IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
Okay, bykfixer, time for another roadway maintenance adventure story. Please.
The roadway maintenance thread
- Thread starter bykfixer
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I'll mention a 75 year old teenager I used to work with. I'll call him JK Gray for this one, although that's not his real name. He retired a few years back but still looks like he's in his 40's. He used to tell an especially stubborn contractor "you gone make me drink before 5 o'clock today". A very intelligent man most thought didn't have enough sense to pour water of a boot. Yet you could ask him how to compute an inside curve and he'd tell you how to. He loves the ladies.
One spring, while between assignments I helped him inspect a large subdivision paving project where the highway dept was having the roads over laid with asphalt. I'd say it was 2000+ houses in it. Maybe 3000. The kind you need to remember if you went left or right entering so you'll remember how to leave it.
Some days the contractor would have to block portions. At times ole JK would fuss at the contractor for leaving crumbs along the edge of the road or not having the roller smooth out roller marks. Sometimes he'd grab a shovel or rake (called a loot) from the contractor and say "lemme show you clowns how it's supposed to be done" while it was 95 degrees in the shade.
This one day a portion was blocked for milling up the old broken up pavement. Neighbors would approach the road block trying to make their way to work. The usual route for them not being available one of us would approach the vehicle and explain how to get out of the subdivision. If JK was the guy and it was a fellow he'd wave at the man to turn around and mumble to himself "carryerass on fella you sposed to know where you're going" But if it was a gal he'd approach the vehicle, all smiling and say "good day mam, you havin' a good day? How can I help you? as he was peeking at their physique from behind dark sunglasses. Often times he'd say "she almost gave me her phone number".
The most memorable was the time a fellow came back to shoot him. A waterline had broken so water was turned off. This man comes flying up all hollering "how's my wife supposed to take a shower?" Without skipping a beat he said "oh she can shower at my place". The man storms off and comes back with waving a pistol. That one was scarey. It ended well with the man appologizing.
Oh, there was that time we were watching a flagging operation from inside a project trailer and one guy says "what you watching?" The other fellow says "the flagger is laying on the ground quivering". We all jumped up and went to windows and looked out. There was this fellow holding the stop slow paddle with one hand and a pistol in the other. He was waving traffic past him.
Down the road was a factory that changed shifts at 3 pm. In the meantime large dump trucks would cross over the road near the trailer while a large pond nearby was being dug and the dirt used for a bridge approach. At 3pm a long line of cars would back up. That one particular day that guy had had enough of that nonsense. He took the matter into his own hands. The dump trucks waited patiently for the cars to go.
One guy says "my dad used to pay to see a circus, I wish he were still here to see me getting paid to watch one".
This coming week there's supposed to be a small gathering for my 25th anniverssary as a consultant. It'll be a bit meloncholy since most of the people I've worked for or with are gone. A few died but most are enjoying retirement. In the 60's and 70's the highway department hired a bunch of youngsters to inspect interstates being built. Most of those folks worked until the pandemic. So in 2020 it was like a nuclear bomb was dropped on our roster. Thing is, when I began they all figured I'd not make it 5 years. The irony is if they'd have stayed I'd be their boss. I learned from the best so I do think I might be kinda good at it by now.
When asked how I got to that level I say well there was a line of 22 people standing side by side and someone says "who wants to be in charge?" 21 people took a step back leaving me out front.
One spring, while between assignments I helped him inspect a large subdivision paving project where the highway dept was having the roads over laid with asphalt. I'd say it was 2000+ houses in it. Maybe 3000. The kind you need to remember if you went left or right entering so you'll remember how to leave it.
Some days the contractor would have to block portions. At times ole JK would fuss at the contractor for leaving crumbs along the edge of the road or not having the roller smooth out roller marks. Sometimes he'd grab a shovel or rake (called a loot) from the contractor and say "lemme show you clowns how it's supposed to be done" while it was 95 degrees in the shade.
This one day a portion was blocked for milling up the old broken up pavement. Neighbors would approach the road block trying to make their way to work. The usual route for them not being available one of us would approach the vehicle and explain how to get out of the subdivision. If JK was the guy and it was a fellow he'd wave at the man to turn around and mumble to himself "carryerass on fella you sposed to know where you're going" But if it was a gal he'd approach the vehicle, all smiling and say "good day mam, you havin' a good day? How can I help you? as he was peeking at their physique from behind dark sunglasses. Often times he'd say "she almost gave me her phone number".
The most memorable was the time a fellow came back to shoot him. A waterline had broken so water was turned off. This man comes flying up all hollering "how's my wife supposed to take a shower?" Without skipping a beat he said "oh she can shower at my place". The man storms off and comes back with waving a pistol. That one was scarey. It ended well with the man appologizing.
Oh, there was that time we were watching a flagging operation from inside a project trailer and one guy says "what you watching?" The other fellow says "the flagger is laying on the ground quivering". We all jumped up and went to windows and looked out. There was this fellow holding the stop slow paddle with one hand and a pistol in the other. He was waving traffic past him.
Down the road was a factory that changed shifts at 3 pm. In the meantime large dump trucks would cross over the road near the trailer while a large pond nearby was being dug and the dirt used for a bridge approach. At 3pm a long line of cars would back up. That one particular day that guy had had enough of that nonsense. He took the matter into his own hands. The dump trucks waited patiently for the cars to go.
One guy says "my dad used to pay to see a circus, I wish he were still here to see me getting paid to watch one".
This coming week there's supposed to be a small gathering for my 25th anniverssary as a consultant. It'll be a bit meloncholy since most of the people I've worked for or with are gone. A few died but most are enjoying retirement. In the 60's and 70's the highway department hired a bunch of youngsters to inspect interstates being built. Most of those folks worked until the pandemic. So in 2020 it was like a nuclear bomb was dropped on our roster. Thing is, when I began they all figured I'd not make it 5 years. The irony is if they'd have stayed I'd be their boss. I learned from the best so I do think I might be kinda good at it by now.
When asked how I got to that level I say well there was a line of 22 people standing side by side and someone says "who wants to be in charge?" 21 people took a step back leaving me out front.
Last edited:
raggie33
*the raggedier*
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2003
- Messages
- 13,572
Btw any of you all know who maintains light poles? Is it the power company? We have a few in my city about to tall over I'm sure it will be easier to fix before it falls
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
If it's on a public street it's probably the power company. If it's in a commercial parking lot like a mall, it might be the mall ownership/landlord.
raggie33
*the raggedier*
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2003
- Messages
- 13,572
cool its crazyright in front of sherffis dept dang thing is in such bad shape
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
There's probably a pole number on it. Call it in to the power company.
The ID tag will have an owner tag too. At one point Verizon (formerly Bell telephone) owned right many of the "light poles" along main roadways. Some are owned by the railroad going back to telegraph days.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Good point bykfixer. These days many cities have a 3-1-1 number for non-emergency city services. This might be a good starting point if it isn't obvious who owns the pole.
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