# Does our profession attract sociopaths?



## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

I know this may seem like an odd question, and this does not apply to anyone here I know on the forums.

However - in my years of experience working for other people, I cannot help but noticing the severe lack of ethics among my co-workers and employers.

It seems like a really common thing for people to stab each other in the back at plumbing companies. Of course - this could well be the norm anywhere, I couldn't say.

Still, in the Denver area - A local Media outlet did a test on plumbing companies in the area, by working with one plumbing company to create a small problem with a new hot water heater, and call each company out to see what they would recommend.

EVERY company recommended fixes that weren't necessary...except for one.

And the one company that passed? Got knowledge ahead of time from the company that was working with the media, since apparently they were connected.

They checked like 12 different companies, too. And all of them blatantly lied. The sort of blatant dishonesty is enough to make me think of sociopathic behavior, and it fits perfectly with what I've experienced from the inside of companies as well.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

That sounds like the first plumbing company I worked for in CA. Long after I left them, there was one of those news blubs about them. Little old lady on SS and her toilet wouldn't flush. They cabled it, set the stool, still wouldn't flush. Jetted it, no flush, replaced the mainline, still no flushy. Closet auger. $40K IIRC. Kids got wind of it and reported it.

BTW Water Heater, not Hot Water Heater my friend! LOL, I use to do the same thing writing up bills, realize it and rip it up and start over.

Yeah, morality is dead anymore. I only recommend what is needed. From there if the customer wants to go above and beyond, so be it. I'm willing to work for money.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

Yeah....you know it's official Mr. Rooter policy that they aren't even ALLOWED to carry closet augers in their vans?


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Really?!?!!! I feel bad when when I use a plunger on a drum trap and charge for it! But no access.. what else can ya do besides replace? I can't even imagine running a service without a closet auger!


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Hah! My first closet auger was in a restaurant not too far from a half way house in SD CA, pulled back three needles and a large rubber band... Almost forgot about that one!

I keep my closet auger in a soft gun case. Been to a bank with it before... I tell ya what, you get some funny looks....


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*Karma baby*

it all boils down to KARMA,,, what you put out comes back to you

if you have to screw some old lady to make a living,,, it all comes back to you in spades eventually...in sooooo many different ways.. and it usually infects your personal life ... Some would call it a run of bad luck that never seems to end...

the honest companies and people dont need to lie and cheat people because they never have and they took that honest path long ago .... and they have learned the golden rule.... and that comes back too...they weed out the skumbags and try to never hire them in the first place...

the dirt bags never realize that every time they deceive someone it sucks them deeper into the pit and their is a check and balance to everything...:yes::yes:.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

How about the news outlets wasting the time of 12 plumbing companies? 

Most of the news stations around here won't try that because some of the most dishonest plumbing companies are major advertisers.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

I recall an investigative piece a ways back from Arizona about unethical plumbers. The news station used a house which had a newer previously inspected water heater in perfect condition. They then loosened the water flex supply at the water heater connection, then proceeded to call numerous local plumbers with a hidden camera. Well all but one told her she needs a new water heater. I mean one roto-*ooter guy looked at it for 30 seconds and said the tank is shot and needs to be replaced. Eventually 1 small shop plumber fixed it and didn't charge for it. But what really rubbed me the wrong way was the investigator seamlessly transitioned from the unethical practices to "and upon further communication wit the plumber, they happened to "conveniently" have a water heater on had as if they were planning on replacing the water heater before they even showed up"..."oh! And they even had an extra toilet"... She quipped. 

So it's like if we stock water heaters and toilets on our vans were out looking to screw people.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

plumberkc said:


> How about the news outlets wasting the time of 12 plumbing companies?
> 
> Most of the news stations around here won't try that because some of the most dishonest plumbing companies are major advertisers.


I'm not sure you could call it morally wrong to waste the time of a bunch of crooks.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vn0AqkTO_PU

This is a bull**** setup. They loosened the nut at the top of the tank. How are you suppose to track the water? Those flex connectors don't usually just start leaking on their own like that. They should have loosened the upper connection so they could have at least see water running down the pipe.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

plumberkc said:


> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vn0AqkTO_PU
> 
> This is a bull**** setup. They loosened the nut at the top of the tank. How are you suppose to track the water? Those flex connectors don't usually just start leaking on their own like that. They should have loosened the upper connection so they could have at least see water running down the pipe.


You've never gone to a job where the flex connector was leaking? I've even seen one leak right at the nut before like that. Was a bit corroded though of course.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

plumberkc said:


> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vn0AqkTO_PU
> 
> This is a bull**** setup. They loosened the nut at the top of the tank. How are you suppose to track the water? Those flex connectors don't usually just start leaking on their own like that. They should have loosened the upper connection so they could have at least see water running down the pipe.


This by the biggest liar of them all Chris Hansen !


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

I imagine the media has a pretty large number of sociopathic individuals as well, so it's not like they're a lot better. I mean look at the people who killed Princess Diana. 

This is the single biggest reason I went on my own....not to make more money, but to not have to work for or with other people I don't care for.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> it all boils down to KARMA,,, what you put out comes back to you
> 
> if you have to screw some old lady to make a living,,, it all comes back to you in spades eventually...in sooooo many different ways.. and it usually infects your personal life ... Some would call it a run of bad luck that never seems to end...
> 
> ...


Lol.


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