Dangerous Pavement kerb

[Raymond Aquilina]

Dear all,
I am currently walking on the Camino Frances having arrived in Burgos from The Ruta de La Lana starting Valencia.
This morning I was walking the last kilometres from Reliegos to Leon when I tripped on a protruding pavement kerb. Luckily I was not hurt badly except from some bruises. This was at Puente Villarente 13kms from Leon.
My fellow Pilgrims be aware of it at the entrance to the village once you crossed the bridge.
Thanks to some Spanish locals and a Korean pilgrim who helped me.
Buen Camino
Raymond Aquilina

 

[Bradypus]

I'm glad to hear that you got off with only slight injuries. Hope the rest of your journey is safe and free from any more such incidents. No intention of minimising what happened to you but this could become an immensely long thread if we all start to list individually the trip hazards we encounter along the way.

 

[Raymond Aquilina]

I'm glad to hear that you got off with only slight injuries. Hope the rest of your journey is safe and free from any more such incidents. No intention of minimising what happened to you but this could become an immensely long thread if we all start to list individually the trip hazards we encounter along the way.

I tend to disagree...I am not sure if you opened the attachment. My intention is to warn others. Infact I am reporting this to the amigos del Camino. This kerb should be removed forcthe safety of other pilgrims.
Buen Camino
Ray

 

[SabsP]

I tend to disagree...I am not sure if you opened the attachment. My intention is to warn others. Infact I am reporting this to the amigos del Camino. This kerb should be removed forcthe safety of other pilgrims.
Buen Camino
Ray

You seem to be serious?
Really, you can't make the Camino faultless and without some daily hazards.
What next? No smells or noises?

The average pilgrim who started earlier on encountered lots worse surfaces.

Leave it to the locals or the towncouncil to do something about it. If they feel the need.

 

[K_Lynn]

That looks like a perfectly normal, visible curb. Sorry you tripped over it and glad you weren't injured.

While we're on the topic of safety, could someone please sweep the bits of gravel of roads and paths? Loose bits of gravel tends to slide under shoes and cause a slipping/falling hazard.

 

[Theatregal]

Happily you weren't seriously injured! Truly though, we pilgrims must take personal responsibility for awareness of where we're walking along hundreds of km of constantly changing varied terrain, both rural and urban. Demanding that a very visible curb that must serve some function to the citizens of Puente Villarente, to be removed, seems a bit extreme.

 

[Barbara]

I once saw a sharp knife in an albergue kitchen. Should I have reported it?

 

[Lindsay53]

I once saw a sharp knife in an albergue kitchen. Should I have reported it?

I'm impressed you found any knife in an albergue kitchen!

 

[trecile]

While I agree that this isn't anything that anyone is going to do anything about a picture rather than a PDF is the way to show it.

 

[dougfitz]

I tend to disagree...I am not sure if you opened the attachment. My intention is to warn others. Infact I am reporting this to the amigos del Camino. This kerb should be removed forcthe safety of other pilgrims.
Buen Camino
Ray

I did open your PDF, and can understand that if you didn't see the way this section of kerbing was constructed and negotiate it differently, you would have tripped over it. But it seems clear that this is a section of kerb serving another service to the community, and that is separating a parking area from the roadway in a way to force those using the parking area to exit it at somewhere much safer than at this particular curve. If indeed, that is the case, I suspect that the community will be reluctant to remove or replace this kerbing.

 

[Former member 92300]

I'm glad to hear that you got off with only slight injuries. Hope the rest of your journey is safe and free from any more such incidents. No intention of minimising what happened to you but this could become an immensely long thread if we all start to list individually the trip hazards we encounter along the way.

Not to mention - we can trip anywhere! My moment on the Frances was slipping on some stairs. My moment on the Primitivo was just an ordinary paved sidewalk with no obvious reason for me falling except I just somehow managed to do just that. Surprisingly I only had 1 small bruise from the stairs. I was pretty scraped up from the sidewalk though - both knees and a hand.

 

[Walkerooni]

I recently broke a toe. On my yoga mat. It was a typical yoga mat, just like that is a typical kerb. Fortunately you have missed the descents before Zubiri and after Alto de Perdon, but think it's best to start preparing now for the descent into El Acebo and the climb to O’Cebriero.

 

[lt56ny]

I tend to disagree...I am not sure if you opened the attachment. My intention is to warn others. Infact I am reporting this to the amigos del Camino. This kerb should be removed forcthe safety of other pilgrims.
Buen Camino
Ray

My kids often make the statement to me about first world privilege. Sorry to say this is a perfect example of that. I live in Mexico and have traveled to many, many less economically privileged countries. If curbs around my house looked like that there would be smiles on people's faces.

 

[naplesdon]

Even walking with cane as I do every day and two poles if and when I am on the Camino, there are dangers to us all. Slipping and falling on wet, slick, uphill, downhill, uneven cobblestone pavers in Portugal is my nemesis. I rarely go out if it has been raining.

 

[backpack45]

My sympathy for your fall--never fun. I am currently grounded because I tripped on the straps of an insulated picnic basket near where I live. So now I have a fractured Greater Trochanter (big word for part of the femur). Had to cancel a hike in France. But I can assure you that there are much bigger hazards where I live (S.F. Bay Area)--mostly from aging street trees that undermine and push up sidewalks. I don't fall a lot, but when I do, it is rarely in the spots one would call high risk--like steep, rocky, hillsides--it's usually when I am distracted either by talking with friends or thinking about things other than the trail. My best advice is to use hiking poles--they have probably saved me more than once from falling down a mountainside or being swept downstream in a flooded creek crossing (not on the Camino)
.

 

[Sue127]

That looks like a perfectly normal, visible curb. Sorry you tripped over it and glad you weren't injured.

While we're on the topic of safety, could someone please sweep the bits of gravel of roads and paths? Loose bits of gravel tends to slide under shoes and cause a slipping/falling hazard.

Does that include removing the pebbles as you descend from the Alto de perdón?

 

[Sue127]

I once saw a sharp knife in an albergue kitchen. Should I have reported it?

You were lucky. Did you get to use it?

 

[Scott Sweeney]

I tend to disagree...I am not sure if you opened the attachment. My intention is to warn others. Infact I am reporting this to the amigos del Camino. This kerb should be removed forcthe safety of other pilgrims.
Buen Camino
Ray

Curb

 

[Former member 92300]

Curb

That is how we spell it in the US - not everyone on this site is from the US.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

That is how we spell it in the US - not everyone on this site is from the US.

Lol

 

[FourSeasons]

Watch that first step, it's a doozy!

Good to hear you were able to continue on. I've heard some horrifying trip and fall stories on the Camino. In 2013 a woman descending into El Acebo slipped on the wet rock, fell face first, broke her nose. Darn wet rock!

Buen Camino!!

 

[MassNative]

I have to agree with the Original Poster. Based on the photo attachment, this is bad infrastructure implementation for pedestrians, both for pilgrims and local residents.

It looks like it is "black top" paved surface on both sides of the curb. That can cause a problem for any person with visions issues that affect depth perception. In addition, it looks like the pavement has a depression on the "sidewalk" side of the curb. That causes a raised granite curb in a place pretty much every walker would expect the walking surface would be flush with the top of the curb.

The OP should be praised for raising the issue and making other people aware of the problem.

Jim

 

[henrythedog]

I have to agree with the Original Poster. Based on the photo attachment, this is bad infrastructure implementation for pedestrians, both for pilgrims and local residents.

It looks like it is "black top" paved surface on both sides of the curb. That can cause a problem for any person with visions issues that affect depth perception. In addition, it looks like the pavement has a depression on the "sidewalk" side of the curb. That causes a raised granite curb in a place pretty much every walker would expect the walking surface would be flush with the top of the curb.

The OP should be praised for raising the issue and making other people aware of the problem.

Jim

Thank you.

Perhaps the OP could help us by providing details and locations of other potential trip hazards on the route. After all, one can’t be too well-informed. I’ve annotated my well-used copy of Brierley, although I’m disappointed he didn’t mention it already.

 

[K_Lynn]

Does that include removing the pebbles as you descend from the Alto de perdón?

Yes please!

 

[Rita Flower]

I once saw a sharp knife in an albergue kitchen. Should I have reported it?

I am sorry the OP fell and very glad they were ok.
But speaking of knives - when I asked the hospitalaro in a municipal Alberque in Galicia why the have no kitchen equipment she shrugged and said - maybe they are afraid a pilgrim will hurt another pilgrim with a heavy saucepan or sharp knife.
Taking risk aversion to the Nth degree.

 

[Rita Flower]

Dear all,
I am currently walking on the Camino Frances having arrived in Burgos from The Ruta de La Lana starting Valencia.
This morning I was walking the last kilometres from Reliegos to Leon when I tripped on a protruding pavement kerb. Luckily I was not hurt badly except from some bruises.
Buen Camino
Raymond Aquilina

Dear @Raymond Aquilina
Thanks for sharing this reminder that even on seemingly safe town terrain we all need to be vigilant- especially if we are a bit tired or distracted.
And I know a fall can be a real shock to the system - and a threat to one’s whole Camino. A minor slide on gravel left me with a bad knee for three days.
I know some of the posters have had a bit of fun with this topic but I’m sure it’s with love in their hearts.
May you be well and enjoy the rest of your Camino with lightness of heart and step.
Buen Camino.

 

[Mikey - camino]

Dear all,
I am currently walking on the Camino Frances having arrived in Burgos from The Ruta de La Lana starting Valencia.
This morning I was walking the last kilometres from Reliegos to Leon when I tripped on a protruding pavement kerb. Luckily I was not hurt badly except from some bruises. This was at Puente Villarente 13kms from Leon.
My fellow Pilgrims be aware of it at the entrance to the village once you crossed the bridge.
Thanks to some Spanish locals and a Korean pilgrim who helped me.
Buen Camino
Raymond Aquilina

Dangerous?? You obviously missed the routes past Roncesvalles

 

[Raymond Aquilina]

My sympathy for your fall--never fun. I am currently grounded because I tripped on the straps of an insulated picnic basket near where I live. So now I have a fractured Greater Trochanter (big word for part of the femur). Had to cancel a hike in France. But I can assure you that there are much bigger hazards where I live (S.F. Bay Area)--mostly from aging street trees that undermine and push up sidewalks. I don't fall a lot, but when I do, it is rarely in the spots one would call high risk--like steep, rocky, hillsides--it's usually when I am distracted either by talking with friends or thinking about things other than the trail. My best advice is to use hiking poles--they have probably saved me more than once from falling down a mountainside or being swept downstream in a flooded creek crossing (not on the Camino)
.

My sympathy for your fall--never fun. I am currently grounded because I tripped on the straps of an insulated picnic basket near where I live. So now I have a fractured Greater Trochanter (big word for part of the femur). Had to cancel a hike in France. But I can assure you that there are much bigger hazards where I live (S.F. Bay Area)--mostly from aging street trees that undermine and push up sidewalks. I don't fall a lot, but when I do, it is rarely in the spots one would call high risk--like steep, rocky, hillsides--it's usually when I am distracted either by talking with friends or thinking about things other than the trail. My best advice is to use hiking poles--they have probably saved me more than once from falling down a mountainside or being swept downstream in a flooded creek crossing (not on the Camino)
.

Hi Backpack45,
Thanks for being sympathetic.

Dear @Raymond Aquilina
Thanks for sharing this reminder that even on seemingly safe town terrain we all need to be vigilant- especially if we are a bit tired or distracted.
And I know a fall can be a real shock to the system - and a threat to one’s whole Camino. A minor slide on gravel left me with a bad knee for three days.
I know some of the posters have had a bit of fun with this topic but I’m sure it’s with love in their hearts.
May you be well and enjoy the rest of your Camino with lightness of heart and step.
Buen Camino.

These things can happen everywhere I agree and lucky I was not seriously injured. With the fall my blood pressure went low and almost fainted ..thanks for some passers by who helped me recover and brought me a drink.
This is my 11th Camino which I started from Valencia and I know very well what are the hazards of the Camino and always use trekking poles which this time were'nt enough. I fell flat on one of them and still feel the blow on my ribs.
I was at Leon the following day and noticed a similar kerb but this time it was painted bright red and this made a great difference.
Hundreds of pilgrims cross the kerb where I fell every day on the Camino Frances before arriving in Leon.
Now I am very well at Molinaseca and whoever walked the Camino knows well what a demanding descent there is from Cruz de Ferro..I came down smoothly this morning from there.
Buen Camino,
Ray