Plowing City Streets

[thelma]

Bobbbiez - I've lived in North Utica all my life and went to UFA in the 50s. There were NO SCHOOL BUSES for us. I walked about 1/2 mile to Deerfield Corners and got on a Utica City Bus that took us to the corner of Oneida Street and Hobart. We got off the bus and walked up to UFA. Of course, we had to pay for the Utica Bus ride.

Back in those days, we thought nothing of walking. A bunch of us would walk home from UFA all the way to North Utica on a nice warm day and think nothing of it.

Of course, back in those days we didn't worry about Drug Dealers shooting us, or anyone picking us up and doing "bad things" to us either. The 50s were so carefree; sometimes I wish I could go back in time and live those days all over again.

[bobbbiez]

Yepper Thelma, me to. "Those "were" the days my friend!"

Thats exactly what I meant when I said you guys had to take a bus. No school busing back then. Alot of my school friends lived in N.Utica and they took the city bus from the north side to the busy corner and then got a transfer to school. The tokens were cheaper for school kids but it was still paid for out of the parent's pockets.

Forgive me girlfriend, but I couldn't help but snicker when thinking about what you said, "back then" we didn't have to worry about any drug dealers and shootings. You are so right, but it's not walking to school one has to worry about, because it's the kids right in school that are doing both.

The perverts were always out there. Just wasn't as publicized as it is today. You know, the old hush, hush theory. Alot of us girls can verify that fact now, but God forbid a nice girl back then wasn't allowed to say a word. They were more worried about ruining the girl's reputation then what actually happened to her.

[Ralph]

Well I suffered along with the rest of you.

I had to walk to school everyday too. A block to Kemble.

The there was high school! A terrible.........300ft walk all the way across the street.

Almost unbearable.

[frankcor]

Uphill both ways, Ralph?

[Ralph]

uh.......yeah, that was it....sure was, uphill, both ways.

[frankcor]

That's what I thought.

[Swimmy]

bobbbiez said:

The perverts were always out there. Just wasn't as publicized as it is today. You know, the old hush, hush theory. Alot of us girls can verify that fact now, but God forbid a nice girl back then wasn't allowed to say a word. They were more worried about ruining the girl's reputation then what actually happened to her.

I led quite a sheltered life when I was in high school. It wasn't until college that I learned how many people smoked pot, snorted cocaine, dropped E, tripped on acid, etc. All of them had been doing it since high school, many since junior high.

But the thing that has been disturbing to me most recently is how many girls in junior high and high school are sexually assaulted. It's sickening how they just brush it off as a normal part of life. Even television today demonstrates it, e.g. the pilot episode of gossip girl, the movie Thirteen. It is very sad and disturbing to think that many girls have been sexually assaulted at least once in their lives. Many still won't report it because they are embarrassed and convinced it was their fault. Or they don't want to embarrass the family name. The come up with so many reasons NOT to report it, it is scary.

[denise]

Plowing of city streets has been terrible for a long time. If you live on a side street, forget it! You probably aren't ever seeing a plow! My aunt passed away in the mid-1990's, can't remember which year, but I remember it was in February. We woke up to a whole lot of snow the morning of her funeral and after services we gathered at my uncle's house on the 1400 block of Conkling. Trudging through deep snow all the way. We had family come from all over, and I remember talking about the fact that we never saw a city plow that day.

My sister rented an apartment from another aunt 4-5 years ago on Belle Ave. It was around the time of that huge Christmas Day snowstorm. Utica got several feet that storm, but it was a bad winter all the way through. Infrequent snow plowing in that area as well. I can still hear my sister bitching about getting stuck.

My parents moved back into the city to a nice South Utica neighborhood a few years ago. They love it there; it's a nice quiet side street. My mother has commenting frequently this year and last year that they don't see a plow very quickly after it snows.

I really don't think the snowplowing has much to do with the administration of the city (although Ed Hanna was pretty cheap when it came to road salt, wasn't he?). There are many miles of city streets and unless the city invests in more plows and personnel, they probably are doing the best that they can do with what the they have.

That's all I have to say about that!!

Before my parents moved us out of the city in the late 70's, we lived on the 1500 block of Taylor Ave and attended school at Blessed Sacrament. My sisters and I walked to school. I had friends on Brinckerhoff, Dudley & Howard; they all walked to school as well.

[bobbbiez]

Yes swimmy, it is very disturbing just how many girls are sexually assaulted today and it's not reported just as when I was growing up. I guess the old way of thinking and attitude "YOU must have done something to bring on the assault," still has alot to do with it along with the worry about the girl's and families reputation. Very sad and very upsetting .

Now, as far as the snow, I'm not going to complain much about the amount of snow or the removal of it because it wasn't that bad here but I will trade you guys the cold compared to the snow. The older day it was 21 below zero here . You know the kind of cold that when you go outside, sniffle and your nose sticks together until it thaws out once you're back inside.

[wcup102]

I think if I am given the chance, I will ticket someone walking in the street during a snowstorm or otherwise. It will be for impeding traffic and we'll do a press release so that the word gets out and see how it flies. What do ya think?

[Swimmy]

What are you waiting for? You have my support! :-) I wish I could be the lawyer to defend that in court for you.

[Ralph]

Good Lord!!!! I've been waiting for that for years!

The beer's on me for that one!

[kim]

Tell me about the kids walking to school thing! I live almost exactly 1.5 miles from my son's school. Unless the weather is really bad (or my ass hurts from an intestinal problem!) , my son rides his bike to school, and I tag along because he's only 6 and I don't want him going alone just yet. However, kids who live even closer than we do...within SITE of the school, take the bus. It drives me nuts!

[kim]

I walked to school too...we didn't have a car and we lived to close for me to ride a bus. Of course, now many of the kids seems to take a bus no matter how close they live to the school. that's why kids are so out of shape now.

Swimmy, you really didn't know kids who used drugs when you were in high school? I remember one day in 9th grade...IN A CLASS...the kids sitting right behind me was snorting something. I will remember that for the rest of my life. And that was back in the mid-80's!

[dgriffin]

wcup102 said:

I think if I am given the chance, I will ticket someone walking in the street during a snowstorm or otherwise. It will be for impeding traffic and we'll do a press release so that the word gets out and see how it flies. What do ya think?

Not in the America I think we still have. You can't ticket someone for walking in the road! Can you? Damn, next you'll be ticketing people for walking backwards on the sidewalk. Or ticket a kid for skipping, endangering themselves or others. Or talking too loud while they're walking backward and chewing gum and looking funny in public.
Holy crap, what have we come to?
I may not be a fan of the ACLU, but I am indeed a fan of my civil liberties.