I recently witnessed a disturbing incident where a car narrowly missed hitting a worker on the side of the road. The driver not only passed dangerously close to the worker, but also continuously honked their horn throughout the encounter and beyond. It was evident that the driver was frustrated by the presence of someone working on the roadside, disrupting their usual commute. While I understand the frustration of being late and having to slow down or navigate around construction zones, endangering workers is not the solution.
This behaviour doesn’t educate workers about their “choice” in jobs or foster a culture of safety; instead, it creates hostility and risks serious harm.
Yes, there may be safer work environments, but that’s beside the point.
Workers on the roadside have the right to feel safe, a legal right. Threatening to harm them with a vehicle is unacceptable. Comments like “one of these days, I am going to hit one of those guys” are not only senseless but also alarming.
Deliberately endangering someone’s life because of their chosen profession, which not only supports their families but also contributes to public service by improving infrastructure, is unjustifiable.
While fines for violations in construction zones are doubled when workers are present, this is still insufficient. Every year, we witness tragic fatalities caused by angry motorists who fail to consider the lives and risks to others.
It’s time for all of us to prioritize safety and respect for those working to maintain and improve our roads.
I mean, who could argue that people working on the sides of any roads have every right to be there? Would anyone dare to raise their hand to oppose this?
Then why is this so much of a contentious issue when it comes to cyclists?
David Pharand