Things that used to not fly

[reppy007]

Todays world is a little different than yesterdays world.I remember the days when a lineman was sent to another truck to work on that day.Those were the days when you brought your hooks ,belt and rubber gloves with you everywhere you went,in case you forgot you wouldnt have to worry one bit,it was noticed by the lead lineman of the truck you were sent to.It happened to me a few years back,matter of fact it happened more than once.Im thinking to myself that this cant be real,but it was.The contractor I worked for was sending me urd make-up lineman,some with knee problems....not complaining on how they worked because they worked well and they were safe.It just was unusual for me......what would the lineman you once worked for say if you didnt bring your hooks and belt to his truck?

[Pootnaigle]

Umm back in1975 I workrd wiffa guy that swore he left his tools back home when he rode the bus ddown here He dint have bo car so he cudnt go gettem n after 6 munths he wuz told have em by next munday er else sho nuff he showed up wif sum but nobody ever seen him use em/ n inna week or two he wuz gone

[reppy007]

Umm back in1975 I workrd wiffa guy that swore he left his tools back home when he rode the bus ddown here He dint have bo car so he cudnt go gettem n after 6 munths he wuz told have em by next munday er else sho nuff he showed up wif sum but nobody ever seen him use em/ n inna week or two he wuz gone

I have to wonder about two things,make it three......how far did he travel in order to have to catch a bus.....how did he forget his tools..........and how did he blow smoke up yalls ass for 6 months?

[Old Line Dog]

A Real Lineman, always has his tool bag, belt and hooks, and assorted tools. NO excuses.

Ya look at his belt, hooks and tools...and ya get a pretty good idea of what ya got.

It only takes a day or two, to REALLY know if ya got a real Lineman or not.
Now all ya got to worry about is workin with his personality.

Had a "Lineman" Hire on back in 73...belt looked a bit funny. His tool pouch Had 9" Kleins, wood ruler, channel Locks, and a 10" screw driver...but it looked more like an electricians tool pouch than a Linemans. All other type of small tools. Wire snips, needle nose pliers, etc...

His hooks and Pads looked really used, as did his belt.

We were doin a 6 pole extension of a 3 phase line. The poles were already there, we were just hangin the crossarms, and extendin the line. No big deal. We were just a medium size Muni.

We had him go up and hang one of the crossarms. I swear to god...I've never seen anything like this in my life.

The poles were 40's.
He hung his handline at the telephone. Called for the Brace and Bit. The Grunt looked at me. I just shrugged..."Send it up". He got the Brace, belted up and proceeded to take literally 10 minutes to drill the hole. Came back down, sent the drill down and called for the bolt. The grunt sent up the bolt.

I was impressed that he put the bolt in from the BACK SIDE. (I hated a$$hole linemen that put the bolt in from the Front side....WITH the Crossarm)

So...Now he comes back down, and calls for the crossarm. The Grunt looks at me again. I just shrugged again.
He got the crossarm, and hikes his ass up the pole AGAIN!!, AND...I swear to God...I saw it comin...and some of you probably do too. He was low...raised that crossarm over his head and lined it up with the bolt, and slammed it.

Yup, slammed that bolt right out of the pole. Down to the ground it went.
So...I won't bore ya with the rest of the story...needless to say, he was up there a LONG time, for what should have been a 10-15 min. job. AND it was about 90 degrees.

When he came down, all proud and siht...and took off his hooks and belt....The shoe polish stains from his L Pads and his linebelt, were all over his pant legs and butt.

He didn't show up for work the next morning.

Just a "Different" Trade of Linework back in those days.

Even back then...when a guy brought his tool bag....all it takes is one climb watchin him...and ya knew what ya were dealin with.

Now days....Not so much....

[reppy007]

I will agree with you swamp....it really doesnt take long at all.Im not the type to scare easily,but I knew of one guy that could scare the death of an already dead person.....It hurt me just watching him,the thing about him is that it didnt matter if he only climbed 20 feet high,never seen him ever climb much higher anyway......and I am thankful for that.

[Old Line Dog]

I knew of one guy that could scare the death of an already dead person.....It hurt me just watching him.

Guys like that didn't last more than a day or two in any place I worked.

Saw em comin...saw em leavin. Ya WERE or ya WERN'T. Was that simple, and easy to see... back in the day in Munis, and Co-ops.

But then....I never worked union...Different rules there. Even back in the day.

I've never believed in nepotism, or protectin people, that couldn't cut the mustard.

But...that's just me.

[Orgnizdlbr]

I I thought you need tools to work in any trade..... Hooks and belts are one of the most important part of your tools.... What lineman shows up without his tools......? I don't get it......

[reppy007]

I I thought you need tools to work in any trade..... Hooks and belts are one of the most important part of your tools.... What lineman shows up without his tools......? I don't get it......

I thought the same thing until that one day....I can remember way back when......even as an cold apprentice, you go to another linemans truck without your tools and he wouldnt leave the center......this is what he would do in this order.....1st he would throw a fit,then he would be so mad he would bypass the foreman and go to the supervisors office.....things would get loud.....they would get another lineman with tools to go to his truck.......and finally ....that old lineman would remember you for the rest of his life,and most likely,you wouldnt know it but he would tell your bosses to never again send reppy to his truck again.

[reppy007]

I I thought you need tools to work in any trade..... Hooks and belts are one of the most important part of your tools.... What lineman shows up without his tools......? I don't get it......

Then again I once worked for an outfit where I showed up that first morning with my tools in hand,then the second morning.....by then they felt comfortable enough to let me know that I wouldnt need them.....well they did underground residential and commercial/3 phase circuits....where I came from you still climbed ,but not as much.Well low and behold they were right.....all their risers were truck accessible......funny thing is that I can still see their faces when they saw me bring in my hooks/belt....I never saw theirs and firmly believe they didnt own a pair.

[THE KID]

We have some that don't like to carry a pocket knife. They say if they need one they will just get one off the truck. I have told them many times it is going to bite them in the butt one of these days.