Name: Scott Raymond
General Services Department
How long have you been driving the sidewalk plow?
About 10 years.
Is there a name for the device?
There are three different kinds we use: a Holder, a Trackless and a Bobcat. The Holder and Trackless are larger, and the Bobcat is the smallest one we use.
What exactly are your duties when you drive the plow?
It depends on which plow I'm in. The bigger ones have sanders on them, but the Bobcats don't.
How many miles of sidewalk are there in Concord?
There are about 120 miles of sidewalk in Concord, and we plow about 96 of them.
What is the most difficult storm you can remember plowing?
The heaviest storms with wet snows are usually the worst. When you can't plow it, you have to use the snow-blower attachment, and that's when it gets harder.
What is the fastest speed at which the plow can run?
If you go too fast, you'll break parts of it, so they don't go too fast. And the Bobcats are easy to get clogged up. I'd say about 1 mph or with a plow on about 3 mph.
Have you ever taken the plow to a drive-thru window?
I haven't done that, but I don't plow downtown. I've heard stories, though.
Who has the right-of-way if you meet a pedestrian?
If you see somebody, you usually shut it down and let them go through. You have to be careful when you turn, too, to make sure you aren't throwing snow on cars or people. But most of the time, you let a pedestrian go by.
Ever take the plow off any sweet jumps?
The Bobcats, no; the Holders, you might be able to. But the curbing from one road to the other is usually at a slant, and if you happen to end up not right where you want to, you'll tip and just about go through the windshield.
If you raced a Segway, who would win?
Against a Segway? I wouldn't have much of a chance. It'd be nice to try, though. I'd have to have the Holder to do that.
Do you ever get plow envy of the larger plows?
Not plow envy, necessarily, but you can get pretty tired pretty quickly in one of the little ones, especially after one or two shifts in a regular plow. But it is what it is. We take our time because we have to.
Does your taste for the miniature expand beyond plowing? Do you enjoy cupcakes over larger cakes or mini-golf to golf?
I'll take both when it comes to the cakes. And mini-golf? I'm a little older now, so maybe I'd take that, too.
