REPORTAGE
Behind the scenes during the night shift
While Nijmegen parties, they are already hard at work. Those marking out the route put up signs and barriers in the dark. Route inspectors on motorcycles ride ahead of the crowd to make sure the route is safe for walkers. Three indispensable 4Days Marches volunteers about the overnight preparations.
John Platenburg, route setter ‘For fifteen years now, I’ve been doing the road barriers in Nijmegen for the 4Days Marches on behalf of the Heijmans construction company. Every marching day, we start at 02.00 hrs at De Wedren with a coffee, and then we head out to mark out the route. We have to get on with it, because the wheelchair participants are always quick off the mark. The first year, they were hot on our heels before we’d finished.
What we do? Put up barriers, close roads, set up diversions. Every day is different: hot weather, an incident. You never know what you’ll encounter. We supply no fewer than 700 crowd-control barriers to the city of Nijmegen, and that’s only for a small piece of the whole route.
Walkers see only a small part of what we do. Our work starts as early as six weeks before with parking restrictions, barriers and signs. All with a view to ensuring they can walk safely. Once everything is in place and you see that mass of people walk by, I always think to myself: we've done it again.’
Peter van Dijk, route inspector ‘My alarm goes off at 02.00 hrs. At 04.00 hrs, I head out onto the route together with my colleague Peter Wildermast. Not to walk it, but to inspect it. As a route inspector, I ride ahead of the first walkers on an electric motorcycle to make sure the route is safe before they arrive. The 4Days Marches is big on sustainability, hence the electric motorcycles.
What I come across along the way? Bicycles parked on the route, lorries that are stuck because of road closures, residents who didn’t expect to have to wait for a bit. I move things out of the way, direct traffic and make sure people can be on their way. At around 10.30 hrs, I’m back at De Wedren, charge the motorcycle, and ride the whole route again. I work in education and I always reserve a week of my summer holidays for the 4Days Marches. Riding a motorcycle is my hobby, so this makes for an ideal combination. I’ve been volunteering for six years now. I just really enjoy myself doing this, 24/7.’
Peter Wildermast, route inspector ‘I’m 71 years old, a retired police officer, and I’ve been riding along as a route inspector for five years now. At 04.00 hrs in the morning, I head out onto the route together with my colleague Peter van Dijk. We ride ahead of the safety car. When the safety car has to stop, the entire throng of walkers stops. Along the way, I check if the route is clear: bicycles on the route, residents who want to cross no matter what, motorists who assume the 4Days Marches will make an exception for them. They get a clear no from me. Period.
But it’s not just about setting boundaries. When you’re riding alongside someone whose muscles are so sore they can barely limp, yet they keep going, it really does something to you. I don’t consider this a weakness, it’s part of the work. I want to reassure walkers that they’re safe and participating in an event where they’re taken good care of. Volunteering is voluntary, obviously, but it’s not without commitment for me. This event has long become part of my life.’
