My neighbors had a fully loaded cement truck perform a pour at 4:57 AM this morning...

[Gravitycollapse]

In our cul-de-sac. My room faces the street and I awoke, with my window open, to the sound of the crew pulling into place. I distinctly remember the time because I looked out the window and was confused how such an event could be taking place when the sun wasn't above the horizon and then I looked at the clock instinctively. It was surreal like a dream.

If I wasn't so groggy and desperate for sleep, I probably would have murdered someone.

[pinboy3niner]

1. If you'd followed your impulse, that cement would have come in handy

[Hassin Bin Sober]

2. Shoot. I can never get concrete that early.

Someone has some pull.... or..... you didn't by chance see a bunch of hefty bags thrown in the hole first?

[armed_and_liberal]

5. My concrete always came at 7:30

yep right in the middle of morning rush hour usually all 3 trucks all at once blocking the road. I got to piss off whole cities!

[steve2470]

3. I hear you

They are re-roofing my condo per the 30 year replacement schedule and banging away they go ! A good cause, I tell myself, as I go back to sleep eventually.

[Fearless]

4. I lived in a building several years ago

On the second floor. The trash dumpster was below my windows and one unit down. Every Friday at 5am the garbage truck would lift the dumpster up and throw its contents into the back. First the truck would back up with complete with auditory signal. Then the dumpster lids would slam against the container as it was emptied, and then they would drop the dumpster back on the sidewalk with a thud.

Every Friday I was up at 5am for the better part of a year I lived there.

[Skittles]

7. always sounds like they are shaking out the last popsicle stick too

[Tobin S.]

8. Think about what time to garbage man had to get up! :)

I'm a trucker and I work at a place that has a couple of those trucks like you describe. The reason they are up at the wee hours of the morning making all kinds of noise is that it is much easier to perform their duties at that time. They have to pull those big trucks onto small lots that would otherwise be busy with car and foot traffic later in the day. Being out so early helps them get things done faster and further limits the possibility of running something and someone over.

I went out for a few weeks with a guy and trained on one of those trucks. They are very difficult to learn how to operate proficiently, and they are also harder than average to see out of. As the sun came up and people got out and about, it became increasingly difficult for us to do our jobs.

[Fearless]

10. Nothing against the person or people doing the job

[Skittles]

6. imagine working nights and being awakened every Thursday by weedeaters

that go on for HOURS

[Tobin S.]

9. I worked third shift for three and a half years.

I never got used to it, and my sleep was always screwed up. I would get home at 8 in the morning feeling dead dog tired, then go to bed and not be able to get to sleep. Some days I would be up miserably until late afternoon. Then I would awake that night feeling like I hadn't slept all.

It would sometimes cross my mind that it wasn't any wonder why some truckers amphetamines.

[Skittles]

17. you get it, Tobin

gawd sometimes when I hear day shift people complaining about losing sleep - they have NO idea

[LoveMyCali]

18. I can easily imagine this

oh wait, it's not my imagination and I don't even have my bedroom window open yet. I can't wait until they start mowing the grass every week.

[Auggie]

11. Reminds me of the 4:00 AM freight train in college

I lived so close to the tracks that the building shook when it passed. I got used to it.

[Orrex]

12. Sounds like an early morning mortar barrage

Do you have any concrete evidence?

[politicat]

13. I'm so sorry, but that's the nature of concrete + Phoenix + summer.

And yes, I know it's still spring, but you have summer temps. Concrete needs relative cool to pour and properly set, so when daytime temps are above 95, pours get scheduled between 2 am and 6 am. If the surface dries too fast, the pour will crumble. If it's a necessary pour (rather than a cosmetic) it can't wait for October when it can be done during the day.

One of my parents is a civil engineer and the other a construction projects manager, both working in the valley for the past twenty+ years, so night pours have been part of my life for all of it. I'm so sorry, and your neighbor probably should have been more considerate and warned the whole cul de sac. (I know my mother isn't managing your project because mom does notify neighbors. She's courteous that way.)

The advantage is that pours are a one-day project usually, and by doing so early, it won't have to be redone. I hope you get a quiet weekend and have sufficient coffee available.

[Rambis]

14. The Mafia pours when it wants (nm)

x

[panader0]

15. I have poured a lot on concrete

and I try to get it as early as I can. Politicat is right.

[hunter]

16. In consideration of the workers if it's going to be a hot day.

As someone who has worked on big pours in hot weather, I'd have gone back to sleep in spite of the noise, while giving kudos to the supervisors.

Seriously, mucking about with concrete in hot weather is a dirty uncomfortable job.

I've left some serious sweat in concrete.

[LoveMyCali]

19. This is why

there is a waiting period before getting a gun.

[Kaleva]

20. Running out the door naked, screaming and wearing Easter Bunny ears would have got the point across.

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