An Icy Rant

I feel a rant coming on.
Here goes....

Why have Edinburgh pavements been allowed to get to the shocking stage they are at now; and getting worse, with the thaw by day followed by freezing nights.

Do shopkeepers have no conscience about not clearing the footpaths outside their premises?
Given that the University has managed to clear a walking track all the way from Middle Meadow Walk to George Square and the council, I presume, has managed to have the main path through the meadows clear of snow, why are the majority of other pavements uneven, icy no go areas?

In the space of three minutes I watched 4 people fall on one 6 foot stretch of pure ice on a well used footpath near a bus stop in Forest Road. Had I not been behind a couple who just managed to stay upright, despite my Taktrax and taking avoiding action, I might have been the fifth person. And this is about half a mile from the city centre where even there it is not a lot better should you find yourself in a side street off Princes Street.

I would like it to be made compulsory for shopkeepers and private individuals to clear the snow from their frontages, like people had to do years ago. I know that lately there was an urban myth that if you had cleared snow in front of your house and someone fell on the cleared area you would be held responsible. I think that was a salve to the conscience of the lazy and idle.

The other extra bit of rant is directed at the bus companies who expect their passengers to enter and exit their buses through or over a dump of cleared snow from the road which has also been trodden into an icy ramp. Only a few bus stops have their ingang safe to walk on.

Rant over, and a cold bleak bus trip to the land of the flat pack for candles for us and coffee tables for daughter # 1.

His Lordship did stalwart work in carrying everything home without a slip or slither.
We've rewarded ourselves glasses of wine for having survived the outside skating rink with intact femurs.