I found the above picture on a Facebook meme. It reminded me of my recent siting of street sweepers in North Kansas City. Early one morning, headed to work, there there were cleaning the streets.
So I was shocked the next morning on the way in to see a pile of leaves along Swift Street, between the bike lane and the curb. Just left there, in three large furrows.
But that, at least was an attempt to clean the streets. Kansas City, which is larger and has more streets, seems along the bike routes that I frequent, to pay them less mind. the bike lane is far to often the refuse lane.
Then again, it does come down to a question of civic and individual responsibility. How much responsibility and expense should we place upon our government for the maintenance of roads and bike lanes.
Of interest is the fact that sidewalks are the responsibility of the residents of the people whose house they run in front of, for snow removal and the like. Also of interest is the fact that the only walks I’ve frequented that have had problems with snow removal are those the city is responsible for.
So of course the sidewalk where I had my recent bicycle spill was immaculately clean — because the leaves had been swept into the city’s street and responsibility.
Again, the question of responsibility moves around, and is never an easy sum to calculate. it isn’t zero sum, but neither is it free gratis moving something to civic responsibility; someone always carries the burden for anything the government is responsible for.
So once again, where is the right place? The question continues to be answered and reanswered.
At The Rainbow 