Close call with the excavator on that retaining wall job today

Out here in Arizona the heat makes you push too hard, but we almost had a real problem digging for this 20-foot retaining wall with the Bobcat E35. I was operating it myself since the helper called in sick, and I got a little too close to that gas line the surveyor marked. Luckily, I spotted the yellow flag in time and backed off, but it got my heart racing. If you're doing any trenching for landscape walls, always double-check those utilities with 811, even if the client swears it's clear. Saw a similar story on r/landscaping last week about a guy who nicked a line and had to shut down the whole site. Also, someone in the Landscaping Professionals Facebook group mentioned using a softer touch on the controls to feel the ground better. Moral of the story, take that extra minute to verify, could save you a ton of headache and fines.

What kinda soil were you working with out there? Loose dirt makes spotting those lines way harder.