Men stood around doing nothing

[Canadianpancake]

The road outside my house is being surfaced today, involving several wagons and other large vehicles, and lots of men who for the most part are stood around watching other men do their bit of the job. There's two men in particular who don't seem to have done anything at all yet today, despite it being nearly lunchtime. Aibu to wish i could get paid for standing around doing nothing for half the day?

I'm also pissed off at the flipping beeping noise all the vehicles are making, because apparently it's compulsory to constantly have them all in reverse all the time.

I'd actually hate a job where I was standing around all day doing nothing. The days must just drag!

Horses for courses I suppose, you might like it.

So you are spending your time watching them apparently doing nothing, and finding it unfulfilling? Along with irritating beeping?
You need to WOTH, then you’d be oblivious.

They're probably waiting for something to be ready so they can do their part of the job. It's not their fault!

This is quite common in my line of work. They will have to have a certain number of people on site for safety reasons. They could also be in training, seeing how the job is done. Much better to be work safely so they can all go home safe and well today. Same goes for compulsory noises and lights.

Are they just watching as training maybe?

My DH works for council highways department and he would be “standing around doing nothing” like that. Simply because he is not a builder or a driver of any of the vehicles and is not qualified to do any physical work on site, but could be overseeing the process.
Also, some people are doing one bit and next ones are doing the next straight after.
Unless you know what their jobs are, you can’t really judge.

This is what I hate. People who comment on other people's jobs without really know what the job involves.

You have no idea what they are waiting for.

I always smile at the men who’s job it is to stand and hold the “stop” and “go” signs at roadworks. I’m sure there must be a reason for not having the electric ones (maybe there are only so many allocated per area?) but it always seems a bit silly.

I remember going on holiday to oz and there were looooads of roadworks all over and the workmen would just be stood there holding signs saying things like “this way” with an arrow when it was really very obvious as it was the only way you could go! I suppose it’s one way to deal with unemployment!

@ShesGotBetteDavisEyes yes the stop go people always make me smile too. And it always seems to be a young lad doing it, a shitty apprentice job if ever I saw one!

To the people that either can't read it lack understanding... My aibu isnt about me thinking they should be doing more, or even questioning how the job and manpower is managed

@AllPointsNorth I'm of work sick actually, so in essence I'm getting paid to sit and watch people that are being paid to stand around and watch people

The people standing around “doing nothing” are more than likely waiting for people to finish doing X so they can do Y; and very possibly are fucked off that X has been delayed which delays them doing Y.

I have to say I hate it when people accuse road workers of “standing around chatting” (AKA doing a toolbox talk or job brief) or “doing nothing” (AKA performing an on site risk assessment or waiting for the right resources or conditions to do their task). And god forbid anyone ever actually takes a legally entitled break...

So many jobs aren't parallelisable - there's no way to have everyone going at once, sometimes you have to wait for the guy with the spanner to open up the pipe, then two guys come replace the part, then three guys fill it in, then two guys roller it, one guy seals it... depending on training crossover that can be three people or nine.

@Dyrne they are obviously waiting for something to be finished so they can do their bit. The two currently leaning on my window are having a chat and sharing a packet of sweets, I'm tempted to ask them if they fancy sharing with me.

I probably should have stated that this thread was light-hearted, but I didn't think it was necessary. Obviously a touchy subject

curtain twitcher lol

Have you anything that needs doing, could always ask them to help lol

The digger man seems to have a good job, the rakey man not so much.

My garden is currently flanked on two sides by a building site. The work has been going on for over 18 months and the progress appears to be glacially slow. I could swear that at any given moment one man will be driving in a nail or reversing a digger whilst 4 or 5 other men stand and watch him very closely. Luckily this seems to tire them out and so they normally head off home about 3.30 leaving me some peace and quiet.

You have no idea. You need to focus on your own life. It's better that way.

YABU

In my job I often have to to several things and at times it appears to those with no insight that I am 'doing nothing'

But you see the fact that it appears that I'm doing nothing is because I'm doing something!!

And if I were not doing that 'nothing' they'd be chaos.

I also often have to wait for something people cannot see that is happening out of sight. Like I am further down the track, but I have to report what is happening where I am, so that something that maybe happening almost a mile away can happen safely.

Also being safety backup is only doing nothing until something goes wrong.

Unless you know everything it's silly to jump to conclusions.

You've spent the morning watching them and you think they are idle? Time to get a mirror.

@icecreamdive I'm not sure I could perform well under such scrutiny. I live on a new build estate that is still in progress so I see a lot of that as well. And why do they ALWAYS need to drive their vehicles in reverse so they beep!?

@vodkaredbullgirl I might go out an offer the guy with the rake a hand, he seems to have an awfully heavy workload

@longwayoff how very rude of you! I'm not idle, I'm ill!

And they are working.

There is a good chance the two standing doing "nothing" are the banksmen for the reversing wagons.

A vital part of the health and safety on site.

Most sites nowadays require all plant to be accompanied by a banksman. Its pretty standard everywhere.