Field Trips
By: Nick Wallace
Thursday, April 28th Madison Heights high school took a field trip to a construction site were kids in high school got to do real hands on activities that real construction workers do every day. Three things I learned I learned at the construction site field trip would have to be how to drive a machines, construction safety and last semi driving.
First, right when we got to the construction site we saw big tractors and machines. First thing that came to mind was am I really going to be able to drive that by myself? I later found out that yes they do let you drive the machines. You think that driving machines and managing the machine is easy think again, people have stereotypes about construction workers that they are under educated but in fact these machines take a lot of thinking and quick decisions because one wrong move and the bucket can swing the wrong way or someone could get severally injured. One thing I remember about the bobcat is that the left joystick is used to move the crane up and down and the right joystick is used to control the bucket for dumping dirt and picking dirt up.
Second, is construction safety. That is one thing that people at the field trip did not tolerate was misbehaving and messing around by the big machinery. The lady warned us that this was our warning and any other time we would be talked to we would be asked to go back in the bus for the rest on the field trip. A few tips they gave us about safety was that when dumping the dirt from the bucket keep it close to the ground because a rock could fall from high in the air and injure somebody. Another clutch tip a man gave me was whenever around construction always wear your helmet. He said it only takes one time from something to hit you in your head or face and it could be life changing. After hearing about what happened to him when he wasn’t wearing a helmet every time I’m by heavy machinery I will always have my hard hat.
Third, semi driving. We met a guy named Jeff who was in charge of the big semi that was there and he said he drives out of state almost every week and says that hulling big stuff on a semi is not as easy as it looks. He says that when driving you always have to watch how hard your turn is and how wide your turning because you don’t want anything falling off the trailer and when turning you don’t want to hit another car. He also told us that when driving these big trucks when he goes back to his other car, it is a lot easier to park in small spots because he is used to huge trucks.
I think that going on field trips is good for students because not only is it a time for a break from school but it is an educational experience is also very fun like the last field trip. I hope by viewers reading this passage you have a better understanding on what myself and other Madison High School student participated in and hopefully you can enjoy a field trip with your peers.
