Right now, people are wiping out all over Bloomington. It's an all-too-common scene to watch someone go from foot to posterior in the blink of an eye. Snowy, icy sidewalks are dangerous to everyone, and everyone needs to help fix them.\nFor the past three days, Bloomington has been blasted by off-and-on snow storms, creating treacherous transportation for all, be it by car, bus or on foot. It's at perilous times like these that we need to band together to make it easier for everyone to get around.\n According to Bloomington Municipal Code, the obligation to remove snow and ice from sidewalks falls on the owner of the premises. So if someone rents an apartment or house, the original owner is still required to show up and shovel snow. But when snow strikes suddenly, or overnight, Bloomington residents should take it upon themselves to make sure the walkways are clear for those walking to and from class or work.\nAt the same time, owners shouldn't sit around and hope that their tenants take on the responsibility of cleaning sidewalks. On snowy days, they should be inspecting their properties and making sure the job is getting done. If someone slips and falls, injuring him or herself, it will be the owners that will suffer lawsuits or city fines.\nThis doesn't mean getting out of bed at four in the morning to make sure the sidewalks are clear. But residents should take a little bit of time before class or work to get out there and clear the pathways. A little shoveling won't kill anyone; it's actually not a bad workout.\nClearing pathways means more than just shoveling some snow and throwing it somewhere else. An ordinary snow shovel is useless in clearing away ice, which is typically more dangerous than snow. Residents should invest in rock salt to melt away the ice, making walking less treacherous. It's not very expensive nor does it take much effort, and a little salt will go a long way towards preventing serious accidents.\nFinally, residents should show respect with snow blowers. Yes, they're nice and convenient and require little real work, but it defeats the purpose if someone simply blows the snow onto another sidewalk or back into the street. Snow should be blown into the lawn and out of the way of pedestrian.\nThis isn't al Qaeda or any other mysterious evil lurking in the Bloomington streets. Snow removal from sidewalks is a relatively simple task that everyone can participate in to make Bloomington safer. The community spirit is one aspect that makes Bloomington a great place to live. This is just one small chore that residents can partake in to help the city out.
-- Jason Gaddis for the Editorial Board
