Regular people won't ask a flashaholic for advice?

[KingGlamis]

I've thought this might be the case for a while, but today I'm sure of it. Non-flashaholics generally won't ask a known flashaholic for advice on what to buy. Maybe they are afraid of looking dumb or uneducated about lights so they just don't ask? I don't know, but in most cases I think this is true.

Example from today: I was telling one of my co-workers about a light I just ordered. He KNOWS I am a serious flashaholic, everyone at my company knows. So after I got finished telling him about the light I ordered he tells me "I just bought a new flashlight too." I say "Cool, what did you get?" He says, "Well, I needed a light to carry in my truck so I got a 2-D Maglite."

I almost choked. All he had to do was ask and I could have suggested a dozen different lights better than a Mag for a similar price or not much more.

But I guess that is how the majority of the population buys lights, just go with what is a known brand name and what is available on the shelf at the local store. I know I also used to be one of those people. But back then I didn't have a flashaholic friend to ask what to get.

Just seems odd that he is well aware of my flashlight knowledge yet he never bothered to ask my opinion on what light to buy. And we work side-by-side every day.

Have any of you ran into this same situation?

 

[Avatar28]

I encounter much the same situation where people know that I know more about computers than probably anyone else they know. Yet they still go ask their buddy Jim Bob for suggestions or worse just go into store and go with whatever the sales guy there suggests (cause you know HE only has their best interests at heart).

The fact is, that I think most people just don't CARE that much about a flashlight. They don't carry one around in their pocket (I've had people look at me funny because I do and even ask me why). They use a flashlight when they have to do something in the car at night or when the power goes out or when they're walking their dog. They know there's a difference between the $5 plastic krypton bulb cheapie at Wal-Mart and a Mag; the mag is a name brand and more importantly it's big and heavy and made of metal and feels solid and therefore it must be good. As long as they can put batteries in and push the switch and get a nice fairly bright beam of light, they're happy. They couldn't care less about beam tint, led vs incandescent or flood vs spill (and besides, those nifty maglights let you ADJUST the beam type, how can you beat that?), just as long as it works.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

I've noticed that with casual acquaintances. At the place where I used to intern, a former intern came in every week or two, and he worked at PG&E at the time (utilities). He carried a few Minimags to jobs, because they'd get dim before he finished. I suggested the SLPPL4AA, showed him Quickbeam's review of it, and he printed out the review and asked me where to buy. He hadn't actually bought one by the time I finished my internship, and I'll bet he still doesn't have one.

That contrasts with how my close friends see lights. I got my best friend an E0, SLPPL3C, and SLPPL4AA, and he's very happy with them, well aware that I'm the "flashlight guy". Another friend asked for recommendations, and said he's going to buy an L2D and an Argo HP and have me Seoul the latter.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

They're just jealous of our superior knowledge and thus resort to childish actions like buying Mags. They can't bring themselves to ask for or even heed our suggestions due to pride... which we all know is actually shame. The masses suffer from Lumen Envy.


I guess I could say in all seriousness that very few people ask my advice for lights, knives, swords, or physical fitness. However way too many people seem to ask my advice on buying, building and repairing computers.
I think it has to do with the fact that they aren't flashaholics. To the unenlightened flashlights just don't matter enough to put significant, if any effort into them.

 

[Supernam]

"Regular people" LOL

Honestly, it may just be your coworker's personality. Personally, when I get into any new hobby, I ask away because I want to learn from the best and get all viewpoints. For example, I'm getting into mountain biking. I spend most of my time conversing with the shop people about riding techniques and equipment so that when I make purchases, I don't look back regretfully after I become more knowledgeable.

 

[Avatar28]

To the unenlightened flashlights just don't matter enough to put significant, if any effort into them.

Basically that was exactly my point.

 

[USM0083]

Where I work, I'm known as the Gun/Computer/Flashlight Guru, and everyone comes to me for advise. I picked up a Tiablo A8S a month ago to supplement my SF G2Z (Cree head) and 8AX. I just picked up a A8S and A9Q5 for two co-workers, and there are a couple more interested.

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Have any of you ran into this same situation?

Yes, the individual was mocking me.

 

[MikeSalt]

It is amazing, you can almost never convince a non-flashaholic to spend their own money on a good flashlight. If the person in question is close enough to you, buy them something like a Fenix L0D(-CE/RB80) as a gift. It is somewhat of a shock tactic, as soon as they turn it on, and dazzle themselves, the seeds of flashaholism are planted.

 

[GregWormald]

In addition I suspect that they don't have a clue about WHERE to buy a flashlight, so they get whatever is the best for them at the local store, assuming the local store has a good selection.
Just like they buy their knives at the department store, their tires at Kmart, and their food at the supermarket.
Specialty stores are for the minority, and only that minority even 'knows' that they exist.
Greg

 

[Julian Holtz]

Well, the first thing I do when I need something that other people are more interested in than me, is aking them.
One cannot expect decent advice in retail stores nowadays, so who is going to be able to give a better advice on something than a person whose hobby is dealing with said "something"? Nobody.

When I needed a new HD for my Notbook 4 years ago, I went to the computer guys upstairs in my company, and they spent half an hour to inform me, printing out ebay links, and doing the best they could for my new hard drive.
Needless to say, this HD performed flawlessly until I replaced it with a bigger one last week. It still serves as a backup.

Asking a serious hobbyist for advice is always a win-win situation.
One will always get the best advice possible, and the hobbyist will always love it to give this advice.

Dunno why some folks let this opportunity lie fallow...

 

[scottaw]

I've definately run into the "couldn't find it locally problem"

I was helping my neighbor do some work in his attic and had my apex pro (he laughed until he used it) and my P2D "wow, this is sweet" (before i showed him how to change levels.) Once he figured out the levels im pretty sure he was hooked.

So anyways, the next day we're working again and he said "i couldn't find your little flashlight at wal-mart, so i just bought a minimag.) Oh well, maybe he'll get a flashaholic starter gift one of these days.

 

[alanagnostic]

When I need something I rarely ask others for advice. I usually do the research myself because I know myself and I tend to recommend what I know, not necessarily what is best for someone else. If I check out the options myself I'm more likely to get what I need and like, not what someone else thinks I need.

I just started looking into reloading ammo. I like to shoot but I've never done any reloading. My father has been reloading for years so I've been asking him questions when they come up, but I take all his recommendations with a grain of salt. I know he has a particular point of view so I take the advice he has, do more research, and then make the decision that I think will work for me.

For most of my life I had no idea that I needed to have a "good" flashlight and carry it with me. Once I saw the light, I realized what I had been missing, but two or three years ago you would have never been able to convince me that ANY flashlight is worth more than $50. Now I probably have ten of them and some are worth about 5 to 10 times what I used to think was expensive. Keep in mind that I was future flashaholic and didn't know it yet. People see the truth when they are ready to see it.

 

[greenLED]

I don't openly advertise my hobbies to people. Only close friends and family know about the voices inside my head telling me to buy more lights.

 

[bltkmt]

I don't openly advertise my hobbies to people. Only close friends and family know about the voices inside my head telling me to buy more lights.

:twothumbs

 

[nerdgineer]

Not hard to understand, really...

This is akin to what one of us might do if we wanted to buy something we didn't know or care much about, say, some dinnerware. We may well not go to someone who is known to have only the finest Delft china in their house and ask their advice because we'd expect them to recommend something far better and more expensive than what we were looking for (...something to keep the food off the tablecloth...). We wouldn't want a lecture on how good china is really worth the extra $$ over cheap china and we wouldn't want to insult them by asking for their advice and then not taking it.

What advice would you give to someone asking for a 2-D flashlight costing at most $2, and preferably less than $1.....?

 

[Illum]

most people [including my other side] don't see having poor quality lights to be an issue, and it can be revolting when your trying to teach them about lights and have them feel like their being lectured.

second, different priorities.....I've seen people with $500 sunglasses, $2000 watches, $3000 fountain pens, [my own stamp collection] etc. and some unusual reason $20 is already in the upper echelon for flashlights....

if and when they ask...just smile and nod, try to be on par with their standards [even if it means temporarily downgrading yourself]....if a few individuals pop up with interest that extends into your usage, then go from there, but start small and gradually increase the increments....especially when it comes to price
​

 

[boosterboy]

Gentlemen, without stupid people, we would all be unemployed.

let them splurge money on 300$ jeans and 200$ leather jackets, when they come unprepared for life, we profit!!!


most people won't learn to be prepared until AFTER something bad happens, so you just gotta let them fail once and they learn.

 

[Well-Lit]

Then you run into the guy who actually relies on a flashlight to help him do his job. Example: Just this week I ran into a home inspector at a home I was appraising. I had finished my inspection and was in the basement when he walked in. Hello's were exchanged and he whipped out a 2 D-cell rubber something or other. The beam looked like well, (insert your own raw egg stained vomit beam on the wall) pattern. It did have a rear clickie though:naughty:

He was having problems illuminating the 40' length of the basement wall. I pulled out my E2E-BK with a LF E0-E2R. The rest was well, home inspection history. I left him with my card. Which on the back were the Surefire & CPF websites.

Point is, even if your not a flashoholic you would think that if your job is dependent upon certain tools, you would at least endeavour to utilize the best tools for the job.

Bottom line: I firmly believe that flashlights are not considered to be tools by the general public, even by people who rely on them. They are regulated in the same catagory as a spare tire or fire extinguisher, use in case of emergency only.

Best regards:
Bob

 

[Gunner12]

IMO, the best way to enlighten someone is to help them, lumen wise, when they are using a light.

I think most are just afraid of a light lecture and feeling dumb.