Got asked a really stupid question.

[Rattrap007]

At Target last night I got asked a really stupid question. A lady comes up to me with a white extension cord and asks "Can I use this extension cord outside if it says Indoor use only?" I just stood there stunned trying to think of a response that wouldn't get me fired. I just said "I wouldn't." then we and another sales floor guy talked about if we have anymore white ones like that that are for outdoor use.

When she asked that I got flashes of the stupid customers in Clerks.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

The part that sucks is that there is no good answer you can give them.

Tell them no and they will go and do it anyway and complain that you lied to them and bitch to your managers.

Tell them that technically you can...then they use it and get their ass fried when they run it in a damp area of ground...and sue your ass

Tell them that technically you can but it is inadvisable due to the design of the cords and that the ourdoor cords are stronger and a little more water resistant, then they go to your manager and complain that you were boring them, treating them like the idiots that they are, or will stare at you like you're trying to explain quantum physics to them, then do it anyway and sue you when they zap their nuts off all the while claiming that you never gave them the warning.

Frankly I wish I could say to them "If you have to ask then you're not smart enough to be allowed anywhere NEAR electrical outlets

M

[zeoquean]

When I read that, I immediately thought of the stupid customers in the original Clerks as well! lol

[wildcatgrrl]

I had a customer who was clueless about electrical workings. He wanted to take down an old light and install a new light fixture, and asked if he should turn off the electricity first. I just stared at him before saying "I would". Later, an electrical associate I was telling this to said "well, technically you don't HAVE to, so long as the switch is off". Yeah, like I'm gonna tell that to someone.

[Sofar]

Ah yes, electricity. Lovely stuff. Seems to confuse people, though. My friend Mama Chroma works at a small call center on location at the local electric company. Here's what she has to say:

People call me on the telephone to yell at me if their electricity goes out. If there are no other reported outages in the area, I ask them to check their circuit breakers. 99 per cent of the time their electricity is out because they plugged in too many hair dryers. Then, after I’m done telling them how to reset their circuit breakers, they yell at me because their house has to have circuit breakers, which are, in their eyes, totally unnecessary and a major inconvenience. Yeah, sure. If you had no circuit breakers, then you could plug in as many hair dryers as you wanted. Ohm was just making all that stuff up about resistance.

[ExHDCashier]

I asked my dad that same question the other night...lol... i had a small section outside that I need to run a wire from the back of the awning and into my window so i could plug in the lights... my dad said it was ok as long i knew that the outlets wouldnt get wet... at least i know Im not the only dummy who asked...lol

[Gurndigarn]

I had a customer who was clueless about electrical workings. He wanted to take down an old light and install a new light fixture, and asked if he should turn off the electricity first. I just stared at him before saying "I would". Later, an electrical associate I was telling this to said "well, technically you don't HAVE to, so long as the switch is off". Yeah, like I'm gonna tell that to someone.

And the person who wired it up wired the thing properly-- IE, the hot line goes to the switch. Wire the neutral line to the switch, and it will still work... just zap you good if you touch thee wrong thing around the light. Or start a fire.

I've seen "professional", certified electricians wire stuff up incorrectly.

Granted, I've seen more unprofessional electricians do stupid things, but that just emphasizes one basic fact of electricity: DO NOT TRUST THAT THE WIRING WAS DONE RIGHT!

[pbmods]

Way back when I was in college, I had a job at the local theater. Somehow, I was the maintenance guy who only had to deal with electrical stuff.

So one day I find myself rewiring the outlets in the green room. With my supervisor.

We're all getting ready to get started, and I ask him, "Hey, shouldn't I go shut off the electricity to this circuit?"

To which he responds, "No, don't bother. Just don't touch the black wire." Or something like that.

We get to work, and after a few minutes, I touch a screw and my pinky goes crazy. "Ow! Damnit!"

My supervisor thought this was funny.

Granted, 110 is nothing once you've already had 486v coursing through your body (true story!), but it still ain't fun when you're not expecting it!

[Lehk]

best response is a simple

"it's isn't safe to use it outside, it could kill you or start a fire"

[JustaCashier]

A lady comes up to me with a white extension cord and asks "Can I use this extension cord outside if it says Indoor use only?"

"Yes, if you'd like to be considered for a Darwin Award!"

Mike

[Jester]

At Target last night I got asked a really stupid question.

This lady is a prime example of my believe that there are no stupid questions.

Only stupid people.