Road works

AFin

Hi, does anyone work on the motorway or know anyone who does. I love to gt access onto the site and photograph it. The M50 etc.

humberklog

Official route:

You'll have to have a FAS Safe Pass. They cost about 80quid and if you're not up on site health and safety you'll probably do best to do a little reading up as the card is issued after a multiple choice exam. It's pretty straight forward but I've seen people with 10 years experience on-site work fail it. You will need one as every new site visitor has to be inducted by Health and Safety and every visitior to every site must have one.
Then you're better off contacting the design team in charge of the scheme and give them a very good reason why you should be allowed accompany them on a site walk about. There's little point in contacting the main contractor as they're too busy/completely un-interested in fitting in time with someone that's not producing for them.

Un-official:
Get a white hard hat, a hi-vis jacket, toetector boots (these you'll need for official route too), clip boards, calculator and a few pencils. Pick a quiet stretch on a quiet day and walk about looking officious. If asked any questions tell them you've been sent out to record on behalf of the design team. Moan about the weather and pay cuts etc.

I use the un-official route myself doing bits and bobs on the new Meath motorway. There are large quiet sections. Don't pick a busy one though as you'll be rumbled by Health and Safety in minutes.

AFin

I love the un-offical way. Sounds a bit mad to pull off. The offical way is alot of hassle and may get no where with it. Ideally Id like to photo different stretches of road all over dublin, photo at day and night, and the workers. Defo need to know someone for that.

humberklog

AFin wrote: »

Defo need to know someone for that.

No you don't and it really wouldn't help if you did as that person would be essentially committing hare kare job wise. You'd just be told to leave site and more than likely the guy that brought you onto it would be about 5 minutes up the road after you with his personal gear in a black plastic bag.

The un-official way is easy. Look as though you know what you're about. Be confident, sure it's only a stratch of road (ok I'm civil engineer myself and know exactly how simple it is). But it's really not complicated: stretch of road, the time you want with the light required, wind on film, snap. Now trying to get someone on-site to finagle a way in for you is getting really complicated and indeed hedging your possiblities to zero as anyone you approach will say no and then know what you look like and will spot you from outer space walking on a stretch of under construction motorway.

AFin

The un-official way is easy. Look as though you know what you're about. Be confident, sure it's only a stratch of road (ok I'm civil engineer myself and know exactly how simple it is). But it's really not complicated: stretch of road, the time you want with the light required, wind on film, snap.

Ok I get you about knowing someone. Dont want to get anyone else in trouble.
And know what you mean about trying to photograph people.
And I suppose it is about confidence, and you'd have to be quick. The more you do it the easier it'll be. I'd say Id have to pick a quieter spot and during the day. Would like to photo the larger, busier places. And would like to photo from higher up.
Is it ok parking the car?
Perhaps trying outside Dublin first.
And after getting a safe pass.

humberklog

Well you're not going to need a Safe Pass if you're gonna bonking onto the site. But a hard hat, boots and jacket will give you longer time before being rumbled.
As for parking...well that depends on what road you're going to photo. For e.g there's a lot of the M3 that can be easily accessed by foot, leaving the car legally parked on public highway. All entranceways should and do have security/traffic personell on point duty but it's only a matter of popping over a few fields. There's loads of access points between Navan and kells that aren't too much of a schlep. There are other roads that would be trickier such as the M50 as pedestrians aren't allowed to be on motorways (by highway law).

You won't get thrown in prison or even have the bizzies called. You'll just be told to gtf off.

Chorcai

Its all fun n games till someone gets hurt ! I have seen some crazy stuff happen on sites. Maybe road works are differant.