To Those Who Praise Oil Industry But Do Not Have To Live With It

I'm sick and tired of those who stick up for the oil industry, and those who go so far as to thank them for allllllll they've done to "help" us.

You more than likely are people who don't have to live with it. You don't have to put up with insane truck drivers 24/7.

I live in western ND, where we are experiencing the state's largest oil boom. Oh, sure, i do realize that we "need" oil, and ND also manufactures wind and hydroelectric power. But that's beside the point. Now, on to why living with the oil industry sucks...

Reason 1: Drivers and Traffic

The drivers are terrible, and many nearly cause fatal accidents daily. They also move in next door to you, and many have questionable histories. Some go for days on end without sleep thanks to something wonderful called meth, which makes them more supsceptible to causing crashes.

My father and younger brother were driving to our hayfield one day when a truck driver decided to pass in a no passing zone. He did not have to be in any hurry, but he just HAD to pass... My father and younger brother nearly died that day, they were almost in a head on collision. Another friend was driving along when a oil hauler drove her off the road into the ditch. She, thankfully was fine. Another friend was driving along, when a truck driver was following her. She was freaking out because he was going low enough to stay RIGHT behind her... It's a bad sign when they don't pass you to begin with.

In a nearby town, a driver was on a residential street, on which lived a learning impaired woman. The driver was going prolly about 60 through town like they always do, didn't stop at the stop sign, and hit the woman, and she died. The driver has not been found.

Traffic is terrible, and many don't know the right of ways, no passing zones, speed limit, etc. County roads suffer a lot of wear and tear, and we are still waiting for them to get redone, but they'll be worn down really quickly.

Reason 2: Dust Pneumonia

The animals really suffer here. All the dust these roads kick up really affects the breathing systems of them. Our horses all show some form of it (we have 60), as do our cattle (we have over 300). We actually vaccinated our calves against it, but we can't find one for our horses. We have moved them to areas where there is less dust, and they are recovering.

Reason 3: We Do Not Get Money for Roads, Schools, etc.

Enough said there.

Well, that's all I have for now. I'll add more as i go along.

Regards,
Loco

ETA: Yes i know this is good for our state's economy and it helps the US, but putting upwith all this is not worth it.

[edit on 2-8-2010 by LocoHombre]

reply to post by LocoHombre


Ya know... I've been in the energy industry a long time and I have to say that your complaints are valid. Everywhere the boom hits the roads get trashed, the economy booms out of control to the DETRIMENT of the people that have lived in the area all of their lives, and in general a very few people rake in the big money while they rest of the people's lives are altered forever. Back in the 70's Evanston, WY was in a boom. It completely altered the essence of the area. Pinedale, WY used to be a gorgeous area. It's been trashed. There's a big play going on SW of Ft. Worth, TX and the roads are a disaster and the area has changed. There's a big boom going on in and around Kenedy County, TX and the roads are getting beat to death.

So, while I am glad that I have my job and in general I think the industry isn't the evil giant that people that have no clue would make them out to be, I think that the industry should have to pay for the damage that they cause. That said, there is no amount of money that will bring back Pinedale...

On another note- The people in your area need to put pressure on the politico's and get them to put regulations in place to crack down on the truck drivers. Fine the crap out of them. Stop them for speeding. When a driver gets too many tickets he loses his license. The only reason they get away with what they are doing is the law isn't being enforced. It can be done. They did it in Weld Co, CO back when the boom hit there. Landowners banded together and made them put something on the dirt roads to keep dust down (it works). They leaned on the politicians to crack down on them or lose their jobs.

I've said it a hundred times... I love my business but I wouldn't want an oil well or pipeline within 100 miles of my home (I've got a pipeline 1/4 mile away but I would rather have it than trucks...)


[edit on 8/12/2010 by Mike6158]