It always takes a Tragedy to get things Done.

Published on July 15, 2006 By InBloom In Current Events

Several days ago a woman in Boston was killed when the car she was riding in was struck by a ceiling tile that fell from the Big Dig Tunnel. It was already known that this tunnel was in poor shape, but nothing had been done about it.

Why does it seem that it always takes some sort of tragedy to get the ball rolling on
solving a problem? You see this in other circumstances as well, such as the dangerous intersection that doesn't get attention until someone gets in a fiery car crash there, or the shoddy playground equipment that gets complaints and isn't fixed up until some poor kid gets hurt.

Who knows what things factor into these late reactions...politics, money, apathy...It's just really sad that people in power are aware of these sorts of problems and nothing is done in time to prevent an injury or a death.

Comments

Locamama

on Jul 16, 2006

That is a sad but true fact. It seems like it's too little too late. I don't know if they are trying to save money but not maintaining things but I have no doubt that the family of the victim will sue and they will pay ten times what they would have to fix the problem in the first place and a life was lost. I think the problem is that the people in power are more concerned with getting reelected than doing their jobs.

Trudygolightly

on Jul 16, 2006

I know exactly what you're talking about. I called HRA and asked them to have a repair man come out and fix our steps, this was back in 85. They couldn't she explained, because they were on strike.

Well a short time later my daughter tripped on the bad steps and fractured he ankle quite severely.

Guess how long it took for HRA to get a repairman out there?

InBloom

on Jul 16, 2006

~~I think the problem is that the people in power are more concerned with getting reelected than doing their jobs.~~

I am sure there are some good hearted people out there, but yeah...too many power hungry people out there who care about no one or nothing but their quest to keep movin on up. Of course, something like this incident won't help their cause in the least.

InBloom

on Jul 16, 2006

~~Well a short time later my daughter tripped on the bad steps and fractured he ankle quite severely.

Guess how long it took for HRA to get a repairman out there?~~

Good example of what I am trying to say...what a horrible thing to happen to your daughter.

Tova7

on Jul 16, 2006

I think it boils down to money a lot of times.

Yeah they knew the tunnel needed repaired, but maybe there was something that needed it more and the budget only allowed for one at a time....so they crossed their fingers and started on the other.

This may not be the situation but I imagine if you dug into it...money would be at the heart of it.

Good article.

Dr Guy

on Jul 17, 2006

Yeah they knew the tunnel needed repaired

Which is a crime in and of itself since it was just built. But the answer to the question of why is politics. This was supposed to be a shining example of the great work that the People's Republic of Mass could do when they had to. Yet instead it is a shining example of graft, mismanagement, corruption and poor workmanship. However, none of the emperor's courtisan's dare call attention to what is blantantly obvious to the average child.

InBloom

on Jul 17, 2006

Tova~~Yeah they knew the tunnel needed repaired, but maybe there was something that needed it more and the budget only allowed for one at a time....so they crossed their fingers and started on the other.

This may not be the situation but I imagine if you dug into it...money would be at the heart of it.~~

Well, that may be the case...that something else had to take precedence (sp?).
Still, it's pretty sad that soo much concern was already voiced about the safety of this structure (from what I continue to read), and only now something is being done.

Dr.G~~However, none of the emperor's courtisan's dare call attention to what is blantantly obvious to the average child.~~

Nice point.

foreverserenity

on Jul 18, 2006

I heard about that accident. That was horrible. YOu're right, it does take tragedy for some things to get done. Look at New Orleans.

InBloom

on Jul 18, 2006

FS~~I heard about that accident. That was horrible. YOu're right, it does take tragedy for some things to get done. Look at New Orleans.~~

I remember showing my students a National Geographic video on natural disasters a year before Katrina happened. It spoke of the possibility of New Orleans being destroyed if a big hurricane hit. It's so horrible that it actually happened, and that the risk of something like that happening was already known about.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!