I would guess they face forward because they want it to blow into the street during clean out rather than onto the sidewalk? Alternately, if they have to pull across the street, maybe they don’t want the main hose to kink if pulled sideways.
What I really don’t understand is why they don’t make one of the smaller side hose taps the same size as the front pumper tap. You could have an adapter already on it too, so you can connect either size hose just as quickly. Nvm, I did some research and this is already a thing, often with 45 degree hydrants called the “Chicago Standard” (not enough, IM^(uneducated)O).
Unfortunantly, the number 1 reason most safty things dont happen is cost. Red paint on a curb is way, way cheaper than a concrete bump out or other physical barrrier, and it occasionaly generates ticket revenue. Win win from a city budget perspective.
Its why bike lanes are often nice cheap white lines, or in exotic US locals pretending to care, slighlty less cheap green paint paths.
Or why not placing them further on the sidewalk so there’s never a car that close to it? You don’t even need to have that spot free of cars, enough space for the hoses to get around it.
Why don’t they put curb bumpouts at fire hydrants?
I’ve never understood why they don’t for roads where there is a parking lane. Or why the connection is perpendicular to the curb rather than parallel.
However, as with most safety things I assume there must be a valid reason they have been installed in this manner for decades.
I would guess they face forward because they want it to blow into the street during clean out rather than onto the sidewalk? Alternately, if they have to pull across the street, maybe they don’t want the main hose to kink if pulled sideways.
What I really don’t understand is why they don’t make one of the smaller side hose taps the same size as the front pumper tap. You could have an adapter already on it too, so you can connect either size hose just as quickly.Nvm, I did some research and this is already a thing, often with 45 degree hydrants called the “Chicago Standard” (not enough, IM^(uneducated)O).Unfortunantly, the number 1 reason most safty things dont happen is cost. Red paint on a curb is way, way cheaper than a concrete bump out or other physical barrrier, and it occasionaly generates ticket revenue. Win win from a city budget perspective.
Its why bike lanes are often nice cheap white lines, or in exotic US locals pretending to care, slighlty less cheap green paint paths.
Yep. Read “There are no accidents” by Jessie Singer to see why tragedies like this happen.
whenever you dont understand engineering decisions the answer is always cost.
NYC literally lines their curbs with steel plates. Cost is not an issue in this city.
I’m guessing where it snows this would be hard to plow
So cops can park there.
Or why not placing them further on the sidewalk so there’s never a car that close to it? You don’t even need to have that spot free of cars, enough space for the hoses to get around it.