No such thing as friends in this job

Just a word of warning as recently stopped talking to a couple of "friends" in the trade.

Used to speak daily but turns out once you start doing oķ for yourself and they work a different way to you suddenly it starts getting a bit bitchy.

No longer speaking to them due to a difference of opinion in regards to softwashing which I do and they don't but still their opinions have to be right and you wrong.

Moral of the story be careful who you call a friend in this job as most are out for themselves.

Blocked them on all social media and phone as life is too short for all that ******.

There are some good guys out there but seems a lot of ruthless people out for themselves too.

Dave B said:

Just a wprd of warning as recently stopped talking to a couple of "friends" in the trade.

Used to speak daily but turns out once you start doing oķ for yourself and they work a different way to you suddenly it starts getting a bit bitchy.

No longer speaking to them due to a difference of opinion in regards to softwashing which I do and they don't but still their opinions have to be right and you wrong.

Even fell out with a mate on here due to it who I used to work with due to their bullshit. 

(You know who you are give me a shout sometime for a catchup)

Moral of the story be careful who you call a friend in this job as most are out for themselves.

Blocked them on all social media and phone as life is too short for all that ******.

There are some good guys out there but seems a lot of ruthless people out for themselves too.

Click to expand...

Well I like ya  Dave even if no one else does ? seriously the one thing I have learned in life is never Be surprised how someone can change at a drop of a hat. 

I do exactly the same block them or anything that I don’t like makes life easy as you say it’s to short other wise ?

Hi @Dave B, I don't know both sides of the story, so can't hold judgement, but is it worth catching up with the guys over a coffee and ironing out your difference of opinions? As you say, life is too short. Hope you find some closure on it ?

I firmly believe its true that old saying about you can count your proper friends on one hand. Ive got literally 100s of aquaintances, many would consider themselves  friends, yet they are quite happy to backstab and gossip/badmouth etc. I try to be philosophical about these things, though it is hard at times. Usually these people are sad, and got some kind of inferiority problem. Its one of the things I do appreciate about getting older. The older you get, you stop fretting over them. I still do sometimes, but am slowly getting there.

ks789 said:

I firmly believe its true that old saying about you can count your proper friends on one hand. Ive got literally 100s of aquaintances, many would consider themselves  friends, yet they are quite happy to backstab and gossip/badmouth etc. I try to be philosophical about these things, though it is hard at times. Usually these people are sad, and got some kind of inferiority problem. Its one of the things I do appreciate about getting older. The older you get, you stop fretting over them. I still do sometimes, but am slowly getting there.

Click to expand...

I'm too old to worry what others think.

Proper mates I can count on 1 hand also.

If you only bring negativity to my life then sorry see ya later.

Only way to be I think and personally will lose no sleep over it.

People just end up showing who they really are in the long run is all, we moved out of the small village I grew up in because of small minded people who I had known all my life, a small number of good mates is better than a load who pretend to be but talk about you behind your back.

Interesting thread this. I know virtually everyone in my local pub, however, I would count seven people who are my closest and most trusted friends.

When I go away with the lads on holiday, there can be nineteen of us sometimes, but, I’m always happier with the seven or so around me.

Hope the person who has turned on you @Dave B isn’t the guy on here you used to work with sometimes a few years ago. I’ll say no more ??‍?

steve garwood said:

Interesting thread this. I know virtually everyone in my local pub, however, I would count seven people who are my closest and most trusted friends.

When I go away with the lads on holiday, there can be nineteen of us sometimes, but, I’m always happier with the seven or so around me.

Hope the person who has turned on you @Dave B isn’t the guy on here you used to work with sometimes a few years ago. I’ll say no more ??‍?

Click to expand...

No mate not that person.

Just a couple of guys I spoke to most days for about 2 years now.

Ho hum it's how it goes sometimes. 

Dave B said:

Just a word of warning as recently stopped talking to a couple of "friends" in the trade.

Used to speak daily but turns out once you start doing oķ for yourself and they work a different way to you suddenly it starts getting a bit bitchy.

No longer speaking to them due to a difference of opinion in regards to softwashing which I do and they don't but still their opinions have to be right and you wrong.

Moral of the story be careful who you call a friend in this job as most are out for themselves.

Blocked them on all social media and phone as life is too short for all that ******.

There are some good guys out there but seems a lot of ruthless people out for themselves too.

Click to expand...

couldnt agree more with what u said.  this is the true face of it.  drop em and dont look back or try to be ok or work things out.  everyone is soly out for themselfs. best people out there are the ones that keep to themselfs and u never hear from them.  like next door naibours. the best ones and ones that will never do u wrong are the ones u never  see or hear a peep out of.  its the chumy ones u will have trouble with sooner or later.  sad true about life, race car driver nikke laurder the german guy, said in an interview on youtube he has no friends, he dosent want them, he said one or the other takes the **** out the other i the end sonner or later. its just human nature to exploit, he was right. 

riggy said:

couldnt agree more with what u said.  this is the true face of it.  drop em and dont look back or try to be ok or work things out.  everyone is soly out for themselfs. best people out there are the ones that keep to themselfs and u never hear from them.  like next door naibours. the best ones and ones that will never do u wrong are the ones u never  see or hear a peep out of.  its the chumy ones u will have trouble with sooner or later.  sad true about life, race car driver nikke laurder the german guy, said in an interview on youtube he has no friends, he dosent want them, he said one or the other takes the **** out the other i the end sonner or later. its just human nature to exploit, he was right. 

Click to expand...

Think you have gone a bit over the top there in my opinion. 
I have close mates that I’ve had since the age of 18 and still go out with them every weekend.

As for next door neighbours, I’ve had the same ones for the 14 years I’ve lived in my current house. We often go out for beer and curries with them, and recently had a nice holiday in Malta with them.

Not everyone is out to exploit you. There are some nice people out there. It’s just a case of staying away from the bad ones ?

I do agree with this thread title and I can only speak for the business of window cleaning. In general I think that when it comes to business and money I don't think you can rely on many people outside of your group of friends and family (My uncle a fellow windie and he is a tw*t). As regards window cleaning, I have been in this game since 1996 and in that time I have worked with other window cleaners, worked for window cleaners, worked around other window cleaners and talked to so many of these guys regularly over the years and I can safely say in that time, the total amount them that i could trust and rely on is zero. It is a cutthroat business.

I don't think I have ever purposely stepped on another windies toes or stole work, I don't want to work like that. I've gathered a lot of work over the years but off my own bat. I never approach a store that has a current window cleaner, never undercut, if a new store comes up then it is fair game for everyone I give in a card, have a chat, give a price and see what happens. I work hard, do a good job, I try to be polite to everyone and have a laugh. I always give people at least one chance and if they f*** me over then i'm done with them for good. Look around your city, there is glass everywhere and more than enough work to go around. I just have no interest in being a c*** to people unless I am provoked. It's nice to be nice and in a job were big nationals are swallowing up work, independent window cleaners should be sticking together... but that is and never will be the case as the bigger picture is just too hard to see for 99% of the short sighted window cleaners I have met here in Dublin. I honestly have gave up trying to find an ally in this game.

F** it, I digress.

I agree with the sentiment, most windys will screw you over at the 1st opportunity. There are some though that will watch your back. A fellow windy and friend has just had a nasty fall from a ladder and fractured 2 vertebrae, and is off work for a couple months. He has aked me to cover a couple jobs for him. I have offered him 50% of all his window jobs and a cut of any fsg jobs he passes my way until hes back on his feet. I know for a fact he would do it for me, and i can only think of 1 other "windy" mate that would. 

This thread has made me appreciate where I work more. 
I have a windie who works near me who I regularly sell work too and get on very well. And another who I occasionally play snooker with.

It must be you lot they are hated ????

steve garwood said:

This thread has made me appreciate where I work more. 
I have a windie who works near me who I regularly sell work too and get on very well. And another who I occasionally play snooker with.

It must be you lot they are hated ????

Click to expand...

I think the problem where I live is that they are all jealous of my looks and my great body shape ?

There is lots of cleaners near me all talk barring one idiot I still give a big smile when I do see him though. 

I think davy b congrats is in order in doing well with the softwashing and I wouldn't let those few "mates" even bother you, underneath they'll probably just be jealous that you are doing well or when they compare what you can do and they can't or don't have the knowledge.

there not even mates-just people you talked to once in a while but quite nasty ones,

move on dave leave em behind

riggy said:

couldnt agree more with what u said.  this is the true face of it.  drop em and dont look back or try to be ok or work things out.  everyone is soly out for themselfs. best people out there are the ones that keep to themselfs and u never hear from them.  like next door naibours. the best ones and ones that will never do u wrong are the ones u never  see or hear a peep out of.  its the chumy ones u will have trouble with sooner or later.  sad true about life, race car driver nikke laurder the german guy, said in an interview on youtube he has no friends, he dosent want them, he said one or the other takes the **** out the other i the end sonner or later. its just human nature to exploit, he was right. 

Click to expand...

That kind of thinking leads to a very insular existence mate. Help people out, do a little for people and never expect anything in return. It feels good to do nice things for people and sometimes they repay you. If you choose to see those people as ''friends'' or not is up to you but you don't wanna end up the grumpy lonely old man that all the local kids make up horror stories about (Picture the guy from home alone ?)

@Dave B I feel your pain mate. I've had some of my oldest friends turn on me since I started this. The relationship was a little rocky since I moved down south and lost my northern accent, they think I believe I'm better than them. I know some were sniggering behind my back when I became a lowly window cleaner... Now they are seeing things change they are falling away and blaming it on me. It's difficult when you've helped people a lot. I honestly think with some people you could walk on water and they would tell people you can't swim.

P4dstar said:

That kind of thinking leads to a very insular existence mate. Help people out, do a little for people and never expect anything in return. It feels good to do nice things for people and sometimes they repay you. If you choose to see those people as ''friends'' or not is up to you but you don't wanna end up the grumpy lonely old man that all the local kids make up horror stories about (Picture the guy from home alone ?)

@Dave B I feel your pain mate. I've had some of my oldest friends turn on me since I started this. The relationship was a little rocky since I moved down south and lost my northern accent, they think I believe I'm better than them. I know some were sniggering behind my back when I became a lowly window cleaner... Now they are seeing things change they are falling away and blaming it on me. It's difficult when you've helped people a lot. I honestly think with some people you could walk on water and they would tell people you can't swim.

Click to expand...

At least you havea proper accent now though?

London is the proper accent.

Dave B said:

At least you havea proper accent now though?

London is the proper accent.

Click to expand...

I've a nomad accent now haha, don't fit in anywhere ?

P4dstar said:

I've a nomad accent now haha, don't fit in anywhere ?

Click to expand...

I got a proper london accent but use a lot of paddy terms as having Irish family lol.

Like " get te **** ya gobshite" ?

Family from co kerry so speak weird even for paddies ?

People I know from elsewhere call me cockney which winds me up as I'm from portabello road market area in west london.

I can hear a massive difference but suppose northeners can't hear it .

And what is it with northerners having a bacon barm lol.

It's a bacon roll.

No such thing as a barm or a cob.

Dave B said:

I got a proper london accent but use a lot of paddy terms as having Irish family lol.

Like " get te **** ya gobshite" ?

Family from co kerry so speak weird even for paddies ?

People I know from elsewhere call me cockney which winds me up as I'm from portabello road market area in west london.

I can hear a massive difference but suppose northeners can't hear it .

And what is it with northerners having a bacon barm lol.

It's a bacon roll.

No such thing as a barm or a cob.

Click to expand...

As I was born in Lambeth and bought up in Peckham, this would be considered proper London.

We call you west Londoners ‘bumpkins’ ???

steve garwood said:

As I was born in Lambeth and bought up in Peckham, this would be considered proper London.

We call you west Londoners ‘bumpkins’ ???

Click to expand...

Doing the lambeth walk.. oi

Used to hang round south Peckham a lot as my mate was going out with Norman Beaton's niece (desmond from the show desmonds).

Dodgy area lol but everyone round there knew me so didn't get stabbed haha. 

Used to go swimming as a kid in elephant and castle.. london is small for people born there.. big for outsiders. 

Anywhere near Roman road?

Most deprived area in the country isn't it??

You'd fit right in.. oh no that is depraved I'm thinking of with you??