Written by Séverine Breton
share this article:
“You’re pissing us off”, “assholes”… Impossible to list everything. The site manager of this Côtes d'Armor roundabout hears bad news all year round. But this time, death threats were added to the insults and insults. The workers were forced to leave the site.
Company
From daily life to major issues, discover the subjects that make up local society, such as justice, education, health and family.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the “Society” newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
It was last November 13. That evening, road officials working on the construction of a roundabout had planned to cut off traffic. “Initially, testifies Thibault Le Chenu, the site manager,The work was carried out with alternating traffic, but there the intervention required preventing car access.”
Some rushed at us at the risk of crushing us.
Thibault Le Chenu, site manager
His men therefore install the traditional red and white slowdown blocks… but “in the 10 minutes that followed, everything that had been put there to block the road was removed by the users, continues Thibault Le Chenu and people started driving around where we were working. Some rushed at us at the risk of crushing us. There were death threats: Either you take away your car or I'll get my gun and shoot you. We were in danger, we were forced to leave the site.”
Read: The day after a fatal accident, a DIRO agent hit by a motorist, while the lane was closed
The axis is a very busy departmental road. It accommodates up to 15,000 vehicles per day. “This roundabout is important for the safety of usersrecalls Thibault Le Chenu. We just do our job but people have no patience and are not understanding.”
The Côtes d'Armor roundabout where the violence was committed
•
© Jean-Michel Piron / France Télévisions
The workers did not return to the site until the next day. “DThe markings were moved away from the route while the road was blocked, deplores Franck Bourdais, director of infrastructure at the Côtes d'Armor Departmental Council. If a road is blocked it is because behind there is work, a construction site, agents working. Not respecting this sign means endangering Department agents, company agents but also putting oneself in danger, because behind, the motorist does not know what he or she may find, a machine construction site, a hole, work that is not finished.”
They had to jump in the ditch because otherwise they would get shot
Franck Bourdais, director of infrastructure at the Côtes d'Armor Departmental Council
The director is aware of the daily life of the agents and knows the meaning of the names of birds that sometimes fly along the roadsides. “But there are collaborators who risked their lives,” he says. “They had to jump into the ditch because otherwise they would get shot. It’s unacceptable.”
“You’re pissing us off”, “Assholes”, road agents are often victims of incivility
•
© Jean-Michel Piron / France Télévisions
“We are not doing this to annoy motorists he continues. Some work cannot be done overnight: we close, we reopen and boom, everything is done! Between the earthworks, the wearing courses, the edges, it all takes time!”
Read: Shock video of the accident of a van hit on the RN 12. The West Directorate warns of risky behavior
Stopped behind the red light at the construction site, the motorists are rather understanding. “The work is being done to help traffic”recalls one of them. But everyone notices that behind the wheel, people sometimes lose all common sense. “We live in a world where people show a certain impatience with everything,” indicates one. “Me, I'm an old man and I get honked at because I'm not going fast enough and because I respect the speed limits ! “, describes another.
Sometimes we have people who tell us, “I work”, implying that we don’t work!
Franck Bourdais, director of infrastructure at the Côtes d'Armor Departmental Council.
“We are in a period where everyone is on edge, in a world that is moving ever faster. So we don't accept having to wait“, worries Franck Bourdais.
The Côtes d'Armor roundabout where the violence was committed
•
© Jean-Michel Piron / France Télévisions
“Sometimes we have people who tell us, “I work”, implying that we don't work! In our vehicle, we have the impression that we are the only one to have constraints, the only one to to work !”
He reassures himself by telling himself that in two or three months, the people who pass by will no longer remember the site, there will be no more problems… But the workers were impacted so “what we wishterm-t-the, it's that the agents are really much more respected!'
(With Sandrine Ruaux)
