Dumbest Thing I’ve Ever Done...

[SwampWolf]

Stuff happens. Back in the early sixties when I was stationed at the Wurtsmith AFB, near Oscoda, Michigan, I loaded my old '56 Ford up for a fishing trip to the Au Sable River. After stopping at a service station to get some gas, the attendant asked me what kind of glue I used to keep my gear attached to the roof of my car. I was shocked to see a tackle box and a pair of boots still sitting on the roof.
Though it wasn't $2,000.00, it could have been. Stuff happens...but, sadly, this is far from the "dumbest thing I've ever done."

 

[Bush Pilot]

I once followed a woman out of a grocery store parking lot that left her purse on the roof of her car. I honked and flashed my lights and 2 blocks later she pulled over. I yelled at her did she normally carry her purse up on the roof. She looked down on the seat and finally got out and saw her bag, talk about a deer in the headlights look on her face,

 

[Mn Fats]

I'd feel sick if I lost a firearm. My memory is shot at a youngish age but firearms are always here in plain sight. I do double checks. Firearm in cab or trunk. Nothing left at the bench. I have to physically look at my car/truck keys in my hand before I close the door or trunk.

I lost a firearm once due to a poor holster. I spent half a day on the Big Red looking for a Sig 320. I feel for ya man.

 

[redneck2]

Back in the early 70’s I had a customer who owned a business. He was making a bank deposit and left the money bag on top of his car. $7,000, which would be equivalent to maybe $25,000-$30,000 in today’s money. Never found it.

Long time ago I propped an 1100 shotgun against the rear bumper, remembered something in the house but forgot the shotgun. Ran over it on the way out. Fortunately there was a lot of snow and it was very minor damage.

If there’s any upside, nobody got hurt and it can be replaced

 

[Captcurt]

Left a Bushnell Bore Sight kit at the range once, but the dumbest thing that I have done was on a hunting trip. I shot a really nice 9 pt with my bow and he went to the bottom of a deep hollow. It took some major navigating to get my little 250 Yamaha to the deer and some major muscle to get the brut on the back of it. I was worn out after the 2 hour ordeal when I finally got him to the truck. Now my F150 is pretty high off of the ground and I knew that I couldn't get that monster buck up into the bed by myself. Leaning up over the handle bar I road the whole rig, deer and all, up the ramps into the bed. I shudder now when I think about it. I was 35 miles from home, nobody knew where I was and there is no cell reception even close to this place. If I had turned that ATV over on me I could be there for weeks before anyone found me. I leave a note at home now. If I'm not home by midnight come and get me.

 

[Howland937]

I am really sorry to hear about your loss. I've actually got a pretty good memory, but stress, exhaustion, fast pace all can cause loss of focus. That's what contributes to most of the misplaced or forgotten items I waste my life away trying to find. I can look in a drawer in my toolbox and identify 20-30 items at a glance, but still look in there 4 more times for the one that's missing.

Sure hope that one finds its way back to you though.

 

[marksman13]

I am really sorry to hear about your loss. I've actually got a pretty good memory, but stress, exhaustion, fast pace all can cause loss of focus. That's what contributes to most of the misplaced or forgotten items I waste my life away trying to find. I can look in a drawer in my toolbox and identify 20-30 items at a glance, but still look in there 4 more times for the one that's missing.

Sure hope that one finds its way back to you though.

Stress and exhaustion are my way of life lately. Still no excuse. I think my only hope is that someone tries to pawn or sell it and it gets red-flagged.

 

[buck460XVR]

I once followed a woman out of a grocery store parking lot that left her purse on the roof of her car. I honked and flashed my lights and 2 blocks later she pulled over. I yelled at her did she normally carry her purse up on the roof. She looked down on the seat and finally got out and saw her bag, talk about a deer in the headlights look on her face,

Had a similar experience a few years back myself. Woman placed her pocketbook on top of her car. I tried to flag her and her husband down as they drove by me at the pump, She looked right at me and ignored me. Watched them pull outta the gas station and it fell off as they rounded the corner. The contents spilled out into the street. I ran out and managed to pick up everything, even tho I had to duck around traffic to do it. Last I saw of the car it was headed for the interstate, so seeing as there was identification in the pocketbook, I took it home and looked up the phone number(this was back when every bodies number was in the book and you could do that). They were from a town about 40 miles away. I tried for most of the day to get ahold of them and finally was successful about 6 hours later. When the lady answered she was not grateful but instead, very upset with me that I had not taken the pocketbook back to the gas station(apparently they had turned around and gone back to ask) and now they would have to drive all the way back to get it. I told her I didn't really trust the folks in the gas station and I could have just left the pocketbook in the road, or even cleaned the cash out and thrown the rest of it away, like many other folks would have done.She told me she wouldn't come to my home to get it, I would have to take it back to the gas station. I told her I'd take it to the local police station. All of this time I had gone and was continuing to go out of my way to be a nice guy and all she could do is chastise me. She never once thanked me and ever since I question why?

As for loosing a $2000 gun because of a brain fart, while $2000 is a considerable amount of monies, I too have done many things dumber and have cost me more in the long run. Like a first marriage.

 

[Speedo66]

Found a very high end fly rod and reel in an off road parking spot near a lake.

I taped a note to a tree saying I'd found it with my tel. #. Got a call from an anxious fellow who was able to describe it, and he got it back.

He had leaned it up against the back of his car, then drove away. I declined the monetary reward he offered and never received the home made flies he said he would send, not a big deal.

Sorry for the loss, I can imagine that was a difficult and embarrassing call to your friend. It might still turn up, stranger things have happened.

 

[Hookeye]

Had a similar experience a few years back myself. Woman placed her pocketbook on top of her car. I tried to flag her and her husband down as they drove by me at the pump, She looked right at me and ignored me. Watched them pull outta the gas station and it fell off as they rounded the corner. The contents spilled out into the street. I ran out and managed to pick up everything, even tho I had to duck around traffic to do it. Last I saw of the car it was headed for the interstate, so seeing as there was identification in the pocketbook, I took it home and looked up the phone number(this was back when every bodies number was in the book and you could do that). They were from a town about 40 miles away. I tried for most of the day to get ahold of them and finally was successful about 6 hours later. When the lady answered she was not grateful but instead, very upset with me that I had not taken the pocketbook back to the gas station(apparently they had turned around and gone back to ask) and now they would have to drive all the way back to get it. I told her I didn't really trust the folks in the gas station and I could have just left the pocketbook in the road, or even cleaned the cash out and thrown the rest of it away, like many other folks would have done.She told me she wouldn't come to my home to get it, I would have to take it back to the gas station. I told her I'd take it to the local police station. All of this time I had gone and was continuing to go out of my way to be a nice guy and all she could do is chastise me. She never once thanked me and ever since I question why?

As for loosing a $2000 gun because of a brain fart, while $2000 is a considerable amount of monies, I too have done many things dumber and have cost me more in the long run. Like a first marriage.

Typical. Embarassed and upset.....do everything but say they are sorry ( or thankful )....esp to somebody of the opposite sex.

 

[buck460XVR]

Typical. Embarassed and upset.....do everything but say they are sorry ( or thankful )....esp to somebody of the opposite sex.

I kinda figured as much at the time, but what really made me wonder was her insistence I take it back to the gas station. While I could understand her reluctance to come to a private home, I told her my wife worked at a local bank and it could be picked up there during bank hours. She told me she wanted nuttin' to do with me or my wife......as if I took the pocketbook off the roof of her car instead of rushing out into a busy street to save it for her. She kept insisting I should have stopped them before they drove off....even to I had, as if I was waiting for it to fall off. There was a considerable amount of cash plus several credit cards in it and I personally didn't trust the kids working the register at the gas station to leave it all in there. Seemed her biggest concern was she had to drive 40 miles to come and get it. I told her I could mail it and take the postage out of the cash inside and she refused that too. I had already told her the amount of cash in it(and she verified that was the right amount) and that I would send a receipt for the postage along, but even tho she had my name and telephone number, she didn't trust me to send it to her via registered mail, even tho I had gone out of my way to make sure she got it back intact and with all the cash still in it. I kept asking her, "why would I call you to return it if I wanted the cash and credit cards in it?" Still ticks me off just talking about it.

 

[Poper]

Many years ago, we were duck hunting with a couple other friends. Came back to the cars and had a cup of coffee and a soggy sandwich before heading to the next slough. Got to the next place, and one of the guys couldn't find his almost new fancy wood and engraved Browning Auto5. He realized he had left it leaning against the car when he drove off and new exactly where it was. Yep, sure did. He drove right over it when he parked his car when he went back to get it.
He was wealthy and could afford it, though.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Dumbest thing that I've ever done with a firearm was to let my father know that I had one.
If He found that I had one then he would take it and sell it or trade it away - usually for something useless.
He couldn't legally own a gun and he'd be dipped if he allowed anyone else in the family to have one.

 

[jmace57]

I'm sorry about what happened.

I saw a guy back out of a parking space one day with a laptop bag on the roof of his car. It fell off, and the guy drove off. It was a brand new, Dell 17 inch. There was no contact information with it. I took it and called Dell and told them what had happened. They had me go through some special steps into some hidden area of the computer, and got the guy's name, address and phone number as he had registered it with the serial number. He was pretty happy to get it back!

I have gotten to where when I use my credit card at a restaurant, I hold my wallet in my hand when I give them the card...and don't put it down until I get the card back.

 

[whughett]

A few years ago, my local trap club had a .410 only competition every week.
I had looked everywhere for my .410, and finally gave up. I spent the 45min drive to the club contemplating what I could have possibly done with that gun.....
When I got to the club, there it was in the rack, in its case.
I had left it there the week before!

Now there’s a club full of honest people no one knew who it belonged to apparently but knew it wasn’t there’s so they left it alone.
Reading thru these replies makes me realize I’m pretty much ordinary as I done most or all with items of lesser value, thankfully no firearms but cameras phones and the such. I’m an actual moron with phones having lost, washed, dunked or dropped from high places 4 of them over the years.

 

[mmb617]

Had a similar experience a few years back myself....

All of this time I had gone and was continuing to go out of my way to be a nice guy and all she could do is chastise me. She never once thanked me and ever since I question why?

You are a good man for trying to help that ungrateful woman. It's a wonder she didn't accuse you of stealing the pocketbook.

I'm a lessor man myself as I'd not have gone into traffic to retrieve the pocketbook and contents. Not my problem. And if I did find a pocketbook on the ground I wouldn't turn it in to the gas station attendant or contact the owner either, I'd turn it in to the police instead. Even then I've heard stories of people doing that and being accused of stealing money from the wallet/pocketbook.

 

[black mamba]

Sorry for your loss. The dumbest thing I've done was when just 21 and beginning reloading. I had a bullet trap at the other end of our concrete walled and floored basement from my loading bench, and worked up loads by loading a couple rounds, firing them into the trap and checking for pressure signs. Oh, and only 7 foot ceiling, too. I had worked up to 28 gr of 296 under a 200 gr JHP for my 45 Colt BH and turned to fire into the trap. I felt like my brain exploded . . . I had forgotten to put my headphones back on! I really thought I was in trouble, but the tinnitus finally stopped about 10 days later. No telling how much hearing loss I suffered, but now at 65 I still hear pretty good.

 

[whughett]

Ouch I’ve done that at the indoor range at the club with centerfire pistol. Fortunately the hearing aids cancel some of the noise.

 

[.308 Norma]

I told her my wife worked at a local bank and it could be picked up there during bank hours. She told me she wanted nuttin' to do with me or my wife......as if I took the pocketbook off the roof of her car instead of rushing out into a busy street to save it for her.

Wow! My mom always used to say, "No good deed goes unpunished." I thought she was just being cynical. I guess I was I was wrong.
I'm sorry to hear about that experience buck460XVR. And I'm real sorry to hear about the OP's experience too, though even I am cynical enough to believe he'll never see that AR again.

 

[marksman13]

Wow! My mom always used to say, "No good deed goes unpunished." I thought she was just being cynical. I guess I was I was wrong.
I'm sorry to hear about that experience buck460XVR. And I'm real sorry to hear about the OP's experience too, though even I am cynical enough to believe he'll never see that AR again.

Yeah. I’ll never see it again. Already ordered parts to replace it.

 

[George Dickel]

Had a similar experience a few years back myself. Woman placed her pocketbook on top of her car. I tried to flag her and her husband down as they drove by me at the pump, She looked right at me and ignored me. Watched them pull outta the gas station and it fell off as they rounded the corner. The contents spilled out into the street. I ran out and managed to pick up everything, even tho I had to duck around traffic to do it. Last I saw of the car it was headed for the interstate, so seeing as there was identification in the pocketbook, I took it home and looked up the phone number(this was back when every bodies number was in the book and you could do that). They were from a town about 40 miles away. I tried for most of the day to get ahold of them and finally was successful about 6 hours later. When the lady answered she was not grateful but instead, very upset with me that I had not taken the pocketbook back to the gas station(apparently they had turned around and gone back to ask) and now they would have to drive all the way back to get it. I told her I didn't really trust the folks in the gas station and I could have just left the pocketbook in the road, or even cleaned the cash out and thrown the rest of it away, like many other folks would have done.She told me she wouldn't come to my home to get it, I would have to take it back to the gas station. I told her I'd take it to the local police station. All of this time I had gone and was continuing to go out of my way to be a nice guy and all she could do is chastise me. She never once thanked me and ever since I question why?

As for loosing a $2000 gun because of a brain fart, while $2000 is a considerable amount of monies, I too have done many things dumber and have cost me more in the long run. Like a first marriage.

I think I would have told her that I'll drop it back on the street where I found it and she can come up an pick it up. People like that deserve no consideration or polite treatment. One positive thing, she isn't your spouse.

 

[Cornhusker77]

My brother in law and I were out in the country doing a little shooting years ago.
I had my dad's Ruger Single Six with me, and when we got done shooting, we headed to town to get some lunch.
We pulled in to the Kwik Stop and a couple walked by the car pointing at us.
I got out and there was my dad's Ruger, in it's holster just sitting on the roof, not attached to anything.
We only went about 4 miles, but part of it was dirt road, then highway and even went over some railroad tracks.
I guess that old Lincoln was a pretty smooth ride.

 

[Johnm1]

I keep checking in on this thread hoping to hear it was returned. I’m hoping to renew my faith in humanity. Might have to wait a little while.

 

[Poper]

I think I would have told her that I'll drop it back on the street where I found it and she can come up an pick it up. People like that deserve no consideration or polite treatment. One positive thing, she isn't your spouse.

Wouldn't love to meet the guy married to that? I'll bet he's a peach of a guy that would help anyone, anytime. (I know a fellow like that married to a female like that. [I can't bring myself to call her a woman - it would give real women a bad name] He truly loves her, though, and I guess that's all that really counts.)

 

[Poper]

I keep checking in on this thread hoping to hear it was returned. I’m hoping to renew my faith in humanity. Might have to wait a little while.

You, Sir, are a true optimist!