capable of spouting complete sh1te too, if they think it might be believed.

Big Nasty

Yakuza wrote: »

Oddly enough, I'm not a Japanese crime syndicate.

Yeah, right!

Do I look like I was born in 1975, oh wait!

Sorry for the derail Doc, this sort of thing happens all the time, even on boards.ie! :eek:

listermint

Anan1 wrote: »

I don't think the problem is as much with the people giving advice as with the ones accepting it without engaging any of their critical faculties. Qualified mechanics are quite capable of spouting complete sh1te too, if they think it might be believed.

Amen.

opinion guy

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'm not a Doctor. If someone told me they'd a sore hip, I wouldn't advise them to go get a new one, I just don't know enough about it to give an opinion.

....

....



As far as I can tell, this only happens with cars and computers. Drive anyone else crazy?

Oddly enough this happens with hips too. Go on I dare ya - start telling people your hip is hurting you. Won't be long before random people will start telling you you need a new one

Hanley

Happens all the time in the fitness forum too. Dude's who aren't in anything that even resembles good shape read a few articles about how athletes, actors or whatever got to where they were and start trying to give advice. Melter, tbh.

whippet

Hanley wrote: »

Happens all the time in the fitness forum too. Dude's who aren't in anything that even resembles good shape read a few articles about how athletes, actors or whatever got to where they were and start trying to give advice. Melter, tbh.

it happens in all walks of life!!

how many times has someone in your office / place of work who has no idea what you actually do tell you a better way of doing it.

My wife has never used a lawnmower in her life .. but yet can tell me the best way to get the edges done, she never painted a wall in her life but yet she can criticize any bit of painting I have done, she never takes the dog for a walk but will tell me which route he prefers, she has never made a stew but can tell me everything that mine is missing

She has never kicked a football in her life yet she still keeps telling me that Liverpool are muck .... hold on ... maybe ..

johndaman66

whippet wrote: »

it happens in all walks of life!!

Have to agree with that. The amount of blaggers going is something sureal. Worst thing about it is that they are often so bloody convinced themselves that they would almost convince you, even if you know they are cleary incorrect.

Big Nasty

To be honest, the internet is to blame a lot of the time. You have a problem needs solving, be it mechanical, electrical, medical, computeral , etc. You spend two hours looking for a diagnosis and get 50 different opinions. That's why I stay away from the internet!

Oh, wait, again!!! :eek: