The complete suckiness of being a girl.

No. Slappy, help her out.

As long as Slappy doesn't try to give me a manicure, I'll listen.

Gosh, where do I begin.
I have had so many experiences of people trying to rip
me off only to find out that they've met their match, hehe.

Buying a car always is a challenge........

My very first car was a VW and the dealer offered a special
payment plan that truly was a good deal. Naturally I took it,
filled out all the paperwork, financial statements and got the
car. Four days later the dealership called and explained that
I didn't have enough credit history and based on that I would
need to accept a different payment plan with a much higher
interest rate, and sign a new contract, since the original one is
voided due to non sufficient credit history.

Well, I couldn't afford to pay more money, and in the 4 days
I owned the car I was driving quite a distance and had put
around 1000 Miles on the car. I knew if I give the car back to
them, they wouldn't be able to sell the vehicle as "new" due to the
high mileage, so I drove up to the dealership and told them that
I won't enter a new agreement with a higher interest rate and
they could have the car back. I gave them the car keys and left.
Needless to say, when they saw the high mileage, I got the car
back to the original terms.

With plumbers, electricians, and other services I let them
give me an estimate and how long it would take them to
finish the job, materials not included. So when they come up with 400 Dollars for a total of 2 hours labor than I know
they rip me off.

In general I don't pay per hour, I pay per job and so far
I have done fairly well with that. Also, I try to use service
people on recommendation from neighbors and friends
to avoid fly by night experiences.

Will this crap ever end? I don't think so boomerang,
but the more prepared we are, and the more information
we gather before buying anything, the less we're being ripped off.

I've always thought you were male... go figure.

Me? Hm, I am woman, hear me roar....

Right on, Calamity Jane!

The more we refuse to be used, the less they will try to use us.

It really is so absurd that this still happens to girls so much.

I'm not too girly, JoeFX. A lot of people make that mistake, no big deal. Lucky for me that there are a lot of men, like Mr. B, who dig tomboys.

Even us tomboy types are figured to be stupid by some men. It makes me almost sorry for the really beautiful girly-girls who must just get this kind of shi+ all of the time.

I'm with Calamity on that one...

I have had my fair share of being treated as a dumbass because of being a girl, But I usually just nip it in the bud about the time it starts.

I have left car salesman speechless before, more than once. What was so funny, before I found my Jeep...I had went into one car lot and just point blank told that dealer that as long as he didn't start with all the B.S, I wouldn't. That I didn't want my time wasted and I wouldn't waste his time. He started......I left. I had him following me back to my truck...trying to talk me back into the dealership. I just told him "No Thank you"...and left out.

Just do your homework ahead of time.....and don't take no B.S off of them. Be direct and to the point......

But Boomerang, if the really "girly-girls" haven't educated themselves in the workings of the world, they're asking to be ripped off. In fact, if anyone hasn't figured out how the world works by the time they leave the protection of their nest then they should pray that they learn their lessons quickly, before they wind up in the middle of a costly scam.

AMEN!

When it's possible, I try fix everything myself. There are still some men who think women are stupid and try to pull the wool over their eyes, when it comes to repairing things. There should be no suckiness in being a girl. Hooray for all self sufficient women! :wink:

CJ, it's hard not to know you're a woman with Jane on your name and that avatar pic... boomerang on the other side...

When I go to mechanics I just hope they don't rip me off since I really don't know anything. So I usually ask around with some friends, learn some keywords and use them.

BTW, I also dig tomboys... specially when they do make up and get in a dress, they make the ocassion very special.

Yeah colorbook, that's a good thing too, a clogged toilet or
changing a light switch - yes, however I won't touch anything real electrical or major plumbing problems. For that I rather rely on the so called experts.

boomerang, I'm not the tomboy type, but I'm quite tall
and when I buy something major, I wear extra heels to
be at least a head taller than the guys. It's not always
intimidating but it buys some respect.

I dunno... some self-sufficient women are ones who get men to do stuff for them... for nothing.


As far as I can tell, Boomerang, plumbers are just about the scum of the earth. They're also rich as Croesus and apparently don't need the work. (As an aside, I've begged my son to become a plumber so he can take care of me in my old age... but no way. He wants to teach.)

This summer we had a plumber tell us that he didn't want to do the job he'd come to bid on because it looked like too much work -- he'd have to use a shovel. <eyes opened wide in disbelief> Mr.P got so mad he learned how to do the plumbing himself.

I was just kidding JoeFx

Actually, your name "joe fix" would lead us to think,
that you can fix anything, hehe.

Yeah. It really frosts those unrespectable short women!

So, when you buy something big, you make sure to wear high heels...to get respect?

Yes Lash, hard to believe for a young man, isn't it,
but women in general don't get the respect they deserve
as a paying customer, and if I have to get it with
simple intimidations, than I'll do that.

Short women are not unrespectable, and I believe you're
trying to put something into my words that isn't there,
but I'll forgive you Lash.

hmm.. hmmm....

I can fix anything that's wrong with electronics: throw them out and buy a new one. But it's funny that only works when I have enough money.

Hmmm - I don't feel it really affects me much - like, I hear women complaining about not being taken seriously when they go to buy cars etc, but I have never experienced that.

I do recall that happening ages ago - like once, when some minor thing was being done to my car, I asked the mechanic to show me where the oil drainage outlet was - he walked AROUND the car, to where the man I was with (who knew nothing about cars, as it happened, and cared less - he "drove" a bicycle) was standing, and started to explain to him.

Said man, and I, firmly drew the mechanic's attention to who had asked the question - he ignored both of us, and kept talking to the male - who then walked away. Mechanic then was paralysed - until I lay down, scooted under the car - and said that I was in a hurry. Mechanic surrendered - and showed me - but kept saying "You'll get your hands dirty!"

I guess there must have been lots of women around who didn't like getting their hands dirty?

Recently, a delivery man tried it on -"Oh, did they say THAT to you on the phone when they gave the estimate? No - that is wrong - it's depot to depot."

It was a quote. And isn't your depot in x?

Shuffled "Well, yes."

That will take 5 minutes if you dawdle.

"But we charge for any part of an hour"

"You may - but I don't pay."


He gave in.


I actually had a tradesperson (male) in at the time - doing another job, who remained silent through this exchange.

When the shyster left, he started clapping and cheered.

I must look awful fierce?

And, also, my friendship group includes folk like plumbers and architects and builders - so I can get good info on what are reasonable prices, too. But I seldom get quoted anything unreasonable.

People say I have an icy blue glare of death, though. Mebbe that helps?

PS I adore being female.

I'll try not to take the plumber rap personally, Piff. My family is full of people of the plumbing persuasion, all painfully honest.

With respect to being a girl, I found most of that changed when I turned 50. Not only am I older than most of the men I am dealing with, but I am also past the point of taking any sh i t from anyone.