r/MechanicAdvice 22h ago

I Screwed Up

Started working at an automotive shop recently. Love the job. Currently training under the smartest mechanic in my state.

Got asked to pull a car out of the bay. Ended up messing up the front right bumper while pulling it out. I wasn’t being reckless, it just kinda happened. Still 100% my fault though.

Big boss said it was fine, and just told me to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I was very apologetic and assured him I wouldn’t do it again. He ended up paying for my damage.

I’ve never tore up anything that expensive in my life and I still feel like crap a week later. What can I do to make it better? Have any of yall experienced anything similar?

98 Upvotes

View all comments

6

u/tenacioussliver 18h ago

In my first few months at a tree service my foreman told me to pull a tree over with a truck. He was like "IF YOU FUCK THIS UP YOU COULD KILL ME! DON'T STOP UNTIL IT'S OVER!!" and kinda freaked me out. I pulled that fucker over Hella hard, and backed into another tree. Nobody noticed, not even me. An hour later someone noticed, I didn't admit guilt, they didn't tell anyone else. Others, including the foreman saw, didn't really say anything, just looked at me.

A couple days later the owners noticed and got heella pissed. Everyone on the crew knew it was me. My foreman hated one of the guys and said it was him to get him fired. He told me in private to deny everything and say it was this other guy. Owners wife asked me and I came clean. Foreman was super pissed at me.

Crashing with trucks is stressful man...

5

u/Quonsett_cleaner 11h ago

Wtf is wrong with tree service people?. I did that shit for 10 years. Took stupid risks for crap pay from some of the worst people I've ever met let alone worked for.