I am not on Facebook, so not privy to the “cage fight” atmosphere. However, I have lived through many snowstorms and watched many snowplow operators exhibit little regard for infrastructure while doing their well-compensated job. I appreciate that snow plowing is a difficult job. However, it is also clear that little training and expectations for careful work is expected. I now live in Plymouth, but in my former city it was clear that town employees and contracted snowplow operators aimed for signposts and various other infrastructure when pushing snow-somewhat like the Moth Effect. New park benches, back stops, bushes, curbs, etc., would be carelessly demolished or damaged. There was little incentive to be careful, ostensibly because these same people were often the ones doing the repair work in the spring.
In looking for licensure or training expected of snowplow operators, I have been unable to find any special training in plowing snow is expected and almost anyone can attach a plow and plow snow. In my former community, I tried to have an ordinance passed that required snow plow operators to exhibit knowledge of the streets and areas they would be plowing with special attention to the infrastructure of the area; that they would know where park benches were, know not to pile snow against sign posts, avoid piling it on curb cut outs or crosswalks. This, of course, was not even entertained by the town council. To have any expectation that the (primarily) men doing this difficult work would be expected to do it well was thought to be insulting and lacking in understanding of the challenges.
Admonishing the people of Plymouth for expecting efficient and careful work is just a way of quashing speech and making sure that the low expectations and results continue.
– Linda MacDonald