Re: A Sad State of Affairs

[rreschran]

OK ... now I'm really pissed. Yesterday’s tow operator fatality was nearly the exact same circumstances that killed Canadian tower Edgar Arthur Pilon, December 27, 1954. So, here we are, 65-years later since Mr. Pilon's death, I’ve recorded as many as 325-tow operators killed working highway shoulders. Now THAT's a sad state of affairs. To add fire to my suck-attitude, a tow owner called 9 o'clock last night to tell me to stop, "Grandstanding", about tow operator's getting killed. We had a short but heated conversation and to that I'll say, "Steve ... you're an idiot to bury your head in the sand. It's too bad that you and other owners won't get committed to help try and solve this problem." Personally, I was shocked in what he had to say. If towers sit idle and do that, "status quo", thing, tow operator deaths won't go away ... just like the industry's past 65-years' demonstrates. Choke on that Mr. Steve. When it comes to tow operator response on the highways, I hate to think gloom and doom with negative hopes that first responder and tow operator fatalities will decrease, but, because I’m a realist, it’s my opinion that move-over laws, Quick Clear programs and Traffic Incident Management have done little to further help protect the lives of first responders and tow operators. All of those programs are, “administrative measures”, that have no working components (other than vehicle positioning) to provide physical protection to work on scene.  The number-one priority of traffic incident management should be greater focus on tow operator safety beyond that of smooth traffic flow. I believe that increased traffic breaks and road closures are better solutions to motorists who drive, “full speed ahead”, regardless as to the weather or conditions of the roadway. So, what’s it take to get this message to Traffic Incident Management? Any ideas? Incident management should make safety the number-one priority for first responders, tow operators and highway workers. And, the hardest reality of all is … first responders and tower's can’t focus on their work if they hafta' focus on dodging cars and motorists.  Grandstand or not ... the fatality numbers speak for themselves.     R.