Thursday, September 01, 2011

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN

Serendipity isn't the right word for it, but it's along the right lines. The sign they put up, in good faith, to warn motorists about flying chippings after the resurfacing work, actually created a hazard of its own by blocking the view of drivers exiting Central Square onto the A18 (Wrawby Road).
This was the view on Saturday afternoon. A day or so later we noted the sign was on the ground. Had it been taken down by a caring motorist, someone from the council or merely dropped to the ground in the wind?

SERENDIPITY: "The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident."




3 comments:

Ken Harrison said...

Various warning signing were lying in disarray late yesterday afternoon....one road sign was lying moribund in the road being run-over by vehicles.
They just didn't get there by wind.
It maybe also worth noting that 2 plastic road-sign - 'A' frame supports were seen in the Ancholme (see comment in Brigg People from a couple of days ago)
Unfortunately, it's a sign of the times...some miscreants believe street furniture is fair game...but it's one of these examples which is unlikely to be reported to the police and remains an unrecorded incident of low-level vandalism.

Ken Harrison said...

....and I add, the contractors are likely to increase their bills to the Council to off-set their losses...and in-turn such costs are either transferred to the council tax payer, or an OAP doesn't get the home help needed.
Every action has an equal and opposite re-action* - the law is equally true in science, as it is in everyday life.

*Newton's 3rd Law of Motion

Ken Harrison said...

I don't know of a word which would suggest a double-edged hazard, Scribs.
In the medical and H&S scheme of things there is a term, 'Reciprocal Hazard'....ie you take a medication to cure/ease one thing, but the side-affects could cause some other complication.
It's a bit like believing it's unlucky to walk under a ladder, so you step off the pavement to go round it, but then get knocked over by the builder's lorry.
You could invent a word, Nige, it's been done before.... Shakespeare invented nearly 2000 words, most of which are still used today...like bloody, road, and lapse.