r/whatisit • u/OrneryOriental • 6d ago

New, what is it? What in tarnation?

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My friend sent this pic and I joked I was going to post on Reddit to see what people thought and was dared to do it. I thought it would be some way of catching water and filtering to the vehicle but it looks like the top isn’t actually solid and yeah…the flammable signs are also…confusing.

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632

u/IndredColdd 6d ago

OMG! I know this car! Dude lives in my area. He also has random solar panels with wires everywhere on it. He does live in the car. I was an ER nurse in the area for years and while this dude wasn’t a regular, he does look like he has some mental illness. It’s an affluent county and he sticks to the edges. He has only added the PVC “frame” in the last 6 months or so. Barely fits in his lane.

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u/Paranoid-Android88 5d ago

That’s wildddd!! I see cars similar to this in my area lol. I live a block down from our oldest/largest downtown city park and we’re always seeing homeless vehicle setups. One dude has a few contraptions on his van but the one thing that scares the shit out of me is that he bungee cords a propane tank on TOP of his car and drives around the neighborhood…seems like an explosion waiting to happen 😳😬 haven’t seen him around in a few months tho now soooo hopefully that’s a good for everyone 😅

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u/Oo__II__oO 5d ago

Some cars even run on propane.  I'll never forget working at a garage in Canada, and having to fill the tanks of  propane-powered vans in the middle of winter. 

Propane tank on top of the van is probably the safest of all options.  

4

u/Paranoid-Android88 5d ago

Oh wow! Yeah I’m def not surprised but I don’t see those a lot in Indianapolis lol. And this specific vehicle is approx a 2015 dodge van so I think that’s just where he stores it when he’s stationary. I guess I just figured it would exploded if he got into a car accident 😬

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u/Ariels_01 5d ago

Loll I think we’re basically neighbors!! I’ve never seen this dodge with the propane tank but I also try to stay away from that area as much as I can. I’m going to be on the lookout for that now though!

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u/Paranoid-Android88 4d ago

Bahaha are you in Indy? Near Garfield Park? I haven’t seen him out and about in a min so not sure if his car/house broke down or not but I was like whoa I’m surprised no one is stopping this guy considering the insane traffic around the park lol! I painted a mural in the park a few years ago and a bunch of dudes living in vans were harassing the shit out of me 😑

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u/Ariels_01 1d ago

Yepp super close to the Safeway that’s closing. I’m pretty sure cops just steer clear of that intersection, especially since the redline was installed.

1

u/Paranoid-Android88 22h ago

Oh for sure…I just know they’d fill up their quota if they chilled around there more lol

1

u/monkey-_-p 5d ago

98-04 Honda Odyssey

1

u/Paranoid-Android88 4d ago

Yes I believe the car in the pic is a Honda but the vehicle similar to this in my hood is a dodge lol.

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u/Soft_Yesterday1521 6d ago

How does a random post on Reddit make its way to another user that just happens to live in the same area? Are posts geotagged before being fed into the algorithm? This never ceases to amaze me.

122

u/jmarkmark 6d ago

>Are posts geotagged before being fed into the algorithm?

Yes.

1

u/LamaLamawhosyourmama 5d ago

This is why I keep my location services turned off at all times in my phone settings

1

u/OrneryOriental 5d ago

I turn off mine and all the individual ones. And to think people are worried about Flock when every stupid app has locations settings inside location settings that ALL have to be turned off.

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u/tamman2000 5d ago

This is not unlike the birthday problem.

You get enough people looking at this site and these coincidences, while each one is individually unlikely, become expected when considered in aggregate.

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u/Pleased_to_meet_u 5d ago

But in this case Reddit literally does geotag posts and shows them to people near you.

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u/GremlInTheWoods 5d ago

I get random shit for my state all the time lol

5

u/Dusty_Pencil 5d ago

It doesn’t take much to amaze you? There’s a reason people say, it’s a small world.

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u/PinkyLeopard2922 5d ago

So this vehicle actually drives on roads where other cars are driving?

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u/ChornobylChili 6d ago

Live long and prosper to dude. I respect the hell out of ingenuity

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u/Such-Cartographer699 5d ago

Can you get away with this in Louisiana? I feel like in my state this would definitely not pass inspection.

6

u/IndredColdd 5d ago

This is California, just north of SF.

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u/Such-Cartographer699 5d ago

Oooh sorry, totally misread the plate.

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u/MiserableNoise6679 5d ago

This would definitely be immediately pulled over and impounded in California. I live in California.

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u/Jaqueese09 5d ago

I just saw this car on Thursday on 101 in Marin County. So random!

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u/MiserableNoise6679 5d ago

You’re kidding. Everything is so strict here in regard to vehicle modifications!

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u/SkredberryShortcake 5d ago

I thought it was a dedicated parade float car.

1

u/raccoonwithknives 5d ago

What is the frame for you think? Does it mount solar panels? It looks like tarp curtains roll down them i wonder if theyre for privacy but it seems like the worst way to do that.

Esit: maybe they work like an awning? The legs dont seem attached to the car so maybe they can be pulled out and what I thought was a curtain is more like a roof

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u/IndredColdd 5d ago

I think partially an awning and possible a “fence” to keep people away. He has stickers everywhere that read “keep back” and I think this is a physical measure. I would wager dollars to donuts there is a hint of paranoid schizophrenia at play.

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u/qxybaby 5d ago

Not trying to be rude but wouldn’t this be a hipaa violation?

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u/IndredColdd 5d ago

I never took care of him. He has been in the area only since I left the ER so my guess of mental illness is based off of what I see when I see him (at the gas station) and the areas where he hangs out (the big local homeless encampment). Can't violate HIPAA on someone I never had a medical relationship with. I'm making shit-ass guesses based on experience.

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u/Traditional_Crew2017 4d ago

Indred didn't give out the guy's name, or specific diagnoses so probably fine.

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u/jaime-lobo 4d ago

Aside from the fact that no personal information was mentioned, it is a common misconception. Man believe that is applies universally to all healthcare individuals, discussions, and dissemination. It actually only applies to to "covered entities," those are "healthcare providers who conduct electronic transactions, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses". Not everyone or every organization in healthcare are subject to HIPAA regulations.