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Man who rides scooter in street to avoid icy sidewalks struck by car hours after voicing concerns Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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MICHELLE: THAT FINE COULD B $500, SIX MONTHS IN JAIL, AND A BILL THE CITY SENDS YOU FOR BRINGING IN CONTRACTORS TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SIDEWALKS. WHAT WE FOUND IS HIT AND MISS AROUND THE CITY. WITH SOME SIDEWALKS STILL COVERED AND OTHERS CLEAR, SOME PEOPLE THINK IT’S SAFER TO BE IN THE STREET INSTEAD OF MANEUVERING AROUND ICY AND SNOWY SIDEWALKS, MARVI THOMAS HAS TO WATCH OUT FOR CARS IN THE STREET. >> I PRAY TO THE LORD LET ME GET HOME SAFE. IT’S DANGEROUS OUT THERE. MICHELLE: BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY AND WITH AMPUTATED TOES, THOMAS RELIES ON A SCOOTER TO GET AROUND. >> I HAD TO GO IN THE STREET, ' ’CAUSE MAN, IT WAS SO ICY RIG THERE, I SAID, I CAN’T HAVE MY SCOOTER ON THERE. MICHELLE: BUT WITH NO OTHER TRANSPORTATION, THOMAS WON’T LET WINTER KEEP HIM AT HOME. >> GOD GAVE ME LEGS, AND I’M GOING TO USE THEM THE BEST I CAN. MICHELLE: BUT 22-YEAR-OLD SHAUN STEEL WOULDN’T THINK OF WALKING IN THE STREETS. JUST LIKE A TIRE HAS GO TREND, YOU NEED A SHOE WITH GOOD TREAD. MICHELLE: HE DOESN’T HAVE A CAR, SO HE WALKS TO AND FROM WORK. >> THE SNOW PLOWS, THEY PUSH A THE SNOW TOWARDS THE SIDEWALK, SO FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME, IT IS HARDER TO TRAVERSE THE ROADS, BECAUSE ALL THAT STUFF IS PILED ON THE SIDEWALKS. MICHELLE: THERE IS A CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES MUST CLEAR THEIR SIDEWALKS WITHIN 24 HOURS FROM WHEN THE CITY STOPS ITS SNOW OPERATIONS. THAT TIMELINE STARTED AT MIDNIGHT MONDAY. SO FAR, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED 30 COMPLAINTS. >> THEY HAVE 24 HOURS AFTER RECEIVING THE NOTICES TO CLEAR OFF SNOW IF NOT, THEN WE WILL BRING OUR CONTRACTOR OUT AND THEY WILL GO OUT AND CLEAR THE SNOW OR THE ICE OFF THE SIDEWALK AND WE WILL ASSESS THE COST FOR THAT. MICHELLE: THOMAS HOPES THE NEXT SNOW AND ICE STORM, YOU’LL THINK ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE HIM AND SHAUN STEEL. >> GOOD NEIGHBORS HELP OUT MICHELLE: WITH SNOW IN THE FORECAST, THE CITY WILL RESE THE 24-HOUR CLOCK SINCE IT WON’T KNOW WHICH STORM IS COVERING THE SIDEWALKS. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMPLA -- IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT, CALL TH