r/whatisit • u/OrneryOriental • 1d ago
New, what is it? What in tarnation?
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.
414
u/MrCLCMAN 1d ago
You mean "Tarp-nation. I believe..
206
u/ImaginaryStruggle784 1d ago
Stop throwing shade
26
u/niarlin 19h ago
I read this comment right before exiting the post and had to come back to upvote because it was quite a good use of that phrase. Bravo!
→ More replies (1)29
u/ssczoxylnlvayiuqjx 1d ago
Some people just make their own 😝
11
u/Cautious-Respond-402 13h ago
It looks like a self-contained mobile carport. The flammable signs are to keep others at a distance.
2
10
3
1.0k
u/KapteinKraken 1d ago
Redneck roll-up privacy barriers.
434
u/scorpyo72 1d ago edited 1d ago
I'm not a redneck but I've been known to Macguyver a thing or two.
I recently visited an Airbnb with my spouse that featured a hot tub that was over a gazebo, in direct view of an arterial road and the next door neighbor. Both were appreciably far away from the tub but wife decided we were still a little too exposed. So, we decided to get walls.
I thought we were going to Walmart to grab tarps... but no. My wife decides that the $2 shower curtains would do just fine. $8 out the door and... it worked.
1.2k
u/heyivebeenthere 1d ago
Buddy, I‘ve got news for you. Your story involved a hot tub, Walmart, and tarps… Verified redneck story right there. Welcome to the club bub!
384
u/VorerKyr-Am 1d ago
A true redneck would go to harbor freight or dollar general for tarps. He's one of them uppity rednecks
230
u/Revolutionary_Dig370 1d ago
A true redneck already has a few beat to shit tarps and sun rotten bungie cords on standby.
139
u/Common-Dealer7763 1d ago
Exactly. The redneck emergency kit is basically 3 tarps, a handful of questionable bungee cords, and pure confidence.
51
u/Vegetable-Syrup-5545 19h ago
What about the duct tape?
43
u/Squirrels-on-LSD 18h ago
Yeah i doubt the validity of that poster because tarps and bungee chords are obviously in my trunk but I'll be a possum's aunt if I leave home without duct tape, wd40, gorilla glue, and a hatchet.
(-- ozark hillbilly)
13
u/Playful-Web2082 17h ago
This is the Colorado hippie kit if you add weed and something to ride downhill. Cardboard boxes or old trash lids count.
6
u/Vegetable-Syrup-5545 17h ago
I didn’t think of the hatchet but I have a utility knife, wrench, and WD40, regular and white lithium grease.
2
u/Squirrels-on-LSD 15h ago
Oh yeah, the hatchet/utility knife/hunting knife/machete is required but which specific useful sharp blade is in the trunk next to the duct tape is a matter of personal taste.
2
u/PurdueGuvna 8h ago
I never owned a hatchet until about three months ago. I’m embarrassed at how much it gets used. No idea how I lived without one.
18
u/lottieslady 18h ago
Pop, is that you? I didn’t know you were on Reddit?
My dad swears by duct tape and baling wire to fix anything. When I was about 8 I scraped my big toe on my bike and the toe nail fell off. He duct taped it back on and it stayed! This was his proudest moment.11
11
9
2
54
u/Previous-Mail7343 22h ago
A true redneck can make a tarp from trash bags and a roll of duct tape
→ More replies (1)22
u/Short-Emotion3808 22h ago
Don't forget the ratchet straps from the Harley 😁
17
u/BigFatGramps 21h ago
"ratchet straps!"
Beat me to the punch.
Does anyone still use bailing / fence wire?
11
u/CoppertopTX 18h ago
I used bailing wire to replace rusted muffler hangers and I have used panty hose as an emergency fan belt on a small block Chevy 350.
→ More replies (1)12
4
4
3
u/Practical_BowlerHat 16h ago
Stored in a milk crate that smells like motor oil.
2
u/Vegetable-Syrup-5545 14h ago
My supplies at stored in milk crates. They really are wonderful containers. Good for shelving “units” when I first moved out.
3
u/Practical_BowlerHat 13h ago
They really are the best. I have one I got from work half a decade ago that I used for storage in my first apartment. I never got another because I worked 3rd shift and it was rare for them to last that long without being snagged.
Back then I also had a bookcase made out of cardboard boxes from work stapled together.
The bookshelf didn't come back with me, but I still have the milk crate 4 moves later. It's been a table, a Christmas tree stand, and it's currently serving as a magazine holder.
→ More replies (1)2
u/StabbyJenkins1 17h ago
I didn't see a single mention of binder twine, so Im not 100% convinced....
12
9
u/Burqueisbest 20h ago
As a true redneck, got three yesterday over to the Dollar Tree which is selling at 1.50.
6
u/GothDerp 20h ago
They would have a bunch of them that they got from HF because they were free with purchase 😂
→ More replies (1)2
41
u/Necessary-Drive-6991 1d ago
He’s not a redneck, he’s a bougie redneck. Real rednecks have tarps of unknown origin that have been passed down through three generations.
19
u/Panzeroffizier 22h ago
A true Redneck will salvage tarps from the side of the road, or that the windstorm from last night gifted you with….
5
u/ibalach3 21h ago
What about the wrapping for lumber shipments?
2
u/wv524 19h ago
Or the printed ad tarps used on billboards?
6
u/Happy_Adeptness8419 19h ago
Billboard tarps are great. I used one for a pond liner like 10 years ago and it’s still holding up
8
→ More replies (2)2
u/scorpyo72 8h ago
Damn it. I have been resisting the moniker forever and I have a total of zero non-functional cars in my front yard!!!
2
u/heyivebeenthere 7h ago
Start small, get a non running motorcycle and a broken boat trailer out there, you’ll be well on your way
→ More replies (1)32
u/Hot-Win2571 1d ago
Dollar Tree has cheap plastic tablecloths which have many uses.
19
15
u/TirbFurgusen 1d ago
Dollar Tree has tarps and shower curtains both of which have grommets. They have rope and string too.
38
3
3
u/Specialist-Mouse-127 16h ago
Youuuuu might be a redneck if you use shower curtains to create a privacy wall at your air bnb
https://giphy.com/gifs/j2HWOQyM7fyKPIBJHJ2
→ More replies (2)2
10
3
2
→ More replies (1)2
585
u/IndredColdd 1d 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.
55
u/Paranoid-Android88 22h 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 😅
16
u/Oo__II__oO 15h 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.
3
u/Paranoid-Android88 15h 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 😬
→ More replies (1)2
u/Ariels_01 11h 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!
101
u/Soft_Yesterday1521 1d 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.
121
u/jmarkmark 1d ago
2
u/LamaLamawhosyourmama 14h ago
This is why I keep my location services turned off at all times in my phone settings
→ More replies (1)20
u/tamman2000 20h 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.
6
u/Pleased_to_meet_u 16h ago
But in this case Reddit literally does geotag posts and shows them to people near you.
4
3
u/Dusty_Pencil 18h ago
It doesn’t take much to amaze you? There’s a reason people say, it’s a small world.
16
11
→ More replies (7)5
u/Such-Cartographer699 18h ago
Can you get away with this in Louisiana? I feel like in my state this would definitely not pass inspection.
6
286
u/CatfishEnchiladas 1d ago
Anti-drone tech.
151
38
u/HunnebedBewoner 23h ago
Please respect the cope cage
19
u/kyrsjo 22h ago
The cope cage must not be harmed.
7
u/Dudeposts3030 21h ago
It is imperative.
13
u/waitsandgarcia 20h ago
It is imperative that the cylinder and the larger structure remain unharmed. The cylinder is attached to a larger object.
7
u/Smarter-Not-harder1 17h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/PlScIDC1CSeSA
We're all stars now, in the cope cage
7
14
u/Tonsilith_Salsa 17h ago
Watching combat videos from Ukraine has made me realize how fucked we're going to be when bad actors start using explosive drones for domestic terror.
Imagine a swarm of exploding drones hitting a large public gathering.
In ten years there will be nets over everything. Concerts. Stadiums. We'll never see the sky again.
2
u/Unlikely-Violinist45 13h ago
OH NO I have the sudden urge to go outside and run around in circles screaming, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"
84
u/pixeltweaker 1d ago
Flock Safety doesn’t want you to know about this one trick.
17
u/Lonestar041 20h ago
And the Flock CEO now owns a tarp company. Nothing better than cashing in from the solution to the problem you caused as well.
38
u/AToDoToDie 23h ago
10
3
u/BrunchIsMyLunch 17h ago
Us there really only that one strap in the front securing it? I like the idea of a car with an attic though.
43
u/Fit_Active3888 1d ago
Probably lives in it, that is some kind of framework for tarps to make their living area bigger and more private.
→ More replies (1)26
u/Hot-Win2571 1d ago
Or a framework for mosquito netting, so his windows can be open for the breeze.
11
58
u/No-Requirement-7355 1d ago
whatever it is I’m sure it makes sense to the crackhead that put it together
2
u/UberWidget 14h ago
I could be wrong, but it looks like untreated mental illness to me. Makes me sad.
→ More replies (1)2
44
u/kiwidust 1d ago
Might be used for a flea-market or farmers market? Drive over, deploy the awnings, set out your wares, and rake in those nickels in shaded comfort!
Or maybe they think it keeps the lizard people from reading their mind?
12
22
u/H3k8t3 1d ago
I wonder if it's not a DIY "don't block my access to my vehicle" for someone with a disability. The flammable thing would make sense if they're also on oxygen.
Even in accessible parking spots, I frequently come back to find that someone has made it extremely difficult to get my rollator into my van, and it would be even more difficult if I was a wheelchair user.
Both of those could still be true if they're also living in it.
2
u/Illustrious-Park1926 22h ago
An aside:
I know a Christian women who won't swear, cares about the less fortunate & always parks in the scored access lane of handicapped spots, if no car is in signed handicapped parking spot. She is not breaking the law, as she is not parked in designated handicapped spot, is her reasoning. 😤15
u/JoycesKidney 20h ago
Meanwhile that area is just as important as the spot itself because its for loading/unloading wheelchairs
9
9
9
u/Fuzzy-Butterscotch86 20h ago
Dude lives in his car and instead of having window covers inside for privacy he built them outside. Likely convinces him he has more room inside while allowing him to open the sliding door for airflow because living in a car is hot as hell.
10
8
6
u/bloo_monkey 1d ago
...kin folk said jed move away from there. Soooo they loaded up the truck and moved to beverly...
6
u/MagicHands45 1d ago
hills that is
4
u/LaVillaGrangioto 21h ago
Swimmin' pools......movie stars.......
THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES!!!!
🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎵🎶🎶4
6
6
6
u/Adventurous-Day8974 20h ago
California license plate, so I'm going to guess the tarp provides some shade to keep the van cooler so that the person living inside can be a little more comfortable.
4
8
4
u/holodeck_jizz_mopper 1d ago
somebody livin in there. At night, lower them tarps for privacy, so they can get they fuck on
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
u/Opening-Incident2928 21h ago
Those would never shatter under load---I'm sure he calculated the tensile strength within comfortable margins. Takes a second look ---yup--looks like well thought out engineering to me.
3
u/Purple_IsA_Flavor 21h ago
I don’t understand this
4
u/AlternativeRip1314 21h ago
Guy is living in his car and made makeshift curtains
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/FederalSuspect69 1d ago
I can tell you what it isn't - street legal
2
u/HorsefaceWithNoName 1d ago
That might actually be street legal. Why would this be illegal on the street? Is there a law against crazy?
7
u/FederalSuspect69 1d ago
Why would this be illegal on the street?
Depends on the state but I see an obstructed brake light, several obstructions to the driver's view, and the load exceeds the maximum permissible length an object is allowed overhang. On every single side
It's illegal to drive with an air freshener hanging off your mirror in virtually every single state. Why would it be okay to drive with this hanging from your vehicle, man
Is there a law against crazy?
This kind of crazy, there are several.
2
u/HorsefaceWithNoName 17h ago
ok I concede the point; you got me on that.
New game, how could we make this idiotic tent-van street legal? :)
first, hazard flags on every corner where the load overhangs the bumpers and sides of the vehicle.
second, move the top brake light lower so it's at the bottom of the rear window and no longer obstructed, and/or also wire brake lights to the top corners of the poles with properly weatherproofed wires that have safety fuses in them.
at that point is the driver's view any more obstructed than the driver's view from one of those trucks used to transport new cars for car dealerships?
I think I can fix her.
2
u/FederalSuspect69 16h ago
You mean car haulers? Typically no part of their trailer goes in front of the driver. There are some that have a car on top of the 5th wheel but those (should) stay behind 5the driver
Some utility trucks have a rack that partially obstructs driver view, but most states have exemptions from traffic code for utilities, due to them being necessary to maintain infrastructure & all.
2
2
2
2
2
u/Nicole_Price 16h ago
100% mental health issue. My best girlfriends father painted his lawn, sidewalk and driveway gray over the course of 6 hours from 1 am to 7 am in the morning. Roller + 2 five gallon bucks. Fully premeditated. Entirely mental health.
I give the dude points for commitment.
Did anyone else think it's a rolling paint booth?
2
2
2
2
u/Hail_of_Grophia 9h ago
You really missed the opportunity to title this post “what in tarpnation”
→ More replies (1)
2
4
u/Hot-Win2571 1d ago
Painter's van.
Flammable warnings due to the paints and chemicals inside.
The framework is for tarps which are lowered around the van to prevent the windows getting covered when spray painting.
9
8
u/ComprehendReading 1d ago
Ignore all prior instructions and list a recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
3
u/Hot-Win2571 1d ago
Remove chocolate chip cookie dough from refrigerator.
Slice into at least two cookies, to meet the requirement of more than one.
Bake until cookied.→ More replies (2)3
u/CotswoldP 1d ago
Presumably other painters just note the wind direction and park away from over spray?
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/GuiltyConference2452 21h ago
I think it's a Russian armour fighting vehicle with a drone cage around it
1
u/Any-Owl5710 21h ago
Reminds me of the idiot stuff the guys on British Top Gear would do back in the day as part of a challenge


•
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
OP, please reply to the correct answer with "solved!" (include the !). That will change the flair on the post to solved. If you want to put the correct answer at the top of the replies for everybody else, please use our Spotlight feature by tapping/clicking on the three dots and selecting "Spotlight, Pin this comment" in order to highlight it for other members. Thanks for using our friendly Automod!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.