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OT: Rant what do you guys think?

J

JayinNY

Well-known Member
I went out to do chores this morning and heard the county plow go buy. I waited for him to come back and, took this pic.!!! Anything strike you as being odd?
Why is this guy running with the plows down on a bare road, can you believe what a waste this is? And our state NY and local country (Schenectady) cry there broke. Thats at least a $235,00 truck, loaded with salt and obisously a moron makeing $30 some dollars/hr driving it.
In July the county paid a company to "tar the cracks in the road", now you look at the tar and the plow it pulling it up, another waste. Then we have times were theres 8-10" of snow on the road and there no were around. We had a big storm Feb14th of 07, My father in law was a wingman for the town, well he had heard that the county was holding out on plowing to try to get state of emergency money! Unbelivelable. Not to mention what the salt is doing to the ground runoff.
Sorry for the rant, but it gets annoying when such stupidity is happening, and no one can figure ways to save money, or why were broke!
a27406.jpg
 
I saw 'em spreading salt on our road this morning before daylight. We have less snow than you guys. Roads were DRY. Your taxes at work....
 
On our road sometimes there are so many sparks coming off the blade it looks like the truck is on fire! But, if they went by with the blade up some one would complain about them joy riding! I think they have to go by here to get to the outlying areas, as we are pretty close to town.
 
Yes, but are you aware of the New York State "Clear Road" policy? It is rediculous, but . . . the State requires all attempts be made so any road, any time - can be driven on at normal speeds - regardless of weather.

This has resulted in people suing and blaming the varioius highway departments and governments every time they drive like idiots, slide on some ice, and crash.

There is no end in sight. The way I see it, most people drive at their own perceived risk level. If they come to believe roads are going to be safe all the time, they drive like drooling, blind, one-legged monkeys - even in snowstorms.

In the mean-time, local highway departments throw salt all over (calcium or sodium), kill trees, pollute ground water, rot out cars - all so we can drive 70 MPH on icy roads.

New York tried spreading ground up glass last year as an alternative - and it was quickly dropped. Now they are going to try some beet juice.

Back in 1979, when the new Interstate 88 opened here - due to it having new experimental concrete, no salt was allowed for the first few years. They let it get snow-packed and I loved it. Took some getting used to - but I often drove to work at 75 MPH in my 64 Chevelle SS - on snow with a little sand thrown over it.
 
If they make $30.00 some dollars an hour in New York, that is about double what most Road Commissions pay in MI. My FIL worked for 42 years retired at about $16.00 an hour. Local Rd. Commission here starts at about $11.00 an hour.
 
These workers are just "puppets on a string" as are most workers in our screwed up workplace today. Make waves (ie suggestions) and you instantly have a bullseye on your back. This country's economy deserves to be right where it's at or worse. There ain't a company or municipality that hasn't followed our sick Government when it comes to obesity at the top. Unfortunately for us , before the fat "top" ever falls , it will feast on the allready starving "middle" and "bottom" until it has nothing else to support it and falls. If the "survivors" of the middle and bottom have any strength left they will then make the inevitable "adjustments" and come out of it , BUT , it will be hard to beat the foriegn countries to the punch. NOW , they have the money and the power and the knowhow to do it and it would be just like our "fat at the top" to sell out to them just before it falls, in the hope they (the FAT) can buy their way into the "FAT" of the new owners. Not really a prediction , it's allready happening. Will the "muscle" of this country ever rear up and overpower the "FAT"??? They havn't in other countries!! Shouldn't we learn something from them????
 
I don't know what the driver's get paid here in Central New York since a union forced its way in. I do they they get a lot less done with more people - as compared to when they were non-union. Their boss - i.e. the "highway superintendant" has a non-union, elected position. $34K per year salary. That averages out to aound $15 per hour, depending how many hours he actaully works. The Super does not have to show up for work every day at specific hours. Just has to get the job done and keep things running. He also has to attend a lot of boring town meetings.
 
You're surprised?

When I called our DOT about 2 large dead oaks that were leaning over the paved road here the supervisor came out. After I pointed out the property line monuments he agreed it was their responsibility.

I asked for 2 flaggers and 1 saw guy, figured I'd pull with my deuce-and-a-half winch so they'd fall on my property. They'd be finished in under an hour. I'd take what I wanted and leave the rest to rot.

Nope, they sent out 7 guys, 3 trucks, a huge chipper, and a loader the size of my big one. Spent 5 hours here, never with more than 1 guy working at a time. They were actually bragging about how good they were at wasting tax money. Couldn't argue with that. At least pay scale here's a LOT lower.
 
I thought maybe they were on the way to my house. I got about 28 inches in the past 2 days. They say it will stop in a couple more days. Ya gotta love that Lake Ontario snow making machine.
 
First off you cant blame the driver, hes just doing what he was told by the higher ups.

Its a darned if you do, darned if you dont situation. Is it waste to you and me? Yes. But if they didnt clear the road and some idiot come sailing down the road, slid and wrecked, then guess what? Then its Lawsuit time for the DOT for not having the road clear.
 
First off there was nothing on the road to clear off, I could see spot salting, but not plowing a dusting, driver should know better.
 
The condition of the county roads around here is a constant bone of contention.

The County's side of it is, whenever they hire some hotshot road maintainer operator who's proficient and knows what he's doing, within 6 months private construction hires him away for half again as much money as the County can pay.

It's sad what the County can get. Once winter several years ago, after a Saturday snow storm, one of the County Commissioners himself was out on a snow plow on Sunday because the guy that was supposed to run the plow refused to work on Sunday. I often wondered if the guy who was supposed to be running that plow spent his Sunday off contemplating his prospects of long-term employment.

Nah, probably never even concerned him.
 
Same thing here, 5 guys sitting in a running truck with 1 guy out patching a pot hole or fixing a sign. They also stop along the roads 4-5 guys in a truck and just sit there. Last year my father got a few loads of fill from the county when they were digging out ditches, so he went to Dunkin donuts and bought them a box of donuts as a thank you. Guy said put in in that truck, a f550, dad opens the door and sees a stack of news papers, playing cards and a small tv, plugged into the cig liter. Another case I ran into a highschool buddy this summer, "he got in" with the county, he said I was used to working when I came here, now I hardly do anything. He said at least I know when Im comming home from work though...
 
As a side note because, I have done it with our town. A wing man is the eyes to help the driver, backing up in a blizzard, fog or in the dark. Watching out for traffic, ditches. Ect. Kinda important. You also run the sander, right side wing and front plow. Driver, drives, and runs the left wing. Well the county did away with wingmen awhile ago, so now the driver has to do all of that, except the county dosent use double wings. If they werent out doing this kinda thing, maybe they could still have the wingman to help the drivers.
 
A fe3w years ago I was on a parts run, and went through an area of road repair. After a few miles I figured out what was different....all of the workers were DOING something. Then I noticed the trucks were a private company, not MNDOT. Typical county road crew has fewer than half on-site workers actually doing something at any one time.
 
Around here the drivers are union, so the highway super, and wing men couldent operate a truck or piece of equipment.
 
In my part of Texas. We are told that they have spent eight million dollars on road repairs in this county. Sure would like to know what road that was. Because no one in this county can find it.
 
Tom----"Nope, they sent out 7 guys, 3 trucks, a huge chipper, and a loader the size of my big one. Spent 5 hours here, never with more than 1 guy working at a time."

This is the reason they set out the "MEN WORKING" signs---otherwise nobody would know what they were doing....:>)

Tim
 
But could you do what your old friend does?

I couldn't, I'd be institutionalized. Amazed me that these guys could spend their lives this way. Apparently happy about it.

Interesting world, eh?
 
LOL, you've got a point. 6 guys leaning on the back of a truck, watching the other one. They seemed happy to have somebody new (me) to talk with. For me, got old real fast.

Months later I ran into an office DOT guy who gave me his card and asked that I call him, not the local yard, next time this came up. Maybe somebody there does try for a little efficiency.

No idea which tax pays for all this, but whatever it is, I don't pay much. Unlikely the system's gonna get reformed.
 
Noooo, I couldent do it either, but darn they do have all that nice, new, equipment to work with :) ..... lol
 
Jay I used to have that attitude too. I have a whole different outlook now because I ended up taking a job driving a snow plow. No1 you have a boss that tells you what to do and if you want to keep your job you do it weather it is right or wrong. You get called out in the middle of the night and the road is all white with blowing snow and the sides of the road look the same as the road but you had better not get stuck because that person that sees you stuck is going to tell everyone what a idiot you are can't even keep a truck on the road. I am not trying to start a fight here just stating some facts. Please before you complaine to loud wear his shoes for a week or two. Crow does not taste very good. Merry Christmas Bob
 
Your missing the whole point. I rode as a wingman, I KNOW what its like, I was out at 3am in ice storms, in a truck with chains on it, on steep hills ect. I also was out in blizzards were you cant see anything. But as a driver like in my pic, is it necessary to plow that road, its ruining the road more than helping anything. I know they are sent out by the highway super, but for the driver to be plowing this road was uncalled for. I cant wait to see what happens when we get hit with a big storm this season, they wont even be around.
 
OH, and we never call anyone who goes of the road an idiot. Only some of the county drivers who refuse to chain up in a ice storm, than have a rollover and loose a load salt all over the ground. Not to mention what the wrecker costs.
 
I'm guessing he was told to go check for possible drifting and he decided to clear the road for better drainage.
I use to run my big truck on those areas just to disperse the snow into a salted area so that was eliminated
 
Ya thats a good idea drive over it, as you can see in the pic, the wing isent even clearing the dusting off the road, its still left there behind the wing.
 
Same thing here. Neighbor retired from county road commission, was making $17 per hour, after 40 years. As far as our state workers, I don't think they get a lot more, and the pension was eliminted about 15 years ago. I don't understand what the big deal is about this - maybe he got called to another area, or is running back to base. Around here, it's a one man show, no spotters on a plow truck.
 
In my county in MI, we don't get the amount of snow we used to. And since most county drivers live out in the rural areas and ride snowmobiles the best place to ride when there is only a few inches of snow is the road. And since the drivers are riders they leave the snow on the road for as many days as possible so they can ride on it.
 
I've got to agree with him... I think it's changed a bit since you were wingman. Number one... there ain't no more wingman here except on a precious few Oshkosh's they still have. Everything like that binder pictured is a one man plow. The salt is metered by computer. Every load is weighed. If you use too much, you have to answer. If the boss says drop the blade, you drop the blade. There is no discretion. There is no common sense. There's no morale either. It's a tattle tale squealer environment to work in on top of that... I've got familiy working there along with quite a few other people I know quite well. Most of them are just biding out their time until tehy get a pension because they've got too many years in to walk away with nothing if they left now.
It's not the good ole days anymore, at least not here.

Rod
 
what wingman???? I haven't heard of using a wingman in years. Its all done by the driver. Talk about being busy. It can be a handful. many a driver didn't raise the wing soon enough and had it dig in and lay that truck on its side.


Yep, plowing in white-out conditions, playing driver and wingman, tired and insuffieient sleep for days, hungry, = recipe for a bad day.

try hitting a buried car with the wing in the dead of night and pray to God there wasn't someone in the car maybe dead or injured, while you get out and go look.

Plowing sux.
 
Two words sums it up. HOTSHOT LAWYERS Just watch the abundance of Lawyer ads on TV. "Were you injured in a car wreck?" Jay, how many M,H,&M comercials do you hear each day.
 
This isn't anything compared to what the FOREIGNERS cost us daily..At least this guy is a citizen and paying taxes.My roads are always plowed and I can get where ever I want in an emergency..
 
Ya, 15 years ago or so, I got the chance to bid on mowing Paul Hardings lawn, he said that $20 per week was to much. You know, a .9 acre with a huge house in a development in Guilderland. But I bet if I were to hire him it would be $500 per hour.
 
Not sure who your agreeing with, but I have help as a wingman on and off for the last 17 years in our town, as the still use wingmen. The county however dosent use a wingman anymore. I aslo laughed as you called the International truck a binder, we also call them, corn binders!!
 
Jay in NY,,,, if you look close --- you can see the plow is NOT on the ROAD< how dumb can you NY People get --- get your eye's checked !!!!
 
I'm looking close and that wing is definatly on the road. Same thing here only worse. Dusting of snow and the county plows go past a minimum of 8 times. Ridiculous.
 
but...if you look closely...isn't there a line of tire-track snow in front of the plow and not behind? perhaps the truck is melting it?
 
The truck isn't exactly parked at the county shop either. Often the side of the plow close to ditch is set a little lower than the drivers side. This way it doesn't wear as much on the cleared pavement. If the whole road is snowed in, the driver puts the plow a little lower and it goes down more on the drivers side. Dave
 
I saw it and heard it, both plow and wing were down. theres nothing wrong with my eyes or the camara.
 
I know several plow drivers, that is their job to get every flake off the road regardless of the cost. That plow does not cost as much as the defence attorney does if their is a accident.

While you are complainig, your next door neighbor just called and chewed their rear ends for not having it spotless.

Compare the cost of the county enginer, @ $92,00.00 plus benifits.

In Iowa a State plow can not drop his wing on a hill passing lane. The wing can only be used for the shoulder of the road--or the driver gets fired.

I think Iowa laws have changed, but if there is a house fire on a county road 1/8 of a mile off the state highway, and a state plow is at the intersection---it used to be tough luck, even if it would save a life.
 
Yep, thats funny.. The plow is also on the road, see how the black plow edge lines up with the wing edge.?? They do run plow shoes on the plows so it may be up a little, but not much.
 
Always puzzled me. We have a jury system. Most cases are decided by jurors . But folks always blame the Lawyers. How do you logically explain blaming the lawyer? Well maybe it's the Law. Those laws are all approved by voters or the Representative the voters selected. Could it possibly be those jurors and voters to blame for their choices? Naw , couldn't be true could it ?
 
i'm with you jay...
but with any gov't funds...schools, counties, municipalities of any kind...you don't get rewarded for spending less...you get punished because if you didn't need it this year...then they'll take it away from you next year...so might as well send the trucks out as much a possible...show 'em how much they need the funds
it is hard on the roads...between plows in the summer and roads not built to take the size of tractors and manure tanks...our roads are pretty torn up...do they oil and stone any of yours? that is the worst type of road around here..

goin to macfaddens?

takin' a couple newbies with us...friend is looking for an 80ish horse w/ a FEL...spend at or less than $15G's...should be able to find somethin nice if its there...another friend is lookin' for a backhoe to play with...

all that stuff from that one farm looks like a guy set up an operation and then quit...rakes look new, wagons look new, elevator looks new...

should be a nice cold day.
 
This time of year before the frost sets in the skid shoes are set down a bit. I live 45 miles west of JayinNY and the plows have been running nonstop since Sat. morning on US RT20 and the sparks are flying. Perhaps you should curb your remarks as you arn't from around here, Do you think these plows can hover 1/2" over the pavement some magical way? Get a life!
 
another side note...
summers when i was in college i worked for the town of guilderland parks dept...
got yelled at my first day for working too hard, getting things done too quickly, etc...
i was "ruining it for the rest of them"

that said, one of the best summer jobs i ever had...just didn't have to work that hard...plenty of energy to put into hay.
 
Most cases around here are settled out of court by hotshot lawyers that capitalize on injuries caused by their cliants own stupidity. It cost the insurance companies too much to hire their own hotshots to mount a defense. so they pay. That's why all insurances cost way too much. We have a sue happy society. It's always someone elses falt that something bad happens.
 
I couldn't agree more with you.I became employed with the city three years ago.And can not believe the men and women we have running plows not a clue to what they are doing don't understand the first thing about setting the calibrations on there spreaders and just tear the h$ll out of the streets,peoples driveways and bust up curbs tear up lawns knock down signs and mailboxes.And the city justifies them and calls them trained by running them thru a four hour class in a classroom not in a plow!Just unbelievable.And I imagine other cities are the same?
 
Yep, my brothers buddy works for Schalmont school distric. He said they have to use the supplies the have up, or they cant get more for the next year? Town only, mostly oil and chip, "as they call it here" the town of Duanesburg roads. I dont know if you have been on any town roads, but... there like driveways. I dont know about Macfaddens yet, yes it will be cold, and I dont need anything, never got the baler and rake out there,, but I might go and hang around there. Did you see that JD tractor with a beat cab, no door and window, 4wd and fil?? May be something for your friend to look at. I think it was advertised in the country folks for $7500 or $8500. Check out his web site. J
 
They do it exactly the same way over here. They call it "heating the pavement by friction" then when the snow falls on the warm pavement it melts right away and they don't use so much salt. They've been doing it that way for years around here. It is much more efficient than it looks because just before it is due to snow, they put out 3/4 crusher run out on the shoulders beside the pavement. In one pass they heat the pavement and spread the gravel on lawns, so that in the spring the landscaper guy gets his blades sharpened by the fresh gravel.
 
Around here they do anything to run up the miles on a vehicle to justify trading it in for a new one.

Also there could be a blizzard out, but a county snow plow will pick up its blade while on a state highway when moving over to another county road.
 
Same thing happened to my daughter when she got a college summer job with local sanitation dept. The big boss took her out of the "crew", and made her a crew of one for "special projects", and she answered only to him. She was soon joined by another girl who was too good looking for her own good and was being harrassed by the guys. They got along fine and happily toiled away, generally out of sight of the gold-brickers, and everybody was happy.
 
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