Has anyone notice lately that there are less and less people who know how to actually doing something physical/mechanical??? I bust a gut every time I hear my neighbors say "I don't know how to do something". AND THEIR BOTH MECHANICAL ENGINEERS!!! Neither of the two even own an extension ladder. Just curious if anyone else sees this more and more.

They're missing the garage gene. I know people who probably have never changed their own oil and wouldn't know how to change spark plugs or a head/tail light bulb,

I worked with a guy who had purchased a small, high-mileage car. I asked him how his miles per gallon was going and he asked me, "how do you figure that out?"

Its funny but they laugh at us when they ask me to text them and I say how. Jimmany crickets, It took me a while to figure out what IMO meant. Its ''in my opinion'' right?

It takes all kinds to make the world go round. We can't all be good at everything. If we could do it all, carpenters, mechanics, plumbers, electricians, and boiler makers would all be out of a job.

I still have to have my kid start the DVD player, but a few weeks ago I overhauled the transmission in his car.

It all evens out.

Actually what is worse is people who THINK they can do things or know things. I have found that if you don't get paid to do something, there is someone else who does and they know more than you do.
Point is, (talking trades)if you can't make a living at it, you aren't all that good at it.

That could be argued, but I'm not going to.

Maybe I was a little harsh by saying that.

According to another post even a lot of people who are good at the trades can't make a living at it right now.

My mortgage gets paid by people who don't know how to run a screwdriver.


Just read DTE's post and its soooo true. Many close friends that are painters, builders, or lumber jockeys that are having really tough times. Makes me thankful for what I have.

Everyone is good at something, thats what makes the world go round. Roofer is right at home on a roof but I wouldn't want him in a diplomacy situation. In that same breath I wouldn't want a Diplomat on my roof. Still I person should have some basic skills. For instance if you drive a car you should know how to change a tire. Then again some folks would rather wait for AAA to show up and change it for them.

Well said, I think you're right on about the basic skills comment. It costs a lot of money to always have to call someone or bring something in, especially if it's something simple. Plus, it keeps the experts in business when the basic skills person has to call them when they really screw it up...

If people knew how to use the library and internet, they could solve a lot of their problems.

For instance, I thought that a plug wire was bad on my old Honda motorcycle. I researched that and found discussions with similiar symptoms. Turns out a quick filing of the ignition points solved the problem.

My son just graduated from IT at the U with a degree in electrical engineering. For his last semester he had to work on a practical with 3 mechanical engineers and two other Ee's. We talked about the project and in about 5 minutes I had about 5 suggesetions on how things might work better. The ME's rejected all of them. When push came to shove my son and another kid were the ones to get the rig going. The other kid grew up on a farm and was used to improvising.

It all starts with the parents. When your kid is 4 years old go and buy her a set of real tools and give her stuff to take apart. Old computer parts, lawnmowers, whatever. They will learn to use tools and how to think about things. Your son shouldn't be able to use the car until he can change a tire - and make him do it in the driveway so you can watch. Change a light switch or an outlet - a must. Put in a new drain pipe under a sink, or know how to hook up a washer and dryer - you can't afford to hire that out when you're only earning $15 an hour.

My middle kid was one of the most popular girls on campus in colelge because she had a cordless drill and a full set of tools. Oh, and she also knew how to take care of herself if someone wanted to get cute - self-defense classes at age 12.

Folks, it's our job to teach the kids these things.

Even among farm kids it's not like it used to be. Had to laugh awhile back when the guy who farms the field around my building site wanted to borrow the 656 Farmall w/loader to grab a rock they'd snagged with the digger. He got on it and had no clue as to how to start or shift it after running all the electronic gizmo's on his new stuff.

I agree, there need to be some basic skills, especially things like tire changing, checking the oil, checking tire pressure, etc. My buddy just mentioned the other day he was going to buy his daughters each a cross wrench or T-bar, show them how to change a tire, then have them do it. Good idea but hey, I think he still has my cross wrench!

Not sure about all that. There are very few people who will change a tire on the side of the road. My wife will not do anything of the sort, but her vehicles are never more than a few years old....her dad is a mechanic...and her uncle owns the biggest towing company in the area.

In some cases, it's not what you know....it's who you know.