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Dear YouDig? Archives

8.10.23

My Dog Can’t Sleep – Issues of Construction Noise and Nuisance

Dear YouDig?

I am retired and live with my wife in what I thought was a bucolic neighborhood in beautiful Ohio City, that is, until now. We heard through the grapevine that a new business was coming into our city and bordering our neighborhood. There were some public hearings on this, but as retirees we don’t get around too well and didn’t think we would need to attend. It turns out the new business is a stone crushing plant owned by… let’s call them the “Bad Guys.”

Now every weekday, all day long, the Bad Guys are crushing stone for construction material.  BANG, BANG, BANG… over and over and over again! There are engines of heavy equipment constantly roaring in the distance. There is no peace. Our heads are pounding. Even my dog is losing his mind. By the time it ends on Friday afternoon, I am on my last nerve. I can’t take it anymore. It is pure torture. It is driving me to drink. How can this be?

-Good Guy

7.21.23

Be a lion.

Dear YouDig?

We are a commercial design builder. We strive for greatness in all of our work. Even still we end up with complaints and a ton of close out issues on virtually every project. I know, that is the norm. The time wasted is maddening. Certain members of our counsel are in favor of paying off everyone and avoiding litigation even if the owner is wrong.  Where is the threshold for swallowing our pride and caving?

-Tired.

5.17.23

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Dear YouDig?,
We were just hired to construct  part of a stage and sound system for a concert by the management team of a famous rock n’ roll group that is coming to Ohio this summer (we can’t name the band but it sounds like “Bowling Tones”).  They gave us a deadline of mid-summer. We were shocked to learn recently that our supplier won’t have many of the electronic materials in time to meet the deadline.  Any suggestions?
-Shattered

5.4.23

An Eye for an Eye?

Dear YouDig?,
I am the CEO of a prominent and established developer. It’s been a long wonderful road. We are blessed with a great team who have worked together with great success. When I look back, the only thing I wish I could change is how much time, effort and money we had to spend on legal issues along the way. Project disputes, arbitration, litigation — isn’t there a better way?
-Pondering While Tapping My Fingers

4.10.23

Special 3-part Series: Part III – Slow Down and Stop Texting You Drunken Fool

We continue our 3 part “Dear YouDig?” Series to Highlight Highway Construction Safety.

Part III:   Slow Down and Stop Texting You Drunken Fool

Dear YouDig?,

The scene is familiar. It is night in an active road construction zone. The lights are bright. The lanes are narrow. There is heavy traffic in both directions. It may be raining. Vision is difficult. The road is not smooth. Some drivers are simply speeding. Let’s be truthful–others are speeding, texting, eating, driving with their knees, singing, drunk or on drugs.

Is there a more dangerous place in our daily lives? I know there are stiff laws for drunks and druggies. But distracted driving is a conscious decision and could be even worse. How do we stop these fools?

-Too Many Dead