Craigslist Stupidity, collateral damage edition

kaiser715

kaiser715

Doing hard time
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Location
7, Pocket, NC
In the past couple of days, I've had three visitors out here.

First one was yesterday, hispanic girl. Five of us were standing outside at the back parking area. She just drives past us, and drives down to the shop...I hollared out a a very loud and authoritive "STOP"...she kept going. I just go stand in the middle of the road and wait. Couple minutes later, she gets turned around, and comes back up towards the house. She says something about buying chicken wire, and was supposed to met somebody out here. She showed me the text messages, maybe 25 back and forth, and sure enough, it said to drive past the house, and down to the barn. Somebody named Don selling a chicken coop. The address given was 1695. There is no such address...mine is 1697, the house between me and the road is 1691. I sent her on her way. I was gonna at least get her tag number as she drove off...but no tag on the car. My spidey-sense is off the meter. She did have a baby in the car, though, FWIW.

Had another this a.m. I could tell she was looking for someplace else...stopped short of the house, drove up 100', stopped and thought, drove up another 50', stopped, another 50', etc..... turned around, and left. She was on the phone, so probably trying to get directions.

This afternoon, had a car drive up, and blew the horn in the driveway...I figured it was the mail lady, she always blows the horn. Gal is getting out of her car, waving a wad of money in her hand....says "I'm glad I found the right place." Ummmm, wrong place lady. I asked who she was looking for. She didn't have an address, but had a name. It's the landowner on our north side. Selling a wagon or something on CL. He didn't give her an address number, but said to count driveways after some landmark. She was one off. I did tell her that if I were her, I wouldn't go there alone.

I just think it's funny that the guy evidently doesn't know his own address -- in the texts, he gave 1695 twice....his is 1633. Then the last one, didn't even give a # (learned his lesson?) but told her to count driveways (failed counting?).

Anyway, got to lock the gate now. F'n CL idiots even screw third parties.
 
I would already have came unglued. I don't have sympathy for lost people on my property. And strangers.....mostly give me the creeps. Especially ones that don't have a reason to see me specifically. The random meat guy, ems donation person and the like don't count either. In the world of modern GPS a lost person under the age of walker and cane make me suspicious.
 
In a situation like that, being that if I was the seller, if I felt so intimidated that I didn't feel safe giving my personal address, I wouldn't be selling on Craigslist. If I absolutely needed the money, I'd give the address of a local business to meet at. Anyone can find a Walmart for example.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
In the world of modern GPS a lost person under the age of walker and cane make me suspicious.
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Its funny hwow the ubiquity of technology has changed people's attitudes and expectations. It used to be that you just always gave people directions, and they listened, or otherwise they'd get lost. And if they did, they'd stop and ask a random guy, who would gladly help out findin gwhat hey wanted... b/c that was just normal.
Like... it was *normal* for people to talk to one another, and rely on information from one another. And also to have to actually learn your way around, and learn HOW to find stuff.
Now nobody has either skill - the interpersonal skills to communicate (either giving info OR taking it in, or the ability to learn their way around... b/c we have this crutch to do it for us, always.
The older and crotchetier I get, the less I like what I see humanity (at least Americans) becoming due to how we use technology.
(which is pretty ironic b/c I work in the tech dev industry)
 
XJsavage said:
In a situation like that, being that if I was the seller, if I felt so intimidated that I didn't feel safe giving my personal address, I wouldn't be selling on Craigslist. If I absolutely needed the money, I'd give the address of a local business to meet at. Anyone can find a Walmart for example.
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I don't think that's it. I mean, he was still giving directions for/getting people to his place.
CasterTroy said:
Methheads that's who
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that's my money
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
I would already have came unglued. I don't have sympathy for lost people on my property. And strangers.....mostly give me the creeps. Especially ones that don't have a reason to see me specifically. The random meat guy, ems donation person and the like don't count either. In the world of modern GPS a lost person under the age of walker and cane make me suspicious.
Click to expand...

People fallow their gps blindly. And get lost just as easy.

My girlfriend will do 40 u turns doing what the gps says instead of looking up and thinking about where she is suppose to be going, and the best way to get there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
RatLabGuy said:
Its funny hwow the ubiquity of technology has changed people's attitudes and expectations. It used to be that you just always gave people directions, and they listened, or otherwise they'd get lost. And if they did, they'd stop and ask a random guy, who would gladly help out findin gwhat hey wanted... b/c that was just normal.
Like... it was *normal* for people to talk to one another, and rely on information from one another. And also to have to actually learn your way around, and learn HOW to find stuff.
Now nobody has either skill - the interpersonal skills to communicate (either giving info OR taking it in, or the ability to learn their way around... b/c we have this crutch to do it for us, always.
The older and crotchetier I get, the less I like what I see humanity (at least Americans) becoming due to how we use technology.
(which is pretty ironic b/c I work in the tech dev industry)
Click to expand...
I still stop and ask......difference is I make a point to do it at a public business, not a private residence. My take is modern times if you want to label it, has no reguard for privacy.
 
Loganwayne said:
People fallow their gps blindly. And get lost just as easy.

My girlfriend will do 40 u turns doing what the gps says instead of looking up and thinking about where she is suppose to be going, and the best way to get there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
No different then folks who can't read a map. You gotta be sharper then the tool your using.
 
Problem I have is GPS doesn’t work where I live. No cell service. People wind up at my property line all the time. Our cattle gate is ALWAYS closed but I have had people walk up the lane towards the house. If I’m around I have a gun of some description and they usually move right the hell out with a purpose when they realize their mistake.
 
I'm Surprised at how many times the GPS, will take you to the wrong address, Or IT gets lost! Of course I'v learned some of it is a difference between "Rd./St./Ln., whatever in may be. Hey, I'm just going on the info I was given, & the Zip code, doesn't always help. At work, we had a couple folks tell us, GPS can't find us! Call me when you get to "so&so" & I'll be out in the Street! :lol:
 
Craig and his cohorts are stupid some(most)times. GPS/Google Maps/etc all stop navigation at my neighbor's house, so I always tell people to keep going with specific words, landmarks, and directions, and they acknowledge. Yet 4 out of 5 times, I get a call or text "hey I'm here, where are you" and of course they have stopped at my neighbor's house.
 
Fabrik8 said:
Luckily GPS works off of satellites and not cell towers. ;)
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Also, most cell phone based apps, particularly Google Maps, are not very intelligent or proactive about being prepared for losing cell data access. Technically if you already have the map, all you need is the GPS to tel you where you are on it. But Maps tends to retrieve the map info and direction info to tell you where to turn, as it goes along... so that when you lose cell data, it gets stupid and can't continue giving you any info about where you are on the map.

I can't tell how many times I've gone out hiking w/ a friend, and we get out of the middle of nowhere, and they then are shocked to find that their cell phone GPS map program doesn't work. Meanwhile I say, Hey dummy look at this, and show them exactly where we are on mine, since I downloaded the map before we left, then put the phone in airplane mode to save the battery.
 
Just had one knock on my door wanting gas. I said I ain’t got none. He said can you give me an my girlfriend a ride back to our car. About a mile down the road. Idk what he was up to but wanted them gone. Guess when my high speed hole puncher 1911 fell out he changed his mind
 
RatLabGuy said:
Also, most cell phone based apps, particularly Google Maps, are not very intelligent or proactive about being prepared for losing cell data access. Technically if you already have the map, all you need is the GPS to tel you where you are on it. But Maps tends to retrieve the map info and direction info to tell you where to turn, as it goes along... so that when you lose cell data, it gets stupid and can't continue giving you any info about where you are on the map.

I can't tell how many times I've gone out hiking w/ a friend, and we get out of the middle of nowhere, and they then are shocked to find that their cell phone GPS map program doesn't work. Meanwhile I say, Hey dummy look at this, and show them exactly where we are on mine, since I downloaded the map before we left, then put the phone in airplane mode to save the battery.
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Avenza maps is great for this around the NC mountains. Google Maps dies have the option to preload the maps for areas you frequent which is nice.
 
Blaze said:
I've given up trusting anyone on CL. I have security cameras around my shop that notify me of movement and a 45 beside the bed. And if I'm not home my neighbor has a cell phone and a 357 waiting.
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I almost given up on trusting any complete stranger. Your not guilty until proven otherwise.....just highly suspect. I don't judge people, I just leave the page intentionally very very blank til someone starts painting a picture. Then I am quicker then most to formulate an opinion. My in-laws where the first to jump my case about this and give me grief. Problem is if I could pick horses or numbers as well I'd be a millionaire, they have a great affinity for eating "crow".
 
You wouldnt believe the amount of people that find themselves lost at the end of our mile long driveway.

Worst we ever had was a semi trying to deliver a dozer to our neighbor to clear some land. The neighbor is about 3 miles up the hard top. He told the driver its the second dirt road on the left. Driver thought our drive way was a road. Didnt realize it until he got to the creek crossing about a half a mile down the drive. Our driveway is just barely wide enough for a ton truck. Ended up unloading and using the dozer to turn the trailer around in a wet hay field. The neighbor drove the dozer across the holler to where he needed it :smokin:


Had another fella from SC that had some mental problems. He was an older dude that had been a logger for 45 years. Just pulled up to the creek, got out and started walking around, looking at trees. Asked WTF hes doing. He just says hes here to scout the timber and wandered off into the woods. Called in his plate # and found out hed been missing for 3 days with no meds. They set up a command post down at the church and nobody slept until they found him. Damn helos overhead all night. They found him in the top of a ol pine tree, humming "Free Bird"... :usa:

But I have no qualms helping someone with directions. GPS doesnt work well here and some of us would rather use a map and refuse to be "lost".
 
XJsavage said:
In a situation like that, being that if I was the seller, if I felt so intimidated that I didn't feel safe giving my personal address, I wouldn't be selling on Craigslist. If I absolutely needed the money, I'd give the address of a local business to meet at. Anyone can find a Walmart for example.
Click to expand...

I don't trust anyone I don't know. ^ is what I would do when I lived in Concord, had anybody from CL meet me at the Food Lion at 49/601. The only people I told my address to was NC4x4 folks...

With what I do for work, I use GPS coordinates more than addresses. An address will get you close, but GPS coordinates get you within 10 feet.
 
Lurch830 said:
I don't trust anyone I don't know. ^ is what I would do when I lived in Concord, had anybody from CL meet me at the Food Lion at 49/601. The only people I told my address to was NC4x4 folks...

With what I do for work, I use GPS coordinates more than addresses. An address will get you close, but GPS coordinates get you within 10 feet.
Click to expand...

Yup, I meet everyone off CL at the Food Lion too.
 
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