Run for cover! There is a crane in my neighborhood setting roof trusses.
Seriously, there are dozens of crane accidents on YouTube. It seems as if most cranes end up on the roof of the house they were meant to build or reach over.
I think, there are two main reasons for all the videos of crane accidents on YouTube: One is that cranes are interesting to watch, and if they are in a public setting someone is going to take a picture or video of it. The other is that most residential contractors won’t pay for a professional crane company. Instead, they use a taxi rental company, or even worse, they rent a crane from a tool rental company and operate it themselves.
When working in residential areas, there is also the problem of where to setup. Yards, streets, sidewalks, and driveways don’t have the capacity to support a crane. And, of course, you’d have to setup in the street because you can’t mess up an owner’s yard causing the operator to reach over the house to set a pool or spa. Before you know it, the crane runs out of capacity and ends up in someone’s living room.
If you happen to be a spectator, just remember to keep a safe distance!