LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Nobody likes to get stuck in construction traffic but all too often, drivers direct their frustration at the innocent flagger.
"The flagger is the most hated person ever. Nobody wants to wait. Everybody wants to rush to get nowhere, but now I get nothing but smiles, and I love it! Everybody's waving, smiling, happy, that's it."
After 17 years doing this for a living, Mike Trevorah was sick of drivers' hot air.
"Just tired of being hated, so now it's definitely working out."
Now he stops traffic and tempers with his talent for balloon artistry. He's mastered dozens of designs, like unicorns or unplanned ponies.
Trevorah started tying his balloon creations to his hard hat last year during the pandemic.
"I did a turkey last year. I was just doing it on the road practicing, and I put it on my head, and I got such a good reaction. Everybody loved it, nothing but smiles from the meanest guys to the oldest ladies; they all loved it."
He posts them on social media for thousands of people to see.
"I always have my balloons on me, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere."
Mike's most concerned about what the people waiting in their cars think, but what does the boss have to say about it?
"The bosses love it! It slows people down; that's the first thing because everybody likes to speed through work zones also."
Mike's coworkers say they actually feel safer when he has a balloon animal on his head.
If the neon and flags don't do it, Mike's designs get people to put their foot on the brake.
"Slow down, take it easy; that's pretty much it. Everybody's in a rush, rush, rush. Just slow down through the work zone. Everybody has families; everybody wants to get home."
And if you find yourself in traffic this construction season, try to have some fun with it.