Winter gravel time

There is no shortage of rocks in Helsinki. Granite sticks out from the ground all over; the city is famous for its solid bedrock.  Numerous old streets are constructed with cobble and paving stone. Many stone buildings from past and present times still stand solidly about. The more recent (1969) Temppeliaukio Church was even built into solid rock, and that's why it's known as the Rock Church (https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/sights/temppeliaukio-church).

I like to imagine that all the little rocks strewn about in winter are locally quarried from what seems to be an endless supply…but let's just assume this common gravel could come from anywhere. And be spread anywhere.

A frequent winter observation is made on the gravel that Helsinki uses after a snowfall to pepper streets and especially the sidewalks -- or wherever it's assumed someone wants to move about. American tourists often wonder why Helsinki, which obviously must be accustomed to snow during the winter, does not clear its streets in the same way as is done in the US. Cities and towns in the US try to scrape all snow from streets and sidewalks, or from any surface where a car or person could possibly go. We scrape away until down to the surface, often aided by salt, sand, or fancy chemicals. A surface that is not completely clean of snow is considered a shame on city officials or homeowners responsible for the property. Compact snow (i.e., ice) on stairs causes murmurs of concern from passersby and gasps from those who need to navigate, especially down. Injuries are imagined, sometimes realized, and then recreated for lawyers and insurance adjustors.   

But not so in Helsinki. I know the slip-and-fracture rate rises at times here, yet it almost seems to be part of the risk Helsinkians are willing to run (or ride: I have never seen so many bicyclers pedaling away on conditions that render American bicyclists housebound).

In Helsinki, a lot of snow seems to get mushed up into long-lasting sludge or packed solid by tires or footfalls. And only then is it time to…spread gravel on it. Why the use of gravel in place of any other snow-fighting activity or material?

These stairs seem to be advertising for a lawsuit -- or maybe that is not the Finnish tradition as it is in the US. Or maybe it's a test for toughness because the Finns do pride themselves on their strong character ("grandpa can still get down those stairs if he just moves with determination"). Coupled with a strong desire to avoid corrosive or toxic substances. This may be it. But I find it very hard to give off the image of a strong character when I use both hands on the same railing and a sort of sideways shuffle to protect my pride if not my bones.