DAOTD / DumbAssOfTheDay Thread

[motrrrpsycho]

Not sure if we already have something like this or if this will catch on, but seemed like a potentially entertaining, ongoing topic

Suggested purpose:

* let others learn with you from your mistakes
* let others laugh with AND at you
* try to keep it light - a bit of frustration, sure - but not all whining or ranting
* Make fun of your own dumbass-ery (i.e. don't post about someone else being the DAOTD)

[motrrrpsycho]

DAOTD=me today, with a rear brake pad change FAIL.

Lessons learned

* In the brake pad DIY when it says you need a "special tool" to compress the rear caliper pistons - you do. $6 version from Harbor Freight = FAIL. I got the one from Autozone and it works great. I'm guessing the metalnerd one works well too.

* Just coz brake pads fit in to place does not mean they are automatically facing the right way

* Brake pads work best when the pad material is facing the rotor

* Don't finish your brake pad change in the dark after the kids go to bed - get up early so you can see WTF you are doing

* If you hear a constant grinding noise after a brake pad change you did in the dark, in your driveway, you might be a redneck and/or a dumbass

Doh!! Live and learn... Not too much damage, just ground a bit of a groove in to one side of one rear rotor

[xbr80bx]

for telling on yourself.

[Saabstory02]

* Brake pads work best when the pad material is facing the rotor

[Mr_Peach]

....well, that would explain the grinding sound....

Violation of the new rule:
I was there when Nebby did this at a track day outside of Vegas. He drove the length of the paddock just to 'set' the pads and check things, but it made a horrific sound instead.

He left the car where it was. QBNR32 did the 'emergency pit procedure', trotting all of the stuff the 100 yards to make it happen. 10 minutes later, we were all on the track.

As I type, I realize this is one reason why I don't want to change pads for track days.

[MoWsE]

My DAOTD story:

Other night, had pulled off of a freeway onramp onto a road that I normally take to go home. Dumbass must have been flying, cuz he was further back when I pulled out, then all the sudden he's up on my ass, so close that I couldn't even see his headlights in my rearview. So thinking maybe he was just a little to close and wasn't thinking, I gave him a nice little brake tap but he didn't take the hint. I got a little more aggravated, so I gave him a little bit of a harder brake check...he still didn't get it... So being the nice guy I am, 3rd times the charm I put both feet on the brakes and basically stood on them, then gave it some gas... This DAOTD had to slam on his brakes as well, unfortunately for him the guy behind him didn't do that same... As I'm gasing away, I hear that familiar crunch of someone rear ending another person

And that my fellow b.:Rethren is definitely a DAOTD...

[Slave IV]

Great thread idea!

I'm all for laughing at myself about the stupid things I do and I think that is a must if you are going to laugh at anyone else, IMO. Hopefully, this can eventually turn into a thread about how not to be a dumbass if we can learn from each other's and our own mistakes but history has shown that the human race is pretty bad at that so we'll see. lol.

I haven't had a DAOTD moment today (that I know of) but in the past, I've broken off tabs on my extra front grille when taking it apart because I was too impatient to do it slowly and apply more heat like others have suggested. Also, I used some kinda plastiweld to fill the holes (as someone here did suggest) and I'm not sure what happened but it doesn't work well at all. Difficult to sand down (they suggested that it was easier to sand) and it seems to be causing some minor bubbling on my finish. Maybe I just used the wrong kind of "plastidip" but I'm just going to use proper bondo next time.

MoWsE..wow...that guy was a DA for sure but just warning you that brake checking is illegal and I think the best way to handle anytime a car comes up behind you too fast is to move out of the way. There are also laws that say "Slower Traffic Keep Right" or "Slower Traffic Use Turnouts" so in general, if someone is on your ass, that makes you "Slower Traffic" so you should just get out of the way or speed up. I understand this was a little different situation but if you were able to just pull over instead of causing that guy to get into an accident, it probably would have been better....especially when the guy who rear ended that DA is probably going to get the blame and your DA is going to get off thinking he was in the right the whole time.

[MoWsE]

MoWsE..wow...that guy was a DA for sure but just warning you that brake checking is illegal and I think the best way to handle anytime a car comes up behind you too fast is to move out of the way. There are also laws that say "Slower Traffic Keep Right" or "Slower Traffic Use Turnouts" so in general, if someone is on your ass, that makes you "Slower Traffic" so you should just get out of the way or speed up. I understand this was a little different situation but if you were able to just pull over instead of causing that guy to get into an accident, it probably would have been better....especially when the guy who rear ended that DA is probably going to get the blame and your DA is going to get off thinking he was in the right the whole time.

I agree, not the best thing I could have done. But considering I was already in the right hand lane (plus it was only a 2 lane road) up until the turn lane opened up, didn't really have a choice of getting out of the way. Plus, slower traffic wouldn't be someone who is already doing the speed limit. Well ok it would to an extent, on a freeway, but on public streets it's kinda a no brainer. He was getting up on my ass on purpose because I got in the way of his wanting to speed.

I did look back after I turned the corner and noticed that it wasn't a bad hit or anything like that, so I will admit I do feel better there. I would have felt bad if it had been a worse hit.

[10Ten]

I agree, not the best thing I could have done. But considering I was already in the right hand lane (plus it was only a 2 lane road) up until the turn lane opened up, didn't really have a choice of getting out of the way. Plus, slower traffic wouldn't be someone who is already doing the speed limit. Well ok it would to an extent, on a freeway, but on public streets it's kinda a no brainer. He was getting up on my ass on purpose because I got in the way of his wanting to speed.

I did look back after I turned the corner and noticed that it wasn't a bad hit or anything like that, so I will admit I do feel better there. I would have felt bad if it had been a worse hit.

now that i own things and appear to someone somewhere to have some responsibilities, i would never do this any longer. but, man, am i glad you did. sorry if that makes me a d1kchead.

[thedevilsequal]

mowse's story is like an old one of mine. Driving on a back road doing the speed limit and car comes up behind me and the headlights disappear below my rear window. And he stays there for what felt like an eternity(probably 30 seconds), so i decided to brake check the **** out of em. The instant my foot hit the brake pedal i saw the light bar ontop of his patrol car. He back off and lit me up and pulled me over. After he gave me a little rant about brake checking him, i apologized that I saw a dear and tapped the brakes. (Live in jersey they are everywhere) He gave me that look of I want to write you a ticket but if I do this kid will fight it in court and I'll look stupid. So got away clean which was nice.

Daotd, I've had my R for a month is the excuse, the moment is trying to turn the channel on sirius via the steering wheel while in the gas, mpg setting on the MFD and getting really pissed off as to why it's not working.

[jademara]

mowse's story is like an old one of mine. Driving on a back road doing the speed limit and car comes up behind me and the headlights disappear below my rear window. And he stays there for what felt like an eternity(probably 30 seconds), so i decided to brake check the **** out of em. The instant my foot hit the brake pedal i saw the light bar ontop of his patrol car. He back off and lit me up and pulled me over. After he gave me a little rant about brake checking him, i apologized that I saw a dear and tapped the brakes. (Live in jersey they are everywhere) He gave me that look of I want to write you a ticket but if I do this kid will fight it in court and I'll look stupid. So got away clean which was nice.

Daotd, I've had my R for a month is the excuse, the moment is trying to turn the channel on sirius via the steering wheel while in the gas, mpg setting on the MFD and getting really pissed off as to why it's not working.

Nice work totally had one of those moments with the wheel controls when I first got mind lmao

[motrrrpsycho]

Good stuff, guys - thanks for sharing your dumbass moments!! We all have them, why not share, laugh and learn

Saab - DOH!! classic Homer, epitomizing the essence of dumbassedness + fine choice of graphic reference

I'm all for laughing at myself about the stupid things I do and I think that is a must if you are going to laugh at anyone else, IMO. Hopefully, this can eventually turn into a thread about how not to be a dumbass

yes, let us share cultural learnings of dumbasserry for make benefit of glorious nation MKV-R-istan

Peach - violation? meh - this is just for fun - no rules - was just trying to convey my idea for a thread theme. Cool story, thanks for sharing Good to know it can happen to the best of us, and I agree with you on the notion of not doing stuff trackside - thus my changing pads (trying yellowstuffs based on others inputs here as a potentially good "all purpose" (street + track) pad - not fully broke in yet, but so far so good )

[diablo-r]

I have a fun one that didn't result in me causing an accident.

Pulling up to a left turn onto the highway, I notice a MKVI Golf pull behind me. (Its dark so I just see the led laden headlights .. which are terrible BTW). I know its not an R, because they don't have them.

Pull onto the entrance ramp pretty gently only to notice this moron wants to get all over my rear bumper... so I kindly paddle shift back to 2nd and leave him promptly in his tracks all the way up to about 70. As I enter the highway, I need to merge over a couple of lanes to get where I won't deal with exits and entrances. I settle in next to a big rig to my left, and an SUV just in front and right of me by about 30 feet.

Then I see something that still amazes me...

Out of the right corner, I see a flash of white (which is Mr Moron), cutting in front of me at about 90-100 MPH and crossing about 3-4 lanes while missing me by less than a foot. He also almost hits the big rig that I was pacing, so he locks up his brakes.

I immediately saw red and pounded the accelerator to see who would be such an ass. I caught up to him pretty quick and easily overtook him after some nifty professional-grade lane changes around the traffic. Once I was in front I eased him over a couple of lanes by alternating some braking and accelerations until we were far enough away from traffic to take a close look at him in the rear view.

He is some douche with a backwards hat and glasses... and he's driving a quite-stock TDI. Just for fun I tossed a small handful of change out the driver window just to let him know how much I cared for his driving.

True DAOTD... and if I see that POS again I will ask for a return of my change.

[motrrrpsycho]

.............ummmmmm, O..K.. then.... Maybe we need a roadrage thread?

This was intended as sharing something YOU did (by 'you', I mean whoever posts a new DAOTD story to this thread). That was the idea anyway.