Page 11 - Work Force February 2016
P. 11
plows on a a learning curve
The
February 2016 Vol 19 No 2 2 If you see me give me room to do my job!
See pages 10 and 11
expect ” ” he he said
“At times you can’t see behind the truck ” ” The
mirrors and cameras can also get coated with with snow snow during heavy snowfalls leaving drivers with with no no visibility Gallivan added that the tow plows force operators to to to to be more vigilant than ever adding stress to to to already difficult driving conditions “People don’t realize how exhausting it it it is just driving a a a a a a a a regular plow ” he he said
“With the additional controls you definitely have more responsibilities ” Plea to to motorists
One of the the biggest challenges for the the the two plow operators is driving the the plows around drivers who are unfamiliar with them “The most important things for drivers and pedestrians to to know are never try to to pass a a a a a snowplow and give us a a a a a lot of of room to do our job ” Goff said
“It is is new it it is is different
and it it may look odd to to some drivers to to to see this truck suddenly veering off to to the right ” Chuck Parsons CSEA state Department of of Transportation Rochester Local president said
“We’re hoping to get the the word out so the the public knows this is is perfectly normal Above all all else we want everyone to be safe ” Gallivan fears that drivers could endanger themselves if they try to to pass the the the the tow plows “You should see the the the the way (drivers) come up on on us ” he he he he said
“They don’t know how to react and can be be very aggressive They They shouldn’t be be right up against us ” Parsons urged drivers to to to give the tow plows plenty of space “You don’t want to to to to be near it ” he he said
“Motorists and pedestrians should never assume a a a a a a a snowplow driver can see them ” Despite the the the the challenges of the the the the tow plows Gallivan sees the the the the big picture “We take pride in the the the work we we do because we we know our friends
and and and family are out on on on the the roads ” he he he said
“We go beyond and and and put in long hours and and and we we we we know every every day day we we we we we go out we we we we we should be be blessed every every day day we we we we we can come back in in the the same way we we we we left regardless of the the truck you’re in in ” — Ove Ove Overmyer and Mark M M Kotzin
Read about CSEA’s Edge on Ice safety campaign page 8 New York State Department of Transportation Highway Maintenance Worker II Tim Gallivan points out the the monitor that shows him what’s going on behind the plow On the the the the cover Gallivan stands next to to the the the the new tow plow that the the the the Department of Transportation is is now using throughout the the the the State The
tow plow plow plow is is pulled behind a a a a a a a a a a standard plow plow plow truck truck and and allows one truck to to plow plow two lanes A A view from behind CSEA members operating the the plows are urging motorists
to to give the the big rigs a a a wide berth Goff February 2016 The
Work Force
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Photo by Mark M M Kotzin