HAHAHA.
I have an uncle that worked for Ford as an engineer, then got his degree in aerospace, worked for Bell helicopter and now Sikorsky. He literally cannot change a flat tire, he'll sit on the side of the road for hours waiting on AAA. This was even before he started college. Same guy that couldn't figure out why CFL's kept burning up in touch lamps. After I pointed out that it said right on the package Do Not use with Dimmer, his reply was that he isn't, there touch lamps.
Neighbor directly behind me used to be an engineer for Bendix aircraft division, thought he might get his skid steer stuck in the lane feeding horses so the idjit tried to go across a freshly planted hayfield instead.
I've known several engineers over the years, other than a very narrow specific field a larger percentage than not are worthless as tits on a boar hog. No offense Neil.
Those things have nothing to do with what you do for a living. I think the point your trying to make is book smarts do not equal common sense or street smarts. If you are book smart you can go to school and become whatever, you can learn all the ends and outs of a subject and be an expert on the theory behind it. Does it mean you can apply these concepts in the field? No you were simply trained on the subject matter. Stereotyping "Engineers" as a group that only know how things should work with no practical knowledge is absurd.
First off there are tons of different types of engineers out there you don't just focus on engineering it is way to broad. I am an Embedded Design Engineer and design circuit boards, write the software for the microprocessor, support manufacturing of the boards, and support issues in the fields. I am the designer and i know the full ins and outs of how my design works. I don't build the board because we have trained and experience solder and electronic techs who are amazing at it and that is what they do. If there is a problem with a part they will fix it, if there is a wiring issue in the field they will fix it, If the device isn't doing what it is supposed to do then I will figure out why and fix it. Everyone has there area of expertise, and that is how an efficient business works. I could do the soldering and wiring but it would take me way longer and look a lot messier because i don't do it on a daily basis. You talk like the title of Engineer should make you an expert on everything.
The examples you gave of your uncle and neighbor have nothing to do with their fields. They just prove that neither one has any common sense and your uncle chose not to learn to change his own flat.
The stuff you are talking about "engineers" not being able to do is stuff you have to learn like anything else in life, it doesn't just come naturally because you aren't an engineer. I can change my tires, replace a transmission, cut wood, grow a small garden, build a garage, install plumbing, install wiring, and fix about anything that moves. There is also plenty i don't know how to do, for example farming. I love the idea of farming and have slowly been learning more and more for example just got a flock of chickens but i didn't grow up on a farm or have anyone to teach me so it is something i have to lean through experience as i get older. Being able to do these things has nothing to do with being an Engineer, they are things i took the time to learn to do myself by trial and error or from my father. I must admit there is a mindset that goes along with doing the types of tasks you describe. If you have that mindset you are likely to learn them and do them yourself, but not everyone does in which case they focus their thoughts and learning on other areas and that is fine. We all learn what we choose to learn. I know plenty of engineers who can all do this stuff and plenty who can't. I also know plenty of people who work all kinds of other jobs and there are lots who can do this stuff and lots who can't. So your generalization is absurd.