Letters to the Editor
Icy sidewalks
February 18, 2007
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To the editor:
I have often subtly poked fun at people who begin their letters to the editor with "I am outraged that:," especially when the issue doesn't really merit outrage.
It is generally hard for me to get more than "mildly annoyed" by anything, but I have to confess that I am close to outrage about the lack of consideration apartment and rental-house owners show in removing snow and ice from the sidewalks adjacent to their properties.
Most of the stretch between 14th and Massachusetts streets and Tennessee hasn't been cleaned once during the last snows.
The city enforcement is so lax and the fine so meager, there can't be much financial incentive for the property owners to clear them. Removing ice and snow is hard work, and they'd probably have to pay someone more than the value of the fine to clear it, even if they did get fined.
I am puzzled, though, why they would risk liability lawsuits rather than to just do the right thing.
People do slip and break bones, leaving injuries that sometimes never completely heal.
Geoff Husic,
Lawrence
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18 February 2007
at 9:53 a.m.
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leavemealone (Anonymous) says…
Goeff-My landlord put in the contract that he didn't have to clean the snow and ice that it is tenent responsibility. Personally, I use to clean it all the time, but decided since the other tenents wouldn't help. I'll just let my landlord get sued instead.
18 February 2007
at 10:17 a.m.
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OnlyTheOne (Anonymous) says…
Went to a Lawrence restaurant yesterday afternoon. Their feeble attempt of clearing snow from handicapped parking and access to building was ridiculous!
18 February 2007
at 10:36 p.m.
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punkrockmom (Anonymous) says…
I want to know who is responsible for the sidewalks around city parks. I mean, there are no houses there. I walked between my house and my daughter's school. horrible.
18 February 2007
at 11:01 p.m.
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Jane (Anonymous) says…
Tell me Geoff and punkrockmom…just how does one remove ice and snow in 4 degree weather with a wind chill of -20 degrees? I remove the stuff as soon as humanly possible, the only two on the block that do remove the stuff are myself and my next door neighbor. How do you remove it when it is soooo cold? Spend three hours chipping away at it? No thanks.
19 February 2007
at 6:56 a.m.
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conservative (Anonymous) says…
Jane, It's called icemelt. It's a combination of salt and other ingredients. It can be purchased at any hardware store.
I've had my driveway and sidewalks cleared in the required 24 hours every time it's snowed or iced this winter. Yeah it takes time and effort, but is better than watching the kids in the neighborhood fall on the way to school because I didn't do what is right.