Submitted by Suka_Blyad_ t3_10o39hc in tifu

TLDR: I bought a 10 foot long dryer vent and was sizing it up outside Home Depot where I bought it to make sure it would fit my trucks exhaust, which admittedly without context could easily looks like I’m gonna go home, plug it in my exhaust, feed it through my window and y’know, some older gentleman seen me doing this and the looks of absolute terror on his face was like nothing I’d ever seen, I explained the situation and we had a laugh about it though and I thanked him for his concern

So this wasn’t actually today it was a few months back in the fall but I was telling a buddy of mine this story and he said I should post it here

So for context I had a nasty wasp/hornet infestation in my shed, it was only one nest but you couldn’t even open the shed door without being swarmed and I needed my lawnmower to cut my grass

Since I couldn’t see where the nest was or get close enough to spray it without being viciously attacked and I really didn’t want to call and pay somebody to do it me and my moms boyfriend came up with the idea to simply smoke them out then spray the nest once the coast was clear, which is exactly what I did and it worked perfectly

As mentioned we decided the best way to do this was to buy a dryer vent that would fit my trucks exhaust, back up to the shed, slide the vent over my exhaust and the other side into the shed, I’d still have to crack the door a bit but i figured if I was careful I’d get away without a sting and I did

Once all that was done just sit and wait while occasionally revving my truck a bit, then move in for the kill once I was sure they were smoked out, once the nest was sprayed just let the shed air out and problem solved

All in all it worked perfectly but after I bought the vent I wanted to make sure it would fit my truck even though I measured and was pretty confident, so I nonchalantly walk to my exhaust and am sizing up the vent to the pipe, I look up and a few parking spots over there’s an older man looking at me with absolute horror, he then starts approaching me asking what the hell im doing, saying you don’t have to do this and just sit down and we can talk about whatever’s bothering me

The thought never even crossed my mind that this is actually a way people kill themselves until he started talking, I felt so bad I made him panic like that, I explained the situation and showed him texts between me and my moms boyfriend just to reassure him this isn’t what it looks like, we had a good laugh and I was very thankful for his concern and made that clear then we went our separate ways

But I can’t stress enough I have never seen a look of horror like that on someone’s face before I felt awful

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Comments

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alpineschwartz t1_j6cdqfp wrote

"oh it's not for me, it's for the trespassers in my shed!"

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Suka_Blyad_ OP t1_j6cdwcj wrote

Gotta deal with them squatters somehow y’know

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MrTHEPug t1_j6fyfkb wrote

"if it's one thing I can't stand, it's being cramped by squatters"

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-holdmyhand t1_j6cgo8c wrote

> saying you don’t have to do this and just sit down and we can talk about whatever’s bothering me

Not all hero wears cape.

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Mds_02 t1_j6cmxog wrote

Anyone else wanna find this old guy, hug him, and thank him for existing?

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Mountainfungi78 t1_j6dbjd6 wrote

OP should have invited him over to help with the process and a barbeque.

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ThisIsDolphin t1_j6dq1ry wrote

That dude is a real one. Glad he was looking out for you even if it wasn't what he thought. My uncle had used this solution in 1990 and it really damaged my dad and his family.

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birdsell t1_j6fz360 wrote

My stepmom’s brother did this in 2009. A real sweetheart of a man. Very sad

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[deleted] t1_j6grmf9 wrote

[removed]

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Hitoha24 t1_j6h4vl2 wrote

No smoking with any Gods!! Baps with a newspaper bad!! Cause if you can smoke with them that means you're unalived and thats unacceptable!! So we will have none of that sir/madam/or other respectful non binary or other gendered title!! Please contain any smoking to this Earth and not in the afterlife.

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ReadontheCrapper t1_j6dnhoc wrote

This is the most heartwarming TIFU I think I’ve read.

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Akitiki t1_j6ernyo wrote

Glad to see someone acting upon something suspicious, even if it weren't correct. There are good people.

If it were me, I'd have been amused to learn it was for wasps. I don't like them either.

Life tip: to significantly decrease wasps, fill paper bags with plastic bags, tie off the opening, then hang/mount it (or multiple) in problem areas upside down early in the spring. They look like hives, and it deters wasps from building "too close" to another hive. I have these commercial bags with varied grey lines for this purpose as they're a tad more sturdy against weather and look even more realistic.

It won't completely stop it, but in an eve that got ~6 nests a year, setting it out early knocked it down to 1-2. They liked to go around corners out of sight of the bag, so more bags around corners.

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Dangaard1075 t1_j6eur1b wrote

Bless all the old folks who work at Home Depot to kill time that love to help people with their DIY projects, from drywall to suicide.

Seriously though, they're the best.

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implicate t1_j6gfegd wrote

"I really just don't want to have to deal with any of it anymore"

"Understood. Okay, first off you're going to need some hose clamps that are at least 3" diameter. Let's go over to aisle 19, there should be some galvanized ones in stock..."

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ferdsherd t1_j6d8qsm wrote

How long did it take to smoke them out?

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albatross_etc t1_j6g34h4 wrote

“It’s because I’ve got hornets-” “Listen man, we’ve all got hornets. It’s gonna be alright”

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bluebook21 t1_j6fp0vg wrote

It's nice to know that someone out there notices and cares!

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other_usernames_gone t1_j6fb48n wrote

A little tip for next time, hopefully there won't be one.

Buy an air quality monitor and have someone else on standby to call emergency services (make sure they do not follow you in under any circumstances)

If the CO2 got high enough you could pass out before you realise what's happening, then asphyxiate. Presumably your truck wasn't on for long enough and your shed wasn't air tight enough for it to be a problem but confined spaces and CO2 can be a deadly combination.

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AverageATuin t1_j6fo3xj wrote

But he's not inside the shed while he's gassing it, so as long as he opens the door and airs it out before he goes in to spray it he should be fine.

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DexFPV t1_j6fxiov wrote

CO2 ain’t what you gotta worry about coming out of exhaust. It’s the CO that’ll kill you

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Suka_Blyad_ OP t1_j6fy2fe wrote

Yea like the other comment said I let it air out for a good half hour-45 minutes before I went back in with the doors wide open and it was a windy enough day so I figured it was okay but good call, co2 can be super dangerous and you’re right that by the time I realized something was wrong it would be too late

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Novel-Pomegranate-78 t1_j6gekfk wrote

Honestly, I feel like this belongs in the wholesome thread. How lovely for you to be so aware of your surroundings and the people within it to take the time to reassure a stranger. Just love it. And we’ll done with the retaking of the shed! We’ve all been there in some capacity. I’m gonna keep your method in mind for sure!

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CivilizedGuy123 t1_j6f4d07 wrote

C’mon folks, take a deep breath and relax.

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theycallmebruc t1_j6hcuju wrote

When i was young i did that. I died. Was brought back after 20 minutes dead. It was quick and painless. I still suffer after affects everyday. And I'm scared to death of my own shadow. It's a great. I don't advise

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aardvark-lover-42 t1_j6evq3s wrote

Home Depot's CEO is part of the group suing to prevent student loan debt relief.

Fuck Home Depot.

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NeedsMaintenance_ t1_j6id1ub wrote

I mean, ya fuck the CEO and Home Depot for this.

But this isn't the place and you're just being obnoxious, you're being the person who just can't help but scream their moral outrage everytime someone does something you don't like.

OP isn't to blame for what rich assholes are doing.

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