Free Range by Bill Whitehead for June 10, 2024

With all these road blocks, there are no available short, or “crew” cuts.

Why are there two guys with shovels and no one watching? There should only be one guy digging and at least three supervising if this job is going to get done within the next year.

He is a Roads Scholar.

Ah yes, take your son to work day. An idea that caught on in the days of home maker mothers, so the moms could have a day of peace and quiet.

Good job if there’s a union. Now, holding the shovel is a more complicated subject.

he won’t have to go very far at all… in fact he may not move at all. :D

I knew a neighbor whose son thought it would be an easy summer job for college. He made it two weeks. Apparently, standing 40 hrs a week in HOT weather wasn’t that easy.

There’s also the heat coming off the cars & trucks going by. I see how drivers don’t slow down (enough) just by noticing the cars in front. I always slow way down and keep an eye on the crew, their attention is on the job not always on the traffic. Must be frustrating seeing vehicles wiz by without a care for your safety.Everyone could use a few trips being a pedestrian to get perspective.

Like flagger, like son.

His son certainly has high ambitions.

I spent a week working with the Civil Engineering group counting rush hour traffic at specific locations in Norfolk and Portsmouth. Luckily it was only a week.

“Timing is everything. You gotta wait until they think they got it made before you change it. If you get it right, you can see their expression change. So gratifying…”

Not Follow, Stand in his footsteps.