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Citizen complaint of the day: Cone complaint complaint
By adamg on Mon, 05/20/2013 - 2:47pm
UPDATE: Citizens Connect for the win - The DPW now reports National Grid has removed the upended cone and put a proper cover on the hole.
Yesterday, we introduced you to the Jammed-In Cone of Atlantic Avenue Complaint. Somebody at City Hall promptly marked the complaint "closed" and noted "Taken care of."
Only as you can see from the above photo, taken this morning, City Hall has a different definition of "taken care of" than your average concerned citizen does, since the cone is still there, uglifying the up-and-coming Wharf District neighborhood. City Hall promptly marked this complaint "closed" as well, but this time explained that "taken care of" actually means reporting the problem to National Grid, since it's a gas-company hole and so something the city of Boston is powerless to do anything about.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
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Comments
I love the app, but sometimes
I love the app, but sometimes I wish they'd provide a little more info. In this case, it might be that they passed it along to NG, who has jurisdiction.
What's frustrating is when those other companies don't do anything. For example, the City Maps that have maps of completely wrong neighborhoods. Why the Back Bay needs three of those devices with North End maps in, I'll never know.
more like up-and-coning
amirite
While this one is unsightly,
While this one is unsightly, but probably not dangerous, DPW (or whichever agency) did the same thing in the middle of the bike lane on N Harvard St across from the Murr Center. In this situation, it is definitely dangerous and should be taken care of immediately. Maybe I'll finally download this citizens connect app and submit a case...
Good idea. If there's one
Good idea. If there's one thing you can count on, it's that Citizens Connect will provide a satisfactory resolution in record time.
So now a rubber cone is dangerous?!?
Give us a break. It is not uncommon for traffic cones to be placed in regular lanes to warn of potholes and similar hazards. And how do drivers respond - by going around them.
There is no legitimate reason that cyclists can't do the same thing. And, with respect, if they can't learn to properly maneuver their vehicle on City streets to avoid hazards they should be able to see (even with the "I'm special and need special treatment" - er - bike- lanes), then perhaps they have no business being there in the first place.
Of course, such complaints might carry more weight if cyclists were actually legally obligated to use the bike lanes in the first place.
If you were driving a car and
If you were driving a car and a cyclist had to swerve into traffic (or into a parked car?) to avoid unexpected debris in the already narrow bike lane, you'd freak out at the 'irresponsible' cyclist. It happens all the time when there's broken glass in the bike lane- it's not necessarily something you see from your perch in the driver's seat, but it's something the cyclist wants to avoid. This is not a matter of learning how to properly maneuver a bike, it's about purposefully placing unnecessary objects in a lane of traffic designed to keep cars and bikes from impeding each other's traffic flow.
My first question would be
Why did the cyclist have to blindly swerve into traffic to avoid the obstruction (an all too common reaction I see on Boston streets)?
Answer - Because cyclists will do anything as long as they don't have to stop. Solution - learn to USE YOUR BRAKES guys (and gals) so you can actually control the vehicle you're driving.
But I guess it's far easier for cyclists to blame utility companies for putting cones in the road and people in parked vehicles for opening doors instead of admitting they ride in a largely inattentive manner.
Really? It's an upside down
Really? It's an upside down cone in a hole in the middle of the lane. Yeah, it's not that hard to avoid but still dangerous. Why do you have your panties in such a twist?
So, I guess you'd
rather have the protected hole to deal with.
Fine
City should fine the gas company every day it remains.
Time to fix our damn infrastructure, and that means holding utility companies responsible for their end.
It's fjxed but Adam just
It's fjxed but Adam just tweeted that some whining whined is whining that the fix is a trip hazard. Can't win in this town lol
The tweet in question
With respect to MariaV
I'd argue that, for the inattentive walker, the painted cover is more of a tripping hazard than the orange cone, even if the cone is placed in the hole than on top of it.
LOL
Half of Boston is a trip hazard.
My favorite
The little bits of metal that stick up from the sidewalk, probably from long-ago removed street signs, that are nearly invisible until you stub your toe.
Cobblestone
Just the old cobblestone and brick around old downtown / Faneuil Hall.
Last spring a nice looking Miss was walking in front of me and had taken 2-3 steps before realizing her heel was 2-3 steps behind her, stuck at an odd angle between two cobblestones. She made eye contact and looked a bit embarrassed, but I told here with a laugh that she wasn’t the first or the last to lose a shoe on these streets as I grabbed and gave her shoe to her. I actually saw the same thing happen the week before.
Still a trip hazard?
If the city streets were perfectly flat to avoid any tripping, they'd complain that it was so glassy as to be a slip hazard.
I would not say
I would not say whining...just finding humor in the absurdity of Boston. I'd almost want to bet money that one gas crew goes around placing the new caps and painting them - and another crew comes by days (or weeks, or months) later to actually secure them.
Though... one reply to my tweet did have a valid point that this can be an issue for the sight impaired.