A joke from my field:
What's the difference between a bicycle mechanic and an engineer?
A bike mechanic doesn't presume he knows engineering.
I can't tell you how many times I would be taking in a repair when the customer would question my diagnostics and estimate. I would assure the customer that it was in my interest to help him out as best as possible and go on to explain that I have 15 years experience and that our shop is known for expertise and customer service. There would be a short pause, followed by, "Well, I work as an engineer, and I was just thinking that it is probably a case of XYZ..." 
I am always amused by someone throwing a little tantrum, stomping their feet, and all but saying, "Well, I know that it might work in practice, but what about theory? Huh? Did you forget about how it works in theory?"
peter
HalfDork
2/23/13 9:52 p.m.
ae86andkp61 wrote:
I can't tell you how many times I would be taking in a repair when the customer would question my diagnostics and estimate. I would assure the customer that it was in my interest to help him out as best as possible and go on to explain that I have 15 years experience and that our shop is known for expertise and customer service. There would be a short pause, followed by, "Well, I work as an engineer, and I was just thinking that it is probably a case of XYZ..." I am always amused by someone throwing a little tantrum, stomping their feet, and all but saying, "Well, I know that it might work in practice, but what about theory? Huh? Did you forget about how it works in theory?"
This is why I don't tell my PhD in EE father about modifications I'm making to my cars. Not only does he understand things better than I do, but the engineers who made the original designs are unquestionably right and optimal.
He was useful, eventually, in explaining to me about sensor grounds vs shield grounds vs power grounds, but it took a while.
JoeyM
UltimaDork
2/25/13 10:45 p.m.
peter wrote:
This is why I don't tell my PhD in EE father about modifications I'm making to my cars. Not only does he understand things better than I do, but the engineers who made the original designs are unquestionably right and optimal.
....optimal for their purposes and price points (which, presumably, you don't share.) Next time you go down that path:
"This method is cheap, simple, it works and is condemned by the makers" - Mick Forest writing about shock absorber modification in the 750 club magazine. (quoted in Staniforth's Race and Rally Car Sourcebook)
