yeah, so besides the fact the roads DO need improving WHY does it take 62 construction workers to fix 1 pot hole? Traffic is hellish, sidewalks are closed, people are killing themselves trying to pac man through a crosswalk that nobody gives an inch …and if this doesnt piss you off enough here you see one construction worker actually doing work, while the others stand around…touching themselves…smoking a cig…telling jokes…do you honestly need someone to hold your hand? for everyone construction worker actually doing something theres 12 doing jack shit – do some effin’ work!
—Actually works for her money
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2009.
Well, I doubt you’ll see 12 workers on a pothole crew. Usually it’s just two dudes on a city truck.
As for actual road construction or reconstruction, most of that work is put to tender. That means the crew you see working is working for the lowest bidder. If you think you can do it for less, by all means, do so.
I suspect, tho, that you don’t know much about how road construction works. It’s hella hard work. The workers’ boss isn’t just letting them fart off for no reason at all.
Who else will harass the women that walk by?
Tim… Have you been to Downtown Dartmouth lately?
I can understand that construction can be tedious, but they’ve been tearin at Aldreny Drive for like a month.
It’s hectic, crowded, and the ammuont of dust that flies up in the air is more than annoying when you want to cross the street.
insert cat call right here ->
“Get to work or I’ll have your job!”
Have to agree with this one.
I drove by a back-hoe digging a hole while 3 guys leaned over the barrier watching it being dug. I’m glad our tax dollars are being put to good use……. oh to be unionized!!!
I try not to criticize anyone who does a job that I’ve never done. But I make up for it by being EXTRA critical of people whose jobs I have done 🙂
Though road crews do always seem to be standing around a lot. I’d love to hear an opinion from someone who does road work or has done it in the past…
Well, I haven’t done *road* construction, but I’ve worked construction. Yes, there was some standing around time, but invariably at the end of the day I was dead tired. It’s tough physical labour.
Still, my point is that if there is really a bunch of time being wasted, somebody would’ve stepped in to do it wasting less time, and therefore offering a lower bid.
They haven’t, so…
I’ve never seen a construction worker touching himself but I suppose there’s a first time for everything.
I’m touching myself right now 🙂
I usually get a good laugh when I see random construction workers standing around while others are doing things… But than I think what could those people be doing? In the case where the Back-Hoe was digging and the others watching. What could they have been doing? Digging with there hands? Maybe they were just waiting for him to get done so they can do what they need done. Than the guy in the back hoe can take his break. Maybe they work in spurts so they don’t tire out. That would be hard work.
oooOOoooh….*blush*
Gotta love people who judge jobs from seeing maybe two minutes of it being done. Different people have different responsibility.
If you’re really concerned about what they do, then hang out and watch for eight hours or better yet work on a crew for a day.
I’m with Bro Tim on this one, hang for 8 hours in the sweaty hot humid weather and see how much fun that is about 50 hours a week, working for barely above minimum wage in most cases, the work is tendered, lowest bidder wins, so they’re not getting rich!!!
Hey, OP, I’d really like to see you shovel asphalt for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. It’s tough work, and it’s not for everyone. You have to take a break now and then so you don’t bloody faint from exhaustion.
So you see 12 workers standing around when you went by..How do you know what they’ve been doing for the past few hrs when you WEREN’T there? Everyone knows how hot it is sitting in your CARS while construction is going on…try being out under the blazing sun in full construction gear for several hours a day.
STFU.
To defend the OP, I know the exact situation they’re talking about. It’s right outside of where we work. So no, we don’t see just “two minutes”… We actually can watch them for 8 hours, but some of us actually work.
the reason they stand around is to distract people while the others build tunnels beneath the road. they are making another moleman paradise in halifax!
I agree that the work needs to be done, and I am aware that the city/province tenders out some of these jobs, often to the lowest bidder. But, when you drive by a site that is being done by the city, meaning EVERY truck has the HRM logo on it, and there are 10 or 12 guys/gals standing there leaning on shovels or rakes, smoking and chit chatting, while three people are actually working, not counting those in the trucks, makes you kinda wonder why our property taxes are so high. (unions) I have a business in construction, anytime someone is just standing around it costs money and it’s not productive. Most of the time, if it is an outside company doing the job(for a lower cost) the guys aren’t standing around, or they wouldn’t be able to do the job for the lowest price. There is NO money to be made in standing around watching the work get done.
Road construction is a business where one thing has to be done before another can start. You don’t see the crews on South Park St. installing the sewer pipes before the hole is dug, blasted, and reinforced, do you? Yes, it’s a running joke that one guy works while 12 stand around supervising. If you’re that concerned about road crew efficiency, get hired as a road crew person so you can learn what it is like.
Blame the Unions! That’s why it takes 12 people to fill one hole. You can credit the Unions for killing GM, etc also.
“12 people to fill one hole” <-- That's the name of my favourite porno movie!
Absolutely none of the people posting here did it on work computers, because that would be unethical goofing off on the boss’s time.
Love it Nevermind. Nice.
nevermind, can you loan me a copy. LOL
honest to fucking god, there were 8 fixing one hole on the corner or cogswell and north park a couple weeks ago. my boyfriend and i were waiting for the #6 on the corner and we were watching then for 10 mins. i swear to god, the oldest man on the job (55 at least) did all the work while the other people just stood there. oh wait, one person raked some hot asphalt twice. i dont know what the other 6 were there for, though.