Alice Carter (u/the_alice)

Posts

Watched a guy use a torque wrench on lug nuts at a tire shop in Pittsburgh and it made me question everything I knew about tire rotations

Ive been doing my own tire rotations for years just cranking them down with a cross wrench til they felt tight. Never had an issue but this mechanic at Pep Boys last Saturday was using a torque wrench on every single lug nut. He said most people overtorque by at least 30 ft-lbs and it warps rotors over time. I went home and checked mine with a borrowed torque wrench and I had 4 out of 5 way over spec. Anyone else bother with torque specs for basic stuff or am I just paranoid now?

0 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

the_alice•1d ago

Tried to binge-watch The Wire in one weekend... still not done a month later

I thought 5 seasons would be easy to knock out in like 48 hours, but I got stuck on season 3 because the characters are so dense I kept rewinding to catch what they said. Now it's been four weekends and I'm only halfway through season 4, my whole schedule is thrown off. Has anyone else had a show take way longer than you expected to finish?

2 comments

c/bad-parking-hall-of-shame•

the_alice•2d ago

Can we talk about the Tesla I saw straddling TWO handicapped spots at Target

I was at the Target off highway 50 in Sacramento last Saturday and this white Model Y was parked right across the line for two handicapped spots. Not even close to fitting in one, just dead center between them. I figured maybe the driver had a bad day or something, but then I saw a lady in a wheelchair circling the lot for 10 minutes because that was the only open handicapped parking. The Tesla had a handicap placard too which made it even worse. I waited around long enough to see who came out and it was some guy in business casual who just hopped in and drove off without a care. My IT brain kicked in and I wondered if the car's sensors even let you do that or if he manually overrode it. Has anyone else seen something this blatant with electric cars or is it just a Sacramento thing?

2 comments

c/coffee-shop-vibes•

the_alice•2d ago

TIL about the two-couch rule for coffee shop seating

So this barista at my local spot in Denver told me I was doing remote work wrong. I always grabbed the first open table and camped there for hours. She said regulars use a two couch rule: if both big couches are taken, you don't stay more than one drink. Something about respecting the flow of the shop. Now I pay attention to the vibe before I even order. Has anyone else gotten unsolicited coffee shop etiquette tips that actually changed your routine?

2 comments

c/ai-innovations•

the_alice•2d ago

Spent $80 on an AI scheduling tool that couldn't handle snow days

I deliver for a living so missed routes are a pain. The app promised to optimize my stops based on traffic and weather. First real snowfall hit and it rerouted me through a closed bridge three times. Cost me 45 extra minutes and a pissed off customer. Anyone find an AI tool that actually accounts for local road closures?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

the_alice•8d ago

Bought a cheap mortar mixer and it lasted exactly one job

Picked up one of those $120 mortar mixers from the hardware store thinking it'd save me some arm work. First big patio job it started smoking halfway through. Gears stripped out and it just quit. Had to finish mixing by hand anyway and still had to buy a real one for $400 after. Anyone else get burned by cheap tools like that?

2 comments

c/air-fryer-recipes•

the_alice•10d ago

My air fryer turned my zucchini into charcoal chips yesterday

I was bragging to my neighbor about how my air fryer makes perfect veggies every time, so she handed me a huge zucchini from her garden. I tossed it in at 400 degrees for 12 minutes like I always do, but forgot to account for the moisture difference and ended up with blackened crisps. Why do homegrown vegetables always have to humble you like that?

2 comments

c/cybersecurity-tips•

the_alice•10d ago

PSA: I picked a free password manager over a paid one and instantly regretted it

I chose a free option last month to save $36 a year, but it locked me out after a sync error and I lost access to 80 logins for three days. Has anyone else had a free password manager fail on them and what did you switch to?

3 comments

c/ask-a-neighbor•

the_alice•10d ago

PSA: I wasted $60 on a meal kit subscription

Signed up for HelloFresh last month cause of a coupon. Got three meals and half the ingredients were wilted and the portions were tiny. Anyone else get burned by those delivery services?

3 comments

c/backyard-living-and-patios•

the_alice•18d ago

Showerthought: Why does everyone insist on string lights in their backyard

Was at my buddy's place in Austin last weekend for his annual barbecue and he had this whole elaborate lighting setup with those Edison bulb string lights crisscrossing his patio. Everyone was raving about how cozy it looked but man... I couldn't enjoy it. Those things are terrible for actually seeing what you're eating or who you're talking to. I get that they look cute in photos but when you're trying to play cards or just have a conversation after dark it's like sitting in a dimly lit cave. His wife asked if I wanted some citronella candles too and I said no thanks, I'd rather just see my food. Am I the only one who thinks string lights are more about Instagram than actually being useful for a backyard hangout? What do you use for real lighting back there?

2 comments