When I was about 4 years old... (damn my work comp's inability to edit posts!!!!)
...me favourite toy was this walking robot. It stood a tall 10 inches (lol, I typed inches) and had a light display in it's chest. When it was powered up by some batteries, it would march forward, stop, then do this light display and repeat the process. Twas not gifted with great variety, but it made alot of noise and looked cool.

One day, the batteries run out. Robot noise becomes quiet plastic statue to the 4 year old. Obviously the 4 year old wants this resolved, so I bring this to the attention of my father. This was my expensive mistake.

He has a look around the house for some batteries but can't find any. So instead, he decided to test out something else. He opened up the battery compartment and connected a spare CAR BATTERY to the +/- points in the battery bay with some jumpleads and some wire. All is ready, then dad flicks the "on" switch....

Robot noise went beserk. STAMP STAMP STAMP LIGHTS STAMP SMOKE STAMP STAMP LIGHTS STAMP FLAMES STAMP LIGHTS LIGHTS FLAMES FLAMES FLAMES....
Dad disconnected the car battery but it was too late. The robot had run straight into a wall and was currently burning itself to the skirting. He runs out to the bathroom, grabs a cup of water and soaks the melting circuit person drying it to the wall, a lump of disfigured toy with the smell of plastic death emanating from it.

"Oops....errr...sorry son." says dad, who promptly legs it. I loved that toy.

Apols for length? It's 10 inches of fecking fire!
( Jeccius Steam Borderlands 2 junkie, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 8:37, 7 replies)

smmmrg
Fuck that was funny, still laughing now as I clean a mouthful of tea off my screen.
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 8:48, closed)

Hahaha!
I used to have one of those walking robots when I was that age :)
( Weetobix, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 9:49, closed)

ha ha
v good.
( browser still relating boring anecdotes into a void on, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 10:11, closed)

robot death
hahaha!
(happylittletulip helpless and delicious, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 10:34, closed)

I had one of those robots
and I loved it dearly too. I must remember to dig him out of the attic next time I'm home.

Great story *click*
( chart cat has an itch, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 11:04, closed)

I have just blown my "working hard on boring stuff" credentials
by bursting out laughing. Thanks!

Still, it's friday
(jmaxi returned again on, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 12:12, closed)

sounds like my dad....
as a little kid I had one of those translucent guns with a flywheel that made a whizzing sound and shot out sparks when you pulled the trigger which I thought was pretty cool at the time - one of my favourite toys.

At least it was until the mechanism locked up.

Now my dad is a mechanic and pretty good at it generally speaking but around the house he sticks firmly to the 3 laws of DIY - gaffertape (for things that move but shouldn't), WD40 (for things that don't move when they should) and suspicion coupled with tinkering (for things that appear to be doing what they should be).

So... we have something that didn't move that should do and was duely doused in WD40. he pullsed the tigger and the flywheel spun a little and made some noise so he figured it'd probably be alright after some use and gave it to me to play with.

Which was fine until a few seconds later when a rather enthusiastic pulling of the trigger produced sparks which when coupled with the flammability of WD40 caused the thing to explode in my hand.

Really funny in hindsight, but not a happy child at the time.....
( Sack Sack - Norfolks laziest, Fri 26 Oct 2007, 15:03, closed)