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Factory worker who can't afford a car walks 21 miles to work and back every day
Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 3rd February 2015 | James Gordon

Posted on 02/02/2015 2:25:26 PM PST by naturalman1975

For ten years James Robertson hasn't missed a single day of work. What's even more remarkable is that Robertson walks a round trip of 21 miles a day just to get there.

For five days a week, Robertson, 56, trudges from his home in Detroit to his job at the factory where he works in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

He's walked the walk ever since his 1988 Honda Accord quit on him more than 10 years ago.

His job pays him $10.55 an hour, which he claims is not enough for him to buy his own car, but that may well change after well-wishers managed to raise almost $42,000 for him in an online campaign in just hours.

For now though, whatever the weather, Robertson is there, on the job for his 2-10pm shift.

In the city that made the motor car famous, he is without his own four-wheels and there's no decent bus service to get him to where he wants to go, either.

'I set our attendance standard by this man,' said his boss Todd Wilson to the Detroit Free Press.

Wilson is plant manager at high-end plastic moulding specialists, Schain Mold & Engineering. 'I say, if this man can get here, walking all those miles through snow and rain, well, I'll tell you, I have people in Pontiac 10 minutes away and they say they can't get here — bull! He's never missed. I've seen him come in here wringing wet,' said Wilson, 53.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: bravosierra
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To: Opinionated Blowhard
Hey, the man gets to work every day. Where I work, it is amazing how many people skip work on a regular basis for the flimsiest of excuses.

That being said, I seems to me that there are other possibilities. I mean an ounce of brain power can be worth a ton of muscle power. There are bikes (as other's have mentioned), car pooling, public transportation, moving closer to work, buying cheap cars, etc. Sure some of these cost a few extra dollars, but he apparently values his time very cheaply. Still, ya gotta give him credit here.

21 posted on 02/02/2015 2:42:19 PM PST by fhayek
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To: naturalman1975

22 posted on 02/02/2015 2:43:10 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: naturalman1975

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3253328/posts


23 posted on 02/02/2015 2:43:45 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo (Plea$e $upport Free Republic!)
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To: naturalman1975

Twenty-one miles each way? That’s forty-two miles total. At a good walking clip of three miles per hour, that’s 14 hours per day walking, which leaves eight hours for work, one hour for lunch, and one hour for sleep.


24 posted on 02/02/2015 2:47:27 PM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: naturalman1975

He will probably live to be 100.


25 posted on 02/02/2015 2:48:01 PM PST by forgotten man
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To: LibWhacker
And here's proof; old guys can skateboard:


:-)

26 posted on 02/02/2015 2:48:55 PM PST by LibWhacker ("Every Muslim act of terror is follow by a political act of cover-up." -Daniel Greenfield)
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To: forgotten man

Exactly. I was thinking that, too. If he quits walking, it could be curtains, or at least cut short his longevity.


27 posted on 02/02/2015 2:50:59 PM PST by LibWhacker ("Every Muslim act of terror is follow by a political act of cover-up." -Daniel Greenfield)
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To: dynachrome
"10 years and he still makes only $10.55 an hour?"

I wonder if he knows welfare in Michigan pays more than $10.55 an hour?

28 posted on 02/02/2015 2:52:17 PM PST by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: dynachrome

+1


29 posted on 02/02/2015 2:53:22 PM PST by OKSooner
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To: naturalman1975

Google maps shows this would take about 7 hours each way.
There are bus/transit routes that take about 3 hours each way.
A cab or car ride would take about 30 minutes.

If he is walking this 5 days a week, he is a fool.


30 posted on 02/02/2015 3:00:00 PM PST by PeaceBeWithYou (De Oppresso Liber! (50 million and counting in Afghanistan and Iraq))
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To: PeaceBeWithYou

I admire his work ethic. I don’t necessarily think much of his commonsense or thinking skills.

But he might not be able to help those - he might not be too smart. He might have something wrong with his thinking.

But he’s not letting it stop him. He’s doing his best and he’s working very hard to do it.

I admire that.


31 posted on 02/02/2015 3:02:01 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: naturalman1975

He can buy a used junker(I’ve driven them for YEARS) for a thousand dollars...He can but a good quality bicycle for $200.00, He can buy a GOOD motorscooter for a few hundred dollars....my tears have already dried up...


32 posted on 02/02/2015 3:07:06 PM PST by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

The first sentence in the article say 21 miles ROUND TRIP.

.


33 posted on 02/02/2015 3:11:51 PM PST by Mears (there wasn't much conversation about it.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
Twenty-one miles each way?

Round trip was 21 miles...still don't believe it!!

34 posted on 02/02/2015 3:15:30 PM PST by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: naturalman1975

Robertson’s life is about to change for the better.

An gofund internet site set up for people to donate to Robertson was up to $42,000 dollars when the article was published and a local Chevrolet dealer has offered him a free 2014 Chevrolet Cruz or Sonic.


35 posted on 02/02/2015 3:20:14 PM PST by Iron Munro
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To: naturalman1975
His job pays him $10.55 an hour, which he claims is not enough for him to buy his own car

56 years old, works in a factory for 10 freaking years and they're paying the man 10.55 an hour?

Good grief...What a sad joke..

How in hell can even afford to pay rent etc, let alone a car?

??

36 posted on 02/02/2015 3:21:40 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: skinkinthegrass

He’s obviously practicing “Grey man” tactics. If he was on a bicycle or scooter (get real guy’s) he would be a major target. This is Detroit after all. Kudos to him.


37 posted on 02/02/2015 3:21:55 PM PST by OftheOhio (never could dance but always could kata - Romeo company)
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To: naturalman1975
The man has paid his dues. Now a college student started a fund to help him and it's gotten over $40,000. A Chevrolet dealer has offered him a free 2014 Cruz or Sonic. He's also had people that have been accustomed to seeing him walk the route pick him up and give him a ride. But in all the man has perseverance to say the least.
38 posted on 02/02/2015 3:26:22 PM PST by deport
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To: deport

Yes - hopefully this will make a big difference for him.

A car and the money to keep it maintained.

I think some people have missed the fact that this man didn’t ask for this publicity. He’s simply been getting on with his life without asking for a handout. At this point, I think he’s more than earned a little bit of help to make his life better.

The problem is the scroungers always on the take - not the person working as hard as they can doing the best the can and finding it tough.


39 posted on 02/02/2015 3:31:12 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: Mears

The headline was more ambiguous. I looked at it, and scanned the article. Twenty-one miles total is more believable.


40 posted on 02/02/2015 3:36:13 PM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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