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Comment by mikestew | Hacker News Reader

Did I miss the part where seismologists told the city, "hey, if you ever want to 'fix' this part, could you let us know first so we can discuss options?" Because, though I didn't read every word in the article, it sounds to me like the scientists woke up one day to a fixed curb and then complained because the city didn't just osmotically know this "common knowledge".

As to the city getting around to fixing something that was known to be broken in the 70s, well, that kind of snark just writes itself.

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I think this is just supposed to be an interesting offbeat article, nobody is really seriously complaining. The tweet about the city destroying a "classic geopilgrimage site" is mostly tongue in cheek, her next tweet was https://twitter.com/mikamckinnon/status/746477175994408960

Yeah, the link titles language is terribly pejorative.

Agreed. I noticed that as well since I also follow Mika McKinnon. However, now I just noticed something strange. I'm blocked by Emily Lakdawalla? Since I never speak to people on Twitter, I must follow somebody which qualifies me for a block list. I really dislike that concept.

How would the city even keep track of such one-off requests? There is no database for such minute details. It would need to be generic enough to fulfill any request, but also queryable to find specific information.

Geologists have been keep track of the curb for 45 years now. City administrations and officials come and go. Surely previous officials must have known about the significance, but that "knowledge" was not passed onto the next set of administrators.

Probably the best way would be making it self-documenting: installing some sort of plaque or stand describing it and why it is scientifically interesting. Then any work crews sent out to destroy it can see the plaque and exercise some discretion in sending it up channels to ask.

I think you overestimate city workers.

Once upon a time my father discovered that the right of way along the road beside our property had several species of somewhat rare semi-protected carnivores plants growing in it. My dad contacted the county about it, they made a note of it, The mowing crew mowed over it the next day. He replanted the area with plants and seeds from his own collection, and the county put up "Do Not Mow, protected plant sanctuary" signs in the middle of the right of way. The mowing crew's solution...take down the signs so they could mow, and then put them back up when they were done.

Landmark databases occasionally do get that minute. Something like this could be listed with a location of "Southeast corner of Rose and Prospect". Of course, something demonstrating surface faulting like this would be better off in a location like a city park or something, because an offset that big would be non-fun for someone to stumble on.

I attended a meeting with the GIS guy for the University I worked for. Every Bench, utility box, smoker's ash tray, Police Emergency Call Box, CCTV Camera, Light pole etc along with who it belonged to (City, University, County, Ga Power) was logged in ArcGIS.

Cities use GIS systems for this type of thing. My city puts [some/all] of this data online. You can query street furniture, parking zones, water mains, city parks, ...

How would the city even keep track of such one-off requests? There is no database for such minute details.

You'd be amazed what municipalities are using ArcGIS for these days. Well, I was, at least.

Somehow you could list it as a heritage site that needs additional review. The city already has plenty of those.

It's covered in the article; the city had no idea and welcomes geologists to inform them of any significant sites in the future.

They weren't even fixing it, really – just happening to install a new ramp at the location.

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