washboard?

[MrWoodChips]

We live on a dirt road, plowed on one stretch by whoever get out first that morning. One neighbor has started to plow very fast. Apparently he has decided that he needs to blast the snow off the road. What results is he is leaving a washboard pattern down the road. It is miserable to drive on, so the rest of us are forced to drive at 5 mph to save our suspensions. Our other neighbor has told me that he doesn't know how to plow, and she has plowed this road for many years in the past until she is now too old to do it.

When I find it gets too bad and the ripples are frozen into place, I've taken my tractor out and cut out the washboard, just enough downforce on the blade to take out the ripples, but still give me traction on the front end. With a back blade it might be easier, but a front blade is what I have.

On the main part of the road, plowed by someone with some common sense, the road is perfectly smooth. You could almost skate on that part.

Even getting out there first does not help. I've tried that and he plows anyway. Then I go out again to clean up the mess. On top of the rest, he has also taken to plowing other people's driveways and tearing up their lawns. He damaged some low voltage lighting in one place, but that homeowner is too easygoing to say anything.

So how do I tell this guy that he should give it a rest? If you say anything to this fellow, he gets extremely defensive, but won't stop. After all, he is doing this for "free". It is free after all, except for the suspension damage and the property damage.

john

 

[schmism]

I dont understand why you can just ask him not to plow and explain the problems with the wash boarding.

IF he isnt willing to take his time and do it right the neighbors would rather he just not help period.

 

[LBrown59]

We live on a dirt road, plowed on one stretch by whoever get out first that morning. One neighbor has started to plow very fast. Apparently he has decided that he needs to blast the snow off the road. What results is he is leaving a washboard pattern down the road. It is miserable to drive on, so the rest of us are forced to drive at 5 mph to save our suspensions. Our other neighbor has told me that he doesn't know how to plow, and she has plowed this road for many years in the past until she is now too old to do it.

When I find it gets too bad and the ripples are frozen into place, I've taken my tractor out and cut out the washboard, just enough downforce on the blade to take out the ripples, but still give me traction on the front end. With a back blade it might be easier, but a front blade is what I have.

On the main part of the road, plowed by someone with some common sense, the road is perfectly smooth. You could almost skate on that part.

Even getting out there first does not help. I've tried that and he plows anyway. Then I go out again to clean up the mess. On top of the rest, he has also taken to plowing other people's driveways and tearing up their lawns. He damaged some low voltage lighting in one place, but that homeowner is too easygoing to say anything.

So how do I tell this guy that he should give it a rest? If you say anything to this fellow, he gets extremely defensive, but won't stop. After all, he is doing this for "free". It is free after all, except for the suspension damage and the property damage.

john

Maybe he thinks he needs the seat time.

 

[jimmyj]

Honesty is the best policy. Just say "thanks a lot for helping, but if you don't mind can I give you a tip......."

Any normal person would want to make sure they are really helping out and would take the advice to heart I think.

If he is offended, well, it would have happened sometime.

 

[MrWoodChips]

Honesty is the best policy. Just say "thanks a lot for helping, but if you don't mind can I give you a tip......."

Any normal person would want to make sure they are really helping out and would take the advice to heart I think.

If he is offended, well, it would have happened sometime.

I tried the honesty thing. I went up to him and explained calmly what it was that he was doing, why this was a problem, and why there was no reason for his going so fast. I also pointed out that the main part of the road, plowed by another person, is perfectly flat, so the problem is clearly in his methods.

He blew up and told me off. Apparently as long as he is doing something that he perceives to be in our benefit, he will do anything he wants. He thinks he is being useful.

Oh well. I just had to vent. In the spring, he was planning on asking to take over the maintenance of the entire road from our road committee. He thinks he can do a better job. Yeah, right.

John

 

[john_bud]

Some folks are born princes and some are born a----- well, you know.

jb

 

[Taylortractornut]

Im not the most experienced plowman here as Florida gets more snow than us lol. Ive plowed it with a front plow I had on my 3000 Yanmar. and My Cub plow 3 snows I remember. I hit a pot hole and my blade got to bouncing I also had my homemade 2 bladed grader on back and it smoothed out the humps by riding on the 2 runners. and planing off the ridges. We got a supervisor in our county that was basically voted in as the only canidate for the job. They dont have anyone that can run the grader or know much about road work they dry blade the gravel roads wich is pretty but theres no moisture to hold and bind the courses and fines and the roads get slippery dry and washboard to. then when it rains all the fines seperate real messy. they have 2 new tractors with heavy 2 bladed leveling boxes and they do good when they arent run to fast I was out on a serice call the other day and had to slow way down met the supervisor on the tractor going too fast and the fella was right on top of the crown did that all week now his road is in a hole. I think he needs to learn that nothing replaces and experienced operator with a good heavy Motor Grader.

 

[rox]

We live on a dirt road, plowed on one stretch by whoever get out first that morning. One neighbor has started to plow very fast. Apparently he has decided that he needs to blast the snow off the road. What results is he is leaving a washboard pattern down the road. It is miserable to drive on, so the rest of us are forced to drive at 5 mph to save our suspensions. Our other neighbor has told me that he doesn't know how to plow, and she has plowed this road for many years in the past until she is now too old to do it.

When I find it gets too bad and the ripples are frozen into place, I've taken my tractor out and cut out the washboard, just enough downforce on the blade to take out the ripples, but still give me traction on the front end. With a back blade it might be easier, but a front blade is what I have.

On the main part of the road, plowed by someone with some common sense, the road is perfectly smooth. You could almost skate on that part.

Even getting out there first does not help. I've tried that and he plows anyway. Then I go out again to clean up the mess. On top of the rest, he has also taken to plowing other people's driveways and tearing up their lawns. He damaged some low voltage lighting in one place, but that homeowner is too easygoing to say anything.

So how do I tell this guy that he should give it a rest? If you say anything to this fellow, he gets extremely defensive, but won't stop. After all, he is doing this for "free". It is free after all, except for the suspension damage and the property damage.

john

Couple point- Whenever I have to raise a negative or flash point with someone I always try and do it after a meal or cocktails and appetizers that we (to be honest I should say it is my hsuband doing the preparing ) have prepared and served in our home. The guy is obviously not an a** as he is taking his time and is out in the cold plowing the communal road plus neighbors driveways for free, so he is not an a**.

You asked how to tell him and i think this is the best way. You also have to allow for different personality types. My husband is a hot hot when first off anything negative happens. But then after a bit he cools down and works problems very inteligently and very cordially and morally. Especially for these personality types it is important to have them in a warm and fuzzy social situation and they are much much more cooperative and willing to listen as long as you don't put peer pressure on them and discuss it in front of others, then they dig their heels in.

Suggest you make a good pot of chilli invite the fellow and his signifacant other over for some chilli and beverages and after everybody is warmed up and you ahve chatted up on local topics of mutual interest then bring up the plowing but have your questions preformed in your head exactly what you plan to ask. I don't knwo anything about plowing but it may go something like, "I have been curious about your plow set up, how long have you had it?" You kind of lead into the conversation and get the other guy talking and then broach it in a low key way. For 34 years I have deployed this method and it works for me , and it works practically 100% of the time. The whole world is about relationships, your relationship with your spouce, with your neighbors, with your co-workers. It did take me many years to figure this out ,but on an imporant issues I analyze the other person and figure out how they need to be approached, rather than how I would want to be approached. Some people are shy, some will go along with the group and peer pressure works best, some are loaners and a one on one is best. For example attorneys will hardly ever cave into peer pressure and one on one is best. Insurance agents want to be liked by everybody and they are better approached in a group situation. It seems to me by what you have written this very nice man who gets out there and voluntarily helps others our of the goodness of his heart is more of a one on one guy.

They way I look at it, you can grumble and grumble for the next XX years as the problem continues as he is not going to listen to you with your current approach, or you can clean the house for company, take a little time to make a good chilli and at the end of the evening walk away with what you want. It is all in the approach...IMHO

 

[radioman]

Hmm , If reasoning with him doesn't work, how about if you made a couple adjustments ? ( i dont condone this practice, but for the sake of sanity)
If he is using a truck plow with shoes, is there anyway you can make adjustment to his shoes so the plow sits higher ? IF he has washers on the top, you could move them to the bottom. He probably would never notice. With the plow sitting higher, lets say an inch higher then before, you are basically leaving an inch of cushion snow on the road to lessen the washboard effect. I believe the washboard effect is from the truck plow boucing up and down from being too close to the road. Even the highway plows have it adjusted so the plow barely touch the road to lessen the wear and tear on the wear blade.

I am probably gonna get flamed by my comments here to take action in your hands but hence my disclaimer - I dont condone this practice.

 

[2manyrocks]

Neighborhood petition asking him to do it right or stop doing it.