A Word on Scaffolding

Tragic for clothing- even leather coats.

Even a visitor to New York on her first day in town would agree: You can't stroll 3 blocks down the streets of NYC without walking under scaffolding. In recent years, it seems like every façade in the Big Apple is undergoing a facelift, and maneuvering through the unpleasant, temporary, sometimes hazardous scaffold sites is one of the evils of living in a beautiful old metropolis like ours.

If I don’t keep in mind that these urban sanctuaries are there for my protection, and actually are doing more good than harm, I tend to generate needless resentment (particularly when a carelessly-erected section tears a scar into my brand-new leather jacket. Grrrrrr!). Happens to you too?

Make sure bolts are capped

Here’s my advice: Put yourself into an optimistic mindset. Think of all the times those scaffolds sheltered you from torrential rain when your umbrella was left at the office. Furthermore, be gratified that you likely won’t be flattened by falling debris while wandering through that iron forest. As far as your torn clothing….it’s nothing a tailor can’t repair.

Those protruding bolts will be waiting to snag you again the next time you walk by. Just be proactive about them— in the way you are before crossing a city street. It will save you time, money and aggravation, while that unsightly scaffolding will serve to save your life!