Ever hear of a ladder?

[triplemultiplex]

On my last road trip while driving through Marshfield, WI, I observed the following maintenance crew doing something to a streetlight:



This was in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday and there were a good amount of cars on Central Avenue at the time.
Two things struck me as really stupid.

First of all, they have this giant boom lift to put a worker only 10 feet in the air.  It seems like an ordinary ladder would suffice for this guy to fiddle with whatever he's working on.

But okay, maybe he's got a bunch of heavy tools to use or this is just one of several maintenance jobs on the docket for the day including some where the big cherry picker is needed.  Fine then, but why the hell did they park this rig in a lane of traffic on a busy street when there's a perfectly vacant side street literally right next to it?    This strikes me as really dumb. 

And should that guy in the lift be wearing a hard hat?

[Special K]

why the hell did they park this rig in a lane of traffic on a busy street...

It doesn't look that busy to me.

[allniter89]

why the hell did they park this rig in a lane of traffic on a busy street...

It doesn't look that busy to me.

Maybe that is busy for MArshfield

[Alps]

Here traffic can get around in the left lane. On the side street, you may be blocking one direction or even the entire street.

[Mr_Northside]

Here traffic can get around in the left lane. On the side street, you may be blocking one direction or even the entire street.

I agree....
Though, it seems that has plenty enough "arm" that they could've parked in that final on-street parking spot (even against the yellow)

[DaBigE]

From the looks of where that truck is parked, aren't they already blocking part of the side-road/intersection?

[triplemultiplex]

From the looks of where that truck is parked, aren't they already blocking part of the side-road/intersection?

Yes they are.

[Duke87]

Hypothesis: union work rules say these guys cannot be compelled to use a ladder

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Hypothesis: union work rules say these guys cannot be compelled to use a ladder

Conservative management cut funding for ladders instead of tax increase to buy a ladder or two.

[agentsteel53]

Hypothesis: union work rules say these guys cannot be compelled to use a ladder

Conservative management cut funding for ladders instead of tax increase to buy a ladder or two.

I'm gonna assume that there is a congresscritter in the pocket of the cherry-picker lobby ...