So I'm the A-hole?

[beastmaster]

I bump heads with this one Company owner all the time it seems over the last 5 years. He's a control freak from the ground using his green laser to point out each cut he wants me to do. It's a pain to say the lest. He will accept advice from no one and though he works me a lot and pays well its not worth it lots of time.
Today we were removing 5 big Deadores Cedars that at some stage of their life got topped. They now all have 10 or more long skinny tops. Their crowded in a back yard and border the back fence line as does the high voltage lines. Limited drop zone.
I think I bother him because of what I charge and always voicing my say in matters that concern what were doing, He recently hired a new climber, and been treating me like a flunky, that's fine so long as I get paid.
So at the end of the day I come out of this big Cedar and he days, "keep your spikes on", he won't say no more. I look at one of the cedars theyve been working on for hours and it has a lot of wierd stuff going on in it. Ropes everywhere.
It has a lot of big branches going out the over the HV and most the lean is over them. It can be done but it has to be perfect. He tells me to go up and take a top, I ask about the rigging and he explanes it to me. I tell him no I don't like it and further more it might not work. At best it would take out the lines, at worst kill me if they couldn't get it over.
They have a rope tied to the top, and the other end of the same rope tied to the base of the tree. A block is in there going to another block that's hooked to a loader. He tells me it in has twice the pulling power, maybe so but its pulling at a steep angle down, and the top rope isn't high enough. Theres 20 ft of top above where he want the cut, the lines 5 ft above where he whats the cut.
He's pissed but lets me make some changes. Im pissed off too still so as im loading up my gear, I decide to set this thing streight. It got kind of loud and i lost my temper some. Anyway im not working there anymore. Oh as i am leaving he calls me an a_ _ hole

 

[Big Natey]

Thats what sucks about working for someone else. Just because they pay you they think they know more than you do.

I do all of the welding at my job, and it dosent matter if im fixing trailers or grapple buckets, resurfacing the stump grinder, or fabbing up some off the wall invention that some jack-ass came up with, my boss will try to tell me how to do it, or ask why its taking so long.

Now, I went to a pipe welding school for three years, have 2 years on the job exp., AWS and NCCER certified and he still thinks he knows more than i do when he cant even hold an arc.

Very frustrating, but the money is good ATM.

 

[Zale]

You don't seem like a a-hole but what do I know. Sounds like you made the right call except for loosing your temper. Whenever you lose your temper, you lose the advantage. Give it some time, go back to your neutral corner and take a breath.

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

Better to lose your temper than to lose your life.

 

[beastmaster]

I thought I had my anger issues worked out. I don't get mad easily but my temper does get away from me and I get loud and some say intimating

 

[Marshy]

Damn, I could never work in an environment where every move is micro-managed like that. Unfortunately, tempers can flare and and only adds fuel to the fire. I can normally stay level headed but usually have a hard time keeping there if the other person starts "atacking". Some times its best to walk away, maybe come back another day after a cool down and try to explain you cant be micro-managed like that. Or, maybe just move on...

 

[BC WetCoast]

Talk's cheap, so I would let being called a name bother you.

Did the way the rest of the trees were removed compromise the ability to remove this tree, as in 'could you have put a block in one of the other trees to get a better pulling angle except that tree was removed first?'. If this was the case, I think the bigger problem was coming up with a plan for the entire job, making sure everyone knows it and problems in it can be worked out early in the process.

It sounds like this guy isn't a pre planner, my comments were more general in nature.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I bump heads with this one Company owner all the time ,Oh as i am leaving he calls me an a_ _ hole

That means he is gonna miss you!,Wade,, You would be a great asset to any professional tree company,
Do you ever think about moving to San Diego? You would save a lot of money in gas when you go fishing!
Would you ever settle your old butt down?
Jeff,,take care buddy!,,

 

[Oak Savanna]

I'd have shoved that laser pointer right up his a$$ for him! Or get one and shoot it back at him.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Well at least you are the only ******* who knows how to do the tree and can do it. Can't say that about anybody else there.

As far as losing your temper:

I understand that a man can take something like this and make it mean he was wrong. Like now you are saying to yourself, " aww man, I feel so bad I hollered at those guys, I must be a bad person. I need to work on my anger issues."

Listen Beasty, DON'T BE AN *******! Those mother****ers were ****ing with you. Who knows what dumb ass thing they would have tried. Who are you going to trust? The band of idiots rigging a thing they won't cut? Or the man who rigs it his way and cuts it? Well there is your answer. These fools do know that they have no argument about pretty much anything you do and the only recourse they have to make themselves feel better about the reality of it is by pushing yer buttons knowingly til you blow, then calling you an ******* for playing into their scheme. A classic act of ideaological subversion and total subterfuge.

And of course the game has to be played while trying to heave a tree off the wires to add to the consternation. Oh the little people, always getting worked up cause they are little. You'd be wise to take Jeff up on the offer, you have been screwing off with degenerates WAY to long. Just don't lose the hitch pin.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

I'd have shoved that laser pointer right up his a$$ for him! Or get one and shoot it back at him.

Oh, and the laser pointer! How come I never needed one? Maybe for clients, maybe. But to wave it around like a carrot for a mule like that!!?? Why is the question that comes to mind.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Talk's cheap, so I would let being called a name bother you.

Did the way the rest of the trees were removed compromise the ability to remove this tree, as in 'could you have put a block in one of the other trees to get a better pulling angle except that tree was removed first?'. If this was the case, I think the bigger problem was coming up with a plan for the entire job, making sure everyone knows it and problems in it can be worked out early in the process.

It sounds like this guy isn't a pre planner, my comments were more general in nature.

Sounds like the guy IS a pre-planner but his plans suck. Sounds like while Beasty was handling one problem they were over making more of a problem with another, wrapped it in a bow and handed it helplessly to Beasty.

You can't work with these guys. They think the near misses they had are suitable for guys like Beasty... and me. They think they are hiring just some worker on the job. Their experience is elementary to how we climbers operate. They are general laymen, we are surgeons. They don't get that. They don't want to hire an employee to climb so they hire a sub-contractor. If you don't think there is a difference then look in the tax codes.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

As soon as I saw the title and the author, I figured it would be a good story. It was.
Don't sweat losing your cool. Everybody has a breaking point if pushed far enough. Besides, now you can be sure not to work for him ever again.
As for him calling you an A hole...... I agree, you are an Astoundingly whole complete climbing package.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I tried getting Wade to come to Davey! Would have changed things in a big way, having someone in the field like that. But he was smarter than me.

I think they set up the rigging, new it was sketchy, then had Beasty go after it. That to me, is a Ahole move. Your better off. Take up Jeff's offer. Nice outfit.

 

[treeseer]

I'm a big fan of laser pointers, and communicating specifications. If that boss was such a hotshot he would have bid restoration instead of removal.

I strongly believe in getting utilities to handle trees that are over utilities' facilities. (They do it for free here) That takedown method sounds like a wild gamble; walking was the best way off that jobsite.

 

[Marshy]

I tried getting Wade to come to Davey! Would have changed things in a big way, having someone in the field like that. But he was smarter than me.

I think they set up the rigging, new it was sketchy, then had Beasty go after it. That to me, is a Ahole move. Your better off. Take up Jeff's offer. Nice outfit.

LoL, I've never cut up in trees. Only put them on the ground, skid'em out and buck'em up. I have a big appreciation for you guys climbing and IMO everyone should be at your mercy during the job. It's like shooting pool, I'm looking two shots ahead before I even take that one in the corner. Someone telling me how to shoot my game has no idea what I see as my next shot so 'shut the hell up and let me shoot'. Same applies to you guys I'm sure.

Btw , I'm sure it's nice out that way but I don't think anyone could match my engineer salary without significant experience. And I like near some of the best salmon fishing on the east coast.

 

[tree MDS]

Just throwing out a different point of view here, but maybe the guy is an a hole. I mean it sounds great the way its typed out and all, but still only one side of the story. Kinda hard to tell rope angles, etc., from listening to someone type about it. Maybe "beasty" is the control freak.

 

[Marshy]

Just throwing out a different point of view here, but maybe the guy is an a hole. I mean it sounds great the way its typed out and all, but still only one side of the story. Kinda hard to tell rope angles, etc., from listening to someone type about it. Maybe "beasty" is the control freak.

Maybe you missed the part about the boss using a laser to communicate which cuts to make..? Attention to detail is key, you'd already be called an a-hole by the owner at this rate.

 

[beastmaster]

Just throwing out a different point of view here, but maybe the guy is an a hole. I mean it sounds great the way its typed out and all, but still only one side of the story. Kinda hard to tell rope angles, etc., from listening to someone type about it. Maybe "beasty" is the control freak.

Thats a fair assumption, one I would be entertaining too. If I had this problem with everyone I worked for it'd be one thing. But I work for several different Company's on a regular basis, and pretty much get along with everyone. If wanting to be in the loop on projects I'm involved in or that my or other crew members life could be on the line makes me a control freak so be it. I don't think thats the case. There is normally more then one way to do something, I'll accept advice or do it the way someone else of equal skill and knowledge prefers, but that's why I feel its important to discuss before hand the plan of attack, you may see something I don't and visa versa.
I said earlier in the day it might be the safest way to do that one leader. Edison had all the branches close to the wires cut back, but the tree goes 40 ft above that. He had already taking his climber out of the tree after he hit a wire. I would of still did what I could to lighten the back lean, and put the tipping line up as high as I could. The wind was blowing and his climber was scared to go any higher to place the line. I spiked up and did it in 15 min. putting it up high.
I am convinced that as that tree was rigged it would of went back. I am rarely wrong. I've been doing this for 30+ years. If something had gone wrong he would of said I did my cut wrong and put the blame on me. On a potentially dangerous cut like that there is no room for error, yes I would prefer to do it my way and have control, but I will also listen to what someone else thinks, but I will not do something I feel is wrong or dangerous, Im not his flunky.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Just throwing out a different point of view here, but maybe the guy is an a hole. I mean it sounds great the way its typed out and all, but still only one side of the story. Kinda hard to tell rope angles, etc., from listening to someone type about it. Maybe "beasty" is the control freak.

Oh yeah!? And just what does that make you? freak!


Just remember that it takes a tough man to make a tender chicken. One of the things that qualifies me as Dr is that I have spent years doing what Beasty still does so I do know a thing or two about how that all works - who is who, who is gonna do what and when he is gonna do it and for cryin out loud WHY! For me it was always a tragic circus that I was forced to watch through my peripheral vision because I was involved in surgery of my own.

I am sure there are people that would get along fine with Beasty though its apparent, he, like me, does not want to see the same people everyday because its probably enough work putting up with the people he likes. This is doing tree work of course, we are not talking about some normal job where everthing is hunky doory and the worse you get is a paper cut.

There comes a time when every master craftsmen is going to have to take things a step further if he want to be true to himself and his craft. Time and time again if he wants not to stagnate. Killing your own intellect is what you will do by hanging around these types of schmucks who don't know ****, have to play stupid games and assume you should be as ignorant as they are.

These are the same mechanisms at work when the person who just cut you off while yapping on the phone flips you the bird. Respect and reason are discounted, pride and indignation preside.

This will be the first year for me that I stop horsing around with sub-contract work. Yes, I did it for the money but I also did it for my thesis.