Coney Madness #1: Boardwalk Injuries Coming for Summer

The Coney Island boardwalk seems to have gone from bad to worse just in time for the new season. The block between W. 12 Street and Stillwell Avenue--in front of Ruby's and Lola Staar and other establishments--seems to have weathered the winter badly and is now frighteningly deteriorated. (And we do mean "frightening" in a very literal way. It is scary to walk on now.) It is so bad and so dangerous that we do not feel like alarmists in saying that the people will be injured and that more than one will plunge right through the boards. We watched one man with his wife and grandchild test the boards on what we call the trip-and-fall boardwalk in front of Ruby's and say out loud, "This is an absolute disgrace."

While the city has announced plans for long-term repairs--perhaps next year--if this block-long area is not shored up, there will be problems. It is worse now that it has been in last five or six years, and the boards visibly sag when people walk on them.

The frightening thing is that NYPD patrols continue to drive down the boardwalk and in summer they also use smaller vehicles. Perhaps the city will make some emergency repairs after a police or other public vehicle crashes through the rotting wood?

GL Analysis:
1) A personal injury lawyer would do well to find a way to put up a sign somewhere between W. 12 St. and Stillwell Avenue saying, "Just fall through the Boardwalk? Call us & we'll make sure you get yours. Your broken face may send the little ones to college. 1-800-SUE-MIKE."

2) Walk on the side of the boardwalk closest to the beach. It is in slightly better shape and somewhat less likely to collapse under you.

3) Emergency. Repairs. Before. Memorial Day. To do otherwise is unfathomably callous negligence.

4) Anyone interested in a Summer 2008 Boardwalk Injury Betting Pool? Name the number of trip and falls, number of people that fall through the boardwalk, the number of weekly injuries and total payout in lawsuits. Bonus Tiebreaker: Will a police car or other vehicle fall through the boardwalk? If so, will it happen in June, July or August?