Do you read the instructions?

I can’t understand diagrams either. Funny little stick figures, arrows, circles, symbols pointing up, down, all around.
I just give up.

I organise product testing for a living.
One of the reasons I actually have a business is because most women do not read instructions!!
The products I test need to be assembled and put to use without the consumer looking at the instructions.

I must be a man I rarely read instructions ( often can’t see the print) I am much better following diagrams if there are any and like building flat packs etc
I find diagrams so much easier same with things like the underground maps my young man grandson can’t get them at all but my granddaughter whizzes through them I find them totally self explanatory

Yes I read instructions, if I didn't I would be concerned I would brake it.

When items have gone wrong we have trouble finding the original instructions so my husband tries all sorts of remedies that don’t work until I find I can google up the instruction manual!

I do read ,instructions carefully. Also, with anything that arrives in any sort of flat pack - I take out all the parts, and carefully count and tick them off against those instructions. This has, on several occasions, proven extremely helpful when not all the screws/bolts, etc have been included.
Some years ago I purchased in a sale a Slow Cooker. Did not bother with instructions, just thinking of it as a sort of casserole dish. Never managed to make any decent meals in it - gave up after half a dozen uses. Eventually gave this to my of my daughters - and she makes the most wonderful meals in it. So, recently I treated myself to a new small one, read the instructions following the recipes and have found it a wonderful addition to my kitchen.
All such instruction booklets, etc are also kept for as long as I have that item - then can be passed on with them when I am selling/giving them away,.
Couple of years ago gave my very old Kenwood Mixer to a daughter (I had bought it in the 1960's). When I gave it to her I said I had the original instructions/recipe book to go with it - "Of course you have, Mum" was the reply!!!

Ditto to checking/counting all the parts or bits.

Dh and I have had no problems putting together some large-item Ikea flat-packs. But I had to insist on first counting out every last A, B, C, D, bit to make sure, and putting them all on a tray so they couldn’t roll away.
And then following the instructions to the letter.

We keep instructions for everything in a large box file in the cupboard under the stairs. Now and then we have to ‘weed’ it of instructions for appliances we no longer have.

Greymar, you could be me. I always presume I will automatically know how it works, then when it doesn't, I look at the instructions, assuming I haven't thrown them away or lost them.

I don't necessarily read instructions every time but (unlike my husband who is like the proverbial bull in the china shop in these matters) I always put aside a quiet time before opening the box and assessing is this something simple to do or do I have to read the instructions properly.

Just received a new router( which we don’t really need) from BT. Took it out of the box and started to read the instructions.
1. An engineer will be in touch to set up this router!
Perhaps as well I did look at the instructions.

DH has a process:

1 Look at the manual (don't read it) wonder if it is in several languages.
2 Plug it in and complain about some aspect of it.
3 Press something and complain again.
4- 8 as 3
9 go away and do something else
10 come back and look at it with puzzled face
11 put it away muttering about it then forget about it for a very long time
12 when really necessary all the above again and then try 'percussive maintenance' and call it names.
13 mutter at me and not like my suggestions.
14 finally, when all else fails read the instructions.

Me, try to say nothing and ignore but when I need to use it, first find the illogical place it has been stored, then ask where the instructions are because they won't be with it, then read them and hey presto.................................

Him, no comment!

It works for us

I read them but don't generally remember what they said and then later find they have functions I wasn't aware of and might have found useful (or maybe not else I'd have taken note of them?).

It depends. I usually assess the item to see if I can work out what to do and have ago and then turn to the instructions if all else fails, but on other occasions I do read the instructions first. Other times I do not even do that I just ask DH to sort it out and then show me.

It very much depends on what the item is, but I usually take a look at the instructions and always keep them. I agree the translations are awful. But some devices have the most ridiculously complicated instructions with menus for things you would never use.
However, I feel a good instruction book is important and I would be lost without them as there are often things you have no idea how to work.

We have a saying in our house ‘if all else fails, read the instructions’.

Usually. And at least I keep them for reference later if necessary.

My in laws take something out of the box and immediately throw box, packaging and instructions out. And I mean immediately. This means they have a whole load of stuff that they have no idea how to work sitting round the house. And expect us to be able to tell them how to work it. I guess a lot of insteuctions are on line now but sometimes without the box we cant find the model number of the item.

DH and I were asked to load an antivirus onto their computer - fil had bought it as a disc. We eventually discovered he had put it in his disc drive on top of some sort of small disc to do with the virgin internet set up. We had no idea if it was something essential, hoped not as despite our protests Mil snatched it away and it was in the bin in a blink!!

Nonnie I think I might be your husband! I tend to start muttering expletives under my breath at 10 though, at which point DH gets so fed up with my huffing and puffing that he takes the thing from me and has it working in no time.

My ex was never happier than when he had a manual to read. In fact I thought that's why they are so called. Now I'm alone I file them all. Recent dilemmas include: How do I re-set the timer on the cooker? How do I switch on the fog lights? Why is the house alarm ringing on the outside, but not on the inside? It's in the manual.

This was a question I would ask trainee teachers to demonstrate how we all learn in different ways. Personally I never read instructions!

I unpack carefully and read instructions before I use anything new. I also keep instructions because I've got a bad memory and often forget things.

I sort of skip read, and turn to the back.
DH reads them all very carefully, if they relate to him and his interests.

I hate reading instructions but I have to, because my Husband never does, or wouldnt understand if he did.I dont always get things right having said that.

I once had a new dishwasher and was sure I wouldn’t understand the instructions so in our 4 years there I never used it. Stupid I know but at the time, with 2 babies, I just knew I couldn’t cope with it. Wonder why I didn’t ask my husband or someone else?

I always check the instructions because if something goes wrong I'll know it's not my fault and I've done everything possible to ensure success.
I find modern technology bad enough without giving it good reason to outwit me.

Hi Greymar, My hubby infuriates me he never ever reads any instructions then he wonders why it takes him longer to put something together, or find how something works, where as I read all instructions first, typical Men my brothers and brother in laws are just the same , I think it’s mor of a man thing lol ?
I’m always tutting saying I wish you would read the instructions you would do it twice as quick. ❤️?xx