Sunday, April 17, 2016

"Everyone Plays a Part in Chainsaw Safety"

"Everyone plays a part in chainsaw safety, from the people wielding chainsaws, to the people scurrying in fear around chainsaws."
image found here
A century honored tradition of wielding chainsaws in the city may soon come to an end if an anti-chainsaw measure passes in San Francisco, which bans chainsaws in the city altogether.  The move has chainsaw enthusiasts and merchants alike fuming over such a measure.  

Penny Southerland, longtime chainsaw aficianado, screamed, "The streets of San Francisco were made for chainsaws.  They were here ever since I can remember!  I can't believe someone would have the audacity to tell me I can't run around with my chainsaw in the city anymore.  If people just watch where they're going, wear helmets & high-viz clothing, there won't be a problem.  It's unfair to blame everyone with chainsaws for chainsaw injuries.  Everyone plays a part in chainsaw safety."
Chainsaw merchants say it's only coincidence that people running through the city with chainsaws contributed to the uptick in chainsaw injuries & deaths. 
But "anti-chainsaw" advocates see things differently and blame the increase in chainsaw deaths and injuries squarely on the people who have chainsaws.  Teddy Wilshire exclaimed, "It's nuts that you would allow a dangerous piece of metal around the city.  It's not just the danger posed by the swift moving blades.  It's also the fumes that spew out from those metal death machines.  Take your chainsaw into an area where there aren't a lot of people around.  Why is it that crazy to think we can move through the city without chainsaws?"

Randy has been wielding a chainsaw on Market Street ever since he can remember, and he's not about to stop "just because some idiot hurts themself on my chainsaw."
image found here
Randy Smith, head of the "San Francisco City Chainsaw League" said,"It's my God given right to juggle chainsaws while running through downtown.  It's my preferred method of travel.  People just need to make sure to educate themselves and their children to watch for people with chainsaws.  It's about mutual respect.  Besides, if you don't want someone coming at you with a chainsaw, travel around with a chainsaw, for safety."

City officials have been reluctant to ban chainsaws in the city outright, and opted for signs and paint to help designate chainsaw and non-chainsaw zones.  They've also started campaigns to educate people about the importance of safety near people who are operating chainsaws.  SF's chainsaw safety czar said, "it's really about how to place legal blame on people who hurt others with a chainsaw, and the people who hurt themselves on someone's chainsaw.  The city also started a "Vision Zero" campaign to end all chainsaw deaths by 2024.

Signs, paint and lights will help delineate between someone 'accidentally' being struck by a chainsaw, and those who were distracted and simply "asking for it".
image found here
Thanks to SharrowsDC for the inspiration. 

6 comments:

  1. Some of us have a lot of things to chop in a day, and I don't know how I'd ever get it all done without my chainsaw. It's usually carrots, but I'm always ready to take on a tree when I need to. My chainsaw gives me that freedom. Not all of us are some sort of super-athlete or have all the time in the world to just chop by hand. Thanks for speaking up.

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  2. Some of us drive down from Marin County to buy chainsaw parts and fuel in SF, before going to the opera and a fine meal. If chainsaws were banned from the city I'd stay up in my trailer home.

    Yes, one or two people a week die in chainsaw related accidents, but they are just "Accidents" —if they weren't you'd see the police prosecuting people. And since chainsaws added hand guards, injuries for chainsaw owners have dropped way down. This is something we should celebrate —rather than complain bout.

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    1. Frankly, it's high time that wearing steel-toed boots is mandatory, too. People need to stop worrying about how they look. And even though they're a little hot and uncomfortable, and some people might stop going for walks entirely, if it saves just one life, it's worth it.

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  3. Hey dudeski:

    Your photoshop is a bit off: your beautiful lumberjill is holding on to the anti-kickback bar and not the forward arm grip bar. I know this because I was born in Wisconsin. Otherwise, I don't know much.

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  4. you r play lead roll in next Machete with Electric Chainsaw...........?

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  5. Thanks for share this article, it very useful for me.
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    ReplyDelete