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Sometimes flaggers a danger to themselves

Letter-writer says there are three dangers to road flagpersons

Re: Flagperson struck by vehicle on Sooke Road (News, June 14)

I see three factors in dangers to road flagpersons.

Obviously, some drivers are jerks who drive dangerously and abuse flagpersons.

But flagpersons are a danger to themselves.

In my judgement they should never turn their back to vehicles, never stand in front of vehicles – one slip by a driver and they are maimed or worse.

Only one flagging company operating in the Victoria area has many competent employees, the rest are deficient in safety and sense.

Construction companies doing their own flagging range from good to incompetent jerks.

I suggest flagpersons carry a noisemaker to warn workers ahead if a driver is proceeding against instructions, instead of standing in the way of thousands of pounds of motorized metal.

The third problem I see is policing – lack of feet on the street and a poor attitude. Abusive jerks and deliberately dangerous drivers need to be re-educated by police in their face repeatedly. Their bad behaviour around flagpersons is not an isolated phenomenon – their mentality exploits people in other ways that endanger them.

Will voters develop and elect officials who will hire only competent contractors and put police on the street instead of spending on fluff like town poets and palm trees?

Keith Sketchley

Saanich