Curious neighbors

Any time someone asks who we are working for when we are digging out difficult section corner monuments in the middle of county roads I always report that we are working for the county. Maintenance and perpetuation of the monuments is technically county responsibility per statute. That is why I can get a county backhoe and operator to do significant digs from time to time.

Holy Cow, post: 423214, member: 50 wrote: Any time someone asks who we are working for when we are digging out difficult section corner monuments in the middle of county roads I always report that we are working for the county. Maintenance and perpetuation of the monuments is technically county responsibility per statute. That is why I can get a county backhoe and operator to do significant digs from time to time.

Does not really fly on private land...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Oooooh. That would be a bit tougher to explain.

spledeus, post: 423207, member: 3579 wrote:
That third guy was approached by neighbors asking for whom was he working...

I just tell people that is confidential information between myself and the client.

I will tell them that I am conducting a survey in accord with State Statutes. But for whom or why the survey is being conducted, I am not at liberty to say unless the client allows me to disclose that information.

One of our crew chiefs once told a nosy neighbor we were surveying for an underground airport. Unfortunately the company name and phone number was on the door of the truck. The boss was not a happy camper.
Andy

I use to tell nosey neighbors we were surveying for a drag strip and a teen dance club. It helps to be as adept with a poker stare as Doc Holliday.

Older neighborhood biddies I usually tell them we're surveying for the new drug and alcohol treatment pre-release center. Kids on skateboards get told it's for the new water park.

It all depends upon who is asking.
I will tell a neighbor what tract of land I am survey and leave it at that and act like that information is above my pay scale.
Be it the law asking, I will produce the survey request to show that I am not trespassing.
My most recent client ask that I not disclose any information to anyone or leave anything (flagging, tpost, lath, paint) that would show where certain monuments fell.

Surveying for the new interstate and new walmart coming through here.

Told one fellow we were lining out where a new overhead, clear sewer line was about to be installed. His response was, "Great idea. The old one don't work for ####."

My favorite is, 'That stake is the center of reactor 3'.

Drive through brothel is my standard response. Said it that many times I can keep a straight face now.

mattb, post: 423257, member: 8629 wrote: Drive through brothel is my standard response. Said it that many times I can keep a straight face now.

A straight face is crucial when pulling someone's leg. I stared down (with granite-in-January rigidity) the little girl behind the counter at Carl's Jr. after I had ordered a "hothamdogchickenchilicheeseburger"....with fries. Her eyes never left mine as she excused herself to retrieve a manager; I think I may have frightened her a little. When the manager came to the counter and asked if he could help me I replied "I'd like a No. 2 with a Diet Coke...for here" .

Practice your straight face. It will help you throughout your entire life.

What are you doing?

A survey

For what?

To take some levels

For who?

Our client

Who is that?

Don't know the boss just sends us out here

And on and on..........

I may have told this story before. If so, here it is again...;)

There's a part of OKC called the Oklahoma National Stockyards down on the river. Historically it was where all the slaughterhouses were located and (as still today) all the cattle auctions and feed lots are located. At one time there were so many bars and fights among the cow punchers the City de-annexed the area so it wouldn't have to provide law enforcement. Although not particularly valuable property, it's a robust area with a lot of older brick buildings and has always enjoyed a following.

There is also a good number of indigent folks in the area. A couple of private shelters keep the 'bos fed and near meal time there can be a good number of them wandering the streets and alleys. I had accepted a request to perform a survey in the area and wasn't particularly looking forward to the indigenous social interaction.

On site I was wandering around with the Schonstedt, shovel and a plat print when a grubby and unshaven fella asked me what I was doing. Although he seemed fairly benign, I kept my cards close to my vest and didn't really divulge any real details. He followed me around for a few minutes. And as persistent as he was about "what are they gonna build now" and "who owns this" I maintained a level of discretion and kept about my business.

Then he introduced himself as the client I was working for...could have knocked me over with a feather. He mentioned he "liked my style" because I hadn't given him the brush-off and didn't seem afraid of his questions. I think he liked my wry sense of humor; we just seemed to get along.

He's a unique personality for sure. And given his appearance he fit right in with all the homeless souls waiting for the soup line to open. He buys and sells properties all over down there. Since then we've forged a pretty solid working relationship. All the business correspondence is funneled through an attorney's office in a high rise down in town on Park Ave. For all I know he may be homeless. Once I commented on his "newer" looking tennis shoes. He said he had picked them up at the second-hand store. I don't think he was joking. According to the County's records he owns a few million dollars worth of property. I've never seen him drive any vehicle. When we meet at a property he always seems to be there before I get there.

Hell, he may have slept out there.

When approached by curious neighbors or the public I usually give factual information, but in small doses. I am mostly hoping the small amount of info they receive is enough to leave me alone and not start a lasting conversation.

However, if everything is flowing pretty well I will give a straight face leg pulling story too.

When surveying hurricane storm damage on beach front property I am routinely asked when will new sand be pumped onto the beach. My response varies depending on who is asking.

A. Home owner of multi-million dollar home with an oceanfront infinity pool about to fall in the ocean. "Survey says there is plenty of sand here. They probably won't do anything for a couple of years. "

B. Lifeguard or other tourist dependent business owner. "I'm not 100% sure, but I think I heard they were planning to mobilize the dredge and pipeline around mid June, then start pumping by the 4th of July. Its a big job. So they'll likely be working heavy equipment out here through Labor Day."

I wish I had a hidden camera on my hat somedays.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Random person: "what are you surveying for"?

Me: "a living"

My favorite tale...a new highway off ramp. With the frequent reply that there isn't a highway near here. My response is that there isn't a highway near here "yet".

I was down by the old Marconi Tower that was built in a salt marsh. There are four pieces sticking up about 6 feet. It's off a secondary road with residential homes and a small parking lot for the beach.

They asked what I was surveying.

The bridge to Nantucket.

Oh really.

Yup the old one fell in years ago. (Pointing to the tower remains).

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Not the same, but I was down the road from the tower and had to go into a patch of ivy to find a bound. It was a nice bound set by Soule.
I hopped out and the other crew member asked if I had found anything. I sang 'I found a soul bound' to Soul Man.
There was a young woman bicycling by who started laughing and almost fell off her bike.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk