Had to bite my tongue at a family reunion when Uncle Bob started diagnosing my washing machine

My uncle cornered me at the reunion and went on about how my noisy washer just needs a new belt. He's never fixed anything in his life! I tried to explain it's probably the motor bearings, but he wouldn't listen. Now I'm stuck hearing his 'expert' tips every time we meet. Sometimes I wish I kept my job a secret.

3 comments

3 Comments

fionas391mo ago

My dad's friend insisted my laptop just needed a reset for weeks. Turned out the hard drive was failing, and I lost all my photos. Like @tyler614 with the brakes, these tips come from a place of wanting to help but missing the mark. People like Uncle Bob repeat things they heard without real knowledge. It's more about sounding expert than actually solving the problem. I found that asking them to demonstrate their fix often reveals they have no clue.

tyler6141mo ago

Ugh my cousin does this with my car. Swore my squeaking brakes just needed cleaner spray. Took it in and the pads were completely shot. He still brings up his "quick fix" every holiday.

the_thea22d ago

Tell my brother-in-law the same thing about my weird fridge noise. He swore it just needed to be leveled. Repair guy found a busted compressor. Still gets defensive if I mention it.

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