Winter Walking and Cycling

[danbrotherston]

1) Your snark is not justified by the dictionary, the word "danger" means "possibility of suffering harm or injury"...if you are are suggesting there are health and welbeing issues with sidewalk plows, the word for that is in fact "danger".  

Now I haven't spoken with any operators, have you? Regardless, this is completely out of the blue, nobody anywhere else has suggested that operating small sidewalk plows has a possibility of harm or injury above and beyond that of road plows.  If they suffered serious health consequences, this would be a real health and safety issue in the workplace affecting thousands of plow operators in this province alone, including dozens in our city, but frankly, I just don't believe you.

2) Yes, I'm aware of the volunteer requirements, well aware, as I was requried to complete them. Volunteers should not be counted upon to provide essential city services.  Do you also think that we should get highschool students to maintain our water supply system?  The delusion is that using child labor and volunteers is a real solution to anything.

Quickly: Name a false argument that isn't valid.

I could name a dozen cities which use city sidewalk clearing, none of them achieve the false standard you suggest for no reason, and every single one of them achieves better results than we do.

1) Yes -- I have spoken to just about everyone at the KOF (Kitchener Operations Facility) regarding snow operations. Very limited time on these small machines because they are very, very loud, and cause hearing damage, and they're very, very rough driving them. Many have had to step back from driving these machines because of what they do to the body. Not a single individual said that they were comparable to a snowplow. Not one. I am still trying to figure, by your definition, how a snowplow is more dangerous. You have data to back this up, obviously?

2) That's an ignorant analogy, and you should know better. Not even remotely the same. Like operating a snowblower requires any sort of education -- it does not. This is why you can buy one from Canadian Tire even if you're 11 years old. Operating a water supply? Good grief, do you understand the education one needs for this line of work? Based of your answer, definitely you have zero clue.

And, by the way: what should volunteers be counted on doing? Nothing? People DO volunteer, for many different reasons. I volunteer. Many of my friends do to. You obviously don't like that sort of set-up, which is fine, you don't have to help for free any cause. But everyone benefits from volunteers. And without those types of folks, the city wouldn't be the same. At that applies equally to Kitchener as it does to Toronto, London UK, New York City. Everywhere. Sometimes it is about being a good neighbour.  Sometimes it is about learning to do good.

Quick answer! You didn't answer the simple question. Where's the data?

1) I was very clear, snowplows drive fast and are occasionally involved in fatal collisions, I know of no such case where a sidewalk plow involved in plowing operations was involved in a fatal collision.

Now maybe you've raised other concerns, but I'll point out for seemingly the trillionth time, other cities manage to do this, we aren't some special incompetent flower, where we are the only city which can't plow our sidewalks.

2) So then why don't we have volunteers clear the roads, and let the professionals handle the sidewalks?  Or do the grass cutting in summer.  Why is it that the ONLY public service you bellieve should be handled by free child labor is sidewalk clearing?

Your accusation that I don't volunteer is ignorant, I don't have to answer to you, but making assumptions makes an ass out of you.

No, I didn't fall for your bullshit "trap" argument, I called it out...like all false arguments should be, you want to try a third time?