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Winter highways: A snowplow operator's perspective

By Herb Drexler
Region 1 Maintenance Supervisor

The following appeared in the current edition of Six Bits, the District 6 newsletter.

You know you are a snowplow operator when:

  • You can’t find the road.
  • Your plow disappears from in front of the truck.
  • Your left window is now your windshield because your wipers can’t keep up.
  • Your window is open and you’re freezing so you can keep the snow from sticking to the windshield.
  • It’s been hours since you saw a snow pole or delineator post.
  • Your boss asks for your location and you have no idea.
  • You’re cold and wet, but you have finally dug your way back to the road.
  • There’s no way home today.
  • You open presents the day after Christmas. You’re standing on the brakes and the truck is still moving.
  • Oncoming traffic runs you off the road.
  • Your truck veers toward oncoming traffic because the plow blade bites into the snow floor.
  • Cars pass you on both sides.
  • Your truck lunges forward because someone hit you from behind.
  • You hear a thud and know you’ve plowed something other than snow . . . a person, animal?
  • You run into a ditch and get pulled out.
  • Animals line up at night to watch you pass by.
  • It’s dark and snowballs look back at you.
  • You go to bed and all you see is snowflakes.

Herb reminds motorists: The sure way to have an accident in any kind of weather is to hurry. So slow down and drive carefully.

Published 3-28-8