Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Oh Falls Church, how I hate your sidewalks

I walked (OK, rolled) home from the bus today on the main street in the city, so let me count the ways I despise the sidewalks here:

1. The new sections, which are nice and wide, are brick, so that makes them not so nice, actually. Rolling home actually means bumping home.

2. The new sections are wide, but there is a part of the Broad Street sidewalk that is a dirty, narrow little corner. Making it more narrow is the light post, and making it even more narrow is a big honking plastic cover on the light pole. Opposite the pole was dirt, so in the past my wheels got dirty, but that was the toll.

Today, I was happy to see Falls Church cleaned up the little corner. However, the geniuses did this by putting four big bricks in the dirt, making the narrow area pretty much wheelchair inaccessible.

I realized this too late, of course, hit a brick and got stuck in the dirt, which was mud these days.

I waited awhile, because this is the main thoroughfare, but I was getting worried I'd have to call my sister for help. Some guy actually walked around me but didn't offer to help.

Finally, someone helped me out. I turned my chair to the lowest speed and inched through the corner. The edge of my wheels still caught the big bricks and dragged them all catawampus.

3. The new sidewalks are bumpy, but the old sidewalks are impassible with light posts stuck in them.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am sorry it was rotten but I loved the use of catawampus!
xxoo
metc

Anonymous said...

I dream of living in a world with non-bumpy wide blacktop bike lanes or sidewalks and flat and wide curb cuts.
sdt

Matt said...

Catawampus was my favorite, too.

Oh yeah.

Anonymous said...

I get frustrated when newly constructed buildings shpw little consideration of real needs of the disabled. Uniquely designed Community College Building set back a football field distance from the parking lot and hc parking.


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