C'mon people, do your bit!

[crazylegs]

I get sent to a job three minutes after I start today (thats not a problem, I'm always early), some Haras Fencing (that six foot temporary metal fencing you get around building sites) has blown over into the road, causing a hazard.

So I get there (about 6 minutes later, not a bad response time) and find that yes indeed there fencing all over the road. Now, in addition to it being six foot tall its 5 feet long. There are also 6 panels cable tied and bolted together, there is no way on god green earth I'm going to shift it. So, on go the blues (I'm damned if someone is going to drive into this stuff/me)

I go and inspect this fencing, whoever put it together did not want the panels apart, having nothing to a) cut the cable ties and b) remove the bolts I'm very rapidly running out of options, until people start appearing with quotes like

'Are you on your own?'
'Do you need a hand?'
'There are some builders around the corner, I'll grab them'

Seriously people, does it really take the arrival of a police car to energise you at that time in the morning, why the hell didn't you just get the people together, knock on some doors and move it, why phone us?

I don't get it, I really don't. Its not as if its a busy road which needs closing to work in safely, the only people who drive in this road live in it.

[rvdammit]

I can sort of grok "assisting the police" is a whole lot different to "messing with other people's stuff".

[Fenrus]

Seriously people, does it really take the arrival of a police car to energise you at that time in the morning, why the hell didn't you just get the people together, knock on some doors and move it, why phone us?

As much as you hate it.. we hate it too! we get calls from EVERYONE about it, but no one will have the initiative to go "oh look, there's something in the road. it should be moved." Even on the shoulder, we'll get calls about 2x4s or other little stuff in the road, but "could cause a hazard".

So you're not alone.

[RetailWorkhorse]

As much as you hate it.. we hate it too! we get calls from EVERYONE about it, but no one will have the initiative to go "oh look, there's something in the road. it should be moved." Even on the shoulder, we'll get calls about 2x4s or other little stuff in the road, but "could cause a hazard".

So you're not alone.

So....I'm the only one who would stop to actually pick up that perfectly good piece of 2x4 or nice empty bucket?

[draftermatt]

So....I'm the only one who would stop to actually pick up that perfectly good piece of 2x4 or nice empty bucket?

No I'll stop and pick that up to as long as I'm not risking bodily injury.

To the OP, I think it has to do with what someone else said "not messing with other people's stuff" I have no problem offering my assistance to the police, fire company, road workers, etc. But if I don't know who's fence it is blowing around and I see there are cables coming out of it, how do I know that I won't get shocked by touching it? Not to mention if I move it and then some asshole comes flying up next to me yelling that I broke his fence. No thanks.

[Shangri-laschild]

Because before that would have been taking initiative that no one would have noticed. Now it's them being helpful the the nice man in law enforcement.

[protege]

Not to mention if I move it and then some asshole comes flying up next to me yelling that I broke his fence. No thanks.

That's probably why the cops are called. Too many idiots will go postal or are sue-happy, especially in the US. Hell, our national sport is litigation

But seriously, if I'm dragging something out of the road (tree branch, fence section, pipe, etc.) or chasing a stray cow...I always appreciate the help.

Right before my grandmother sold her house, one of the large trees came down. Most of it stayed on her side of the fence, but a couple of large branches fell into one of the highway lanes. Rather than let someone hit that, I got the car out...and proceeded to drag the damn thing out of the road. I got most of it moved before a guy in a pickup came to help move the rest. Not only was it difficult, but dangerous--the 45mph speed limit on that twisty road is a joke!