Road shoulder grader - video

[Frank S]

Why remove the grass verge? Seems a pointless exercise to me, or am I missing something?

A couple of reasons 1 would be if they were getting ready to gravel the shoulder
The other to make sure the shoulder of the road is smooth. More people that you realize cannot seem to remain on the road while driving at speed. Anything can be hidden in the grass lost off of other vehicles intentionally tossed or ruts made by vehicles running off the road if someone else comes along and hits any of this they could loose control.
the best reason though is vegetation does not stay green all year once it dies it becomes a fire hazard a single hot carbon particle from an exhaust can and has started many a raging fires. Just this morning a motorgrader passed by my house doing this very same thing