The Grader

It is great to watch someone who is good with tools. Some people seem to be born with a hammer in their hand. Some can use machinery with a fluid ease. It is one thing to be able to drive or operate machinery, another to get it to do a job with economy of movement, and little fuss. A grader is relatively easy to drive. You could blat down to the shops in one. To grade and shape a road however is an art. In my book a top grader operator is the Lord of the road. From the cab you cannot see the front of the blade, you must guess how much material you are pushing by what is coming off the ends. The camber is constantly changing, you must know where water will run to. Some grader drivers who work the back country secondary roads have a lonely job, they are by themself most of the day. I know a couple who have turned down back country work for this reason. The guys working on construction have to be able to read plans & work to levels.
Years ago I remember a local grader driver who was an alcoholic. He was always pissed. He couldn't read the paper he shook that much and sometimes he needed assistance to get into the cab. Once he was behind the controls however, he could ice a cake with his old machine, he only went to bits as he sobered up. A steady stream of cow cockies would ply him with beer in return for a bit of work on their tracks, occasionally he would go missing and be found sound asleep engine roaring. No one minded, he was an asset to the community, and the roads were never better

Tibetan Grader photo Rodney Lewington