A Flurry of Snow-Related Journalism
Way back at the beginning of the month, we implored people to tend to their sidewalks. While the Herald has been on this story from the first snow, somebody at the Globe must have finally slipped on Morrissey Boulevard and decided they’d had enough of the icy conditions.
And, of course, WBZ’s Dan Robichaud gets the snow-related quote of the year from City Councilor Chuck Turner.
The Herald asks us to think of the children. Charlestown students have had to walk in the streets since a wayward plow heaped snow back on the sidewalks a custodian had already cleared.
“We sent someone out there and they are going to have to get a (special) piece of machinery out there to remove the ice,” said [Boston Public Schools Spokesman Jonathan] Palumbo, adding that the work was expected to be done last night.
That’s all very unfortunate, but we don’t feel too bad for the kids. They’re young and heal quickly. The Globe shares our sentiment, instead focusing on the things that really matter—tourists and college students.
. . . [I]t was a different scene in front of the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade, where joggers and tourists risked life and limb to traverse one of the city’s favorite parks. Caked with trampled snow and ice, the park’s walkways were better suited to dog sleds than running shoes.
“In the city it’s OK, but around here . . . it’s not so good,” said Corina Wuthrich, who was attempting to show off the city to two friends from Spain.
At the Fenway yesterday afternoon, the Park Drive side of the park was cleared, while the Charlesgate side was glacierlike.
“There’s no salt or dirt or anything,” said Lindsay Cloutier, a Boston University student who passes through the park nearly every day on her way to and from school. “It doesn’t make it easy for those of us who walk a lot.”
Shouldn’t we have plans in place for snow? It’s not like we live below the Mason-Dixon line. Frozen precipitation is a harsh reality for the area for most of the year.
Which is advice City Councilor Chuck Turner should take, since he’s just begging for a failure to shovel violation. We pointed this out in our roundup, but we want to give you more wisdom from the man himself.
The law is the law, but the reality is that the cultural practice is not to use the sidewalks, even when the snow isn’t there.
The reality is that if I have to pay a ticket, I have to pay a ticket, so I have no problems with city inspectors coming by and ticketing me because I didn’t do it in this particular case.
Councilor Turner: the one man who isn’t pointing fingers. We salute you, sir.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
//The law is the law, but the reality is that the cultural practice is not to use the sidewalks, even when the snow isn’t there.//
Sounds like someone who uses a car to get everywhere.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
People who think you should shovel your goddamn sidewalk are racists.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
What color is snow? White! Just another way to oppress a black man!
December 20th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Just to let you all know that the news last night clarified Councilor Turner’s “cultural practice line.” He meant the cultural practice of those on his street. They also panned up and down his stret and noted the very few people on the street shoveled their street. And before you continue to spun this into a balck and white issue Councilor Turner lives in Fort Hill which is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Boston.