The joy of traffic control

[TheBoss]

So i'm flagging on 48th ave and 24th st in Vernon bc, CGL is placing in underground piping so we have what would be 2 lanes of traffic on each side being condensed down into one each.

People know that there is construction going on this road and yet they cannot for the life of them chose another route.

The most fun is when i have to stop two lanes of traffic to let out people from 24th st, people are swearing at me running my stop sign almost hitting me etc. I try waving people out and they just sit there looking at me like a complete *bleep*.

The most fun is when people refuse to use their turn signal. I try point which they want to go and they Fing point instead of turning it on. I'm sorry but i'm going to hold you until you turn it on. Not only is it dangerous for my self but also for the crew and other drivers.

Also i had a women from icbc claims center across the street. who was amazed at the job i was doing and stopped to thank me.


So please people pay attention use your turn signal and things will go alot smoother.

[skydawg]

Dont worry tomorrow is friday.

[TheBoss]

Dont worry tomorrow is friday.

Thanks for reminding me more people will be out and about.

[Bsuds]

They should give you a paint ball gun to mark the cars of the idiots. Then the Police could stop them and give them a ticket.

[GordonH]

Maybe on trouble construction zones ICBC should provide Go pro's to the flaggers, pass on to police.

[jimmy4321]

While i agree there's many crappy drivers around here and although i did this type of work for a year and admit i wouldn't feel much at ease doing it in this province today.
The business of flagging/traffic control in BC seems much lax compared to Ont or NS for example. NOT in terms as to the people who do the work but in the standards when it comes to signage,placement etc.
...and maybe i'm wrong , maybe the standards are the same but quite often not followed.

[Bsuds]

Maybe on trouble construction zones ICBC should provide Go pro's to the flaggers, pass on to police.

That would work to ticket them but the paint would let the rest of us know who the asshats are and let us avoid them too.

[Smurf]

Could always use both and the paint ball would be a marker for the police.

I have been through the work zone on Kal Lake road a few times in the last couple of days and I cannot believe the number of people that speed right through when they are allowed to go. I'm sure some are over the speed limit if they get the chance. The police should be there they would get lots of double fines. Wonder if it is possible to nail them with dangerous driving and make it really worthwhile.

[TheBoss]

I do wish i had a body camera to show people what we have to deal with. I just wish people would use their single lights. How hard is it to turn a switch up or down.

I really wanted to say to one guy who with no turn signal expects us to open the lane closure to get into a parking lot it's a shame when a 80K Mercedes comes with optional turn signals

I have to keep a certain deal of professionalism so yeah i keep those kinda remarks on the down low.

I did see the rcmp sitting in the construction zone on hwy 97 in kelowna when i went through their a few weeks ago.

My next car is gonna be a crown vic ex cruiser, why? so i can park in a section of the construction zone so people freak out thinking their is a cop sitting there :P

[Zoso]

I don't think the police are going to want people with a 4 hour flagging course , to shoot paint balls at cars . Flaggers will get the crap beaten out of them .

[Queen K]

TheBoss, I feel for you, man oh man, you took me right back to Banff, AB in 1984. I was a flagger for a few days. Opened my eyes to the wholehearted stupidity you are describing. I'll never forget one guy taking a run at me. The problem was I had to hold traffic from going down a road where they could not see the work at the other end. So I was with official stuff, but no visual for them to go on. Fun times.

Keep up the good work. There are people out there who think you should be getting $10 bucks/hr to work under dangerous conditions with the benefit of fresh air. Ya, and they don't think you're serious.

But the whole process needs you there. All the best.

[Rellic]

A job WELL DONE Boss, I passed through that intersection a number of times as a through traffic vehicle and often cursed under My breath that You chose Me to raise Your Stop sign for as I was passing through. It was a very slight silent curse though because by You stopping Me afforded Me the opportunity to see first hand the "It's all about Me" attitude of most drivers on the road today, especially those coming off 24th and not indicating to You the direction they wanted to go. You handled it way better than I would have for sure, I often thought if Your hand held sign was made of steel rather than aluminum You would use it in a far more aggressive manor. I may hve even been there when the no signal MB driven by a shave head no neck was so disrespectful, not only to You but everybody else at that intersection.
Again Job WELL DONE You showed GREAT composure where I would have.................

[TheBoss]

A job WELL DONE Boss, I passed through that intersection a number of times as a through traffic vehicle and often cursed under My breath that You chose Me to raise Your Stop sign for as I was passing through. It was a very slight silent curse though because by You stopping Me afforded Me the opportunity to see first hand the "It's all about Me" attitude of most drivers on the road today, especially those coming off 24th and not indicating to You the direction they wanted to go. You handled it way better than I would have for sure, I often thought if Your hand held sign was made of steel rather than aluminum You would use it in a far more aggressive manor. I may hve even been there when the no signal MB driven by a shave head no neck was so disrespectful, not only to You but everybody else at that intersection.
Again Job WELL DONE You showed GREAT composure where I would have.................

Thank you very much, i do my best. It's a scary dangerous job. Hell i even got an email sent into our dispatch about the good job i was doing out there on 48th and 24th. I would love to beat stupid people with my paddle, but this job is customer service.
You're out serving the public and always have to keep a smile and composure, that job on 48th was a nightmare and yeah a few times i did yell at traffic but that was because they were being stupid

Again thank you for the compliment, it's not easy and Flaggers should get paid danger pay.

[Verminator]

I was stopped by a flagger on Kal Lake Road a week or two ago. She walked up to my car and told me not to be too surprised if she quickly got into the back seat. She had a slightly frightened look on her face and said she'd seen a bear hanging around the construction zone. Flaggers have a lot more to put up with than just selfish and inconsiderate drivers and I think they're not nearly compensated well enough. Let's just be nice and keep everyone safe!

[pssts]

I have to add to this forum that not all flaggers seem to be as well trained as the original poster. I am sometimes very confused by the directions given (or not given) by flaggers. Recently a line of cars was stopped and the flagger decided it was time to get a cigarette out of her pack, but she was unable to open her pack because she was wearing gloves. She then proceeded to signal to a co-worker by waving her sign, that she needed his help. They both fumbled around for a minute or so, with her sign flapping every which way. Needless to say, I was very relieved to see that all drivers stopped rather than following her confusing sign signals. The drivers coming the opposite way from me, could not see her clearly due to a piece of large equipment in the way, so they were unaware of her cigarette expedition and would only have seen her sign turning from slow to stop in rapid fashion. We drivers all had a chuckle and shook our heads as she proceeded to absent mindedly get back to the task at hand of directing traffic while enjoying her cigarette.