Winter Walking and Cycling

[PhilippAchtel]

Nah, you dug up your personal history of interacting with this poster in a drive-by low-substance comment. Now, when you're called out on it, you're playing the victim to elicit sympathy. It's silly.

Clearly, danbrotherson understands that people have different ideas of what passable means. Someone who is able-bodied can stumble through a pressed-down section of sidewalk and mostly manage to not fall on their face. Is this "cleared" because the most people with no mobility issues can get through, albeit awkwardly?

On the other hand, you have people in mobility scooters, with walkers, pushing strollers and so on who are forced by the very same section of sidewalk to detour onto the road to get by. Can this section of sidewalk be said to be "cleared" if people have to walk in the road (which coincidentally is cleared by the city, whom we are saying are too slow to provide adequate service) to pass?

Nothing will stop concerned or proud homeowners from clearing their own sidewalks if they choose, just as nothing stops them from clearing GRT stops before the contractor arrives. But danbrotherson is correct to say that city and regional policy should be set primarily for the routes pedestrians depend on before poo-pooing the idea because it might not give the same priority to culs-de-sac as it does for major arterial routes. After all, this is precisely the system we use for street plowing, which while not perfect is miles ahead of sidewalk maintenance policy.

I have a history with him? I know I pointed out before that he was over exaggerating previously after a snowfall on how unpassable a sidewalk was for him, a self described able body person and how much worse it would be for others. (to be clear, not saying it isn't more difficult for others, just saying he shouldn't have been feeling like it is pushing his limits physically so it would be impossible for anyone who has the slightest issue)

Only other thing I can think of off the top of my head would be about development charges for townships for transit that won't benefit them.

Clearly I needed to write a few paragraphs to show that the measurement tritag used to determine what is passable needs more discussion since some people would say anything that doesn't show the concrete of the sidewalk is unpassable and give it a failing grade. 

It does bring up an interesting question that will probably just get people shitting on me for asking. should it be at a level so that everyone can pass regardless of their personal mobility issues? How many people not being able to cross is acceptable?

None. After 24 hours, anyone who can travel on a regular sidewalk in any other season should be able to travel on a sidewalk in the winter.

We're a medium-sized wealthy city in the 21st century. We know the cost of providing such a service, and that it's well within our means to do so. The ability to safely travel from your home to your destination even in winter should be seen as something of a human right. The idea that anyone in our city has to take the road to pass with their stroller or mobility scooter should be seen as an embarrassment.