To the Editor: Sidewalk vultures return
Written by RJ Smith   
Wednesday, 16 January 2013 10:08
Winter has finally come to Bowling Green, complete with cold temperatures, snowfall ... and sidewalk vultures. Yes, those stalking vigilantes armed with snow shovels are back, terrorizing honest citizens who have the misfortune of not getting home from work in time to shovel their walks.
Last I knew, there were certain "conditions" in place, such as shoveling must be done within 24 hours of the end of the snow, shoveling must be done if more than one inch falls, etc. However, last Monday, December 31, while it was still snowing, the sidewalk vultures were out. They attempted to attack our walkways until we informed them to leave. They then attempted to attack our neighbor's walkways, neighbors who were still at work. Then there are the ones who were on vacation and were not home - imagine that ... taking a vacation during the holidays. While we tried to clear the walkways of our neighbors, we just couldn't keep up. Two people versus six vultures - the odds were against us. At least we were able to save four of our neighbors from this attack.
Considering the city offices closed at noon or 12:30 on this date, I am curious to know who gave "permission" to these vultures, especially since they were seen plowing their private customer's lots earlier in the day and didn't start on sidewalks until late afternoon/early evening. Is the city so desperate for funds that they violate their own rules? It was still snowing! I find this especially distasteful since the city didn't plow the alleys in our neighborhood. Perhaps I should send the city a bill for having to clean a passage so I could get my car out.
On a final note, I find it very suspicious that the vultures did not attack certain rental properties in our area - properties where the snow was just as deep or deeper on the sidewalks as on the sidewalks of the poor citizens who were victimized. Things that make one say "Hmmmmmm."
I guess that company who shall remain nameless has decided they need another new, big, pretty white truck with a fancy light bar on top, and the way to get it is to shake-down honest citizens. As long as the City of Bowling Green allows this practice to continue, no one will be safe. Neighbors need to take care of each other and help each other out to prevent innocent victimization.
RJ Smith
Bowling Green
 

Comments  

 
# 2013-01-16 12:05
It must be frustrating for the city during years when there are very few "shovelable" snowfalls.

Apparently, in order to keep the non-shoveling-in-time-fine money coming in, the snow vigilantes must rush to shovel residents' walks [strangely, bypassing rental property walks?] the minute the last felonious flake hits the ground. Before you can grab your own coat, gloves and a shovel.

And indeed, how even more frustrating it will be, if there is, God forbid, NO MORE SNOW THIS WINTER, and not enough non-snow-shoveling fines will have been collected from vacationing or still-at-work citizens, to help pay for "another new, big, pretty white truck with a fancy light bar on top."
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# 2013-01-16 19:03
P.S. Will the city be liable for heart attacks caused as indigent, elderly citizens, dreading the exorbitant fines, frantically hobble out to shovel their walks before the snow vigilantes beat them to it?
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# 2013-01-16 13:42
I AGREE!

These vultures caused me to incur a city fine last year, simply because I was working 3rd shift.

The entire practice is a scam. Extortion is not the way to enforce safer sidewalks. Pedestrian complaint of problem properties (re: rental companies!) should suffice for issuing fines. These companies have too much power in the city and it should be taken away!

RJ Smith: perhaps we SHOULD name the names, eh?
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# 2013-01-16 22:11
Christopher williams, your slipping. Been nearly 12 hours and you haven't enlightened us with your opinion on this. We're waiting! How do they manage this in sylvania?
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# 2013-01-17 08:56
The only people who complain about my posts wish I never posted in the first place.
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# 2013-01-17 12:26
Wondering if RJ Smith called the city about this? We had an issue in years past where a contracted company for the city charged the city AND us for the same service. I called the appropriate department at the city to find out if they were covering the bill. I was told, yes, and they had already taken care of it. The helpful worker called the company for me, too. We did not pay the bill as the contracted company was attempting to obtain double payment...and we will not use that company for other services. If a contractor is involved, I would be suspicious of them acting on their own and assuming the city will cover it. Questioning it is acceptable, but to place undue blame is not. Find out the facts and find out if these "vultures" were even acting on city-orders. Otherwise, you have the ordinance to back you.
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# 2013-01-18 09:24
I guess I didn't realize what an issue this is city-wide. Our first winter of homeownership proved this to be true 2 years ago. We shoveled well within the 24 hour period but then we had a light dusting after that. We got slapped with a $54 fine by the city because of failure to shovel. We demanded to see a photo of our 'failure'. The picture showed a young man with his greasy smile holding up our address written on a piece of cardboard. Behind him you can clearly see the sidewalk that leads to the house (not something they would shovel) and it barely had any snow on it. The city wouldn't budge on our complaint. Thanks for bringing this issue to light, I feel much more educated!
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# 2013-01-18 13:31
SAME THING happened to me that year also!!

Greasy smile indeed!

Crooks!
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# 2013-01-18 14:28
So sorry to hear that! I think we also cleared the alley way that day to think about it. Grrrrrr, darn crooks. Thanks
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# 2013-01-18 13:50
Agreed Christopher, we all wish you would never post... ever.
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# 2013-01-18 17:28
It sure is difficult and annoying to engage in critical thinking from a conservative perspective, isn't it?

Especially when centrist views to not conform to your radical-right agenda.
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# 2013-01-18 20:22
I find Christopher Williams post, to be the most intelligent post on here!! Your post on the other hand I could do without!
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# 2013-01-19 01:26
Excellent information! I had no idea that this was happening. I can add that while ticketing on snow streets happens almost instantaneously when a snow emergency is declared, the city seems to take it's time clearing public walkways. The storm that struck BG after Christmas left those of us on snow streets scrambling to move our cars before the ticketing. Surprise! We got out there seconds after the tickets hit our windshields (we could see the officer a few houses past us.) So frustrating! The best part? I went for a winter walk that afternoon, and NONE of the sidewalks at the City Park were cleared. We entered through the driveway since the pedestrian entrance was impassable.
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# 2013-01-22 15:04
I'm pretty new in town. Is this just satire? I don't get it - this vulture stuff. Really not that funny - and also not that bad if it's true. Is this a written form of "Off Their Rockers?" Somebody please explain...
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# 2013-01-22 15:49
No satire, this is reality. Basically, the City of Bowling Green has hired a private company to shovel sidewalks if the property owners leave them untended. The problem is, this company gets paid for each sidewalk they shovel, so they start shoveling before home owners have a chance to do it themselves. Typically, a property owner has 24 hours after the snow has stopped to clean the walks, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. This company was out shoveling while it was still snowing at 4:00 in the afternoon, before a holiday. Most people weren't home from work yet. They take a picture of your address, then the city sends you a bill. I don't know how much it is this year, but we were hit last year and were charged $65.00...all because we weren't home from work yet, and it was still snowing that day also.
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# 2013-01-22 17:55
Good summation of the extortion.
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# 2013-01-22 20:35
Thanks for the explanation. It IS a truly outrageous practice.

(There; I have actually weighed in)
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