The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[Moonie]

Which is the "right" and "left" side of the car. Is it as you face the car, or is it as if you were sitting in the car? Whenever I take my car to the shop, I usually say "driver's side" or "passenger side" just so I don't have the wrong tire fixed. I'd feel pretty stupid if I was wrong.

[ladyknight1]

This is a practicality trumps hurt feelings, Rebecca. You need something to make that better for you and DP to live around.

I know this was meant kindly, but what an interesting assumption. We have a solution that works, but is a little stinky when I take the bag out to change it. We're not living with a huge stench. I was replying about a stinky trashcan someone else was needing help with.

I apologize, I thought you had stated that the ostomy bags were a problem.

[perpetua]

Which is the "right" and "left" side of the car. Is it as you face the car, or is it as if you were sitting in the car? Whenever I take my car to the shop, I usually say "driver's side" or "passenger side" just so I don't have the wrong tire fixed. I'd feel pretty stupid if I was wrong.

You know - that's a good question. I don't know. It's for this reason that I will say 'nearside' or 'offside', nearside being the side nearest the kerb while driving and offside being the side nearest the middle of the road. I don't think I've ever referred to a tyre (or brake light, or anything like that) using left or right.

[Outdoor Girl]

Which is the "right" and "left" side of the car. Is it as you face the car, or is it as if you were sitting in the car? Whenever I take my car to the shop, I usually say "driver's side" or "passenger side" just so I don't have the wrong tire fixed. I'd feel pretty stupid if I was wrong.

This is the best way to describe it so there is no confusion.

But for me (I'm in Canada and drive on the same side of the road as Americans), I would refer to the sides of the car as I'm sitting in the driver's seat.  So driver's side would be left and passenger side would be right.

[cwm]

Which is the "right" and "left" side of the car. Is it as you face the car, or is it as if you were sitting in the car? Whenever I take my car to the shop, I usually say "driver's side" or "passenger side" just so I don't have the wrong tire fixed. I'd feel pretty stupid if I was wrong.

My dad built cars for years, so he explained it to me. It's as you're sitting in the car, so the driver's side front tire and the left front tire are the same thing. I've been taught to call all the doors, in clockwise order, the passenger door, right rear door, back hatch, left rear door, driver's door.

[Virg]

Moonie wrote:

"Which is the "right" and "left" side of the car. Is it as you face the car, or is it as if you were sitting in the car?"

I've never seen any usage of left and right for a car other than left and right as one is seated in the vehicle.

Virg

[Moonie]

Thanks all for the info. Virg, I usually want to use the terms when specifically referring to tires. I have a slow leak in one of my tires, so when I go in to have it fixed I know now that it is the right front tire....or the front passenger side tire. I always had a problem knowing which was left and right because the guy at the shop would ask which tire it was....so I resorted to "passenger side" and "driver's side."

[cwm]

Okay, so there's a situation behind this one.

I have a cheap digital camera. Nothing fancy. Have had it for years, and it's great for upcoming trips where I don't want to take my $800 camera. I left it in a box and the batteries exploded. There's a bit of that white-ish crusty stuff on the swing-arm of the battery compartment, but not too much, and it doesn't look like there's any within the battery compartment itself. Is there a way to salvage this so it still works? Or should I just write it off and look for another cheap one?

[squeakers]

Okay, so there's a situation behind this one.

I have a cheap digital camera. Nothing fancy. Have had it for years, and it's great for upcoming trips where I don't want to take my $800 camera. I left it in a box and the batteries exploded. There's a bit of that white-ish crusty stuff on the swing-arm of the battery compartment, but not too much, and it doesn't look like there's any within the battery compartment itself. Is there a way to salvage this so it still works? Or should I just write it off and look for another cheap one?

I would try scrubbing it (the battery acid) off with a damp paste of baking soda and water.  Once the acid residue is gone I would put in new batteries and give the camera a try.

This site says to use lemon juice or vinegar on a cotton swab first: http://cleaning.lovetoknow.com/Clean_Alkaline_Battery_Corrosion

[Liliane]

Go for another cheap one. Even if it's not in the compartment itself, exploded battery is never good news.

If you do try to clean it up, be VERY careful. I've gotten bad chemical burns on my hands from trying to clean up exploded battery.

[cwm]

Go for another cheap one. Even if it's not in the compartment itself, exploded battery is never good news.

If you do try to clean it up, be VERY careful. I've gotten bad chemical burns on my hands from trying to clean up exploded battery.

You know, it's weird. I've had absolutely bizarre reactions to who knows what (sometimes I have reactions with some cleaning products, but two days later I'll use the same product with no reaction) and my skin will get really red and swollen, but I've dealt with old crusty split batteries for years and have never had a problem. My dad would constantly leave things around and/or lose them and months or years later, we'd come along electronics with the telltale crust of split batteries. We always tried to clean them, but mom and dad never let me try. Mostly because at the time I was so clumsy that I'd do more damage with liquid + electronics, but I used to take the electronics to the trash and get off what I could with my bare hands of the crusties.

I promise I'll be careful cleaning it, but there's really not a whole lot of crust left at all. Will report back after I've moved into new place, located crusty camera, and attempted de-crustification.

[hobish]

Why are cars such boring colors?

White, black, gray, silver, tan/beige are the most common--all colors that are easily spotted at night and in the rain or fog. ( Not)
Red, of course and the very occasional green or blue (my car is that dark blue that you see).

BORING!  Where are the pastels?  The pinks?  Orange? Beautiful leafy green?  Deep rich brown? Robins egg blue?

That is something i have been noticing recently, too. Even the reds are toned down earthy reds, and the blues are muted dark blues. (Now i've got to read the rest of the thread to see if anyone kows...)

[Ereine]

Why are cars such boring colors?

White, black, gray, silver, tan/beige are the most common--all colors that are easily spotted at night and in the rain or fog. ( Not)
Red, of course and the very occasional green or blue (my car is that dark blue that you see).

BORING!  Where are the pastels?  The pinks?  Orange? Beautiful leafy green?  Deep rich brown? Robins egg blue?

That is something i have been noticing recently, too. Even the reds are toned down earthy reds, and the blues are muted dark blues. (Now i've got to read the rest of the thread to see if anyone kows...)

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/07/23/boring-car-buyers-mostly-still-pick-black-white-or-silver-paint/

I guess that the answer is that there's more demand for them. I've been doing ads for used car dealers lately at work and it's rare that there's even been a red car, they're mostly white or black (though they tend to sell cars that cost something like 20000 even used so I guess the original buyers had reason to be conservative with colour). That reminds me of my stupid question: what is a car with four doors like? It usually seems to be five. I don't drive and I don't think that I've ever even talked to a car dealer before so covering for my collegue has been interesting.

[blue2000]

Go for another cheap one. Even if it's not in the compartment itself, exploded battery is never good news.

If you do try to clean it up, be VERY careful. I've gotten bad chemical burns on my hands from trying to clean up exploded battery.

You know, it's weird. I've had absolutely bizarre reactions to who knows what (sometimes I have reactions with some cleaning products, but two days later I'll use the same product with no reaction) and my skin will get really red and swollen, but I've dealt with old crusty split batteries for years and have never had a problem. My dad would constantly leave things around and/or lose them and months or years later, we'd come along electronics with the telltale crust of split batteries. We always tried to clean them, but mom and dad never let me try. Mostly because at the time I was so clumsy that I'd do more damage with liquid + electronics, but I used to take the electronics to the trash and get off what I could with my bare hands of the crusties.

I promise I'll be careful cleaning it, but there's really not a whole lot of crust left at all. Will report back after I've moved into new place, located crusty camera, and attempted de-crustification.

This sounds similar to my experience. I get terrible allergic reactions to some things. They burn my skin badly. But I got battery acid on my skin at one point and it didn't hurt nearly as much, nor did it leave a mark after I washed it off.

Maybe your hands (and mine) are so used to chemical burns that small amounts of acid don't have a big effect anymore.

[blue2000]

Ok, this is something that is annoying the heck out of me lately...

I want some new sheets. I can't afford to buy expensive ones. But the cheap sheets that I have found stink horribly of chemicals. I know from working in retail that this is because they come from overseas and the boxes get sprayed with bug killers, etc. during shipping.

Slight problem - I can't wash the stink out. I'm pretty limited in my detergent choices, since I have allergies. But I've tried soaking them in vinegar which will get out most smells and this doesn't even budge. Anyone got any ideas?