Officials in and around Las Vegas are embarking on a long process of trying to "clean up" the Strip. To this end, Clark County Commissioners have passed an ordinance which bans so-called "dangerous objects" from any sidewalk on the Strip. The law is intended to target individual street performers who stand on sidewalks along Las Vegas’ most popular thoroughfare.
The ordinance prohibits several kinds of objects that it classifies as dangerous, including:
- fireworks
- flaming objects
- devices which shoot projectiles
- electrical cords
- electrical generators
- amplifiers
- skateboards
- roller blades
- knife blades more than three inches in length
Ironically, this ordinance does not ban firearms from city sidewalks (though weapons are addressed elsewhere in the county and state criminal codes).
Whatever the reasons for its passage, the new ordinance does help pedestrians by eliminating hazards that could cause slip and fall accidents on Strip sidewalks. Before this ordinance, patrons ran the risk of:
- tripping on electrical cords
- stumbling over generators or amplifiers
- being struck by flaming objects, fireworks, projectiles, or blades
- being burned by generators or amplifiers that catch fire
- being struck by a performer wearing roller blades or on a skateboard
What the ordinance doesn’t change is the fact that people who are injured as a result of slip and fall accidents caused by street performers or their equipment are entitled to relief. They could file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible individual and likely collect reimbursement for hospital expenses, compensation for lost wages due to work absenteeism, and even damages for pain and suffering in some cases.