Ty Korrigan

Nothing to do with Islam. Plenty of sex for sale worldwide regardless of religion. Besides, alcohol is for sale in every city in Morocco. Only for passport holders of non-islamic countries though. We even have vineyards and a well established flourishing trade in wine since the Roman period so a cool beer should be easy enough to track down...

One of our guys uses an Echo top handle. The other guys like to borrow it and aside from the annoyingly small fuel cap it's well recieved with us. The chipper saw is an Echo, very quiet on tickover and easy to start. Ty

Aside from paying the police officer a 'baksheesh' this could so easily be any U.K city.

Ha, must have been in Tangiers! Every city has is character and it's no go areas for Europeans and even natives alike. My wife being a distant relation to the ruling family means we enjoy a discreet police presence whenever requested and at no charge. As a result of my marriage I see a side to the country and people that few tourists ever witness. Yes, like London or Bath there are many beggars and some crime but drunkeness is alomost unknown nor the violence associated with drink. Although the streets do run with blood during Eid el Kebir when thousands of sheep are slaughtered and their heads roasted on large open fires on the street corners. I love the place although my wife despairs that one day I'll wander off into the desert sands and never be seen again. Salaheddine (Ty)

Import/export. Currently trailers from U.K to France. New and used. As long as they conform to French Regs. One a month, easy to register and move on. I clear a grand in cash most months. Paid for our appartment in Morocco. Ty

A large building developer here near Rennes over paid us several thousands without realising. It took several calls and an office visit to get them to accept the refund... Ty

Since this last summer we had a regular string of non-payers. Some Brits as French tend to respect the terms and conditions of our quotes but recently the French non-payers have spiked. Emailing and calling weekly works. Keep the dialogue going. Visiting and pinning the bill to the door on a regular basis also works and is certainly not harrasment as one client put it to me. Also getting a very large friend dressed in a black leather jacket to knock on the door after 9pm and deliver the bill works well. So much so, that Big Clive is due to make another round before Xmas for us. He likes doing it too, he looks like a dark menacing gypsy but is in fact as soft as. A week or so ago I avoided a potential non-payment by 'threatening' to tip the arb waste when a client complained about paying full rate for 'untrained' staff, referring to my 2 arb students. So far I've recovered all outstanding debts but often only after a seriously long chase. Ty

We regularly deal with ERDF for line closures. Last week we had them shut down a 3 phase low tension line for 3 hours. Enough for our No1. climber to dismantle a 30m Douglas which had grown within 3 metres of the lines and overhung by rather more. We make a modest charge for the application which is payable separately from the main job (just in case we get blown out for some reason) The application is made online but the arguing with the sourfaced bitches in the bureau is done over the phone normally the morning of the job when it is clear we HAVE been blown out by ERDF the gits... "We can give you an hour" she say's. WTF!!! It's a deserted farmhouse, there is no-one living there! "An hour is all I can book you in for" I long learned that the technician can't turn on the power once the climber is in the tree so the bureau's exigence over timing is all just so much hot air. Ty

I do obscenely well with a Bandit HB20 Side Winder. Can't go far wrong with that. Plently of grunt for any size stump. Ty

I keep an eye out for cheap flights. 25 euros can take me as far as Marrakech one way. Besides, I need an outlet for those 500euros notes I keep getting paid with... Ty

Any-one dry/warm their gloves on a Quadchip exhaust cover...? Ty

Pete, tis written in the business plan that the Quadchip be replaced along with a truck upgrade to 5ton. Anodised alloy valve caps may be wishfull thinking but hope springs eternal... Ty

Speculate, so what's coming in 2015? We're looking for 45-50hp turntable, light and compact as possible, wide 8" feed, vertical rollers, alloy low profile rims with aluminium anodised valve caps... Must be available in a choice of colours, metalic or pearl finish prefered. All under 20k sterling. Discount for cash. Ty

Legal in retail concerning loss of stock or money from till. Instalments limited to 10% of salary. Uncertain about other industries. Taken from BBC site. Ty

Very popular here especially for landscapers. Although I found it rather slow, I'd consider the PTO version for our 26hp JD 1026 It can be rented locally for 200euros a day. Makes long thin shreds instead of neat square chips. I rather like the range of machines but the prices totally put me off. Ty

GUNS! Good idea Marc, why didn't I think of that! ha ha ha ha! Ty

Despite the job being a fair quote signed by the client and done to clients satisfaction, they do not see why they should pay the full amount because... They twigged that the 2 lads with me where both apprentices and complained that they should not be charged out at a mans wage! I have told the client that I will be collecting the cheque Monday evening OR the chips, rakings and assorted 'merde' will be returned, tipped in front of their fancy automatic gates. So we shall see if the sight of my tipper being raised provokes a swift payment or not. Why DO they try it on so? Ty

Where are you when you google.fr Tree surgery France in English? I just get the same list time again. Several smaller firms and at least two who no longer trade. Ty

Our Quadchip cost £1500 more in France than in the U.K but it conforms and so is legal and importantly insured. Regards Ty

Adam, Read this: Doit-on faire immatriculer une caravane ou une remorque ? - Service-public.fr Right, Now you've digested it think about this. 100% of U.K used chippers made before October 2012 will not conform to French regulations. All towed vehicles OVER 500kg must carry their own number plate and thus be registered with their own (V5) carte gris. Sorry. Ty

Our hardwood chip is sold for garden mulch at 15euros per m3 and I often deliver 10m3 in one hit (truck and trailer) I have a permanent advert on the French version of Gumtree (Le Bon Coin) Conifer chip goes to a local farmer who uses it as bedding and composts it after. Local council here uses our excess hardwood chip on it's beds and borders. Try these routes! Regards Ty

For new start ups 10% of turnover is reasonable to establish a businesses place in the market, we are running at 3.75% which is less than many other larger concerns. Ty

4 regular climbers including myself if I must. Plus one retired London Borough tree officer. I usually only get my harness on for really interesting trees or to cover holidays/sickness. I've always too many other things to do on the ground. Machinery querks to sort out, apprentice to coach/beat about the head and of course be such an arrogant omnipotent character I just like to strut about with a mobile clapped to my head with the other hand tickling my bits through a hole in my pocket... Ty

Best groundies I find are climbers or ex-climbers. Ty

If you hire even just once a week, over a year you've more than covered the cost of finance on your own chipper then you totally avoid the problems associated with dire rental machines. Ty