Heading out for a walk, I get halfway down the driveway and realize I’ve forgotten my hat. I ponder walking without one and then decide to head back in and get my favorite black baseball cap with the orange Monster (beverage) logo. It is my favorite because it is fitted and comfortable and my favorite color. One unexpected benefit is that when I wear it someone under 18 usually notices, thinks it is cool, and proceeds to tell me about some web site where I can get other Monster wear.
But I digress. Since it is close to 9 p.m., I’m not grabbing the hat to look cool because in the dark no one is going to be able to see the logo. I am putting it on because on these evening strolls I often encounter low branches and overgrown bushes and am afraid that if I don’t wear a hat some tick or other bug may leap from the branch or bush and onto my scalp.
You learn a lot about sidewalk maintenance when you walk outside, as I do during the summer. The majority of homeowners keep their walks clear of low branches, bushes and other debris. Many go above and beyond, edging the grass and sweeping them regularly so that dirt and leaves don’t accumulate. I would estimate that around 20 percent don’t bother to trim low branches or overgrown hedges. Others allow dirt and other debris to accumulate. I recently passed a walk where the owner left dirt piles on their walk. Apparently they were doing yard work and decided the walk was the best place to pile the dirt.
I suspect that some of the people that don’t maintain their walks are resentful for having to spend time on something that they have little use for and mainly benefits school children and other pedestrians passing by. But in a society where obesity is rampant we should be doing everything we can to encourage walking. I can attest that clear sidewalks make regular exercise more pleasant.
I want to thank all the homeowners in the southeast section of Wallingford that keep their walks clear and encourage the town planning department to keep requiring builders to put in sidewalks. For those who haven’t checked their walks in a while, take a look and consider cutting any overgrown bushes and low-hanging branches.
If you have an older neighbor and notice some trimming that needs to be done on their property, offer to help.
Let me know what you think.
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- I have worked at the Record-Journal for 24 years. I started as a college intern and along the way worked in news, sports and on the editorial page. My wife Mary and I live in Wallingford with our two sons, Michael (17) and Danny (15) Click here to listen to my podcast from Moran Middle School.
4 comments:
Greetings from Vegas, Ralph.
There's probably an ordinance for that (keeping sidewalks clear of obstructions); I'll ask when I get back to town.
Not that I expect any enforcement, but rather, due to the fact that I am now curious.
Take a walk down South Main on the east sidewalk from the Post Office to where the sidewalk abruptly ends (just a tad north of Hillsview) and let me know how many times you get smacked in the face by overgrowth.
Whatever the number of times that might be, I can guarantee you my son in the Radio Flyer wagon runs the risk of getting hit in the face twice as often.
Generally too, (not EVERY time but often), it is not due to some homeowners inability to do the work but rather a factor of laziness. These are, many times, the same folks that walk their dogs and don’t clean up after them and will often not clear the sidewalks of snow in the winter and so forth.
You can set all the ordinances in town you want, but without any enforcement you’ll never get all the people that you might wish to comply
As far as trying to set the standard for being a “good neighbor” and having them “do the right thing” – well; you can’t polish a turd.
I have to say that leaving piles of dirt on the sidewalk demonstrates a total disregard for one's home, town, neighbors, and any other passers by.
There must be some ordinance, but I agree that enforcement is a challenge.
Our neighborhood has experienced dog poop on sidewalks and people's lawns. The problem was so bad a few years ago that a neighbor on an adjoining street posted signs in the neighborhood telling people to clean up after their dogs. The problem remains since recently one of my neighbors posted a sign on their mailbox "Kids at play, clean up after your dog."
It is unfortunate that not all people are considerate of one another.
Jason and Elizabeth
Guess I'm not alone.
Not cleaning up after your dog is a much more serious matter than dirt or low hanging branches. Little children tend to touch everything so dog droppings are a serious health risk.
"It is unfortunate that not all people are considerate of one another."
The above was in reference to the dog droppings comments.
You see, it goes beyond just consideration when you think about it.
It is an ordinance so in effect they are breaking the law.
Those people don't care mainly because they just don't care but equally it is because they know they'll never be fined for it. They may feign ignorance but go ahead and mention it to them – some will actually tell you they don’t care. I had one guy tell me “it’s the town’s sidewalk, they can pick it up.”
Enforcement is the only key. If you run the risk of being fined, (really fined, like $500.00), you'll NEVER ignore an ordinance ever again.
I believe the ordinances should be posted online and sent to anyone that requests a physical copy for proactive review.
Every ordinance should have an infraction penalty (fine) associated to them and every resident should get a written warning on any first infraction of any ordinance. They should be given a copy of the town ordinances, put into their hand, and they must sign to as having received it with the understanding that part of the “let off” with just a written warning is so that they might familiarize themselves with the ordinances – the one they broke and the others on the books.
At the second offense of any ordinance (does not have to be a repeat of the first offense) they should be fined 33% of the full infraction amount and reminded that they must review the copy of the local ordinances they are breaking.
At the third and subsequent infractions, fine them the full amount. It’s not like at that point they can honestly use the ignorance argument.
If someone gets a written warning and then doesn’t have a repeat instance for 12 rolling months then the first instance is “erased” and they start at zero again. Same is true for infraction #2 and so on; go 12 months rolling without incident and you’re wiped back to zero and entitled to a “pass” again at future infraction number 1.
Too complicated? I disagree. If it’s because there are too many ordinances then get the useless ones off the books.
Without any enforcement there’s really no point in having them anyway. People use that as a continual argument on why police and other local officials deserved to be ignored (the “no one is tending the store” mentality) and it only serves to aggravate those that might otherwise comply with the laws, ordinances and regulations because we think we should or it the right thing to do. All the while some of us steam under the collar at the folks that know better and do what they want anyway.
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