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Fishtailing grader

I was driving down the St Bathans hill in the snow when around the corner came a Fulton Hogan grader, without chains, pushing snow uphill while going sideways.

You don’t need chains going downhill but you do need them going uphill.

The crown of the road was left too high after gravelling last summer and the grader had further trouble staying on top of it.

I used the water table to stop in, which was easy because it is full of big rocks left after the gravelling.

I signalled the grader driver to stop. Fortunately he did. I shouted that I’d just squeeze past him and remove the danger of my car smashing up his grader.

It was entertaining watching his back end fishtailing in my mirror, clawing for the top of the crown again.

Meantime I had my own work cut out because the soft snow was gone, leaving only ice, so I was back on the water table again. But the rocks, at least, were better snow covered.

In the county council days, Les Clarke, based at Hills Creek, started at 3am, always chained up, and graded the high roads first, downhill getting most of the ice off, then the country roads so the farmers could start feeding out at dawn.

The tar seals were next because troublesome townies would be along shortly after.

I think Fulton Hogan roading engineers should wear neckties again like their county council counterparts.

If they put members of the public or employees in danger, you’ve got something to strangle them with.

Perhaps next summer the high crown could be removed and spread over the rocks in the water table, so then the roading engineers would have a carriageway nicely wide enough to be tar sealed, since it is now 20 years since the first part was done. Brian Jackson St Bathans Central Otago District Council roading manager Murray Hasler replied:

Thank you for the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Central Otago District Council to Mr Jackson’s letter.

Both the council and Fulton Hogan were surprised to receive Mr Jackson’s criticism.

The situation that Mr Jackson described is in our opinion an example of the dedication and professionalism which Fulton Hogan staff display in maintaining the district roads.

Its staff often work in very harsh conditions, as in this case. They do this to ensure the least disruption to travel on the district’s roads.

The comparisons Mr Jackson makes in his letter are not apples with apples comparisons.

Unfortunately, he unfairly compares practices from 30 or more years ago with those of today. His references to grading techniques, long-retired staff, snow clearing priorities and the county council all apply to a bygone era. Even the road materials used are often different to those economically available today.

Probably the biggest difference in this case is the modern grader which Fulton Hogan uses. The technology, power and flexibility a modern grader has is far superior to the graders used in the era Mr Jackson refers to.

Some grading techniques have changed significantly from those employed in the past due to the improved ability of a modern grader.

The fishtailing technique which Mr Jackson appears to disapprove of is an acceptable practice in appropriate circumstances today.

Chains to still need to be fitted to graders in some situations. However, a modern grader has no trouble operating without chains in many situations where they would have been needed in the past.

In conclusion, I believe that our contractor’s staff should be commended for their effort to keep our roads passable in difficult and sometimes hazardous conditions.

Fulton Hogan would welcome contact from Mr Jackson to allow it to demonstrate some of the abilities of its modern grader.

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