Sorry in advance for the long post. I posted previously about a guy claiming he's run equipment but not enough experience for me. He was helping another guy today pump water and seems real keen to want to help at my MX track. Near the end of the day I drove the skid steer over to where they had a little fire going and asked him again if he's run a skid steer and he said yes. I then said maybe I can watch you spread some of this clay out so it dries. Kind of a way to show I appreciated his help. He was getting ready to bbq some hot dogs so I shut the machine off and hoped on the quad to drive up and talk to cat operator hired to clear about 4 acres before he went home. Next thing I know I hear the skid steer running so drive back to see what's going on. This guy had hoped in the skid after the other guy told him it was OK. I said he has no authority to tell you you can run my machine. I haven't even showed you how the controls work. Then this other guy, who helps at the track and cuts tree's for his own firewood, gets in a big hissy fit, throws a couple lawn chairs breaking one of them, calls me an a-hole and says I said it was OK for this guy to run the skid steer (when I'm not even there). I do need to mention this guy drinks a lot while at the track and apparently almost fell in the fire but blamed his bad knee's for it. He's had a few other hissy fits like this in the past. He waits awhile and then comes back like nothing happened. No nasty e-mail yet though. I appreciate the help but I'm sick of his other crap. I wasn't happy with the guy running my machine but he apologized and said he should have known better. I never even talked to the other guy. He loaded up his chain saw and brush cutter and took off like a bat out of hell, drunk none the less. He was going to stay overnight. Even worse the other guy left his $800 cell phone in the drunks Jeep! I gave him the drunks number. If someone unauthorized told someone else they could run your machine would you be OK with that or be livid? The guy was a little better on the skid steer than the backhoe but not much. I had a reasonable conversation with him and he knows he screwed up. I let them use my quad to move the water pump around and he tells me the drunk looked to see if I was around then just guns my quad and he was purposely driving through the deepest puddles on the track at speed to get my quad muddy. He totally abused and destroyed his own quad and is jealous my $1000 used quad runs perfect. I did notice the new guy was driving the quad pretty easy. I think this is the final stray and I need to tell the drunk to get lost for good. Would you give the guy the boot? I could say no alcohol but he's out there during the week when I'm at work. Frustrating is an understatement.
drunks are not a liabilty I would want around especially as you know he is one. Several years ago I was working with a contract mechanic from a repair place not far away and apparently he was drinking on the job, we had a garbage truck that had to go to there shop for a repair . he took it there almost, he got halfway there blacked out and rolled it in a field .I'm just a mechanic but I would be looking for new help if I was in your shoes .
It's mostly volunteer help for riding privileges so it's hard to get help.
Alcohol and any sort of equipment don't mix. Tell the drunk to do one and the sooner the better.
Sounds like ol' drunkys been hanging out there for so long, he THINKS he has some authority.. Just "remind" everyone that THEY are there by invitation.. and YOU make the rules.. and anyone who doesn't like it can take a walk.. Tell them/him you appreciate everything he's doing to help w/ the track BUT.. that skid steer probably costs more than his house.. As far as the new operator goes.. Run thru a quick tutorial of the controls, when your not mad.. and see how he does.. IF he doesn't cut the mustard, just politely tell him so.. Something like,, sorry bud, but you aren't exactly what I was looking for and this is a NON-PROFIT job.. I cant afford the fuel costs for you to "learn".. but thank you anyway.. and if he's a nice guy, find something else for him to do in exchange for track time.. I foresee this "track time" becoming a problem also... especially ol' drunky.. When things are up and running and everyone is having a good time, ol' drunkys gonna show his a*s.. running around saying, "I built this mother**cker"..!!! I can do what I want."... Just sayin'.. you might wanna cut this off at the knees, before it has time to grow legs.?? I sure sounds like a fun project.. you just need better help..
Thanks for the replies. I sure hope the guy gets his phone back. He said he'd drive to the drunks house to get it if he had to. Ol'drunky, I like that and if the name fits... I've told him in the past I kind of let him do his thing out there and cut tree's and stuff. He said it's kind of like his sanctuary out there and likes being in the woods. He's done some shooting out there when no one else is around and has also asked if he could go out and shoot with his son in the winter. He did ask about that but before that he was shooting at garbage cans and a stop sign he got me for the track. He said he was bored. I'm sure alcohol was involved too to be shooting at stop sign entering the track. I'm sure a lot riders are wondering why the stop sign is all shot up. He's a pain in the butt every time I need to talk to someone and he's around. He starts telling his stupid stories and goes off the subject while I'm trying to have a conversation with the other person and I'm just thinking, go away. He does think he has some say but I have the ultimate control of everything that goes on.
Isn't using a gun while under the influence a felony? IMO it's a bad idea to have random people using guns in a recreational area. It sounds like this drunk guy is an accident waiting to happen. As for your new helper, he sounds like a willing greenhorn, but that doesn't mean that you owe him seat time. Set your ground rules on what equipment you let others use and how they're supposed to use it.
I told the new guy when I have more time I can spend some time training him. He wasn't being rough on it but you could tell he was green. I think the drunk is an accident waiting to happen. If he talks to me or e-mails me, I think I'll tell him to have his wife contact me before I consider letting him come back. She knows he drinks at the track but I don't think has any idea how much or is in denial that he's likely an alcoholic. He drinks vodka which apparently has no smell. He seems somewhat reasonable when he hasn't been drinking but has also got in a fit because he ran out of smokes. He seems to have anger issues as well but that could be alcohol related too.
I would tell him goodbye until he has proven himself to stay sober for some months. Your fun, and paycheck could go away for a lot of years, in a heartbeat with him around. He's a danger to others as well as himself.
The one guy did drive to the drunks house last night and get his cell phone back. Probably a 1 1/2 hour round trip though. He showed up today and pumped some water and helped me in the new shop on putting the gravel in. I was going to let him move a little loose dirt with the skid steer but had to spend some time with the cat operator we hired to shoot some elevations and map out what we need to do. That's the way it goes sometimes. I think this guy is just hoping to run some equipment but I've got so many things on the go and need to do them on a priority basis. When you're paying several thousand dollars for a contractor, that becomes priority number one so he knows exactly what you want and what he needs to do. He's contributing some time to project too which is big bonus.
i would also let the drunk guy go. It's sad to see that it's getting harder and harder to get some good working hands (farm boys aren't much around anymore i gues) Also if that drunk guy gets in a accident with your equipment, over here in the Netherlands i'm up to my neck in the ****s.. For the grasshopper i would maybe give him so more time if you can't find a guy that fits your needs it better then nothing and maybe give him a bit more small jobs and let him progress from there. Good luck with the situation!
If you have this gentleman back, you aren't doing him or you any favours long term. Guns, alcohol, anger issues, equipment abuse - I can't believe you even need to ask advice on this one. Grow a pair and deal with him.
He's not running my equipment other than a water pump and he's certainly no gentleman. He won't ever be using my quad again. It's a bit of a sticky situation if I tell him to get lost and he decides to vandalize something at the track. I asked on this forum because I'm sure some members had have to deal with similar situations where someone has a drinking problem. That's why it would be nice if I could somehow talk to his wife and see if she's willing to acknowledge he has a problem or is in denial. She's a nurse and worries about how much money he spends driving to the track. I wonder if she realizes how much he spends on drinking at the track? Perhaps he claims all the money he spends is for gas money?
You need to can him, get him off you property and take whatever steps it takes to keep him off. He is just as likely to vandalize something because he's pi**ed off about not being able to use the quad anymore. Going to his wife behind his back is only going to set him off and he will be more likely to mess your stuff up. I would give the other fellow a chance. Sounds like if you would talk to him, give him some basic instruction, and let him go, he will run the machine as you tell him. We all had to learn.
Good luck, that's a sticky situation.