Ice-free sidewalks as a basic human right
A group of Somerville residents have organized to fight for better sidewalk snow removal in the city. Barry Rafkind recounts how his pregnant wife landed on her belly after slipping on a sidewalk in January:
... Fortunately, my wife's early contractions subsided and she carried our healthy daughter to term. Our story is just one example of how poorly maintained sidewalks represent a danger to everyone. Especially the elderly, the disabled, the young, the injured, and pregnant women are challenged by snow and ice, but even otherwise strong and healthy adults are not immune to slips and falls. ...
Comments
Sidewalk snow and ice
Sidewalk snow and ice removal is a big deal.
People are often injured (even permanently maimed) because of slippery sidewalks. And occasionally people are killed by autos in part because they are in the street because the sidewalk was impassable. (The first I heard of this was when I lived in Providence, and, if I recall correctly, it was a grandmother pushing a stroller in the street there. A similar tragedy happened here this winter.)
In Cambridge, property owners are required to clear abutting sidewalks, but compliance has been spotty. Cambridge tried out a system for reporting uncleared sidewalks, which I understand resulted in a large number of tickets: http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/services/snow....
Sidewalks seemed better in Cambridge this year, though dangerous spots were not unusual.
My biggest safety concern lately is snow getting pushed into curb cuts on street corners. Sometimes plows have enough space to work with and enough control that they can avoid pushing snow into the cuts, or even clear some of the snow that is there. Other times, it's an unsolved problem, given finite resources.
(Disclosure: I volunteer on pedestrian issues.)
There Is No Better Way
to get to know your neighbors than heading out to shovel. It's one of those universal experiences.
My Dad was always one to shovel the neighbors who couldn't and I am happy and gratified to report that what goes around, comes around. Before any of us can get over there, we find someone else on the street has handled it.
Ouch
I go for surgery Wednesday to fix a torn rotator cuff I got form slipping on someone's icy sidewalk...
Condolences
For what it's worth, the human body is remarkably resilient.
Just be sure to do everything they say about physical therapy and rehab, and don't put it off.
I put that off for a few years when I was injured, and when I finally got PT, I figuratively kicked myself with my newly-good knee for not doing things right from the start.
Ouch!!
Sorry you have to go into surgery due to a slip and fall injury, johnmcboston. Good luck--hope you're OK afterwards.
It's disgusting that people can act so irresponsibly and not shovel and salt down their walkways and steps., etc. A lot of willful ignorance there.
Ouch indeed
I dislocated a shoulder a little over a year ago, also from slipping on a (wet!) icy sidewalk. Physical therapy did wonders and I learned some things about shoulder joint anatomy that I hadn't known before, but it's a lousy way to get educated.
Since I grew up in Boston, I'm used to unspeakably poor compliance with snow-removal laws, not least by the city itself. I have to say that both compliance and enforcement have improved in the past few years, but there is still a long way to go. And I'm definitely intrigued by the idea of passable sidewalks as a civil/civic right.