Please clear up after your horse

4 comments

1. Several of the preserves and parks where I hike allow horses on some trails and have signs that say “Please clean up after your horse”. However, I’ve never seen a dedicated disposal bin provided.

   On a language issue, I notice that twice in your post you say “clear up”. In the US, to my recollection (supported by a few photos), the signs do not say “clear up” but rather “clean up”. We do say “clear up” with respect to non-animal-dropping trash

   Another grammar point: When drafting this comment, WordPress recommended that I put a comma after the word “say” in my first sentence above. I disagreed.

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   1. Paul, thanks. I hadn’t thought about whether clean up differs from clear up. I think I could use either in this context, though clear might suggest tidying away discrete objects and clean might suggest dealing with liquids or contaminants.
      On your second point, WordPress’s suggestion of adding a comma is very odd. The only punctuation I can see fitting there is a colon, but I probably wouldn’t bother even with that.
      I wouldn’t criticise grammar checkers too heavily. Although they’re not perfect (and can’t be), they are helpful in flagging some possible errors.

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2. London’s biggest problem before the motor car….!

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   1. Thanks, Richard. Off topic, I wonder how drivers would change their behaviour if they were forced to get out of their vehicles and do some work that would eliminate some of their pollution.
      Going back on topic, I could read your comment 2 ways:
      1. Since the motor car came, this problem went away.
      2. The motor car has replaced the old problem with an even bigger one.
      I’m guessing you meant the first, but some people might see the second as an even more valid comment.

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