Security at the St. Patrick’s day parade
Plans are in place to make the St. Patrick’s Day parade safer by adding security guys to walk beside every motorized float.
I still say the sane response would be to de-mechanize the parade, and confidently predict it will go that way before the 200th instalment in 2028.

Marc 12:07 on 2011/03/16 Permalink
One can still be crushed by floats being pulled by a team of horses. Unless you think floats should be abolished and have the whole parade made up of just people walking by.
Kate 07:39 on 2011/03/17 Permalink
It’s how the parade was run for more than a century and it wouldn’t trouble me at all, but the parade organization is probably now accustomed to collecting the fees paid for mechanized floats.
Anyway, someone driving a team of horses can at least see ahead; the problem last year was that the guys were playing around on the hitch of a huge truck and the driver couldn’t see them, didn’t know when one of them fell off.
The revived St. Patrick’s parade in Quebec City uses no trucks at all.
Bomark 10:01 on 2011/03/17 Permalink
Take away the trucks and someone will get run over by a horse-drawn cart. Take away the carts and someone will get trampled to death. Take away the alcohol and everyone will be fine.
Kate 11:01 on 2011/03/17 Permalink
Nonsense. The parade ran for 186 consecutive years without a fatality, even though at times feelings ran high variously over nationality, religion or language. And people will have a drink. Don’t be daft.
But nobody needs to inhale truck exhaust at a festive parade. Take away the trucks.
bomark 13:37 on 2011/03/17 Permalink
Not to be daft but any time you have that many people drinking on the street you’re going to have trouble. Perhaps that wasn’t clear in my original post. I take it you’ll be there with bottle in hand.
Kate 17:31 on 2011/03/17 Permalink
Maybe, maybe not – but I’ll defend to the death my right to do so!
walkerp 12:09 on 2011/03/18 Permalink
Right on, Kate!