Editor #3:
As Sid the Sloth once said, “All animals feel fear. That’s what separates us from, oh, say, rocks. Rocks don’t feel fear… And they sink.”
Well, Sid may not be the brightest bulb, he definitely has that on point. Fear is natural, and although some fears may seem silly, there is obviously some sort of rationale to them. Perhaps a traumatic experience with storm drains occurred when you were younger. For example, I was attacked by a rooster when I was a toddler and now have a very strong fear of chickens. I am sure your fear
of being sucked into the gutter is completely valid.
But how does one overcome their fear? The first step is to face it. You do this every time you walk down the street, and you seem to have already accepted it as a reality. It is highly unlikely and illogical that one could be sucked into the gutter. Most gutters do not have openings large enough to swallow a person. Try writing down the basic information you know about your fear. You could ask yourself these questions: “What is the history of my fear? What triggers my fear? How does my fear affect me? Is this source of this fear actually dangerous?” Sometimes it is easier to deal with things when you can see them in front of you, instead of just thinking about them and envisioning them in your mind’s eye. Depending on the type of person you are, you can try slowly desensitizing yourself to this fear or consider a direct confrontation with your fear.