I'm a female roadworker and I have been threatened with gun and had urine thrown at me
Sinead Ryan, 24, has had a gun pulled on her and a bag of urine thrown at her while on the job.
A female traffic management worker has bravely spoken out about the relentless abuse she endures daily on the job.
From being threatened with a gun to having bags of urine thrown at her, 24-year-old Sinead Sinead's experience reveals a disturbing reality faced by road workers, particularly women, who are often subjected to extreme aggression from frustrated drivers.
Working on the roads since she was 18, Sinead has witnessed the ugly side of road rage firsthand.
"Abuse is just like a normal thing for us," she told MailOnline, detailing how encounters can escalate from verbal insults to physical threats in an instant. "I've had to lock myself in my van because people have slammed their hands on the bonnet and tried to get in."
One particularly terrifying incident occurred when a driver pulled out a gun as she was setting up traffic cones.
"You just kind of freeze, you don't really know, it's sort of like a pinch-me moment—like is that real?" Sinead recalled, still shaken by the memory.
Thankfully, police were called and responded quickly, apprehending the assailant. But the incident left a lasting impact, making her more cautious and aware of the potential dangers every time she goes to work.
Sinead's experiences are not isolated cases. Suffolk Highways has reported a significant increase in both verbal and physical attacks on road workers, with 541 incidents recorded between 2020 and 2023.
In response, signs warning that offenders could face legal consequences have been placed at various work sites, and additional safety measures, such as body cameras, have been introduced. Despite these efforts, the abuse persists, leaving many workers, like Sinead, feeling vulnerable and unsupported.
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"It seems to be common that members of the public just think they can abuse road workers", Darren Clark, operations director at TBF Traffic, said. "They can’t accept we are there trying to help them."
For Sinead, the situation is not just frustrating but deeply troubling. Despite her love for the job, she is constantly on edge, wondering if today might be the day that someone’s rage crosses the line.
"We don't come to work to be abused," she said, reflecting the sentiment of many road workers who face daily dangers just to keep our roads safe and functional.
As she continues her work, Sinead remains a strong advocate for the "Stamp It Out" campaign, which seeks to raise awareness and combat the abuse faced by road workers.
