[Vision2020] SIDEWALKS

[Tom Hansen]

As much as I understand Chasuk's views and agree that no legal 
responsibility exists on the part of the property owner to maintain a safe 
passage on a public easement or sidewalk, it is always the good samaritan 
that goes that extra mile for his/her community.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho


>From: Chasuk <chasuk at gmail.com>
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] SIDEWALKS
>Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2005 11:26:17 -0800
>
>Kit, Janesta, this is not addressed to either of you, specifically,
>but is addressing a general situation that you have brought to our
>attention.
>
>On 12/7/05, Kit Craine <kcraine at moscow.com> wrote:
> > For as long as I can remember, the City's response to problems related
> > to snow is that it doesn't happen enough to worry about--or to change
> > their procedures. As many can attest, it only takes a split second to
> > slip, fall, and land with a broken bone. The few minutes someone spends
> > clearing their sidewalk can save another months of pain and big medical
> > bills. If property owners don't fulfill their responsibilities, the
> > City should take an active roll in protecting public safety.
>
>I'm going to have to admit that I am divided on this issue.  If I am
>responsible for clearing the snow from the sidewalk in front of my
>house, then it is _my_ sidewalk, and I should be able to disallow
>trespassers.  If it isn't my sidewalk, then, logically, I should not
>be responsible for keeping it clear.
>
>A business is extending an invitation, "please visit me," but a
>homeowner is not inviting the public to stroll past their house.  Is
>the sidewalk public or private property?  If it is public property,
>then the city is responsible for maintaining it; if it is private
>property, then keep your accident-prone self away.
>
>Note that I am not actually such a curmudgeon that I would prevent
>little old ladies (or little old men or younger versions of either
>sex) from strolling across my property, but such permission might be
>conditional, with appropriate signage reading "Use at your own risk."
>
>I don't own property, and I don't anticipate that I ever will, so
>these musings are purely theoretical.
>
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