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Malt Shop needs to install barrier

Published 12:12am Sunday, October 14, 2012

I am not a safety engineer. But as I see it The Malt Shop has a safety problem due to its proximity to the intersection where Martin Luther King Jr. dead-ends into Homochitto/Orleans.

There is no protective barrier shielding the front of The Malt Shop from south-bound drivers on Martin Luther King who lose control of their vehicles.

There is only about 6 feet of curb between the street and the eatery, which was not previously removed for the convenience of customer parking. This piece of curb may have had to remain intact because of a sewer drain.

I do not know if The Malt Shop owner is solely responsible for providing a barrier to protect her customers and employees. I know that the city is responsible for streets, but I do not know if its responsibility extends to safety barriers.

I wonder about the insurance company’s responsibility, too. After the second crash into the building, will the insurance company make coverage contingent upon protecting the building and people in and around it?

I believe that safety is in our best interest, and I hope that a safety barrier is installed before the Malt Shop reopens for business to better protect its employees and customers.

 

Lorraine A. Hampton

Natchez resident

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  • Anonymous

    Two wrecks in 50 years. It’d make better sense to ban vehicle usage since there are many wrecks every day.

    Also I’m sure the owner will be more than happy for you to pay for the barriers since you know what is best for his business.

  • i2bdun

    The city installed a barrier in front of a house (on Homochitto) that was run into 2 times in 50 years, why can’t they install the same at The Malt Shop? I personally go to The Malt Shop many times and I don’t care to have someone run over me and I don’t think it’s ridiculous for the city to install a barrier there!

  • Anonymous

    It would not work because it would block a good portion of usable parking in front of the building which would hurt her business.

  • Anonymous

    Wouldn’t it be easier just to ban stupid drivers than erect the posts? TESTING is what is needed to keep a valid drivers licence. Start mandatory testing at age 55, and make the drivers test MUCH MORE DIFFICULT and DEMANDING. In other words- actually TEST the applicant to determine if they can safely drive. Stupid drivers would hopefully be weeded out and be relegated to bicycles. I mean, how many buildings can be destroyed by having a bicycle run into it.

  • Anonymous

    What is a remedy if anyone who is subjected to this strenuous testing fails the “test” and is a good driver overall – better than those texters out there? Many people are scared stiff when facing a test, and failure could seriously affect the daily lives of many of those self sufficient older people. While I agree that seniles should be removed from behind the wheel, a blanket approach to solving that issue may not be the correct answer. Erecting a 6″ pipe barrier between the parking and the picnic table would protect the building, preserve parking, and eliminate any liability of the city placing a barrier there.

  • Anonymous

    A good example of your stupid drivers was seen yesterday morning when i stopped to fuel up. The 35-40 YO female driver at the pump ahead of me was filling up her car with a lit cigarette in her other hand while her child was sitting in the car. Now, that’s stupid!

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