How do you misuse sticky tape?

I just got a package from the USA, and inside was bubble wrap stuck together with USPS sticky tape, like this:

Now how do you misuse sticky tape?

Even assuming you could, do you really think that some criminal (eg. typing up hostages in a bank robbery) would stop just because it had a warning printed on it?

And what law would you violate? The "correct use of sticky tape" ordinance?

Surely this is egregious over-labelling?

1 Like

The glue will probably get you high, that's all.

If its a government mob, it would be the information printed on it that can't be misused in my opinion.

Could probably skip some security checks if something is mislabelled.

The USPS will ship virtually unlimited amounts of shipping boxes to your house for free. That warning is to inform people that they can't get $1000 worth of boxes for free from the USPS, then use them as moving/storage boxes.

We live in the Age Of The Wimp, and the age of the Legal Lottery.
No amount of warnings, legislation, or expense is too great to prevent a single paper cut or a single spilled coffee.
Lawrence Bullis was right, you know.

As it says the old adage: "Always a better signage will discourage misuse"

wizdum:
The USPS will ship virtually unlimited amounts of shipping boxes to your house for free. That warning is to inform people that they can't get $1000 worth of boxes for free from the USPS, then use them as moving/storage boxes.

or turn them inside-out and retape, and use UPS/Fedex instead.
I've received packages like these from some eBay sellers.

So now USPS pre-prints and marks the inside of their boxes too.

I would imagine that taping co-workers to office chairs is misuse.

In the eyes of the people who supply the tape.

vasquo:

wizdum:
The USPS will ship virtually unlimited amounts of shipping boxes to your house for free. That warning is to inform people that they can't get $1000 worth of boxes for free from the USPS, then use them as moving/storage boxes.

or turn them inside-out and retape, and use UPS/Fedex instead.
I've received packages like these from some eBay sellers.

So now USPS pre-prints and marks the inside of their boxes too.

I used to do that at a place I worked, UPS sent us a palette of assorted boxes, bags and whatnot ... we had just switched to fedex, so I just flipped them inside out

Wow, I had no idea I could get free boxes from UPS !! Thanks. Now if I could only get free bubble wrap.

Not UPS..... but USPS

You can also get stickers, customs form envelopes, etc.

Maybe they don't want you to mistake misuse it for toilet paper!

Jimmy60:
I would imagine that taping co-workers to office chairs is misuse.

Then there's taping the cat.

Or taping postal workers?

I once took the cover off a co-worker's phone, and taped down the hook lever. He couldn't answer his phone. Looking back, I should've used USPS tape.

How about twisting two wires together, and taping them, instead of using wire-nuts?

Those are just some of the ways I'd mis-use sticky tape. YMMV ]:slight_smile:

justjed:
How about twisting two wires together, and taping them, instead of using wire-nuts?

its not uncommon for me to walk into work and see one of the engineers had setup a test ... 12 volts 50 amps running though 22 gauge wire connected by twisting the ends and a little bit of electrical tape covering it

Osgeld:

justjed:
How about twisting two wires together, and taping them, instead of using wire-nuts?

its not uncommon for me to walk into work and see one of the engineers had setup a test ... 12 volts 50 amps running though 22 gauge wire connected by twisting the ends and a little bit of electrical tape covering it

Well, as a temporary thing ... sure. In my last house, I discovered an outlet wired this way, using lamp cord. I'd been running a table saw from it.

12 volts 50 amps running though 22 gauge wire connected by twisting the ends and a little bit of electrical tape covering it

Isn't that called a fuse?

-j

I once witnessed some fantastic misuse of sticky tape at my work... a colleague from the production department used some double sided tape to attach his iPhone to the desk to stop it moving around (don't ask me what goes through that boy's head). All went well, work was done, tunes were listened to and nothing fell on the floor.

But when it came time to remove the phone from it's moorings, the tape turned out to have much more grab than expected and completely shattered the glass back-panel. I expect he'll make management grade one day with problem solving skills like that :slight_smile: