S/O of Dog park: Toddlers and active construction site

[happygrrl]

"I'm wondering how many of those people (the toddler-in-the-dog-park people), when asked why they brought pwecious to the dog park, would reply 'because pwecious loves doggies!' "

I debated on posting what happened yesterday, but reading this in the other thread made me decide to.

The company that I work for is in full swing of building houses on some property smack dab in the middle of our complex of office buildings. It's messy, it's noisy, and very, very dangerous with unseen holes in the ground, and equipment everywhere (I tripped in a hole yesterday when I was walking well away from the sites; just didn't see it), and bulldozers, earthmovers, and assorted really cool machinery moving around-

Anyhow, I was teaching yesterday afternoon, and a couple nonchalantly pulls in our parking space reserved for our disabled assessable bus, and proceeds to takes a 2-ish yo boy over to the site, and they just stand there. while the kid runs around.  I thought that they were looking for someone, so I just kept and eye out, and then they walked over to the other side of the main site area, and let the kid run around again. I called up to the main office to see who these people were, and no one knew, so I left my class, and went out to them, and asked if they needed help, and the mom said, "Oh no, my son just looooooves this equipment, and we thought we would show him this."  In the meantime, one of the big machines (don't know what it is) swung around with a huge section of sewer pipe and got way to close to the dad and boy (I think the operator just didn't see them).  And dad thought it was funny--"wheee, little boy's name! Look at that! Maybe he'll do it again for you!!"  About this time, a construction guy came up and told them to leave, and they did---after 10 more minutes of the kid playing on a parked bulldozer--

My question: did I behave appropriately? Should i have waited for a construction person to say something? (I didn't know if they saw them, and I didn't want anyone to get hurt.) What would you have done?

[guihong]

Every so often on this board, I hear something so outrageous and the OP is concerned about etiquette  .  Not getting on you, happygrrl! 

I probably would not have left my class (unless someone could wait with the kids), but called the main office and told them to call the police.

[Sharnita]

I might have addressed where they were arked and told them they would be wise to go before somebody came to ticket or tow them.

[jaxsue]

Looks like someone saw too many episodes of "Bob the Builder"! Because, you know, jr. should be able to play on a construction site. 

I'd be livid when they parked in the handicapped spot, and not just because I currently have a temp placard.

And if jr. or one of the parents had been injured, I'm sure there would have been a lawsuit.

Honestly, I'm surprised they weren't shooed from the site sooner.

[bloo]

There is something about a construction site that screams "Public Property" to some people. When we were in the midst of building our house in the mountains a few years back (set in a few, private, wooded acres) I was startled by the number of people that would be parking on or looking around in our property while under construction.

One couple that was just 'parking' in our driveway was completely unapologetic to be, essentially, trespassing.

We have building committees that oversee building and remodeling our houses of worship and rules have tightened up for safety reasons. Everyone that wants to volunteer has to watch a safety video, has color-coded badges, has a 'supervisor' and so anyone can caution someone about being somewhere they should not be for safety reasons.

So we would instantly know if Joe Q. Public set foot on the property to take a look around and there is always someone assigned as a 'public liaison' to corral them politely and answer any question they might have and keep them somewhere out of the way and 'safe'. It's very simple - no badge=you don't belong here and so any one who notices that is obligated to introduce themselves and find out what they are doing there.

I think you were not rude. This is a safety issue and unfortunately on your construction site I guess it wasn't feasible to have the caution tape mark boundaries (in which case there should be someone in an orange vest hovering near the equipment for safety reasons - this is the person that could tell them firmly but politely to 'get lost').

Honestly, company security should have been called to shoo them out right away and someone should have radioed the big equipment operator to shut down construction until they left. Hopefully that would also embarrass the family off the property and think twice about behaving so dangerously in the future.

[Thipu1]

With parents like these, that child will be lucky to survive to maturity.

I believe in fostering curiosity in a child but a toddler at a construction site is verging on child abuse. 

All construction sites I've seen have been enclosed in some way with controlled access.  If there isn't legislation about this, you would think the builders would do it for insurance purposes.  Personal  injury is a risk but a construction site also has to be protected against theft. 

[JeanFromBNA]

Fencing or caution tape is not feasible on all construction sites because it can impede equipment access.  Not all operators carry radios, and if they do, they probably couldn't hear them, anyway.  Trackhoes, bulldozers, hoe rams, dump trucks, and the like are incredibly loud.  In fact, some require hearing protection when in use.  A track hoe can swing 360 degrees - that's probably what you saw.  Combine that range with an operator unable to hear you and concentrating on the job in front of him, and you have a recipe for disaster.  If I approach a working track hoe, I ALWAYS make sure that the operator acknowledges me.  They always appreciate it.  If I have to move near their field, they will often put the arm down until I pass. 

I understand that people and little kids in particular have a fascination with heavy equipment.  But they should be watching it from a safe distance.  If they want to check out the bulldozer close up, they should ask the site supervisor or foreman.  I would find out who he is so you can bring looky loos to his attention.  It's his site, and he's ultimately responsible for what goes on there. 

Walking around when the site is quiet is a bad idea, too.  As the OP said, there are holes, dirt, materials everywhere, and if vertical construction is underway, plenty of nails.  I've seen plenty of people walking their dogs on quiet construction sites, and I think that they're nuts. 

[Katana_Geldar]

There is something about a construction site that screams "Public Property" to some people. When we were in the midst of building our house in the mountains a few years back (set in a few, private, wooded acres) I was startled by the number of people that would be parking on or looking around in our property while under construction.

One couple that was just 'parking' in our driveway was completely unapologetic to be, essentially, trespassing.

Years ago when my parents were building our house, they caught next door neighbours coming over for a peek when the builders had gone. They saw my parents, then ran to the house next door and jumped the fence and walked around to the other side! Never said anything to us despite the fact they'd been caught red handed trespassing. And it wasn't the first time they'd been there as we'd seen them months ago before construction had started, they'd walked up from the road, seen we were there and walked back without a word. Instill don't get what they were thinking.

But a site like that sounds 10 times worse. It's a wonder the parents didn't kick up a stink, the entitled SS they seem to be.

[misha412]

  Do What!!! I am flabber-d-ghasted.

Take a toddler onto an active construction site and think that the heavy machine that gets way too close is FUN??!!!

Safety trumps etiquette. If there were ever a case this was true, this is it.

Crud Monkeys. Some parents do not think!!! 

[Amanita]

I've worked construction site security, and it's amazing how many people think that construction site = playground!
Seriously, I've chased skateboarders out of a high rose condo under construction- they were several floors up, skating on a concrete slab floor that had NOTHING but flimsy ropes strung around the edges to catch somebody if they slipped off the edge.

I've found so many lookie-loos around in the worst places, entitled wanna-be condo buyers wanting to have a stroll around, you name it!

[SleepIsabella]

Those parents are insane!  This makes me angry.  It's one thing to encourage children to go out and explore, but this could've easily turned into a tragedy.  No doubt the parents would've sued the company, and even the city had that child been injured or worse.
I think you were fine etiquette-wise.  I wish you could've done more though.  Getting a child to safety trumps being kind.
But what's done is done, and they did leave with an unharmed tot in tow.

[Alpacas]

°~° This reminds me of the Family that i once saw in our Zoo. Their 2 Kids (about 6-9 years old) climbed a small fence (that kept the visitors away from the cages) and stuck their arms through the mesh to reach for the lynx mother and her cubs.

My Niece was so appaled that she screetched "What the hades are they doing?"
I admit that i most likely was rude at that moment when i answered her "Being stupid. At least we're here as witnesses for the Zoo that it was their fault when the lynx mother rips their arms off."
Niece and me crossed our arms and watched them usher their kids away and quickly walked along.


In the OPs case i would have immediatly flagged down a construction worker and made them aware of the toddler running around on their construction site.

[delabela]

This is absolutely insane.  I am baffled that people do this.

I think you would have been completely within your rights to say to them that actually people were not allowed in the active construction zone.  Like anyone should have to be told that.

[Lady Godiva]

They must be the same family (or cousins, at least) that stopped outside my friend's horse pasture, climbed through the fence (with electric wire and warning signs), and were trying to lift their toddler onto the back of an untrained weanling colt! When she chased them off the property in blazing non-ehell-approved terms, the father protested, "but that little horse is just a baby, he wouldn't hurt little Diddums!" Maybe he would and maybe he wouldn't, she said, but I may be forced to hurt YOU!

That pasture is now occupied by big beef steers, who are neither friendly to strangers nor likely to allow idiots to get close enough to try to ride them.

[learningtofly]

Amazing.  DD loves construction equipment.  We point it out all the time and she can name more pieces than I can.  We love watching new home sbeing built near us.  But we never get out and wander the sites!  She's been on equipment at the Children's museum.  It's safe and doesn't move.  Plus we're not tresspassing.