A thread I posted about a girl who couldn't get to school caused me to think about the more serious problem that I see her being representative of. People complain and excuse when things don't work the way they should - but how many of you do something about it?
Here's an example of what I mean: last year, Denver had several heavy snow storms, including one blizzard, starting in mid-December. After the first blizzard, the city cleared the main streets, and sent plows down every road. The day the plows (there were 2) came down my street, it was 50 or so degrees (this is actually normal for Denver in the winter; it snows, it gets warm, snow melts, repeat). The slush on the street was about 6" deep. The plow blades on the trucks were retracted completely - the plows just drove down the street, stirred up the slush (making it worse than it was before) and away they went. My street wasn't actually clear of ice again until mid-March; it was plowed thoroughly the week before it all melted anyway. I called my council representative; I emailed the mayor's office; I called and emailed the Department of Public Works - and the next time it snowed, my street was plowed - not down to the street (there was too much ice) but enough to keep it passable. It snowed again - and my street wasn't plowed... the park sidewalks were, across the street, but not the street itself - I contacted the above, and convinced several of my neighbors to do the same - and lo and behold, our street was plowed down to the ice layer every time it snowed the rest of the winter... and so was the rest of the neighborhood. But I was the only one (that I know of) in my area who did more than complain to my neighbors - and that's why we got a better response.
So... what do you do when things go wrong (or right)? Do you vote in local elections? Do you contact your government representatives? Do you know how to contact your government representatives? Do you even know what your options are?
Here's an example of what I mean: last year, Denver had several heavy snow storms, including one blizzard, starting in mid-December. After the first blizzard, the city cleared the main streets, and sent plows down every road. The day the plows (there were 2) came down my street, it was 50 or so degrees (this is actually normal for Denver in the winter; it snows, it gets warm, snow melts, repeat). The slush on the street was about 6" deep. The plow blades on the trucks were retracted completely - the plows just drove down the street, stirred up the slush (making it worse than it was before) and away they went. My street wasn't actually clear of ice again until mid-March; it was plowed thoroughly the week before it all melted anyway. I called my council representative; I emailed the mayor's office; I called and emailed the Department of Public Works - and the next time it snowed, my street was plowed - not down to the street (there was too much ice) but enough to keep it passable. It snowed again - and my street wasn't plowed... the park sidewalks were, across the street, but not the street itself - I contacted the above, and convinced several of my neighbors to do the same - and lo and behold, our street was plowed down to the ice layer every time it snowed the rest of the winter... and so was the rest of the neighborhood. But I was the only one (that I know of) in my area who did more than complain to my neighbors - and that's why we got a better response.
So... what do you do when things go wrong (or right)? Do you vote in local elections? Do you contact your government representatives? Do you know how to contact your government representatives? Do you even know what your options are?
