Accidental Electrocution

By far, New Yorkers’ number one fear is accidental electrocution (I have absolutely no data to support this claim). Ever since 30-year old grad student Jodie Lane got killed by the electrically charged Con Edison manhole cover while walking her dogs in the East Village, people have used more caution in dealing with street utilities. But it still happens—like this January in Park Slope, when a man Aric Roman and his dog Cruzer were nearly the victims of what Con Ed calls, “stray voltage.” Random electrical currents build up in surrounding metal objects like lampposts and fire hydrants, and move through wet or icy pavement. The currents can even travel through salt paths created from de-icers placed on snowy sidewalks.

Although it’s highly unlikely that you will be electrocuted while innocently walking down the street, it’s not impossible. To the end of avoiding said fate, don’t walk over the Con Edison metal street plates. As long as you are doing that, you might as well avoid stepping on the subway grates, as people sometimes fall six feet into the sidewalk when they give way. You should also exercise caution when treading over the bouncy cellar doors outside of local businesses. It's fun, but they are century-old metal grates with only a rusted iron bar keeping you from landing in a heap in the basement of a bodega.

While you’re avoiding all those other dangers, steer clear of any open covers or exposed wires on streetlights, and keep your dog from urinating on them and accidentally getting electrocuted. New York has 94,000 miles of underground cables, making the sidewalks a veritable death trap! For more info, visit Blair Sorrel’s blog, StreetZaps.com.