The Perils of Working in the Original Skyscraper Jungle

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I work in the city. THE city. As in Chicago. Home of the original skyscraper. Did you know that? After the Chicago Fire, they commissioned an architect to do whatever he wanted…and he wanted to change the world, apparently. Thus skyscrapers were born.

So I work downtown, inside The Loop, Chicago. Each day I walk a mile from the train, rain or shine, sweltering or bitterly freezing. And then I work. And then I walk another mile from work to the train. I used to occasionally take a cab (VERY occasionally), but mostly I’d brave the elements because a one-way $8-10 cab ride just doesn’t do it for me. I’ve recently discovered that I’m not as afraid of the bus, but for an extra $2.25 per trip, it’s only worth it when it’s REALLY fucking cold out. Like negative temperatures cold. Like WAY negative temperatures cold. Because that $2.25 would quickly become $22.50 PER WEEK. And that’s a lot on my already-expensive commute.

So I brave the dangers of walking in the city. When it’s freezing out, and especially when the freezing starts to warm up just a smidge, signs start popping up all over The Loop. On my walk to and from the train, I pass no less than 8 caution signs each way. Caution signs that warn passersby of potential falling ice. FROM THE FUCKING SKYSCRAPERS.

Caution Falling Ice

  1. How the fuck am I supposed to see the falling ice ball from the sky by looking at a sign 2 feet off the ground?

  2. How the fuck would I even protect myself if a giant, painful ball of ice were to come tumbling down on my head?

  3. What is the fucking purpose of the signs? Do they think they’re preventing legal repercussions of a chunk of ice decapitating some unlucky soul?

Because if a giant fuckball of ice falls on my head and doesn’t actually kill me, I’m going to sue something. Or someone. Okay, probably not. But I would most certainly be pissed. And in a lot of pain.

Then…THEN…I get safely inside the confines of my building? Only to discover that because of the wet, melting ice on my feet, I could fall to my death inside the fucking skyscraper. Because those floors are fucking SLICK. I should know…I slip on them on a regular basis.

Caution Wet FloorThese days, I’m not opposed to a nice, cozy suburban job…with a 5-15 minute drive. We’ll see.

Blog Friends, what dangers await you on your morning commute? Or do you have a dangerous job? Or do you avoid danger like the plague?

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15 Responses

  1. … and that’s why I like working in Madison. I work across the street from the capital, but my commute is 20 minutes and goes right into a heated parking deck under my building.

  2. I work in a very…. dangerous area of the city and so when I arrive at work in the morning I try to make it through the door without getting mugged. When I leave at night I consider it a victory if I manage to get to the car without one person trying to stop me to ‘spare some change (while my friend picks your pocket)’ that said, I think I’m more likely to survive a mugging than a chunk of ice falling 100 feet onto my head. Jeez.

  3. LOL Toronto has those signs too. A huge chunk of ice actually fell off my office building and because of the wind it landed in the middle of the street! Fun times. My biggest issues is that we have major wind pockets in Toronto. Certain intersections where the wind is INSANE. My office is at one of them. We’re talking CRAZY winds. Like knocking over mailboxes and newspaper stands.

  4. The scariest part of my way in and out of work are the other drivers on the road. Up until a couple of years ago, I worked the midnight shift. No one was on the roads. Now I drive in to work and home again during rush hour traffic. it’s completely ridiculous. it’s not so much of the time factor, it’s these people, riding my bumper so close that I can’t see the hood of the car in my rear view (do they think if they keep getting closer, the cars in front of me will magically disappear?) and the people weaving in and out of traffic cutting everyone else off.

    We don’t have fancy things like Subways here. Or a decent public transportation system.

  5. The most dangerous thing I do during my commute is avoid the other commuters. Seriously, there are some dickclowns out there who can’t drive.

      1. Some douche in a pickup hauling a trailer this morning refused to yield so I could merge onto the highway, almost forcing me into the emergency lane. A bird took flight in my car soon after.

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