PSA: Why you should really, really, oversalt your walks, please.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

This morning on Kidder Ave, somewhere between Lowden and College, I slipped on a very icy driveway. I twisted my ankle pretty painfully and had to limp the rest of the way to work, and my wrist is lightly bruised from where I landed on it.  I

A very nice lady turned around and came back to make sure I hadn't broken my ankle before she helped me get to my feet and collect my bag. My sincere and genuine thanks for her kindness.

I know it's a hassle, and that supplies of ice melt are hard to find right now and cost money, but please, if you think you've salted enough, put down at least another layer. Ice really does lead to people getting hurt. I doubt I'll need more than NSAIDs, ice, and elevation, but someone else might not be so lucky.

[Edit 11:47am] Reminder from entrochan : Somerville provides a free salt/sand mix that you can get by the DPW. Longer-lasting (you get traction in addition to some melting) and better for the environment than oodles of salt.

Y'hear that? FREE.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I'm so sorry to read this. Do you have YakTrax ? They can come in quite handy in weather like this. I suggest getting the (more expensive) kind with the velcro strap so they don't come off easily.

Get well soon!

[countlibras.livejournal.com]

it was definitely a YakTrax kind of morning today.

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

Ron, you're referring to "Yaktrax Pro," right? I previously gave up on them because they slipped off too frequently, but now I have hope.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

I had heard of them, and thought "Oh, that sounds like a good idea," and then promptly forgotten to look into it. After this morning's experience, I think I'll be investing in some. Thank you for the reminder, and for the well wishes. :)

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

YakTrax have been essential for me this season.

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

Somerville provides a free salt/sand mix that you can get by the DPW. Longer-lasting (you get traction in addition to some melting) and better for the environment than oodles of salt.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

Even more reason why there's no excuse for the condition of the sidewalks this morning. Thank you for the info, I'll update my post to reflect it as a reminder to residents.

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

do we have to go all the way to DPW (out past Ball Square, it appears)? I don't see anything on the Somerville web site...

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Cambridge's website (http://www.cambridgema.gov/theworks/ourservices/snow/whatyoucando/snowclearing.aspx) says not to use sand on sidewalks, because it makes ice more slippery, and is hard to clean up in the spring.

Sand Only

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

FYI - I just went down to the DPW. They are giving away sand only. It's in a big pile across the street from the front entrance... no one checking for residency or anything.

[georgy.livejournal.com]

Yes, this, a thousand times this. I wrenched my back this weekend, and having to slide around on icy sidewalks while barely being able to walk to begin with has been absolute hell.

My husband also has a weak ankle due to injury and had to take a cab home last night from Cambridge due to the extreme icy conditions.

Is the city still vigilantly ticketing icy/snowy sidewalks? Because I have a few house #s for 311.

All this said, be glad you don't live in Medford. I don't even think they *have* a DPW, and all of the houses seem to be unoccupied.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

I'm prone to disc problems due to scoliosis, and once herniated two discs while folding laundry, so this morning's fall was particularly terrifying for me. I sincerely hope you and your husband make it through the winter without further injury.

I don't know how much they're still ticketing... After my fall, I could tell I wouldn't need a doctor and was panicked because I knew I'd be late to work because of the limping, and I forgot to take note of the house number. I feel stupid about it now.

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Is the city still vigilantly ticketing icy/snowy sidewalks? Because I have a few house #s for 311.

Srsly. After walking down College Ave. from Powder House Sq. this morning, I'd like to especially call out the whole block between Francesca and Hall, plus the walk in front of the Haitian Baptist church at the corner of Morrison.

Medford does have a DPW (http://www.medford.org/Pages/MedfordMA_DPW/index), though I don't think they're as on top of things as Somerville DPW is.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

Actually, I am very glad I live in Medford. Medford actually clears it's more main streets (and even side streets) much better than Cambridge, Somerville and especially Malden. I can't tell you how many times I've driven from Medford to Central Square, where Medford streets were scraped clean to the blacktop, AND clear to the curb, almost dry, and Somerville had "messy" streets, and Prospect Street (direct from Union Square to Central Square) had huge chunks of thick snowy bumpy ice/snow on the street. Which indicated to me that whoever's city is responsible for Prospect hadn't even bothered to plow or even salt.

However the city that takes the crown for worst snow removal is Malden. I think they must own one plow and no sand/salt spreaders, which they must use once on any main street, and don't even bother to use on secondary (or tertiary) streets.

[starphire.livejournal.com]

Worse yet, the entire city of Medford has the equivalent of Somerville Snow Emergency parking rules *all winter long* - parking is prohibited on one side of every single street. Which seems unbelievable to me, but I guess it's "suburban" enough that a voting majority of the residents have off-street parking or something...

[visage.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, what are the liability issues associated with letting your sidewalk turn into an ice strip?

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

you can sue over it if someone gets hurt. But it would be kinder of you to either knock on their door or report them to 311. I'd much rather get a fine then sued.

[srakkt.livejournal.com]

Be sure to also use compression on your ankle. An ACE bandage or something similar.

That aside, everyone should remember that the huge piles of snow cause drainage which become thick sheets of ice overnight. Even though we haven't had a storm in a few days, we need to remember to at least spread salt EVERY DAY, and if you have the opportunity, get out there and chip ice every day as well. Yes, it sucks, but as has previously been hashed over many, MANY times in this community, every single solitary Somerville resident is LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE - even if their lease suggests otherwise; in the sense of joint and several responsibility - for snow and ice removal.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

I'll have to wait until I get home- the office first aid kid doesn't include any bandages, ACE or otherwise. But thank you for the tip.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I'm not posting this to get any thanks, but wanted to say that my husband and I spent two hours yesterday afternoon digging out the drains on the biekpath heading out of the square towards Mass Ave/Arlington. We did this mostly because we walk that way daily, and there are several spots that become massive ice patches (think 10-20' wide or more). After getting some drains cleared, or digging channels out into the snow, we did drain three big puddles. If they had frozen overnight, that walk would have been extremely treacherous (more so than normal, which is already pretty bad)

I wish the city (both Cambridge and Somerville) could maintain walkways better so that we didn't have to do that.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I once saw an antique photo of a Somerville winter around 1900, where a horse-drawn snow plow was clearing the sidewalk. I guess those were the days...

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

It's a good day for salting -- lots of sun. I melted mine down to bare sidewalk over the warm weekend.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I did too! It felt like a moral victory.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

In this kind of weather, it is virtually impossible to keep sidewalks from being icy, especially early in the morning. When we get a nice day like yesterday, the snow melts. You can't ice it when it's wet, but by morning it will be frozen. That's when it can be iced or salted. If you are walking early in the morning, unfortunately, it's a fact of winter life.
As for responsibility, the sidewalks are city property, so they are ultimately responsible. They can tell you that homeowners or tenants are responsible, but ultimately they are not. A lawsuit from an injury would be paid through the city.

[in-water-writ.livejournal.com]

It is not 'virtually impossible,' as evidenced by the fact that some houses have every inch of their sidewalk completely clear and safe, while the house right next to it will not have a clear inch anywhere, and will have ice and snow well over an inch thick everywhere. If it's frozen by morning, you get outside and put down salt and sand, that you can get free from DPW. I leave for work after 8am, someone doesn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to have their walk salted before then. And if the tenant or owner isn't physically capable of doing so, they can hire someone, as my landlord does. I'm young and lucky, I'll be back at full power in a day or two. I have back problems, so I'm extra grateful my fall wasn't as bad as it could have been. If someone older, frailer, or with other health problems had fallen, they easily could have been seriously hurt.

You may think the city *should* be responsible for keeping the sidewalk clear, but by law, the residents are. Leaving your sidewalk icy puts your neighbors in danger. End of story.

Please excuse me if I seem to be lacking in sympathy, it may be that the pain in my ankle is making me irritable.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

I have no car and no license, getting to the DPW and carrying home a bucket of salt/sand mixture is... ambitious.

Hopefully the Rite Aid (or CVS) in Davis will have more salt in stock, given that I grabbed the last two bags they had from them yesterday.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

yeah, i was gonna say, that's a sucky bit of irony right there, not that anything can be done. (carrying something heavy like that would be crappy on a good day but then, why would you need it ;p)

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

Just to be pedantic: It's not "oversalting" if it's necessary...

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

And now it's wintery-mixing again. :-( Uuuugh!

[derekp.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately for people with jobs, you need to get to the DPW between the hours of 8AM and 4PM, M-F. So, basically, home depot it is.

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

Last year, there was a big pile across the street from the DPW, so they don't actually have to be open.