We’re nominating another occupation for the
Working on the highways isn't worth the aggro
‘Worst Job In Britain’ accolade. According to the RAC Foundation, 81 per cent of roadworkers have been verbally or physically abused by motorists and 40 per cent are abused on either a daily or weekly basis. Worse still, is that one third of this abuse reported involved acts of extreme aggression, including food, bottles and other missiles being hurled at workers from passing vehicles. Some have even been shot at with air rifles.
Edmund King, Executive Director for the RAC Foundation said there was “no excuse for attacking roadworkers or driving recklessly through road works in an attempt to speed up the journey. Ironically- speeding through road works leads to more accidents and hence further delays.”
The UK’s highway maintenance industry is looking at ways to both punish offending drivers and improve the working conditions for its staff. It might look to America for inspiration. Earlier this month, a Californian highway undergoing road works was closed because construction workers received torrents of verbal abuse from hundreds of inconvenienced motorists. Perhaps threatening the closure of the M1 would shut up a few motorists here.
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