Snowplow driver receives abuse from motorists after road condition update

A snowplow driver on Norway’s Hardangervidda plateau has spoken out after receiving abusive phone calls from motorists upset over Easter traffic conditions, Dagbladet reports.

Jostein Are Tafjord, who was on duty over the weekend to keep National Road 7 open for holiday traffic, posted a road condition update to a local Facebook group on Sunday evening. The message—warning of shifting conditions, increasing winds, and incoming precipitation—prompted five angry callers to contact him directly.

“People were asking why there was convoy driving,” Tafjord told Dagbladet. “They had checked webcams and thought the road looked fine. But there are many stretches between those cameras, and they don’t show how bad it really is.”

He described the calls as aggressive, with two coming from blocked numbers. “It wasn’t pretty language. I don’t want to repeat what they said,” he added.

The incident follows a pattern of hostility toward snowplow operators during harsh winter conditions. In early 2025, Bjørn Laksforsmo, a director at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, publicly urged motorists to “show restraint” after reports of verbal abuse and even physical confrontations with snowplow crews.

Tafjord’s follow-up Facebook post about the calls has since drawn over 800 supportive reactions, with commenters condemning the drivers’ behavior. While he noted that most motorists behave responsibly, he warned of reckless overtaking—particularly near snowplows—where flying snow and ice can damage vehicles.

“If the weather’s bad, turn off cruise control and use regular headlights so we can see each other,” he advised. “Take it easy over the mountain. And don’t yell at the plow drivers.”