“I
understand that people are curious by nature and want to know what is
happening at accident scenes,” he says. “Pay attention to the road and
surrounding area. Someone is probably on foot in the area working on the
accident.”
The same
goes for work zones, says Paul Amarillas, a senior equipment operator in
the Public Works Streets Division who has been with the city for seven
years. Last year, he took a four-day certification class for setting up
barricades. Despite the experience he brings to the task, he’s seen
people drive right through marked work zones -- with others following.
“Sometimes they don’t even listen to flag men,” he says.
Amarillas
has seen impatient drivers do some crazy things. One guy was in such a
hurry to get around a city truck that he clipped the truck’s rear apron,
ripping a gash along the top of his car. But it’s not just the tight
clearances that worry Amarillas.
“I’m
mostly concerned about the speed limit,” he says, “because people don’t
slow down” – even if there are signs require them to do so.
Amarillas has a wife and three children. Like LeBaron, he has a message
for drivers: “Be careful. We have guys in the street working. Obey the
signs. I want these guys to go home to their families.”