Stupid arborist

macswan

macswan

Been here a while
Location
Champlain Valley, VT
working in these big Elms on a college campus. The schools arborist drives me over to the next tree in a gator, as we drive my rope bag falls over and enough rope comes out the top that the whole 200' dispense across the Main Street. Neither of us notice, drive to next tree rope no there. He goes back and finds it in the road as a big truck drives over it. It was probably run over multiple times. Dammitall
:muyenojado::frenetico:
 
Ouch!

Driving and walking on my ropes bothers me

On one job we had blocked off the street for a flopped that needed two guy ropes. We put cones from curb to
Curb on both ends of the drop zone. The ropes were set a payed out across the street waiting for vehicles to be moved into anchoring position. We let our guard down and a neighbor drove up the street then drove around our cones onto her neighbors front yard. Full on four tire trespass! Then back onto the street...across both of my ropes and into her drive! I let out a bellar but she was oblivious. I was so peeved I needed to give her a dressing down. My crew were all snickering in anticipation about how this was going to play out

I walked over, tucked my helmet under my arm and knocked on her door. She answered and I never let her say a thing. I introduced myself and lit into
Her about coming into my workzone that was there to keep from her getting hurt. Then I let her know that she probably damaged my safety ropes when she drove over them. She started sputtering and waving her hands...like I was supposed to believe she didn't know it was a workzone. LOL! Before she could say anything I spun on my heel and marched away

I went back and told my client what I had done. Just in case the situation escalated. The couple both laughed knowingly and said the the lady across the street was a flake. They apologized for her...no need. I pointed out the detour drive she made so that I wouldn't get blamed. My clients said that hey would talk with the neighbors laternin the day

My crew had a good laugh. I never raised my voice or got whacked out either. Felt good though!

Sorry if I hijacked your story...
 
I'm with tom, I will jump on people.for.stepping on my ropes. It just pisses me off.for some reason. Feel for.you Mac. One thing worse is someone running over a spray hose with a vehicle. That happened before too. Didn't end pretty.
 
Depends on the hose and the vehicle. Old cheap hose, lot's of pressure and flow, dump truck....boom, splash, spray, squirt, contaminate the world.

Seen that one happen. Fun day. Stupid arborist.
 
Yikes. Old school large tree spraying with an organochlorine. Yucko bucko.

Mine was neem oil. Made a stcky semi-stinky mess.
 
JD3000 said:
Yikes. Old school large tree spraying with an organochlorine. Yucko bucko.

Mine was neem oil. Made a stcky semi-stinky mess.
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Yeah, Elms. We followed the same protocol that Penn State did. The Elms on campus are sacred. This happened down town right across from one of the malls. Bean 1000 gallon rig. Hated it. before that we would borrow the U's mist blower. That was a lot of fun!.
 
oldoakman said:
I'm with tom, I will jump on people.for.stepping on my ropes. It just pisses me off.for some reason. Feel for.you Mac. One thing worse is someone running over a spray hose with a vehicle. That happened before too. Didn't end pretty.
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Would anyone go into someone shop and start standing tools that are on the ground. A drill, A micrometer, a typewriter.



Dumb new groundie game to work for his second day. He was wearing caulk/ 'cork' boots because his other boots blew out.

I told him not to stand on the rope. Later I realized he was wearing 'corks'. DumF^K.


No third day.

Went to another 'tree company' and separated his shoulder on the second day there, but wasn't 'on the books'. No WC. He came to get paid with a sling on his arm, and was planning on going to work the next day "because he had to".

I dodged a bullet with that guy.
 
southsoundtree said:
Would anyone go into someone shop and start standing tools that are on the ground. A drill, A micrometer, a typewriter.



Dumb new groundie game to work for his second day. He was wearing caulk/ 'cork' boots because his other boots blew out.

I told him not to stand on the rope. Later I realized he was wearing 'corks'. DumF^K.


No third day.

Went to another 'tree company' and separated his shoulder on the second day there, but wasn't 'on the books'. No WC. He came to get paid with a sling on his arm, and was planning on going to work the next day "because he had to".

I dodged a bullet with that guy.
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Yikes! I think in the past
10 years I brought my corks out to play once.. but that was a small scale logging job and after working with the skidder who was wearing them I was inspired.. it was kind of nice, but not worth the effort
 
After an ice storm I put on my plastic Koflach boots and FOOT Fang crampons so that I could front point up the trees...removals only! When there are 10-12 sharp metal points down there rope management is crucial. :)
 
southsoundtree said:
Would anyone go into someone shop and start standing tools that are on the ground. A drill, A micrometer, a typewriter.



Dumb new groundie game to work for his second day. He was wearing caulk/ 'cork' boots because his other boots blew out.

I told him not to stand on the rope. Later I realized he was wearing 'corks'. DumF^K.


No third day.

Went to another 'tree company' and separated his shoulder on the second day there, but wasn't 'on the books'. No WC. He came to get paid with a sling on his arm, and was planning on going to work the next day "because he had to".

I dodged a bullet with that guy.
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I hope for the sake of that other tree company he doesn't take any time off or a sharp lawyer catches up with him. That he's not on the book doesn't automatically exclude him from WC. A lesson learned the hard way by a former boss.
 
cerviarborist said:
I would respectfully suggest a failure in assuming that any new personnel on a crew would see things the way that you currently do. If you haven't educated them, why would you assume their education?

"Wanted: Groundie. Educational level: Open. Clairvoyance: Required.
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Cervi, what is this advice referring to?
 
southsoundtree said:
Cervi, what is this advice referring to?
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It refers to a common thread I see in the buzz. Grizzled tree workers speaking with disdain about the new guy who didn't know better than to stand on a rope, didn't know how to properly hitch equipment or a trailer to a truck or any number of other offenses of ignorance.

When you've got a newbie, you can either curse their lack of knowledge...or you can assume that they don't know anything, and teach them everything. If you take the time to tell them specifically that you don't want them walking on your ropes, and show them how to manage the drop zone so that they can do their job without walking on them, then you've educated them and shown them a better way to do do their work.

It's easy to deride ignorance. It takes a bit more to effort educate, but that's the difference between being a coworker, or a boss....and a being a mentor.
 
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