# Occupations with lots of downtime

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-with-lots-of-downtime/645804>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 2, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-with-lots-of-downtime/645804 "2013-01-02T04:48:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-with-lots-of-downtime/645804/41 "2013-01-02T17:09:45Z")

</div>

Draw bridge operator.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-with-lots-of-downtime/645804/42 "2013-01-02T17:41:02Z")

</div>

> [@The\_Controvert](#):
>
> Does a lighthouse operator get to do anything they like for most of the day?

These days, any lighthouses still in use are automated, but back in the day there was a fair amount of maintenance involved. Lugging buckets of oil up to the top of the tower to feed the lamp, trimming the wick, etc. And it had to be done at all hours of the day & night. Plus, more often than not you were stuck in a place so desolate that it makes Buttfuck Nowhere look like Times Square.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-with-lots-of-downtime/645804.md?page=2)