Strange word 'manhole'. In Spanish they are called tapa de la alcantarilla which means drain cover and is exactly what they are, rather than a manhole! According to the New York Times, leaders in Sacramento, California decided in 1990 that the word "manhole" was sexist, and the city now calls them "maintenance holes."
You can see manhole covers wherever you go in the world - apart from the Dominican Republic. They exist here, but are stolen all the time and sold for scrap metal. This is not an occasional occurrence, as soon as they are replaced they are taken again. Luckily the thieves, or the people who live nearby, nearly always put something in the hole to try and stop nasty accidents. Usually they put a tree branch in it.
Or a beer crate in front of it which is no use if you are coming in the other direction!
Piece of concrete.
Bits of wood.
There is talk of having plastic covers but I have yet to see one. In the meantime we will just carry on keeping our wits about us when walking in the street or driving!
Oh my goodness, what a danger! Are there a lot of accidents because of these stolen covers?
ReplyDeleteYou are right, manhole makes no sense...
Plenty of car tyres ripped to bits, and am sure people fall down them from time to time, especially when the electricity is out and it is pitch dark!
DeleteWe were in Santo Domingo one day when a small car had his back tire sink into the hole and no amount of gunning the engine was going to get him out. About 4 guys came off the sidewalk, slightly lifted and then pushed the car. Traffic resumed flowing :)
ReplyDeleteThat is the great thing about this country in that there are always people prepared to help you out!
DeleteI learned the hard way not to step on a cover, basically the same thing as not having a cover! I fell through, and an AMET had to fish me out :(
ReplyDeleteHow horrid. You are the first person I know who has fallen down one but I am sure there are lots. And having AMET fish you out - I hope you gave them a ticket for the dodgy cover!
DeleteBack in NY, I would have probably sued the city...but there's no one to sue here. I paid about 2,000 pesos out of pocket for the stitches and tetanus vaccine.
DeleteYes, my brother stepped on one with a loose cover and also fell into one, well his leg anyways as far as it could go...after that,I NEVER stepped on one again, even with a secure cover. I shudder to think of a small child running along and disappearing into the ground!!
DeleteIt is so engraved in my mind that even here in Canada,I still step around one every time..think of DR whenever I see one though :)
A manhole cover is a removable plate forming the lid over the opening of a manhole, to prevent anyone from falling in and to keep unauthorized persons out.Since the era of ancient Rome, sewer grates made from stone have been used to keep people from falling into the sewage and to catch anything large that might otherwise fall in. Manhole covers usually weigh more than 50 kg, partly because the weight keeps them in place when traffic passes over them, and partly because they are often made out of cast iron, sometimes with infills of concrete. This makes them inexpensive, strong, and heavy. A manhole cover sits on metal base, with a smaller inset rim which fits the cover. The base and cover are sometimes called "castings," because they are made by a casting process.
ReplyDeleteThanks, for awaring the people about the problems rised due to open manholes, and I would like to share some more words on manhole cover
ReplyDeleteregards,
Joshua.
Manhole covers are really important for the city people. With the developement of economy,people always like the Decorative Drain Covers. The design should be selected in accordance with the functionality which needs to be drived from the drain cover as in the things which should pass by it and the things which shouldn’t.
ReplyDeletemay appear insignificant, yet they are unsung urban heroes. They keep us safe, hiding a world of infrastructure below. Kudos to these unassuming protectors of our streets!
ReplyDeleteManhole covers may appear insignificant, yet they are unsung urban heroes.. They keep us safe, hiding a world of infrastructure below. Kudos to these unassuming protectors of our streets!
ReplyDelete