Letter to the Editor: My Toddler’s Stroller Shouldn’t Be an Extreme Sport
This morning, I surmounted an obstacle course that should not exist: the snow people left on their sidewalks. The simple act of taking my child to his day care turned into a Spartan race. The first and second times I braced my muscles to lift a 50-pound stroller and toddler through unshoveled snow were just inconvenient. The third time, I cursed impotently at the house as I felt my strength draining. In defeat, I found myself moving into the street, holding up traffic, and wondering if we, the residents of Southie, cared.
We cannot remain frozen in the ice of our own inaction. The current system is not effective, and so it is time to try some new things:
- Automated enforcement using cameras and AI.
- City hired snow removal contractors paid for by fines to residents who do not clear their sidewalks.
- Incentives for folks who clear sidewalks that are not theirs.
I cannot tell you which of these approaches will succeed in Boston, but I can tell you this: when you’re in a hole, stop digging. Our current approach has failed, and our elected officials owe it to us to try something different.
Digging out my car the other night, I met my neighbor Daniel. Armed with swagger and a snowblower, he cleared the street and sidewalk in our little corner of Southie. Nobody elected him, he just wanted to make things better for his community. The question now is whether our leaders will learn from Daniel’s example and finally clear a safe path for our children, or whether we’ll just keep hoping every block gets its own Daniel.
Thank you,
Matthew Zagaja, South Boston
Maureen Dahill is the founder of Caught in Media. Once a longtime wardrobe and prop stylist for brands such as Rue La La, TJ Max & Hasbro, she is a devoted lover of vintage clothing, Martini Mondays, Castle Island, AND a 4th generation South Boston native. Mother of three, married to Peter G.
Can’t stand houses that don’t shovel most of the time it’s young tenants who don’t care cause they rent. This is what 311 is for keep reporting address every day.
If only more “Daniel’s” cared…. 😞
There are also some businesses which have neglected sidewalks and it seems they don’t receive nearly the backlash of individuals.
I don’t live in Southie, but there are people in Cambridge and Somerville, both residents and business owners alike, who don’t bother to shovel and salt down their sidewalks after a heavy snowfall. They allow it to freeze over, and fail to realize that if and when somebody falls and breaks a leg or whatever on that unshovelled, unsalted sidewalk outside their residence or business, and decides to sue the property owner(s) for neglect and for damages, that the people who’ve refused to shovel and salt down their sidewalks, doorsteps and porches, decides to sue the property owner for damages and/or neglect, the resident or owner of the property in question could get into an expensive civil lawsuit that no homestead would protect them against, because a savvy attorney could get around a homestead with little or no trouble.
It may not be the home owner’s fault. We had a 45-inch path cleared promptly and then some car parked in front of our house covered it all up with their snow.
There used to be Snow Angels at Labore and the garland Boys club would send people to your House . There should a city program for the elderly. and disabled . Also it is Flu season and a lot of People are sick .
iI’s not just the snow. The sidewalks in Southie are awful, uneven, barely wide enough, making a stroller nearly impossible to get from one part of Southie to another without having to lift the stroller in some way to make it through. The dog poop literally EVERYWHERE on the sidewalks is also a huge problem. I agree with this author’s sentiment – something needs to be done to make sure residents and elected officials are doing their job to make the sidewalks better for everyone.
Thank you for taking the time to write this. And thank you for Daniel!
I could not agree more with it all! The amount of times I had to push the stroller on the road. The other day I ended up walking on the road with my baby in the stroller and had my 6 year old walk alongside us on the sidewalk. There were too many occasions where the gap made in the snow was not big enough for me to get my stroller through. I feel for people in wheelchairs etc. And don’t even get me started on the poop!!! 🤬
Well, thank you to Daniel. And, we have a Daniel in our neighborhood named Rick near O & 4th. Have to give him a big shot out. He also had a snow blower and did our entire block. He did a terrific job. He worked for hours and hours and back again when the snow came again. Made a huge pathway at the corner for people to cross the street. So, thank you Rick. He did get a bottle of wine as a thank you.