Reader’s Letter: Angry Anna And Reykjavik’s Icy Pavements

Dear Grapevine,

The weather has been very nice here in Reykjavík lately, the sun is shining and so on, but still there is something I can’t stop thinking about and have to share with someone publicly. It’s about the ice on the pavements, and my question is: WHY? Why does nobody take care of it during the colder months? Maybe some walks on ice should be organised for the city officials, so they could become aware of how dangerous this is and how easy it is to slip on it?

Angry Anna

Dear Angry Anna,

We empathise with you and thoroughly understand your anger. This is a serious matter—people get hurt because of this, and not enough is being done to solve the problem (no, throwing down some salt is not enough, and everyone knows it). We truly hope that someone from the Reykjavík City Council is going to read this letter, take a long look in the mirror and ask themselves: “Did I fail in my life as a public servant and a human being by neglecting this issue for so long?”

In the meantime, let’s just enjoy the current ice-free, non-slippery pavement conditions and hope for the best for the future. Or we could always start obsessing about something else, for example, air pollution and smog. Additionally, we recommend taking a look at our new column: “Angry Reacts Only: The Latest Geysers Of Rage On Icelandic Social Media” at the back of this magazine for some more inspiration.

Ice-free and grippy regards,

Yours friends at the Grapevine