Do the best climbers gravitate toward DUIs

[southsoundtree]

In my current employee search, I got, again, a "one of the best high climbers in the state" but can't get a chance because of a DUI.

Is there some magical connection between being the best at something and some problem. One of the best high climbers in the state- DUI. Lance Armstrong--testicular cancer. Greg Louganis--HIV.

Don't want to be the best anything I guess.

Had another guy that was going to start working for me 2 years ago, but he flaked. No call, no nothing. He was without a license for falling asleep at the wheel.

I know, risk-seeking behavior in tree climbing and life.

Just doesn't say so much about good judgment.

Maybe I'm just looking for a solid employee without a lot of drama. A little boring when s/he shows up to work on time and does his/ her job. Someone that I don't have to get a call about being in jail. Maybe I'm boring or something, or don't live life to the fullest.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I doubt that there is a statistical spike in any sort of behavior for treeworkers. It's just that we think there is. I've talked with friends all up and down the economic scale and its the same. Disfunction is across the board.

 

[southsoundtree]

I wasn't really serious about it, statistically, but I think that there is a common lament of some tree workers not having their licenses due to legal issues. This is the second one that I can think of who has applied to work for me in three years.

I'm sure that there are much worse occupations, like roofers, who have had high percentages of DUIs.

There have got to be a to a bunch of Smart people in the tree community, especially the arborist community.

We probably have all seen a higher percentage of revoked licenses amongst low training grunt workers, which some tree services hire, probably especially Tree Toppers R Us Tree Service.

We probably do have a lot of people that are drawn to higher risk activities in reality. Some people manage high risk well, some live on the edge, some live fast/ die young.

John Bachar was definitely a high-risk taker, as one of the most/ the most famous free solo rock climbers (no ropes, no nothing) with a career of amazing free soloing of decades, before he finally met his maker. He offered $10,000 to anyone that free solo'ed with him for a day. NO takers. He died in the last year or two. Dan Osman, world record holder for rope jumping (1200'-ish in Yosemite) and amazing free soloist, unfortunately died in a rope jumping accident with the last 5-8 years.

Tree workers have probably faced more risk than most people, at least in the US, and lived through it through skill and training, and sometimes luck.

 

[familytree]

I have noticed that "I'm the best climber in new jersey" folks tend to have chainsaw scars as well. Then I promptly ask if they've ever heard of mark Chisholm, the current new jersey chapter tcc winner, the answers always no.

Most folks who aren't DUI usually start their own companies. At least around here they do

 

[southsoundtree]

Those people probably can be quoted as "I can climb anything on spikes." and "There is no tree I can't take down."

 

[chris_girard]

[ QUOTE ]
Dan Osman, world record holder for rope jumping (1200'-ish in Yosemite) and amazing free soloist, unfortunately died in a rope jumping accident with the last 5-8 years.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sean, I remember reading about Dan and other high risk takers in the book "Fall Of The Phantom Lord." Very good book that really made you think about the risks in jobs and life.

As far as drinking, I gave that up 3-1/2 years ago and luckilly never got a DUI.

I had a tree worker come onto My jobsite drunk as a skunk, just a few weeks ago ranting and raving about how good he was and asking us what we were doing. When I asked him if he could prune without spikes, he said that his motto is "If we can't spike them, then we don't like them."

This guy had effidently done work on this property before and was pissed when the owner did not call him back for this job.

 

[treehumper]

Often high achievers do have high levels of dysfunction. It is the demon that drives them so, "the best/fastest/strongest (fill in the blank) comes with baggage often in the form of alcohol or other substance addictions and the consequences of that lifestyle (DUIs). One large commercial real estate company I dealt with many years ago actually let go their star leasing manager because he was such a difficult person to work with for all the other average producers. The funny thing was the leasing dept's overall performance increased without him.

If this were a field where you could readily work solo then no biggie. But, it is a crew we put out there and we need teamwork skills to get the job done right.