Road patrolman Chris, 28
Job title: NRMA Patrol Officer
Describe a typical work day.
I basically go around and fix cars. It involves a lot of driving. I start at Willoughby Park and work around North Sydney on a rotating roster.
How long have you been employed in that role?
Five months.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Helping people out. My office is outside and I get to work around the Harbour.
What’s the worst thing?
Driving all day in traffic.
What advice would you give to motorists who interact with you?
Don’t be afraid of calling NRMA Motoring & Services if
you break down. If possible, try and pull over to the side of
the road or just get the car to a place where we can work on
it safely.
What is a little known fact about your job that motorists wouldn’t know?
Babies locked in cars are treated as emergency jobs. We get to the majority within 15 minutes. Also, we’re not a mobile workshop. We do carry a fair bit of gear to get most situations sorted out but we’re just here to get the car going, not fix it completely.
Babies locked in cars are treated as emergency jobs. We get to the majority within 15 minutes. Also, we’re not a
Police officerRachael, 32
Job title: Constable, Highway Patrol (Mosman Police Station)
Describe a typical work day.
General patrolling of the main roads to the city, speed enforcement and random breath testing.
How long have you been employed in that role?
I’ve been in the police force for four years and in highway patrol for nine months.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Flexibility and working with a lot of different people.
What’s the worst thing?
Terrible road accidents and irate motorists.
What advice would you give to motorists who interact with you?
Don’t take it personally, we’re just doing our job. And slow down!
What is a little known fact about your job that motorists wouldn’t know?
We’ve got audio and video cameras in all our cars now that record everything. We also have computers in our cars, which are linked to the RTA, so we can do checks on all vehicles and licences and we know if cars are unregistered and if people are unlicensed. We also have new ‘Alcometers’ for breath-testing. You don’t have to blow into a tube anymore, you just speak and it tests your blood alcohol level.
Street sweeperBilly, 44
Job title: Area Base Driver (street sweeper), Leichhardt Council
Describe a typical work day.
We start at 6.30am. I work with a team of people who sweep the rubbish out into the street manually and I come along in the machine and sweep it all up. The set run is the carpark opposite Leichhardt Oval and around the foreshore, then the parks and back lanes.
How long have you been employed in that role?
Three years.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Being outdoors and a bit independent.
What’s the worst thing?
Some of the stuff people leave in parks and carparks, like needles, syringes and condoms. Sometimes the machine blocks up and I have to clear it by hand.
What advice would you give to motorists who interact with you?
Just to take care. Drivers speed up and try and pass me as soon as they see the machine and sometimes they nearly hit the people I work with. Also, though the machine is stable, if it hits a pothole it can swerve. I try and pull over to the left for them but they just need to wait.
What is a little known fact about your job that motorists wouldn’t know?
The general perception is, you’re a council worker, you’re a bludger, but things have changed since the old days and we work hard.
Road workerDennis 61
Job title: Plant Operator, Bega Shire Council
Describe a typical work day.
I am on the road all day fixing potholes, road shoulders and patching. I also make a big effort to be good to the public. I’ve been employed in that role for 10 years.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Automation has improved the work dramatically. You still have to get your hands dirty – you always will in this job – but the automation has made life a lot easier.
What’s the worst thing?
Unfortunately, it is rain. A wet day upsets our schedules and creates more potholes. We have a huge area to cover and it is an ongoing job.
What advice would you give to motorists?
Don’t try and put it over me. Be polite and courteous and respect those working on the roads. In return we will fully respect you.
What is a little known fact about your job that motorists wouldn’t know?
Stress. It can be pretty stressful when people fail to heed speed signs. It can make you very tense on occasions when a vehicle speeds through road works. I would ask that motorists do slow down as it makes it a lot easier for us to complete work on time.
Parking OfficerKel, 31
Job title: Team Leader, ACT Parking Operations
Describe a typical work day.
Start at 8.00am, arrange staff patrols, vehicles, etc. Out on patrol myself checking problem areas and staff issues. Back to base at 5.00pm to download the information on the hand held terminals. Finish at 5.45pm. I have been employed in that role for two years.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Being outdoors, and because we patrol all of the ACT we are not stuck in the one area. One day I could be in the city and the next day I could be patrolling the southern suburbs.
What’s the worst thing?
Being abused by members of the public.
What advice would you give to motorists?
Before you park your vehicle please check the signs.
What is a little known fact about your job that motorists wouldn’t know?
Recently, our health department ran a health promotion and the results showed just how physically exerting our job is. We found that if we added up all the kilometres walked by the parking officers within a six-week period we would have walked around Australia.
Babies locked in cars are treated as emergency jobs. We get to the majority within 15 minutes. Also, we’re not a mobile workshop. We do carry a fair bit of gear to get most situations sorted out but we’re just here to get the car going, not fix it completely.
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