The myth I want to dispel is that construction workers just stand around doing nothing - especially when patching potholes.

Okay, I have actually tried to dispel this myth before and have received massive amounts of pushback, but I guess I’ll just keep slamming my head into a wall on this issue.

When a crew goes out to patch a pothole (and there are a lot of potholes in my area due to the rapid freeze-thaw cycle), they need to set up traffic control around the area, then clean out the pothole to be filled. They remove dirt and debris (mostly trash and leaves), and then chip the surrounding material back to “good pavement”.

Once that is done, THEN they can call for the fill material - and until the fill material arrives they have to WAIT.

Why? Well, for one thing, the fill has to be mixed up fresh at the plant, and then it has a very limited shelf-life. They can’t call for it until they know exactly how much they need, and they can’t call ahead of time because once the mix cools down it is useless - unless it is in the patch. So they can’t just order more than they need because where are they going to dispose of the excess? Not to mention that asphalt isn’t exactly cheap.

They can’t leave and start cleaning a new pothole because drivers WILL ignore the traffic cones and drive into the hole. Also, with traffic going by, more debris will end up in the hole, blown by the drafts caused by passing cars. So they have one guy watching the traffic and another guy making sure the hole stays clean and the rest of the crew cleans up their tools and get ready for the hot asphalt mix to arrive. The crew chief fills out the necessary paperwork, but they are usually sitting in the truck, at least. (The crew is usually only 4 guys, including the chief, anyway.)

When the mix arrives, they fill the pothole (possibly in several layers), compact the material and protect it while it cools so some idiot driver doesn’t drive over the fresh (hot) patch, melting their tires into the asphalt and damaging both tires and patch.

As they wait for the patch to cool/ cure, they clean their tools again (asphalt is sticky and you can’t get it off once it has hardened), then race off to do the next pothole.

It is hard labor and takes real strength and stamina to do. But the drivers going past are mad at the inconvenience (and would be even angrier if the potholes didn’t get patched) and often yell offensive things like, “get back to work!” when the men ARE working - but not actually using a pick or a shovel. Measuring the holes, checking the surrounding material and ensuring the patch takes *IS* real work.

I’ve heard the same complaint while waiting for the next concrete truck (which is especially fun when the truck is caught in traffic because of the idiot drivers who have to slow down to yell at the “lazy” construction workers) or basically any construction that occurs near traffic. “New” construction or construction on roads that are closed are so much calmer and easier to work.

So, construction workers who don’t appear to be “working” (i.e.: they aren’t swinging a pick, sledgehammer or shovel) aren’t “lazy” - there are other parts to their job that take more skill than muscle. And I challenge anyone who yells, “Get back to work,” at a construction worker to swing a pick, sledgehammer or shovel for fifteen minutes straight and find out just how important it is to have some rest periods in between.