The pavements.
And you'll recall that I've already mentioned these wretched pavements ("I miss pavements that don't have telephone poles and trees growing out of the middle of them. I miss ramps. I miss a society that acknowledges children and buggies. I miss not having to get into the car to go just about anywhere.")
But just in case anyone doesn't believe me, and to demonstrate exactly how bad they are, I was the weirdo walking around the streets of Attard* taking random street pictures the other day. Most of these pictures were taken in ONE street, Triq Sant' Anton.
Needless to say, a situation that is bad is further aggravated by stupid people...
(The truck and car are parked right over the two ramps I can use to get the buggy into the supermarket. )
Now look at these and imagine attempting to push a buggy along a pavement. What a joke. Then imagine being a person confined to a wheelchair. Because I know that in a few years time, a buggy won't be an issue for me any longer. But if there were something wrong with my legs, it wouldn't be that simple at all.
These pictures are quite simply evidence of a society that disregards anyone who chooses not to use a car to get further than 3 metres away from their home. And it's absolutely disgusting.
* These pavements are in no way limited to Attard. It just happened to be the place I took the pictures that day. Some places are (a little bit) better, most are similar or sadly, even worse.
Sigh.
I feel your pain, Spain is exactly the same! I remember those roads around Attard and good old Scotts. I remember ducking under trees or swerving out of the way to avoid colliding with them, I doubt you can even fit a buggy onto most of the pavements! Saying that I wouldn't fancy negotiating the narrow roads with a buggy either as there wasn't much room for cars let alone a car and buggies too! Good old Maltese infrastructure!
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty shocking I think I would be also a bit peeved at it...! :(
ReplyDeleteThat must be annoying though I suppose everyone just gets used to tangling with the traffic.
ReplyDeleteWalking somewhere as opposed to using a car is considered such an outrageous idea by many here, I've often been given horrified looks just because I'm out with the babies on foot!
ReplyDeleteI always walk in the street and Mark pulls me to the pavement but I feel so unsteady and in a way 'claustrophobic'. At least I know that walking on the road I can walk without holding my head down.. AND another thing, there are no slippery bits. Coz somehow some smart person decided it was OK to cement some pieces of the patchwork pavement so it tends to get very slippery
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