I took this snapshot yesterday afternoon while I was on the corner of 400 South in down town Salt Lake. The two guys in the photo are helping an old lady whose wheel chair got stuck in the snow. I had just helped the same woman get unstuck from some snow/Ice on another part of the side walk about 30 feet from where they are. After the two guys helped her on her way, I stood and watched her for a few moments to see if she might still need assistance. Sure enough, she got stuck again but I didn’t have to help her. Within a few moments, another Good Samaritan pedestrian stopped and helped her get out of the snow a third time and she was once again on her way.
The question is why is there still so much snow on the sidewalk of a fairly busy street and who is to blame? It’s tempting to blame the city. Unfortunately, cities don’t usually maintain sidewalks and Salt Lake City is no exception. They still own the sidewalks but the responsibility of keeping them clean and shoveled is on the resident or business. As far as the city of Salt Lake is concerned, they will be happy to fine someone for not removing their snow and ice but only if someone else rats them out. Besides that, they won’t do anything about it.
I actually did call the city and rat them out. I got no pleasure from tattling on the local 400 South businesses but for the sake of all the little old ladies out there, I felt I had to do it. But being part of that chain of Good Samaritans helping the little old lady get to where she’s going…hey, those are the choice moments in life.
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