Liz's Notebook: Reader worried about taking a spill at Beaufort County dump; are you?

A reader called last week to tell me about something she thinks is a problem: the curb at the Beaufort County

Convenience Center off Dillon Road on Hilton Head Island.

It is far too steep and should include a ramp or a cut so that the disabled and those who aren't steady on their feet can safely throw out their trash, she said. Employees of the dump have to help some older folks up and down the curb.

She has been worried about the potential for broken bones for a while now, but became more so when she was chatting with her electrician just before the New Year.

His mother broke her hip because she fell from that very curb and, he said, she was told this "happens all the time."

I visited the busy convenience center on Tuesday.

The curbs, which zig-zag and lead to shallow sidewalks, are painted yellow and contain the warning "Watch Your Step."

"Watch your step" is what you say to people in situations that might result in minor tripping — or, if you're a jerk, it's what you say after someone trips. It's not what you say to people who have trouble walking or who use a walker or wheelchair. In those cases, it's actually kind of rude to do so.

Has anyone had similar concerns about the curbs at the Hilton Head Island convenience center?

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Liz's Notebook: Reader worried about taking a spill at Beaufort County dump; are you?."