Gothamist: The Electric Version

Abominable Snowman

Sat, 24 Jan 2004 23:22:21 -0500

The electrocution happened very close to one of my favorite bars (Rififi/Cinema Classics) and I smoke outside of that place all the time. Smoking outside gives you the risk of being electrocuted. Sub-zero windchills cause frostbite in 20 minutes. The smoking ban seems to be *harming* people's health, if you ask me.

John

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 16:16:17 -0500

There must be a way to get rid of the smoking ban through this new danger--like, say, "the insulation on the wires is deteriorating from the increased number of still-burning cigarette butts that people are forced th throw on the streets now, rather than safely stub out in an ashtray." A-ha! Allowing smoking in bars=less sidewalk electrocutions! Take that, Engineer Bloomberg!

jenny

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 15:46:31 -0500

Hmm...its starting to sound like the city should get an army of dogs to just walk around the city and find these hot spots. because really, a hot spot is the only thing a dog will act weird around in NYC. ;)

Phil

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 14:41:31 -0500

My first instinct is to wonder why ConEd never figured (before the 2002 insulation upgrade) that wires laid under the street in NYC might be subject to some environmental deterioration. On the other hand, it electricity can be cut to the entire northeast section of the country, maybe this incident isn't so surprising after all. So Bloomberg *is* an engineer, next thing you know, we'll find out he actually enjoys smoking in bars.