Slow Down!!!

[iffwalleyes]

Since the open water is back on top of the forums it seems like a fitting time for me to mention this. Many of you over the next few months will be doing allot of driving around the great state of MN and else where and you are going to come across road construction sites. Now for many of you I know these are a pain the butt you have to slow down and get backed up in traffic. However there are many people working out there just trying to make a living I am included in that. It is very much appreciated when you slow down. Give everyone a break out there. Most people really have no idea what it is like to stand along a roadway and feel the force that comes off a car doing 55 MPH. The turbulence and suction coming off a car is amazing. So just remember when you see those of us in our Chartreuse safety vest we aren't wearing them because they look good we are wearing them so you see us.

[Valv]

Awesome thread, I get VERY passionate on this subjects.

I travel a lot nationwide and it's amazing to see how many people won't even move over a lane when they see an vehicle on emergency lane.

Beside the fact IT'S THE LAW to move over for emergency or service vehicles, it's also common sense.

You see a vehicle in emergency, just move over few feet.

[youngie22]

A big 10-4 on that one. Pretty irritating to see people just keep driving when there is lights and sirens behind them. Stay alert, drive smart, come home safe!!

[eyepatrol]

Well said IFF. I'm not out there as often as you, but I've been there too and it can be a dangerous proposition sometimes. Slowing down isn't going to make or break someones day, or at least it shouldn't. If it is going to affect a person's day by making them late, then they didn't plan ahead very well.

Just slow down and take it easy. And, if you get stopped by a flag person, don't cuss in your car about him/her. Roll the window down and say hi. Their day can be pretty boring!

[BobT]

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So just remember when you see those of us in our Chartreuse safety vest we aren't wearing them because they look good we are wearing them so you see us

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But they doooooo look good!

Good reminder. Not only are you out there making a living you are out there to improve our roadways for our safety and convenience.

Thank you,

Bob

[Scoot]

Good reminder, IFF. But let's be honest, the gals all slow down for you, right???

[The_Duckslayer]

Good topic! Great reminder. I also want to remind folks that when an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road you need to slow down and move over when you go by if it is safe to do that. Hate to hear of emergency workers and State Patrol Officers getting killed doing their job. Wherever you are going I am sure that it is not worth a life for you to get there 20 seconds sooner!

GIVE 'EM A BRAKE!!!

Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[nytelyter]

i also could not agree more. i have logged many miles in my days. and the one thing i can say is. if you are late to get where you are going. it is NO ONES fault but yours. DO NOT put everyone else's life in danger, because you did not leave early enough. and even if you are going to be a minute late, SO WHAT??? at least you are there. and not talking to the law or worst case the powers that be because of something stupid you did trying to make up time YOU lost. RELAX, SLOW DOWN, TAKE IT EASY!!! you will get there. OUR ROADS ARE IN TOUGH SHAPE! lets give the guys and gals that fix them the respect and caution they deserve. so they get fixed up right. that way way yout minnows only get shaken up on the water in the waves. ... paul

[hanson]

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Good topic! Great reminder. I also want to remind folks that when an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road you need to slow down and move over when you go by if it is safe to do that. Hate to hear of emergency workers and State Patrol Officers getting killed doing their job.

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There was a recent "sting" in the southern metro that specifically targeted drivers not doing this. I can't remember how many people they pulled over but the ticket was about $120. Everybody who didn't move over 1 lane with an emergency vehicle on the shoulder got ticketed.

Be courteous, slow down, move over. Pretty easy.

[iffwalleyes]

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Good reminder, IFF. But let's be honest, the gals all slow down for you, right???

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Oh you bet except for the ones that are doing their makeup, reading a book, talking on a cell phone, and somehow trying to drive a car. I don't know how it was possible to do all of that oh ya the roads were also slippery that morning. I was amazed when I saw that one.

I wasn't going to say anything about me looking good in my Chartruse vest but not that you mention it .

[JohnMickish]

Fellas (and ladies) it's not just the highways were we work. We work in town too at 30MPH intersections as well as the highways. I work for a company that does traffic signal work (thank God I don't do road work anymore) and have had a shovel knocked out of my hand by a car and been hit by a mirror from a SUV once. I can honestly say that if I had the power to be judge and jury that there would be two people that would never get to drive agian.

I would also like to add this;

Please be polite. I am just doing my job. I didn't design the project or purchase the materials and I can't control the weather that is forcing the project to run long. It's not my fault. Don't crowd me or intentionally knock over the cones or barrels since that just makes me take longer to get done. I don't come to your office, shop or lawn mowing area and yell at you when you do your job so don't yell at me.

So, for all the brothers and sisters out there working this summer put down the cell phone and please pay attention to what's going on around you.

One more thing. Good roads cost money. Good road design cost money. Everybody wants good roads but nobody is willing to pay for it. Think of that next time there is a road tax on the ballot. Without money the roads don't get the repair they need until they need major work and that equals major traffic problems.

[DuluthMedic]

Good post! Yes please come to a COMPLETE stop for emergency trucks!! Please! Many just slow down and hardly move over. Man is is a PAIN! Just think, we could be heading to your loved ones house, so again please stop on the shoulder!

[kaz2611]

besides slowing down for construction zones for the safety and respect for the law enforcement officers,emergency workers,or highway maintenance/construction crews also slow down or move over when you see a disabled car on the side of road with its hazard lights on /emergency flashers we never know when that person may exit the car and step into our lane of traffic or step out from in front of their disabled car. BOTTOM LINE IS PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD AHEAD.

[Random guy]

I have to hand it to the poeple that work on the roads, whether it is construction, law enforcement or emergancy services, it is a war zone on the roads. I watched a car knock a marker barrel right out of a raod workers hands when he was trying to place it by Walker. Luckily the guy was going slow enough not to hurt anybody. This is a good topic and a great thing to bring up before we all start driving around with the boats in tow daydreaming about the lake.

As far as this area the crews have the reverse problem. All of the locals are so happy to see someone new that we are not related to we all stop, because we want to talk. The crews get nothing done.

[Orlip]

Remember barricades are there for a reason also. This photo is from a street job I was on last summer, the street was blocked off a ways down from the direction this guy came from. I had just got off my dozer to get my lunch and when i turned around this 70 - 80 year old gentlemen drove in.

He was nice and offered to pay us for pulling him out. I told him keep his money get a 12 pack and go home and sit underneath a shade tree and watch the show.

[fisherking01]

I wish I had some clips of the experiences I've had on the roads. When we re did the I 35 bridge at Moose lake (several years ago) I had a car hit the handle of the float I was using. Luckily as we discussed earlier that day we were certain to have the equipment on the "downstream" side of us so it would be knocked free and not hit us.

In 88 redoing part of 94 by Fergus Falls, Four people died when they went around baracades, down the new paving and hit the concrete before the tie in was complete. On 59 by morris, had a semi with a super hopper come down a closed road, turn on the intersection I was on and drag his aluminum trailer across the counterweight of the Excavator that was working there. Had a friend who got her foot drover over by a truck not paying attention in a construction zone she was working in, bout 20 hrs of surgery initially and will never be 100%. Had a lady in Monticello pass the barricades and road closed sign, Got her hood drove over by a 627 cat scraper. She was mad about her car, one more second, and she wouldn't have been mad ever again, not to mention the kids she had with her. I've seen literally hundreds of near misses, and many accidents. All of which were avoidable.

The need for both the drivers safety and the workers safety can't be stressed enough For all of you out there working, have a safe season, for those driving, pay attention, and let's all meet on the water, riverbank, ice, or even the trout pond!!!

Thanks Iff for the thread, see you at the excursion!!

[cliffy]

These are all good reminders to slow down, move over and arrive alive. I, too, have had a side mirror tap me at 60-70mph....its no fun....for anyone involved.

Cliffy

[DaBigDog]

I couldn't agree more with all of these posts.

And just one thing further to consider, if these people weren't out there working the hi-ways and by-ways, how do you think you'd get that new boat/jetski/atv into the great outdoors to enjoy it? By horse drawn cart?

Stay alert, give these hard working people a chance!

[opsirc]

Unfornately common sense is not a requirement to get your DL, if it was, I know alot of people who not be driving. People should stop and think if the 5 - 10 seconds they will save in travel time or dialing the phone is worth some one life. Last year we had a accident where a lady on her cell phone drove into the back of a dump truck doing 65, she died at the hospital. She just was not watching the road. Alot of emergency crews are volunteers serving their communities trying to make a difference. It amazing how many people will not slow down or pull over. I spent time on hwy 53 north of Duluth, we can have a half mile of lights and people still scream by at 70 mph. I give credit to the folks who are out there everyday, its not fun.

O

[lazermule]

As far as the safety and slowing down goes, I couldn't agree more. As far as the taxes go, I couldn't DISAGREE more. Lawmakers and politicians already have their hand too far in our pockets. They are predicting a budget surplus this year and they are already trying to raise taxes. Tell me that makes sense. It is almost like a game for them to see how much money they can get from us. We need more efficient better budget minded people leading us.

Echoing again though, so down near the boys in orange so they can get their job done and get back home to see their families at the end of the day.

LM

[iffwalleyes]

I agree about the need to spend money wiser. I sat in a meeting the other day and was told that the current federal highway bill that we are running on that should take us through 2009 will run out of money before 2009. Not good news there. The obvious way to create some more money is to raise fuel tax. That is less the disarable by most but it also is the easiest. Many people don't realize how much the cost of construction materials has risen in the last 3 years. There are some things that are costing 3 times what they cost just 3 years ago. I don't know the answer to what they should do but something needs to be done.

[Orlip]

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As far as the safety and slowing down goes, I couldn't agree more. As far as the taxes go, I couldn't DISAGREE more. Lawmakers and politicians already have their hand too far in our pockets. They are predicting a budget surplus this year and they are already trying to raise taxes. Tell me that makes sense. It is almost like a game for them to see how much money they can get from us. We need more efficient better budget minded people leading us.

Echoing again though, so down near the boys in orange so they can get their job done and get back home to see their families at the end of the day.

LM

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I agree also. We had a 2 billion surplus last year and there has been no tax break so that seems to me there will be a surplus again this year so why not use that money first? If they are not going to give us a break then use it and stop talking about increases.

[JohnMickish]

Everything cost money, how nice do you want things? Travel around the country and world and you will see that we in Minnesota have things pretty nice. Are you willing to give up plowed roads, parks, small class sizes for our children and fish stocking programs to save a few bucks?

This has gotten off topic and I'm sorry for bringing it up, I just wanted to get it out there that people can't have the best for nothing, roads included.

[slipperybob]

I'd like to add to peeps on the water, SLOW DOWN!

If you've got a big boat and there's a little john or canoe in the area, SLOW DOWN! Those big waves can capsize those little boats.

[fishingbuddy]

So here is my question

I always slow down in a construction zone. When you guys are on the side of the road it that considered construction with out the sign?..ps you guys do a great job.