When I was at college, knowing that I would be an inspector, I tried to find other people who've done this job in their region, and ask them questions or ask for advice. Sure, the people at my office would be helpful, but sometimes there are things that you can only learn from another peer.
In my quest to find another inspector, I lucked out and found not only an inspector from a region similar to my own in traffic counts and road types, but she was a woman. I asked away. She gave me the normal advice like most people I had talked to, but then when we got on the subject of gender-difference and how that effects your interactions with the contractor, she said something like the following (it's been a while so maybe I'm adding to it a bit):
-They will "give you shit" (That's what we all call teasing on the field. It's different than normal teasing, but I can't explain how.), just go with it
-They already don't respect you because you are young and have no experience, so remember that if you have problems
-Lift things and don't be lazy, don't expect anyone to do anything for you if you want to be treated equal
-BUT never be afraid to ask for help when you need it (Truth: it's better to ask dignified than to embarrassingly struggle and maybe get hurt)
-It's one thing for the contractor not to respect you, but if the MDOT inspector gives you problems, don't put up with it, and tell a supervisor right away
-Don't be nervous, just be confident and make sure they do what you say at the end of the day
Then the weirdest thing she said after she was racking her brain for anymore advice was this:
"Oh! *laughs* There's this thing they use for concrete and it looks like a dildo. I'm not sure what the official title of it is, but, yeah, yeah you'll see what I mean. The contractor never openly used it to make fun of me, because the other inspector was always there for concrete pouring, but they would have if he wasn't there, so just be aware of that."
So yeah. This is what she was talking about:
It's the thing in the middle of the picture, straight up and down in the concrete. It vibrates. The purpose of this is to vibrate the concrete so it gets into all of the corners and around the rebar and whatnot. The second it touches the concrete, it just sort of.... relaxes?? It's all tense and rigid with aggregate sticking up, and then all of a sudden it just... liquids with no aggregate on top.
I wanted to know WHAT this could possibly be called, and it's..... a vibrator.
There is a whole page about the vibrator. It makes sense, but it's just like... teehee.
I probably wouldn't be so middle-school about this if that other student inspector didn't mention it. Now I'm paranoid for the day they make some sexual joke about it to me. I keep trying to think of a good comeback, but mine are all lame and don't make any sense.
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