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March 10, 2003

Stupid City Government

I'm sitting here this morning observing the combined stupidity of our city government & Federal A.D.A. regulations in action. It was recently decreed that our city sidewalks must be brought into compliance and made handicap-accessible. Normally, this is a good thing....however, in this instance it seems to me to be lacking common sense. Here's why.

We live at the insection of Street A and Street B. Now, Street A is a major throughfare that is one of the main eastern access points for downtown Fayetteville. There is a sidewalk that runs along Street A, but ends at the corner of our property (at the intersection), and you must cross at the crosswalk to the other side of Street A to get back on the sidewalk, which continues on the other side of the street. However, the crosswalk is not placed at the end of the sidewalk, but rather a few feet back...and because of the slope of the hillside, it is difficult for cars to see anyone using the crosswalk. (Not that they will stop for you anyway, crossing the street there is much like playing Frogger...at say about the 5th level.) Street B does not have sidewalks...at all. And because it runs down the side of Mt. Sequoyah, is rather steep.

Now, guess where it appears they're putting the handicap-accessible ramp? Yeah, at the end of the sidewalk on our side of Street A....not at the crosswalk. So to get to the crosswalk, one would have to go out into the intersection of Streets A & B, and back up Street A...while out in traffic, because there's no shoulder there on either street.

I love seeing my tax dollars put to good use.

Posted by Rita at March 10, 2003 10:24 AM

Comments

Fucktards.

You know some group will now sue the city because of the inconvenience, right?

Posted by: Da Goddess at March 10, 2003 11:35 AM

Probably, though I can't imagine why anyone who would need the handicap access would be on the sidewalk this far out of the main part of town....the only people I ever see out there are the kids from the elementary school up the street & joggers.

Posted by: Rita at March 10, 2003 11:43 AM

You betray your 80's roots, Rita, with your reference to Frogger. No one in the post-Nintendo world really understands the glories of the early video games, such as Space Invaders, Frogger, Tempest and Defender. Not when there's Duke Nukem 3D to play!

(Okay, okay, I know that Duke Nukem is not a Nintendo game, but the point is still valid.)

Funny you should mention Frogger.... The Seinfeld episode, The Frogger, in which George attempts to save the Frogger machine on which he has the high score, was recently on TV. It was a laugh! Just replace George with Lovely Rita -- what a hoot!

Posted by: Adam at March 10, 2003 06:14 PM

I have been to your house and ANY wheel chair that would attempt to use the street in front of it would have to be V8 powered AND supercharged.....Maybe the Gov. will suppy these as well?

Posted by: Bill at March 11, 2003 09:37 AM

My son used to call it "Space In-gators" for some reason....Frogger was my favorite. I spent many quarters on the Frogger machine in the back room of the Daisy Queen during my misspent youth.

No kidding Bill, isn't that ridiculous? Mike said they had also carelessly broken part of the retaining wall next to the sidewalk...methinks I may be dragging the mayor out here by his ear before this is over.

Posted by: Rita at March 11, 2003 09:45 AM

May I suggest the use of his nose? More blood vessels and nerve endings, hence an added benefit in lesson abstract. Want a mules attention? We recommend a 2X4....

Posted by: Bill at March 12, 2003 12:23 PM