Apparently the overlords of Philadelphia are not too concerned with lawsuits. For the sidewalks are rocky terrain indeed. Pitons and nuts may not be necessary, but be sure to bandage up your ankles with additional support to avoid sprains and torn ligaments. It’s the craziest thing, curbstones – actually made of granite are often far below the surface of a concrete sidewalk, and at times, absent. Bricks are missing from bricked walks as well. I don’t know if people steal them for souvenirs or the homeless swipe them to build shelters or hawk them? NYC sidewalks have their share of cracks and fissures, but Philly’s sidewalks are the worse I’ve trod.

I don’t know how the handicapped tolerate it. I tried pushing an elderly man around the block in a wheelchair and it was too much for me to handle. The sidewalks are treacherous. I was a patient transported for 4 months in another city.

The sidewalk on the block Independence Hall occupies is now off-limits to denizens of the city. Some militant asshole from our beloved Department of Homeland Insecurity has decided to barricade the block so that pedestrians cannot walk on the newly re-bricked sidewalk. Our tax dollars at work. So much for Freedom and Brotherly love.

While on the subject of navigating the city on foot, I am surprised Jaywalking is not often seen. Even though drivers seldom observe the Federal Highway Rule that in order to execute a right-hand turn at a red traffic signal, the vehicle must come to a full stop, signal, and yield to all pedestrians. I’ve seen this twice, once with a woman engrossed in a cell phone conversation and the other a lost tourist. Apparently the police have not heard of the law either. The other odd thing about fording the streets is that drivers will turn left or right when they have a green signal. Here they are required to yield to pedestrians. I’m sure there is a graveyard full of former pedestrians who thought the same thing. And, unlike L.A. where vehicles creeping up on pedestrians or failing to yield to them in the cross walk is a felony: attempted vehicular homicide, the Philadelphia police have apparently not heard of this either. If you are clipped by a car and a cop is watching you can expect no impunity against the driver, especially if it is a cop who clipped you. This is ‘law and order’ in Philly. If you vent your anger on the driver and they spit in your face, the prosecuting attorney in this city does not want to her about it. Try spitting in prosecuting attorney’s face and see if anyone cares.

Few intersections have cross walk signs. I’ve yet to see one that gave a healthy 6’pedestrian with a long gate and jaunty stride, enough time to clear the road before it went red.

Then there is a whole bunch of nonsense with roads drivers cannot turn off of and areas where Right turn on Red is prohibited, but ignored and not enforced, in order to give the pedestrians a break.

I was surprised there are no more loud, rolling base bin cars than anywhere else I’ve lived. There is in fact a $300 fine advertised on road signs in touristy areas as South Street. I’m told this is not enforced, and that the Mayor drives around in an SUV with his stereo booming.

Ambulances have sirens so loud they must exceed the legal limit by tens of decibels. Some are loud enough to make your ears bleed. And the canyon effect of the 3 & 4 story row houses lining the streets does not help. Also, apparently no one has heard of quiet zones around hospitals and hospices in this city. At least, not the drivers of emergency vehicles or their supervisors. I also have observed that you don’t want to be a passenger in an ambulance. Drivers don’t pull over for them.

In London, walk ways that lead under roads and buildings are called Subways. Philly has its share of underground walkways. The PATCO line is such an example. You can walk from South 16th -15th and Locust Street all the way to South 9th - 10th and Locust Street under ground without entering the turnstiles. This is good to know for inclement weather.

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