Faulty street lights electrocuting dogs

Doberluv

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#1
http://www.seattledogspot.com/blog/tag/dog-electrocuted/

Smkie and I were talking about things to be cautious of when out on a walk when in more urban areas or really...anywhere. This is one thing that came up. I remember reading about some of these cases (in the link) and being horrified that something like that is so prevalent. It's horrible enough that dogs have been killed, but suppose a child gets killed. Why are these things even allowed to exist without prior inspection? It's outrageous! :yikes:
 

Lilavati

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#3
Because regulation is bad. :p
Pretty much. If the street lights belong to the city, then its probably due to a lack of funds, perhaps due to the constant pressure to lower tax rates and provide more services. If they belong to a utility, as they seem to here, then its likely due to unenforced regulations.

Although the issue of regulation is complex, it endlessly amazes me that people rant and rave about regulation . . . and then ask . . . well, how could THAT have happened? Why isn't X inspected?

Inspections are . . . a regulation.
 

Kat09Tails

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#4
They are inspected, they are regulated but there are a few issues going on. I know Seattle spent a ton of money checking each and every one after that dog died.

First off - crappier parts are being used now thanks to copper thieves. These thieves don't really know enough to put things back in a safe way even if they don't find the copper/brass they're looking for.

Scale. I mean seriously look around sometime at all of the public hardware out there. Inspecting every post every day is impossible, inspecting a post once a year in some cities is just not allowable with the numbers of fixtures in a city when all it takes is an idiot with a pair of tin snips and a screwdriver to make a post unsafe in fifteen minutes.

You want to stop dangerous fixtures? Make it serious jail time to be in possession of public scrap metal and create a bounty to turn in A-holes that steal this stuff.
 

Lilavati

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#5
They are inspected, they are regulated but there are a few issues going on. I know Seattle spent a ton of money checking each and every one after that dog died.

First off - crappier parts are being used now thanks to copper thieves. These thieves don't really know enough to put things back in a safe way even if they don't find the copper/brass they're looking for.

Scale. I mean seriously look around sometime at all of the public hardware out there. Inspecting every post every day is impossible, inspecting a post once a year in some cities is just not allowable with the numbers of fixtures in a city when all it takes is an idiot with a pair of tin snips and a screwdriver to make a post unsafe in fifteen minutes.

You want to stop dangerous fixtures? Make it serious jail time to be in possession of public scrap metal and create a bounty to turn in A-holes that steal this stuff.
Well, that at least explains it. But what is with Seattle's posts? Do I not get out enough, because I've not heard of dogs getting electrocuted anywhere else. Is there some design flaw?

I sympathize with the copper theft though . . . its a huge issue for utilities.

Of course, some states have decided to pretty much make it impossible to buy and sell scrap metal as a response. Which is a good example of bad regulation.
 

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