RANT: JPA Construction and their Sub-contractors

[Caduceus]

Well that makes more sense.

I think most people assumed you meant some sort of Union construction.

Any Joe Shmoe can be hired to do residential work, including illegal immigrants.

My apologies for any grief! But you really should have mentioned it wasn’t a large project earlier. :P

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[Anonymous]

Bonnie – I feel horribly that this happened to your husband. I hope that you get some concrete answers from this company when you are able to speak with a higher-up.

I feel worse that you were jumped on when reporting on this forum under the “RANT” section. I was under the impression that the “RANT” section was specifically FOR this type of situation.

AND, I feel even more bad that you had to explain yourself to, not only fellow forum members, but also the people that run this forum. As a member of this forum for almost a year, it is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that you would make this story up. I’ve seen your posts, I understand your involvement to this forum (I would say it is moderate – friendly posts mostly) and I’m not even the one running the forum. I would have hoped that something like this would have been handled better by the ones that do run this forum.

Also, to the people who felt the need to attack a very mild, friendly member of this forum (someone who has never been involved in any of the heated threads), maybe get some sunshine. Get outside and get happy. Angry and bitter is very unattractive. Unfortunately, we are all seeing way too much of it lately on this forum. It’s becoming an unhappy place to visit.

This thread is even more proof of that.

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[Anonymous]

If you paid ANY attention to these forums, you would already know that Bonnie would not make this up.

If this is a place where evidence MUST be presented in order to make a “RANT”, then that defeats the purpose.

“This is just a ridiculous story” – Trisket

The above comment is abusive and insulting. This is the member who should be confronted, not Bonnie. How should a person respond to this?

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[JimmyG]

NR, I’m not trying to speak for any other posters on this thread but just possibly some posters thought it was a somewhat odd rant.

To complain that someone yelled obscenities at a guy walking down the street? I don’t know, but me personally that would just be a cause to laugh at them (the construction workers).

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[charlabob]

As far as I know, we’re all still allowed to have opinions and express them. I would hope this doesn’t drive away everyone who is contradicted or even questioned. Initially, a couple of people asked civil questions about the situation, which Bonnie answered.

A couple of other people seem to have used the thread to advance their agendas: forum “members” who question anyone, no matter how politely, are attacking and should be ashamed.

Bonnie, I hope you don’t stop posting. With one exception, which happened long after the original “rant” this could have been a civilized discussion. (I agree with JimmyG — those of us who have walked around big cities forever don’t find agressive interactions with construction workers all that surprising.)

Everybody else, I hope you understand the difference between a support group and an internet forum. I know there are many axes that can be ground, but making every thread something it isn’t seems a bit extreme.

As a final netiquette request, it would be good NOT to claim to speak for other posters and, especially, not to apologize on behalf of something one doesn’t own or have anything to do with. I, personally, find that particular behavior highly offensive.

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[MissK]

Oh my goodness! This post has taken on such a life of it’s own. I think some of the posters (including myself) wanted to know if possibly her husband unknowingly walked through a site. I’ve been a part of various forums and YES there are some who DO makeup stories. I don’t know why but they do. I am not saying Bonnie made this up, so please don’t jump all over me. I’m just saying it happens.

As far as this forum becoming an unhappy place, three words “don’t post here!” It’s that simple. I think when you get many different personalities, temperments, and/or age levels you will run into differing viewpoints. Either agree to disagree or don’t post.

Personally, I think there are far worse things to worry about than if some random construction workers yelled obscenities. But again that’s just my opinion.

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[hopey]

The thread where someone supposedly called and had a construction worker fired is exactly why there is skepticism about threads like these. If you remember that thread, then surely you remember that the thread was this forum’s first experience with an honest-to-god deliberately deceptive troll.

That story was fabricated. It was about a construction worker using four-letter words. It was ridiculous on its face, but everyone took it seriously.

This story too was about a construction worker using four-letter words. It also appeared ridiculous on its face: why would construction workers heckle an adult male walking down the street minding his own business?

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. That’s just life.

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[Caduceus]

Continuing off of Hopey-

I didn’t think it really made sense, in either her husband wasn’t telling her everything or she wasn’t telling us everything.

Construction workers randomly heckling people passing by for no reason?

Didn’t seem to fit, so I was just trying to clear things up.

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[MargL]

I know Bonnie in the Real World and can personally vouch for her credibility and she would not make a story like this up!

She was looking for place to let off some steam (i.e. rant) and got slammed for it? Man, that’d piss me off, too! (this is turning into a rant about a rant :-)

For all she knows other people walking thru that neighborhood may have been verbally accosted by the same guys and knowing more some folks may decide to do the equivalent of calling 1-800-how’s-my-{contracting}? She’s decided not to call on the off chance it might get someone fired, that’s her choice. (personally, I’d call ’cause I’d be too pissed off at that worker!)

Maybe this section needs to be relabeled the ‘Rant or Rave about something provided your reputation precedes you’ forum or a ‘You can only Rant about specific things in West Seattle’ forum.

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[MissK]

I think one person posted their opinion and another fueled the fire. What was just a flame now is a brush fire. Come on now!

Ok Bonnie’s husband was yelled at and she chose to post here rather than go back down the street (not her but her husband) to get a # or info of how to contact a supervisor. Shoot even go back later that evening to the owner of the house to get the information.

Lowman Beach is the owner of this forum and is just looking out for the blogs best interest.

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[JoB]

this was clearly labeled a rant…

If your loved one was walking past a construction site and the workers became abusive.. would you rant or just write it off?

Regardless of your answer, what gives any of us the right to be angry when someone chooses to publicly air their grievance?

And what makes a grievance against the employees of a company any different than if it was a bunch of teens verbally harassing someone?

In any rant thread there is always equal opportunity for rave comments.. or for another individual to post a rave thread about the same company…

It seems to me that we are making too many assumptions about the character of those who post here… and leveling judgments based on those assumptions.

I am reminded of that old saying… when you assume you make an ass/outof/u/&me.

A little common courtesy goes a long way.

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[charlabob]

Sorry, JoB, but I have to disagree with what I think you’re saying. Common courtesy, comprised simply of questions, began the thread. The pot was stirred when two people, with other axes to grind, questioned the right of the questioners to question and feigned sympathy for the original poster for the “rudeness” of the questioners. And it went downhill from there.

The people who asked questions were not angry. Ron and the ubiquitous NR were. Are we trying to make a rule that no rant (or rave?) can be questioned? Are we that fragile? I think most of the early discourtesy, with the above mentioned pseudo-sympathy, did not come from the questioners.

As usual, it mushroomed. As usual, I suspect that was the intent.

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[mellaw6565]

“It seems to me that we are making too many assumptions about the character of those who post here… and leveling judgments based on those assumptions”

JoB – couldn’t the same be said about the judgements being passed on the businesses here?

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[JoB]

charlabob…

my comment was directed at those who crossed the line and question the right of the poster to air her grievance..

mellaw6565…

i don’t see judgment of a business in relating an experience with them… especially not an experience of this type where management was clearly not involved.

I think i would have chosen to name the construction site and not the business had i posted this because this tale had more to do with individual harassment than the conduct of a business, but i don’t know.

Any woman who has ever walked past a construction site can probably attest to the… at best.. rowdy and… at worst.. harassing behavior of some construction workers.

That the same kind of harassment is being extended to anyone who walks by is no surprise given the increasing lack of courtesy in our society.

So.. how do we stop this kind of behavior if we don’t hold the companies that these individuals work for accountable?

After all, the companies that employ them are the only ones with real leverage.. a paycheck.

Change happens with a shift of public opinion.. and conversation is a good place for that shift to begin.

I think the larger conversation here is a shift in the public attitude towards how they should be treated when they come into contact with a business.

The trend for some time has been towards less service and less courtesy… justified by lower prices… that have not really materialized.

I know i have had enough… and i suspect I am not alone.

At this point, it is generally a waste of your time to complain to management.. they see this level of service as the norm. However, as more people become dissatisfied and vocal about it in public forums like this… the trend should reverse itself due to demand.

i see this as a healthy process as long as complaints are all that are aired… not judgments on businesses…

Would this thread have been different if someone had spoken out about the behavior of unsupervised construction workers in general and taken the focus off the business and onto the behavior.. if the first impulse had not been to justify the behavior?

It is my opinion that the reaction to the story was because it was a man who was verbally harassed. As someone said.. something didn’t smell right. Had it been a woman.. i think this would have been a far less contentious thread…

this forum semms to have taken this far more seriously when it happened to a man..especially when it had no sexual context.

just an opinion…

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[WSratsinacage]

I would not surprise me to see a report such as this, which Bonnie ranted about. People being a holes just to be a holes happens all the time. Especially when it’s people who feel they are in control positions like site workers, flag wavers, cops, etc .. If someone feels they have a chance to boss someone around, the a holes in that situation will most likely act. In this situation it was a bunch of low life’s who do construction for a living. I did not say all construction workers are low life’s.

.

For people to think Bonnie was bsing is unbelievable. People’s attitudes that one must speak with the manager etc before posting is not reasonable. Usually the manager is “not there” or is someone the same age making .25 cents more an hour. I’ve asked to speak with the manager in the past and am told they will just tell you the same thing which is what happened. The days of speaking to the manager are over much like people leaving a note when they run into your parked car. It’s the exception now and not the rule. Common courtesy is not that common anymore, same with common sense.

.

Rants are valuable and now people are getting a chance via blogs, etc to let others know about their experiences. People/businesses must be held accountable. Yeah, rants can be abused but people can say what ever they want. It is the consumer that can make the deciding factor where to spend their money. Where there is smoke there is usually fire.

.

I have felt the way Bonnie has felt and have almost left as well. If this is ok with the majority then something is wrong. Not everyone has a thick skin so I guess blogs/message forums are only for the thick skinned? Sounds fair, right?

.

Bonnie – sorry this incident happened to you/your husband and then for the way you were treated by your “community”. I appreciate your letting us know about businesses not to frequent.

.

NR said it well in #27 and #28!

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[JoB]

i hope forums aren’t only for the thick skinned..

my experience here is that if you just keep talking after all of the fireworks settle down there is generally productive conversation.

Trust me.. i don’t have a thick skin although my persistence here in the face of some pretty vitriolic comments at times would seem to indicate i do.

I am just persistent.. and i really believe in the value of conversation to transform our lives…

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[Caduceus]

Or maybe they had a specific reason to be yelling?

And all these “essays” that have been posted in this thread are null?

Not trying to be an ass but being intensely disgusted over a story in which we only know one vague side to is a little ridiculous.

And by vague I mean

Why was he yelled at?

What was the husband doing, how close to the site was he, did he instigate it?

Did someone go back and make sure the sidewalk wasn’t closed?

Was it a group or just one man yelling and embellished to make it seem like numerous people?

Was it an actual construction site, or a home owner who hired a cheap labor/cheap labor company for re-modeling?

We know no details, and it doesn’t really seem like anyone does.

Yet everyone is trying to figure out what happened or chastising those who are refusing to accept such a vague story at face value.

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[Zenguy]

Cad, I am with you. I always think there are three sides to any story, person A’s viewpoint, person B’s viewpoint and somewhere in between is the truth.

I just love the rant’s that give very little information and slam the business. I remember one a couple of months ago about a yard service and all they said was “scary, do not use” and then got defensive when we questioned the circumstances.

Gotta laugh

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[JoB]

of course there are several sides to every story. but it isn’t the job of the person posting the rant to tell anything but their tale.

if anyone else who was there has another side, they get to tell that too…

I agree that people should be specific about what upset them in their rants.. the landscaping rant wasn’t… but this one was detailed enough…

businesses are not always right.. in fact, often they aren’t.

and i don’t think people should be considered liars unless they can prove they aren’t….

of course, if that is the standard you want posters here in the forum to apply to you… i will be glad to cross examine your every post :)

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[MissK]

Gosh put this post to bed. It is beyond crazy now.

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[JoB]

agreed.

i stand chastised… maybe even deserved:)

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[WSratsinacage]

JoB, you’re awesome.

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[JoB]

blush..

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[jpaconstruction]

I am the owner of JPA Construction, and i think that this is a flat out lie. Why would Martinez Painting be rude to any one. I have worked with this sub for years. In fact we have gone out of are way to do our best to keep the area clean and not to cause any problems. If you have any problems with any subs you should have called me. My phone number is posted on site. So why not call.

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[MissK]

Thank you jpa for finally being able to have a voice. I would say that would have been the common sense thing to do. I would venture to say there are two versions of what really happened. Perhaps somewhere between the two is the truth.

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