Video: a bid gone bad, cop and all

Kinda weird to hear that friendly Aussi accent being used confrontationally...not used to it since I mostly hear Ekka and Steve Irwin in friendly circumstances!
Tom and Mark, this vid section is a real nice addition to the Buzz.
 
jerseywild

In case you didn't read the above posts that was all coverred. I did stop and discuss the matter, it was over, then as I was leaving I turned around to video the scene. The customer didn't ring to cancel coz he didn't give a stuff ... this guy pulled up and he was into it, job getting done. I told him how far I'd driven, that the minimum cost to me for just pulling up was $50 ... he scoffed ... not his problem. Too bad Ekka, you miss out, it's the way it is. So I video the jobsite.

As I went by the chipper the customer waved at first but then he thought he'd be able to tell me what to do. He already stuffed me around now he was angry that I was videoing ... a slight discomfort to him it appears.

It's about standing up for your rights, not everyone has the right to interrogate but everyone has the right to film.

Fortunately by mere coincidence or pure statistics it happened again today, so keep your eyes peeled for the next one, this time I pull up to do a bid and a job is going on ... watch what happens. I say nothing, just pull up and watch the way it is ... this town is full of cowboys, you just haven't seen it, I refer to it as cowboy county.

Oh, by the way, FACT, in the national IQ test that was broadcast across the nation Queensland had the 2nd to lowest IQ average of thousands of participants in Australia ... the only ones with lower IQ's were Tasmanians.

FACT, the BCC who control the majority of the city boast they have the best vegetation protection laws in Australia. haha, but they're Queenslanders and probably never left the state.

FACT, the migration from Southern states to Qld is a steady 70,000 people a year ... this means many will do anything for a buck, and lots of "questionables" do arrive, so the incidence of coming across cowboys increases.

FACT, the Logan city Council, which also has a fair chunk of Brisbanes population is rated 49 out of 50 as the most depressed and socia economically worst off people ... survey taken from 2000 random particpants across 50 councils of Australia.

So, there's a long way to go here, and customers aren't always right and neither are their demands.

I would never walk up and demand some-ones name or expect them to take my orders, unless of course it was in the appropriate circumstances of doing your job as in traffic control... in return I expect the same.

You will be seeing a lot more of this, I just haven't bothered videoing it, but now, I don't care about political correctness or diplomacy ... that track is worn out and the powers that be aren't doing their jobs either. It's a lawless land, strap on ya camera and take a ride! Yeeha /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Great stuff Ekka. We see a lot of tree crews around Atlanta just like the one you've videoed.

How does the workmans compensation board feel about your videos? It seems they would be interested. It's a shame to see all of these young men suffering hearing damage on a daily basis.

Starting today my digital camera goes on every trip.

I think you handle yourself really well in these videos. If you find a flat tire on one of your vehicles I think the bloke in this video may be getting a call! It's a shame he didn't pop one for the cam.

Dan
 
The Internet has shrunk the world for us in many ways. Being able to see a story played out on tape that all of us have witnessed is one example. The only difference is the language and vehicles.
 
tom....slightly off topic, but do i recall you asking a while ago for pics of old spike wounds? took down a beech tree today that was full of them, estimated to be about 15 years old. im back at the job monday to grind, i'll get some pics if the butts havent been moved
 
Ekka

where do you draw the line? it's just the nature of the business. Running around doing estimates is part of the game. sometimes my boss will call me to do an estimate around the corner from where i'm working and i'll tell them i can do the job right now if they would like since i have a crew around the corner, and i might price it a little cheaper because of that. if your unhappy with giving free estimates then maybe you should start chargeing for them and see where that gets you. maybe you should have screened the call a little better.

how much time did you spend taking that video and all the work associated with it? could your time have been better spent else where?

i viewed 1 of your video's over at MB's house this morning. the one with awsome climber realy comes to mind with all the "violations" he committed in the tree. did you send that video to the authoities and report him? i'm not knocking him since,in my opinion he didn't do anything i haven't done in the past and won't do again in the future. but what is the point of whereing a face screen if it's up most of the time? is it proper procedure to one hand a saw down under?

so again i ask where do you draw the line? I just think people should be more concered about there own business then everyone else's.
 
i just got back from viewing you remove a palm with all the pavers in the yard. Was that you one handing your ms 200 up there?

the scary thing about that video is watching your ground man stand there with the foam pad to stop the bounce. i was cringeing as i watched that. one bad bounce and he has 2 broken legs. There is no way i would stand there like that, explain that one to the workmans comp board. Is my point starting to get clearer or should i watch more of your video's?
 
Now just a side question, when you guys notch and drop a tree why do you guys always put your notch at neck height?

wouldn't it be safer to stay below the waist in case of kick back?
 
Cityclimber

That's why I titled the two videos after that one Sissy's and had a warning for people like you not to watch it.

There's no way you'd stand there like that ... good, no-one forcing anybody to but there's no way a lot of people would stand at the end of a cricket pitch facing a 145kmh ball either.

Like I said, no worries, never a miss or an incident. and that foam pad can take a lot more beating than you think. It's the groundies and the climbers working together that gets the trust to where Colin and mine is. I never ever miss the foam and he has good reactions and works safe ... it's a winner that puts us streets ahead of wannabes in tough jobs ... so they might think it's unsafe and drop logs on piles of sticks and crud.

I one hand the ms200 ALL THE TIME, especially on palms. It's no secret here that the owner of the business is exempt from WC, but his employees not. I suppose the alternative to cutting palm fronds off quickly would be using a handsaw but then you cant cut the butts off and the dead ones will be difficult.

So again, it's just one of lifes choices you make. I dont force others to make it but I make it for myself.

What Awsome climber does up a tree regarding PPE etc is his business and needs to be taken up with him. He has his own tree business and visited for a few days and I video'd a bit ... I did use the whistle though ... a lot! What else do you want me to do ... sack him?

Without going into every minute detail you have raised it's clear you and Bullman should have a few beers together, you have a lot in common, are you both from UK?
 
Ekka

I'm not interested in going back and forth as i see you will always find a way to justify your actions. My point was and is you are not as perfect as you think you are. So until your house is all in order don't judge and blow the whistle on your nieghbor.

I also one hand a saw all the time but that does not make it right. If i went through all of your videos i'm sure i could find sfety violations in everyone of them. Because you post a "sissy" warning does that obsolve you of responsibility?

I do not have a problem with the way awsome climber performed the removal. But since he was working for you and you seem to have a problem with other tree companies safety practices. Then his "violations" are a direct reflection on your business. Instead of blowing your whistle you should of had him come out of the tree.

The reason you had your groundie there was because of a "bad" bounce, other wise he would have been able to safely stand off to the side. So the point is a "bad" bounce could get him seriously hurt. Your logic is the same as i've never had a car accident so why should i wear a seat belt? Tree work is all about planning for the what if's, PLEASE don't forget that. Have you ever planned on having an accident?
 
I really find these movies funny. I get the picture in my head that it is being narated by Paul Hogan. Keep the videos coming mate! You never know what you might find when you go walk about.
 
Ekka, you're doing what you think is right, and to that I say, "right on". A lot of us are too afraid of being labeled as hypocrites to actually do, or say anything when we see goings on that aren't up to snuff. We all fall short of perfection, and waiting until you have a "perfect" game before you call foul is a cowards errand(because that day will never come). I'm sorry to see so many attacks on what your doing, really undermines the sense of community on this board. I've seen the thought you've put into your posts here, and while I may not always agree, I think it's apparent just how seriously you take this job.I just hope you keep fighting the fight. The work you put into these posts makes your detractors look bush league.
 
I know I fall short. I would have walked up to that big arborvite or what ever that bush was and did the same with out my hard hard or hearing protection. I would though at least been cutting with sharp saw been down the road. Those guys were really lolly gagging. Must have been a T and M job.

I will never point out anyones short comings when it comes to PPE on here.
 
Oh Cityclimber,

Have you ever dropped logs out of perfect cylindrical palms onto foam? No??

Geez, must be a wuss.

What about when I felled that gum and it just, by 1" missed, a fence ... some would say downright wreckless and bad but if you went to see a stunt show or precision driving you'd be applauding ... coz you don't know the difference between knowing & understanding with an educated risk versus blatant ignorance and stupidity ... when you decipher those two and start to understand the educated risks a tree pro makes to get the job done then you'll be in the category of some of our famous like many memebers of this board.

Lets see, TD, MC, MB, Nathan, RB, notahacker etc etc

Have you ever tried to tell Awsomeclimber how to do his job?
No, well heck ... you gotta visit him coz it's like Crocodile Dundee with some Steve Irwin brushed in ... he's out in the bush and is used to working on his own, rigs his own cuts from above, and frankly if he did have an accident or snake bite he wouldn't make it to the hospital.

What I did film was reality, me pulling up to bids and what I saw ... and if you want to compare that to what my misdemeaners are you are way off the mark.

Now, as I have a health problem, I'm placing you along with Bullman on my ignore list ... ahhhh, I'm feeling better already ... anymore snappy little yap yap dogs nibbling at my heals will recieve the same treatment as I'm over it, and I cannot progress in life with the small minded nit picking attitudes you guys bicker, And the irony is other than your nit picks there's not much more you offer.
 
Wow! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Don't freak out, bro! It's all good, we're family here!
 
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