Back in mid 80's I had a '81 D150 pickup that was giving me trouble for the last time...long story short, couldnt find intermittent trouble in 225 'lean burn' ignition(tried everything several times), almost got in wreck when it died, said screw it, pulled the thing out and gave it away...my 429 just wouldnt fit, but my 396 was easy...didnt have my driveway back then(still at same house) and there was a step into the garage...after pulling motor, pushed truck out(225-6 is loooooong- way up in rafters with hoist), hitched up the BBC but couldnt get the truck back in by myself...
Hmm...new suzuki quadracer(manual clutch)...heavy nylon rope...viola! so I tie the rope around the bumper, start pulling truck over the step- no go...stalls the bike or spins the tires...so slipping the clutch to roll out, jammin forward I start 'rocking' it...(I did have stop blocks in place). About the 5th tug, the bumper cuts the rope and I get a 'whipping' from the top of my butt diagonally up my back halfway up my neck. I cannot tell you how bad that hurt...turned into a 2" stripe bruise that seemed to take forever to feel normal...lucky it didnt knock out an eye or teeth as I was looking right at the truck when it snapped- stopped right at my neck. needless to say I didnt try that again...couple days later stepped blocks of wood at edge of garage and rolled it in easily...duh.

hit my thumb on a stainless flexfan accidentally one day back in highschool- barely touched it- lucky I didnt knock it or my hand off, just a good cut- those things are like knives on edge...

wasnt on a car, but think I was barely 18 adjusting a hydraulic tracer on a big lathe at work(stone ages compared to cnc), backed nosepiece out a bit too far and it wouldnt go up...looked over my shoulder and asked buddy to hit emg return(I'm holding as its slowly moving down) look back just as stylus/thumb slowly meet template...eeewww this is gonna hurt...came down slow enough I didnt feel a thing, but bent/broke the stylus off(luckily) and didnt even break the bone...but a couple layers of stitches were needed. didnt hurt at all till that night when it balooned up and stitches pulled... Hate to jinx myself but that was only time Ive had to go to hospital from working on something too carelessly. probably just dumb luck.

Once I was trying to change plugs on my 71 elcamino w/headers...ratchet/ext/swivel, you know- the old 'fun' headers...swivel broke and I punched myself right in the eye. I still remember that one well...one of those times where youre like 'I cant believe I just did that' and look around to see who saw you [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] then got to explain the shiner to guys at work for the next few days...

Dumbest thing I ever did was crawl under my 69 camaro to pick up a dropped tool-had just pulled stands out, as I slid out, pulled on the bumper and the POS floorjack I was using failed...tore it apart, and piston was a just a cracked piece of green rubber stuff...it blew and that car dropped like a rock. I mean the bumper brushed against my hair- now that was close...divine intervention?
I use bigger jacks that cost quite a bit more now, and always pull stands from clear area or using something.

speaking of hair...that reminds me of another non automotive example of stupidity...around '87 or so...i had just built deck on back of house- no railings yet. My model helicopter had been acting up (old OS 7h carb...nice till they act up)- brilliant idea- I hold the helicopter down sitting beside the deck and run it up to adjust the carb- 2x4s bolted holding it to deck, its not going anywhere...works like a charm...2-3 minutes tweaking its purring like it used too...didnt even have to risk another autorotation landing while tuning... last blast- full throttle/pitch, running great, so content, I pull throttle to idle...um below half stick pitch goes negative,umm this sucks hair into blades...again, devine intervention...didnt grab, just a flutter...those fiberglass blades have a tip speed of over 300 mph. A few months later running one up when fastened to ground again(but I'm not under it) I get a lesson in 'ground resonance'...blades can lead/lag/resonate from landing gear flex till the thing literally shakes itself apart- Ive seen videos of fullsized helicopters break up from it, and I saw my model beat itself to death that way too...had it done this when I was working beside/below it woulda been messy. the mess woulda been me. looking back- how friggin stupid...I used to hover right up almost to land at my feet...300mph...that things a lawnmower without a deck...they look so innocent just hanging there in hover, but they darn well better be respected...I'm getting old and am almost afraid to fly them anymore...

man, I made a whole list...looking back, I shoulda been elegible for one of those 'darwin awards'...