Tried a bucket truck shortcut and got stuck in mud for 3 hours last Tuesday

I was trimming a big silver maple at a house in the suburbs near St. Louis, and the homeowner said the backyard was solid. I saw some grass and figured I could just drive the bucket truck right up to the tree without using the plywood path. Big mistake! The ground was totally soft underneath, and I sank the rear tires up to the axle in about 30 seconds. Had to call a tow truck from a farm supply place, and the guy laughed at me the whole time he pulled me out. The job took twice as long and I looked like a total clown in front of the client. Has anyone else misjudged soil conditions like that and ended up stuck?

2 comments

2 Comments

michael_bennett1123d ago

I mean, three hours stuck in mud doesn't sound that bad to me. I've seen guys spend half a day waiting for a tow because they tried to drive a 10-ton crane into what looked like a dry creek bed. And the farmer probably wasn't even laughing that hard because he's pulled out way worse. You got out, the tree got trimmed, and the client probably forgot about it by the next day. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like you're making a bigger deal out of it than it is.

betty_white3923d ago

Holding onto a bad day and replaying it is like paying interest on a loan you already paid off. The farmer has probably already forgotten about it and moved on to his next chore.