People are going to do a lot of dumb things

[Beeman]

With energy prices rising I see people trying a lot of things to keep driving and to stay warm. I have a good idea that many will damage their vehicles and possibly burn down their homes in attempts to save money.

[fantasymaker]

YES AND ITS GREAT!
The willing to take chances and experiment are the ones that make our country GREAT
The sheeple just take up space.

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by Wind in Her Hair

sad but true, Beeman - I just hope folks will do a little less experimentation and whole lot more educating themselves before they experiment - which is why this "Homesteading Questions", "Survival and Emergency Preparedness", and "Alternative Energy" Forum are so vital to whats going on in this country. Practical useful information and woefully uncommon common sense.

I hope so too, but it's a lot like reading the instructions before assembly. Many times it's after the fact and it's too late. It's the experience is the best teacher but the tuition is high system. Best to learn on others tuition.

[Up North]

The return to burning wood and hefting chainsaws about in the brush and downed limbs will generate much business for the Paramedics and ER.

Be careful out there folks.

[YoYoDog]

Just a couple of news articles popping up on the net:

http://www.wpxi.com/automotive/16405192/detail.html

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news...sel.Deception/

One of my favorites:

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/19/St...pect_bur.shtml

I don’t wish harm to anyone, but sometimes you wonder what were they thinking?

Dan

[paulaswolfpack]

I seen on the news today that people are drilling holes in gas tanks to steal the gas out of cars. but if they are not careful they could blow themselves up, it seems that they are hitting the cars that are higher up off the ground,
I guess they have gotten to lazy to use the old way with the hose and the mouth,Paula

[bugeye]

Originally Posted by paulaswolfpack

I seen on the news today that people are drilling holes in gas tanks to steal the gas out of cars. but if they are not careful they could blow themselves up, it seems that they are hitting the cars that are higher up off the ground,
I guess they have gotten to lazy to use the old way with the hose and the mouth,Paula

with newer cars there is a metal screen half way down the filler neck that prevents a hose from going into the tank, so the old fashioned way is outta of the question

[FL.Boy]

You can get through the screen on new cars it just takes a coat hanger and a little time.

[Old Vet]

Its still easier to punture the gas tank than to look like a dork and sipioning out the neck. Time is not spent when you are breaking the law. The mort time you are there the more the risks that someone will see you.

[Jerngen]

I had read somewhere that they are just cutting the fuel line and getting their gas that way

[Oldcountryboy]

They had a write up about this in last Sundays local newspaper. They said they are mostly targeting the newer vehicles with plastic fuel tanks to keep from blowing themselves up. I didn't even know the newer vehicles had plastic fuel tanks!

When I get to thinking about it, my ridind lawn mower has a plastic fuel tank, and so does my tiller. So I guess cars and trucks can have them too!

The paper also mentioned it cost between $300. to $400 dollars to replace the fuel tanks when someone drills a hole in them.

I remember back in the early 70's when we went through all this people were bad to still gas. Someone was making their way into my Uncles garage and stilling his gas for his tractor. He placed a gas container with sugar in it nearby the door and it got stolen. A couple of weeks later he found out that one of his neighbor had a car engine lock up. The thieving stopped after that.

[Beeman]

Stealing gas and other things will get worse as money gets a little tighter, especially if they have to work. I have no pity on thieves. The theft of copper wire and catalytic converters is rampant and of course is costing the honest people more in the course of things. My state was working on legislation to attempt to control the sale of scrap metals. States around us have laws and since we have more border states then any other state it was good business for the scrap yards in TN without the law. Now thanks to the thieves we will have more laws and expenses for the honest people, but probably not less thieves. We've had thieves get electrocuted attempting to steal copper wire from sub stations. We've also had thieves get injured while thinking they were stealing copper wire but actually cutting high pressure hydraulic hoses.



I'm talking more about many people attempting to heat their houses or run their vehicles with "alternate fuels". Also using generators and such for electricity. Someone just had a post about people dieing from CO poisoning because they ran a generator in a closed space.

[Gary in ohio]

You have been watching to many movies, GAS tanks are not going to explode just because you drill a hole in them. MOst of the "explosion" and burns people are getting from stealing gas is how they are storing them in the getaway vehicle. While you dont want to take a flame to a fuel tank drilling shouldnt generate a spark and on only in very rare cases when the fuel air mixture is just right (usually an empty tank) will it explode. Holywood has people believing anytime you touch the tank it will explode.

[HockeyFan]

Generally speaking, and I don't mean to be harsh, but people have been doing stupid things for a long, long, long time. Look what we elect? Look at what we drive? Look how we waste fuel (driving, heating our homes, cooling our homes). The list goes on.
Look at the homes people bought, on the limited incomes? How stupid can you be to take out an Adjusted Rate Mortgage, and not understand that this means that the rate is "adjusted" and that it will likely go up, not down. And if you can't afford a fixed rate (at a higher percentage) now, why do you assume that you can afford that same rate when the ARM goes up?

Nope. It wont be the first time that people do stupid things.

[edcopp]

Originally Posted by HockeyFan

Generally speaking, and I don't mean to be harsh, but people have been doing stupid things for a long, long, long time. Look what we elect? Look at what we drive? Look how we waste fuel (driving, heating our homes, cooling our homes). The list goes on.
Look at the homes people bought, on the limited incomes? How stupid can you be to take out an Adjusted Rate Mortgage, and not understand that this means that the rate is "adjusted" and that it will likely go up, not down. And if you can't afford a fixed rate (at a higher percentage) now, why do you assume that you can afford that same rate when the ARM goes up?

Nope. It wont be the first time that people do stupid things.

There's two sides to the stupid coin. The banks made a killing on this round. Now for the elections come back in six monthe and we will see another side of that stupid coin.