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Arc South What Are They Tearing Up The Streets For?


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#1 The Average Joe

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Posted 15 July 2011 - 12:59 PM

Someone is trenching most of the streets in ARC south. They cut our internet cable (eta to fix properly 5 working days as they need a permit from the city). While talking to the cable tech, he mentioned at least 3 other people have had the same problem. What I want to know is; who is doing the digging...what are they putting in... why weren't we given notice...when will they be done (very noisy!) and how well will their street repair be done.

Anyone with any info?

Of course, the irony here is that I think it is probably a high speed internet company doing the digging....

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive" -- C.S. Lewis

 

If the only way to combat "global warming" was to lower taxes, we would never hear of the issue again. - Anonymous

 

"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one" — Thomas Paine, 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 (1776)

 


#2 folsom500

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Posted 15 July 2011 - 01:07 PM

Someone is trenching most of the streets in ARC south. They cut our internet cable (eta to fix properly 5 working days as they need a permit from the city). While talking to the cable tech, he mentioned at least 3 other people have had the same problem. What I want to know is; who is doing the digging...what are they putting in... why weren't we given notice...when will they be done (very noisy!) and how well will their street repair be done.

Anyone with any info?

Of course, the irony here is that I think it is probably a high speed internet company doing the digging....


No idea - but be sure to take the 5+ days off your next bill...

Another great  day in the adventure of exploration and sight.

 

 

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"
-Margaret Mead-


#3 The Average Joe

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Posted 19 July 2011 - 04:02 PM

Went out and talked to the crew supervisor. SMUD is replacing the trunk lines (25 years seems like a pretty short lifespan...). I mentioned that he had an issue he needed to address with cutting the lines. He took a pushy stance and said he didn't care what the cable guy said. I reiterated that the cable had been damaged. He insisted that they didn't cut anything. He stated if it wasn't marked, it wasn't his fault anyway. He intimated that there was no marking. I walked over, and showed him the marking. At which point he called over his digger who grunted he didn't hit anything, then walked away. The guy said he cared about me, but didn't care that the cable guy said he was at fault. He thought the cable guy was just trying to blame him...to which I replied, " The service had trouble the day you started digging. The node across the street has a strong signal, the cable at the outside of my house does not. Somewhere, between my house and the cable bus, there is a failure...that occurred the day you were trenching in that same area."
He said it didn't matter to him as the cable company usually would repair a single line without billing his company.

I have dealt with many guys like this in the trades over the years. They tend to be union (protected in their job regardless of customer disservice), pushy, rude and will NEVER admit to any wrongdoing. Overall, a very adversarial experience...I'm glad I'm used to these guys and held my ground...would hate to think what would have happened had my 80+ year old neighbor had a complaint...

I did write a letter to the VP of his company.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive" -- C.S. Lewis

 

If the only way to combat "global warming" was to lower taxes, we would never hear of the issue again. - Anonymous

 

"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one" — Thomas Paine, 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 (1776)

 


#4 (The Dude)

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Posted 20 July 2011 - 07:07 AM

Went out and talked to the crew supervisor. SMUD is replacing the trunk lines (25 years seems like a pretty short lifespan...). I mentioned that he had an issue he needed to address with cutting the lines. He took a pushy stance and said he didn't care what the cable guy said. I reiterated that the cable had been damaged. He insisted that they didn't cut anything. He stated if it wasn't marked, it wasn't his fault anyway. He intimated that there was no marking. I walked over, and showed him the marking. At which point he called over his digger who grunted he didn't hit anything, then walked away. The guy said he cared about me, but didn't care that the cable guy said he was at fault. He thought the cable guy was just trying to blame him...to which I replied, " The service had trouble the day you started digging. The node across the street has a strong signal, the cable at the outside of my house does not. Somewhere, between my house and the cable bus, there is a failure...that occurred the day you were trenching in that same area."
He said it didn't matter to him as the cable company usually would repair a single line without billing his company.

I have dealt with many guys like this in the trades over the years. They tend to be union (protected in their job regardless of customer disservice), pushy, rude and will NEVER admit to any wrongdoing. Overall, a very adversarial experience...I'm glad I'm used to these guys and held my ground...would hate to think what would have happened had my 80+ year old neighbor had a complaint...

I did write a letter to the VP of his company.


Ah union workers, they're good at blame shifting and shirking responsibility, because with union backing, they get paid whether they do the job right or wrong.

Probably had 12 guys there supervising the one guy digging the ditch. Your letter to the VP will likely get him a raise and a bonus for getting out of being responsible for cutting the cable line.

#5 The Average Joe

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Posted 24 July 2011 - 04:42 PM

I don't know if they are union or not, it has just been my experience that union workers have few if any consequences for not performing, and that tends to breed a certain attitude. The letter got some action...the employee's manager gave me a call and apologized for the situation and was working to resolve the cable issue.

Epilogue:
Turns out that the guy was right, and that they hadn't cut the cable (at least according to him). Seems there was an issue at the cable bus. I found this out when I pulled into my driveway and was confronted by the original employee who stated that he didn't appreciate the letter. He basically (and I'm paraphrasing here) told me it was chickens--- to write the letter and that I should have dealt with him person to person. I responded that it was a person to person contact that got me to write the letter. He said he didn't appreciate being called an arse, to which I responded that i didn't call him an arse. He argued that I did so twice in the letter. This is what I said in the letter,
" E said it sounded to him like the cable guy was trying to cover his arse.
I reiterated that the signal was good to the bus, but bad at my house, and that the trouble began the day he trenched. It sounded to me like he was trying to cover his own arse."


He said, "Same thing." Then I got pissed and told him that it wasn't the same thing, that if I wanted to call him an arse, I would do so without hesitation (and had to bite my tongue from doing so at that particular moment). His buddy was walking by and tried to get him to leave. Shortly thereafter, he abruptly said the issue was closed and stuck his hand out...i shook it, but was still reeling going over in my mind WTH just happened.

Bottom line... I never asked nor expected anything from him or his company. I called the cable company and got their service tech out here, I called to check on the status, etc. I expected nothing from Lund. My original conversation was intended to let them know that they may have some issues with their digging process that he might want to look into to avoid further inconvenience to the local homeowners. After I got a call back from the Lund employee's supervisor/project manager, I considered the case closed.
Yes, the employee was correct about his company not damaging the cable. And I'm sure he was pissed that a non-flattering letter got sent to his boss. The letter was an indictment of his attitude, not his ability. He then confirmed my observation with a confrontation in my driveway.

So the question is this, do I just ignore this, and let it go? or do I call his supervisor, have him and the employee meet me in front of my house and let him know I don't appreciate the confrontation.
I am split, part of me says that he knows where I live and why stir up trouble..that part of me says let it go...BUT then I imagine him talking to my wife or my neighbor the way he talked to me and I think BS, someone needs to say something

Your thoughts?

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive" -- C.S. Lewis

 

If the only way to combat "global warming" was to lower taxes, we would never hear of the issue again. - Anonymous

 

"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one" — Thomas Paine, 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 (1776)

 


#6 momof1

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Posted 24 July 2011 - 05:13 PM

Your thoughts?

Well, if you talk to his boss, how do you think the bozo will take it? Will he go off the deepend, grab a gun and go postal at your home? Or meekly accept being told by his boss once again he was out of line? I didn't meet the guy, so I can't judge his character. I once worked with a guy who seemed OK, he got laid off and nothing happened. But then he got another job, seems he wasn't so happy when the other job laid him off, he ended up in the news for taking a gun and shooting up the place. So even if you think you know how he will react, you might not. when we heard the news about this guy, we were all shocked because he didn't seem like he would be one to go off the deepend like that.

Those are my thoughts.

#7 eVader

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Posted 24 July 2011 - 09:41 PM

Very unprofessional of the company mgmt to discuss the letter with the employee in that manner and way out of line for the employee to confront a customer that way.

Manager or VP should have discussed the issue, gotten the update from employee then contacted you to determine facts and misunderstandings then addressed them. But just as important is to tell the employee to not do anything threatening or stupid and try harder to appeal concerned and willing to resolve any issues whether it was them cutting a line or how the issue can be resolved promptly.




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