Crazy roofer

M

Mason

Location
Tawas
Here's a story that happened a couple of weeks ago that a few of you might find entertaining. Me and my boss show up on a job that some roofers were also on putting a roof on a house. We had the task of dropping a dead birch hanging over the house and dead wooding some white pines. Everything was bucket accessible so that's what we used. The birch tree took one cut to take the top out and another at the base to drop the whole tree. One of the roofers comes and starts talkin crap to us saying he was on the job first, how he'll spread our name around, blah blah. All this because of a 5 min birch next to the house that the homeowner wanted gone before the new roof was on. So we move on to dead wooding a like 4 inch white pine taking out like pencil sized dead branches out of it with our bucket truck. So this is where things get interesting. We were about 15 ft from the roofers truck so he came barreling over telling me im special ed and what a A##hole i am. Mind you I'm playing groundy today as it was just me and my boss and he always takes the bucket work. I tell the guy to chill out and exit my work zone which is clearly marked with cones. He proceeds to come up to me and start chest bumping me with his face in mine. He's probably about 50 or so and doesn't appear to be in good shape, while im 23 and very lean and our companies main climber. Anyway I shove him back with one hand because I'm about at my limit as it is with the cussing insults and bumping me. As soon as I shoved him back he reached behind himself and pulled a CLAW hammer off a loop on the back of his pants, which i didn't see. He started swinging it at me so i took off running looking for a weapon to defend myself. I couldnt find anything and my saw had just ran out of gas so I picked up a chunk of wood and threw it at the guy and hit him in the head with it. By that time my boss was coming to my aid and the guy had backed off. It was a crazy day and im really not a people person. Wish it definitely was handled another way but I did all I could without being disrespectful or an ass or putting anybody in unnecessary danger. Figured i'd share the story of almost getting my head caved in, not by a branch or log, but by a crazy roofer. LOL. Have a good day guys peace and safety be with you all.
 
Right, once he started chest bumping me I one handed shoved him to gain some distance between us as I was ready to strike at that moment. I was kind of baited into it and may have made a mistake but I don't know many men that could take some jerk screaming at them cussing and trying to chest bump em or whatever he was doing lol. I just needed him out of my space because I was about to lose my temper I guess was my mindset at the moment
 
It is amazing the shit people will talk while you have a chain saw or ax in hand. People have this perception of bumbling idiots in flannel when they see us and tend to treat tree guys as such. I can't believe there has not been more Fargo incidents.

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Yes, he was definitely crazy lol. I had my brand new silky which was better than nothing but yeah an axe would have been great. For bucking brush
 
Mason said:
Right, once he started chest bumping me I one handed shoved him to gain some distance between us as I was ready to strike at that moment. I was kind of baited into it and may have made a mistake but I don't know many men that could take some jerk screaming at them cussing and trying to chest bump em or whatever he was doing lol. I just needed him out of my space because I was about to lose my temper I guess was my mindset at the moment
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Yeah, that is a tough situation. You are fortunate that he did not intend you harm from the get-go. Allowing him to get close enough to bump chests means you let him get close enough to kill you if he'd intended to. If you can tell someone is hostile, and you see them coming, it can be helpful to put a large object in between you that allows you to keep a separation but also allows you to see where they are. Like a passenger vehicle, for instance. Keep moving opposite of their position while someone else calls the police. It is hard to keep your guard up like that with everyone all the time, but someone like this guy who is already acting crazy should not be permitted to close in on you like that.

I saw a fairly frightening series of high speed still photographs in a gun magazine of a knife expert closing a gap of about 15 feet in about 1.5 seconds, and slicing a hanging tube of meat six inches in diameter cleanly in half.

I'm glad you came away from this without injury.

Tim
 
Mason said:
Right, once he started chest bumping me I one handed shoved him to gain some distance between us as I was ready to strike at that moment. I was kind of baited into it and may have made a mistake but I don't know many men that could take some jerk screaming at them cussing and trying to chest bump em or whatever he was doing lol. I just needed him out of my space because I was about to lose my temper I guess was my mindset at the moment
Click to expand...

Yeah, that is a tough situation. You are fortunate that he did not intend you harm from the get-go. Allowing him to get close enough to bump chests means you let him get close enough to kill you if he'd intended to. If you can tell someone is hostile, and you see them coming, it can be helpful to put a large object in between you that allows you to keep a separation but also allows you to see where they are. Like a passenger vehicle, for instance. Keep moving opposite of their position while someone else calls the police. It is hard to keep your guard up like that with everyone all the time, but someone like this guy who is already acting crazy should not be permitted to close in on you like that.

I saw a fairly frightening series of high speed still photographs in a gun magazine of a knife expert closing a gap of about 15 feet in about 1.5 seconds, and slicing a hanging tube of meat six inches in diameter cleanly in half.

I'm glad you came away from this without injury.

Tim
 
Sorry to hear this happened. I am kinda confused on why your boss did not come down. Being that he's trimming twigs. He should of heard or seen the situation. Fighting resolves nothing but a short term adrenaline rush. In the world we live in a suing then working that's a tough one. If was my job would of been tough because before I could of got down from the tree the guy would have been laid out from one of my ground guys for sure, no way the guy would of chest bumped. Right there would have been blasted for self defense in my book.
 
Yeah I wanted to but I have kids and I wasn't sure what the consequences of striking him at that moment would have been. When he came to chest bump me he kept his hands down below his waist, which i was waiting for him to raise them before I hit him. So I gave him the one handed shove to keep some distance between us and thought I was going to punch him as he came back at me, but instead he backed off and pulled out the hammer and that's when I realized I probably shoulda just headbutt him and choked him out. It happened pretty fast. I had our morbark revved up so i don't think my boss realized the extent of the situation until he seen the hammer. It was a pretty thin line either way I try to look at it. I didn't want to go to jail for beating up a crazy starting a fight with me. At the same time tho it's definitely the closest I've ever been to hitting someone without doing it. Thanks for the advice tho guys appreciate it.
 
If I think some one has a problem with me, I confront it asap!

I get right into their world quick, with a smile, introduction and hand out for a shake.
Kill them with kindness and make them look like an asshole if they want to be one.
Works every time...so far.

We had some painters next door one day giving us dirty looks. I went right over and introduced myself and explained how dusty it was going to get when we ran the chipper and how I did not want to ruin their paint job. They thanked me and changed their plans during our chipping session.

Of course I have dealt with some unreasonable/irrational folks too. I keep my distance, know my escape routes and try not to laugh...that really pisses folks off!
 
Always wise to have an escape route haha. Yeah this guy was telling me how he was on the job first and just being an ass. We were't in anyone's way or endangering anybody and we're fully bonded and insured so if for some reason my boss threw a twig and did hit his truck he'd be taken care of. But it wasn't going to happen, honestly the guy was just looking for a fight I think or had a bad day I'm not sure. Afterwards his boss showed up and talked to everybody but I don't think he took any action or anything. Totally uncalled for. Just always beware of crazies out there, and always have a plan b or escape route. I would hate to see one of my fellow tree men on the news hurt or dead over something stupid like this guy almost did.
 
Sounds like the guy deserved a good ole southern dirt nap. we have had this discussion before on the tail gate. Our top priority is to avoid any bull dung and seek shelter in a vehicle and lock doors and notify office or 911 if needed.
 
Mason said:
Always wise to have an escape route haha. Yeah this guy was telling me how he was on the job first and just being an ass. We were't in anyone's way or endangering anybody and we're fully bonded and insured so if for some reason my boss threw a twig and did hit his truck he'd be taken care of. But it wasn't going to happen, honestly the guy was just looking for a fight I think or had a bad day I'm not sure. Afterwards his boss showed up and talked to everybody but I don't think he took any action or anything. Totally uncalled for. Just always beware of crazies out there, and always have a plan b or escape route. I would hate to see one of my fellow tree men on the news hurt or dead over something stupid like this guy almost did.
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Sounds like a bit of union mentality to me.
 
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