Socrates was said to be the wisest man in Athens because he knew that he knew nothing. In the dialogues of Plato, Socrates attempted to spread such wisdom by going around asking people what htey thought about a subject, and then asking them tricky questions until they contradicted themselves.

For instance, in the dialogue Republic, he asks what "justice" is, and Cephalus suggests it is telling the truth and paying your debts. So Socrate asks, if you borrow a sword from someone, you owe it to them to give it back, right? But then, what if you know that the person who wants their sword back has gone raving mad?

"There have to be exceptions," admits Cephalus.

So, then, in this case justice requires not giving someone what they are due.

Cephalus has undermined his own argument, revealing he doesn't know what he thought he knew about justice.

Socrates rests his case, and then starts on someone else. This method can seem very negative, but if you want to end up with true beliefs, you have to test the ones you have very thoroughly, and Socrates' contention was that, if you do so, you'll find that most of what you think is wrong.

Can you accept that you know nothing in the end?

Fuzzy logic of a sort.

Arriving at a conclusion based on a single exception is a judgement based on incomplete data.

and negates the need for reason in ones actions.

This could be used to prove that Socrates was a butt head.

I could imagine that some people would have tried to avoid him at times

A simpler, more modern view of the method is to ask questions of the topic until you have examined it from many angles. Once you have learned a topic well enough to teach it to others, you know the topic. If you can be "thrown" by questions, you are still the student. One should always seek the exception to the rule in order to understand the rule.

Should a 12 year old boy be tried for murder?
Who has rights over the life of an unborn child?
Should a law that goes against conscience, be obeyed?
Should you criticize others for doing necessary things you cannot do?
Should others pay for your beliefs if you are not willing to pay for them yourself?

If there are exceptions to all rules, are there actually rules or just exceptions to exceptions?

There is "always" an exception to a rule or method of thought... Nothing is black and white, a lot is gray which can make things very confusing for some...

I like the Socrates method, you can have a lot of information just starting with a simple question, however, in these days, we have more sources of information than Socrates, so, it is good, but we have to know the limitations of the method, and then, look for another.

I find when someone starts down a path of argument that is off topic the Socratic method is best for getting back on track.

Straw men are relieved via this method as well.