Gugi47
ArboristSite Hit Man
When somebody say straight up no, that is NO for me, and never try again. That's including women's to.
Help a neighbor? Or offend him?
- Thread starter SamT1
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Neighbor up the street had a big maple fall on the garage a few months ago. As I was coming back from work I saw them working to clean it up. I pulled over and rolled the window down to ask if he needed a hand. I told him I had a bigger saw that would make quick work of it. He declined, but asked if i knew where to get chains sharpened. Told him to grab his saw and jump in, Ill fix you up right fast. He walks in the garage with me and sees all my saws under the bench. needless to say, he accepted my offer, I fixed his saw, and he now buys a load of campfire wood for his back yard off me once a summer lol. Stop and offer with big saw in hand
diplomacy,at work
If you can find out for sure that he just wants it cut up and he sees the work as a chore/struggle but can't/wo't pay THEN go and cut it for him, wheterh he is in r not, just crack on. But don't risk frustrating or annoying him, your trying to do hi a big favour not annoy him. check, then act. I voted for ask him, but I completely understand he won't ask/accept an offer even when he really would like it.
I'd try a second time, they change their mind quicker than we can change our underwear.
homemade
Certified Chainsaw Tester
Leave it alone. Sometimes old guys just need a project. I see it in my father all the time.
Hand Splitter
ArboristSite Operative
I've been lurking for awhile, not sure why I didn't sign up a long time ago! Picked up a lot of good info already !You may be new here, but you’ll fit right in!Welcome aboard!!
Bobby Kirbos
Scrounger of Cellulose Based BTUs
My grandfather just turned 90. He spent this past summer swinging an MS362 and running a log splitter. It's his summer workout routine and it's more productive than going to the gym. He plans to be out again next summer doing the same. Your neighbor may be in the same boat.
I agree... when he is out working on it, with gassed up, ready to go saw in hand. Let him know that you've been watching him nibble at the tree and just want to help, and that he owes you nothing for your help. He may be a stubborn old man and still refuse. If so, wish him luck and be on your way. If he decides to accept the offer, agree on the scope of work you are to do before you get started. He may be in it for the physical workout as much as the wood.
066blaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
i have the same situation by me. storm went through and blew a bunch of trees down about a 1/4 mile from me. its been about 5 months. its all box elder and basswood. some of the people still have the big stuff there. some have it all laying there yet. the 1 guy advertised it on Facebook, free for the taking . but i would rather spend.my time cutting some good hardwood. I guess i would ask the guy
johnnyballs
ArboristSite Operative
NSMaple1
Addicted to ArboristSite
If I was the ol feller I dont think anything would cheese me off more than coming home and seeing someone had trespassed on my property and cut my tree up while I was gone. And likely did it the wrong way to boot.
COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION
Back in 85/86 we had a monster snow storm. I put the 9' blade on my JD and went across the street to plow some driveways for something to do. Guys with pick ups were charging $50 bucks a driveway. I was charging $15, and would take less than 5 minutes. One old guy had shoveled out most of his drive. At the end he had a big dip in the drive. We had something like 28"s of snow and in that dip it was deeper. I pulled up and asked if he wanted me to "knock out the last few feet?" He said "no", then asked what I got for a drive his size. When I told him he said go ahead. From the time I pulled through the pile of snow, dropped the blade and pushed the whole pile into the field across the street couldn't have been more than 30 seconds. Smiling and shaking his head, at seeing a machine that big push that pile of snow, he pulled out his wallet. I asked "what are you doing?" He said "paying you". I said, "I can't take any money for that! You would have been done in 5-10 minutes anyway.'' I thought he was going to crack a rib laughing. Helping folks and making them smile is what life is all about.
We have had a couple of monster snowfalls here in PA over the last couple of years and I have a plow on my jeep for own drive and helping friends (not a business). Was on the way back from friends house w/ my daughter after a particularly deep and wet one and encounter an old woman and her nephew struggling with the HUGE wet berm from the municipal plows. Super easy for me and stopped to offer to push it out for her.
Well, I got an abrupt and very rude response. Thinking that maybe she thought I was trying to somehow take advantage, I further explained that I was a neighbor (down the valley) and did not want anything and was happy to assist. Her nephew got it and also tried to reason w/her to no avail.
Interesting lesson for daughter, but you just can't help or reason with some people.
Still think about it occasionally when I drive past there...
flatbroke
ArboristSite Operative
stop by and ask if he would be willing to help you out. you have a new saw that you want to use on some large wood before warranty expires and his is perfect for that task. may work
Diplomacy and a big saw!
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I set fire to my neighbors giant wood pile. I asked about it, and he said he would get rid of it, but it might not be for a while. So without asking, I set if afire. On the other hand I did ask if I could buck all their downfall for my firewood needs. Half on their property and half on another neighbors property (who I didn't ask). They now think I am the best neighbor ever, and they expect me to set fire to any additional wood piles. I tell them where the piles need to be placed, and how high maximum, and then I do it when the timing is right. I guess it depends on the neighbor.
If you can ask, ask! In my case, both neighbors don't live here, only vacation here, and not all that often, so anything I can do is a great help to them.
Trapper_Pete
ArboristSite Operative
ask , it may be his favorite thing to go out and cut for 20 minutes here and there or , it may be a huge chore he dreads , ASK.
if you don't ask you can cause yourself problems , maybe he had a very specific plan or something.
if you do ask , you cam meet him get to know him and who knows where it could lead , he might have a collection of old chain saws that aren't running that he would like help with and the wildthing was all he could afford used right now that ran.
about the worst thing is that if you ask he can be a grouch and tell you to get lost , in which case your out a few minutes of your time and you know not to stop again.
if you don't ask you can cause yourself problems , maybe he had a very specific plan or something.
if you do ask , you cam meet him get to know him and who knows where it could lead , he might have a collection of old chain saws that aren't running that he would like help with and the wildthing was all he could afford used right now that ran.
about the worst thing is that if you ask he can be a grouch and tell you to get lost , in which case your out a few minutes of your time and you know not to stop again.
flatbroke
ArboristSite Operative
I've know several men in their mid 70's that would and could out work a lot of men half their age.
Trapper_Pete
ArboristSite Operative
I like to offer the out or a second chance , they say no or no thanks. I say well if something changes let me know.
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We had a big maple break off in a wind storm and blew into my neighbours wheat field ( my property is 10 acres severed off a 100 acre farm) The farm that mine is severed off was planted in corn. The fenceline is my pathway to get to the bush so I took my tractor and a couple of long chains and pulled the tree and branches out of the wheat fields and set it all on the path. I don't like this neighbour so I didn't drive on their property I used the long chains to reach it. This way they could combine the wheat without an issue. This also meant I couldn't get back to the bush until the corn was off but no big deal I could wait. The dipsheet neighbour combined the wheat and then decided that the brush was a little onto his property so he took his big loader tractor and pushed everything about 10 rows into the corn field. Neither owner lives on the properties. Rather than start a pissing match between then I just went back and cleaned everything up. If they started a fight I would be the only one to lose as I wouldn't be able to get to my wood source. So now I just keep everything trimmed back so they don't have to do anything and I still keep my free wood source.
