Locate Overkill

**Jcbro86** · January 24th, 2012, 11:59 PM

here is my locate instructions...

LOCATION INFORMATION--
[INSTALLING POLE TO MOUNT A SATELLITE-- LOCATE A 400 YARD RADIUS OF THE AREA ]
[MARKED WITH ORANGE PAINT THAT IS BY THE 4 BARELL TANKS--MARK ALL MAINS AND ]
[SERVICE LINES

really, 400 yards for a pole, not a giant satellite mind you, not even one the size of a dish network satellite, its an alarm satellite for an overflow pit next to a crude unloading tank... the property is split into several smaller properties that different owners use to unload their product. the company having the pole put in owned maybe a 100 sq ft fenced off area with one tank on it, not four per the locate. oh well, its nice to have work.

**Wingfoot** · January 25th, 2012, 03:14 AM

Hey 86 - Let me guess.......

Equipment Used - Hand Tools.
Maximum Depth - Four feet (which is fabricated bullshit - Maybe 18" max).

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**NASCARFAN1981** · January 25th, 2012, 06:17 PM

Crazy!

**FiosKing** · January 25th, 2012, 06:47 PM

teach that a-hole a lesson, make him DIG marks everywhere ghost it

**daman1** · January 25th, 2012, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Jcbro86

here is my locate instructions...

LOCATION INFORMATION--
[INSTALLING POLE TO MOUNT A SATELLITE-- LOCATE A 400 YARD RADIUS OF THE AREA ]
[MARKED WITH ORANGE PAINT THAT IS BY THE 4 BARELL TANKS--MARK ALL MAINS AND ]
[SERVICE LINES

really, 400 yards for a pole, not a giant satellite mind you, not even one the size of a dish network satellite, its an alarm satellite for an overflow pit next to a crude unloading tank... the property is split into several smaller properties that different owners use to unload their product. the company having the pole put in owned maybe a 100 sq ft fenced off area with one tank on it, not four per the locate. oh well, its nice to have work.

Maybe they were cutting in power from a pole or running service lines to it or something. At least I hope that's what it is.

**foster_grant** · January 25th, 2012, 09:58 PM

We have a contractor like that. Water company always calls in 200 to 300 foot radius of water leak. So on the clear ones we wheel off 299 ft from center of intersection to put down our ok's. They usually call the utility companies complaining about no locates. Until we show them the ok's. Of course they are pissed. But they have it coming. And if it is an afterhour emergency and they call in 500 ft radius we ask them to shorten it. They usually refuse so we find out where they want to dig and mark that section last. Drags out their night several hours more.

**daman1** · January 25th, 2012, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by foster_grant

We have a contractor like that. Water company always calls in 200 to 300 foot radius of water leak. So on the clear ones we wheel off 299 ft from center of intersection to put down our ok's. They usually call the utility companies complaining about no locates. Until we show them the ok's. Of course they are pissed. But they have it coming. And if it is an afterhour emergency and they call in 500 ft radius we ask them to shorten it. They usually refuse so we find out where they want to dig and mark that section last. Drags out their night several hours more.

Far be it from me to defend outrageous ticket scopes but this could be because water leaches up from a main break and can travel quite a distance from where it's leaking to where it actually appears out of the ground. Even more so if the ground is frozen. They may have to dig in several places to find the repair area. I try to catch the crew when they arrive and mark just where they're gonna dig. Then wait for them to expose the leak. It sure beats having locate the entire scope. If they call the scope in too small, you can be called back multiple times.

**TMINTH** · April 4th, 2012, 11:46 AM

One water main repair ticket I recall: Entire intersection and 250' in all directions (contains a 6" steel and 10" steel high pressure gas main, very busy road, including multiple businesses and two shopping centers). Called to get area shortened, no can do. Show up, wheel off 300' in each direction (this is considered high profile, so we have to mark an additional 50' on each side). As soon as I finish wheeling off, a guy from the water department shows up, and points out a 25 - 30' area on the northeast corner. Only about 5 minutes of talking to him shortened a long locate into something that took 5 minutes. This water department is notorious for overkill on stated work areas.

**Mke** · April 4th, 2012, 01:06 PM

Well, Typically (At least where i'm at) the people who call in the tickets are desk jockies. They over call the ticket because they have never been to the intersection and have no idea what it takes to repair or install anything. So they over call. Out of those over calls, you still have a hand full of schmucks that won't shrink the scope due to their indecision on which side of the road to work on. (Cable installs).

I had a new contractor in my area and he wanted me to mark the entire project (Runway Rehab). So in effect, he wanted me to mark a 600' by 2 mile swath. I told him that I have no problem doing it, but he would have to understand that there was going to be a delay on any specific excavations due to the size of his imediate request. I was 3 days into it, and about 1000' into the 2mile long trek when they came to terms with their request and then started to use me on specific excavations.

It still took forever.

Mke