Whatever happened to shoveling to the pavement (on sidewalks)?

[Free4Life11]

When I was growing up my dad always insisted that us kids shovel (a) edge to edge and (b) to the pavement. These days, I rarely see people shoveling that way. So man seem to just do a quickie job to carve out a narrow path, and rarely do people shovel down to the pavement. Many don't even bother to shovel at all!

It just really bugs me. Yes it may require a little extra time and elbow grease. And no, most people don't like shoveling. But in the long run, it just makes it a lot easier when the sun comes out, because the sidewalk will dry. I don't know many people who would rather walk on a wet sloppy/icy sidewalk as opposed to a dry one.

I actually slipped and fell on my arm the other day because someone had not shoveled to the pavement. The sun came out and turned the layed of snow on the sidewalk into slush, the slush froze overnight, and then I slipped.

So if you are someone who shovels to the pavement and edge to edge of the sidewalks, know that you ARE appreciated.

 

[mickeyboat]

I saw on Martha Stewart one time a long time ago that you should leave about one inch on your driveway so that you can still have the "snowy" look in your yard. There's your answer.

Denae

 

[chrissyk]

I'll admit it...DH and I only shoveled the stoop of our old house. We both have SUVs, so we just drove over the snow in our driveway until it turned to lovely crusty ice with big tire marks frozen into it. Sometimes I used ice melt on the stoop too if I was feeling really lazy. Thank you for reminding me of why I don't miss living in a snowy climate!

 

[Free4Life11]

I saw on Martha Stewart one time a long time ago that you should leave about one inch on your driveway so that you can still have the "snowy" look in your yard. There's your answer.

Denae

You've got to be kidding me...

Driveways people can do what they want, it's the SIDEWALKS that just bug me!

 

[nativetxn]

Our snowblower leaves a little snow on the driveway. I confess, we do not shovel our driveway at all, much less to the pavement.

Katholyn

 

[mickeyboat]

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg121799.asp

This commentary makes reference to her rule.

Denae

 

[Free4Life11]

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg121799.asp

This commentary makes reference to her rule.

Denae

That was great!

 

[GeorgeG]

This is all history for me sinve we just moved to Florida (I hope it's history...), but I had to comment.

My father, too, always told us to shovel clean and edge to edge. On blacktop, shoveling all you can get lets the sun dry the rest out and shoveling as wide as you can, especially in deep snow allows room for walking around a car and melting snow will still leave room to walk.

As for Martha, an inch of snow left on the driveway can often turn to ice.

That said, if it does happen to snow down here I think I'll just stay inside and watch it melt. I gave the snow shovel and blower away before I moved.

 

[puffkin]

Around here we supposedly will be fined if you don't shovel your sidewalks within 24 hours of a storm ending. Don't know how well this is enforced though.....

 

[Bob Slydell]

I rarely shovel our sidewalk, but since we're on a cul de sac, nobody usually walks down our street. The way the lots are on our block, we got stuck with like half the sidewalk on the whole cul de sac.

 

[Magalex]

I live in a neighborhood(the Pittsburgh area) where we have lots of steep hills/sidewalks. My DH does a good job to make sure our sidewalks are clear. Around here we have alot of people who walk to public transportation(includes my DH) and an elementary school in walking distance. What bother me the other day is that the woman next door shoveled the snow right on to the street. Also my DH mentioned that she left a thin layer on the sidewalk to ice up because he had problems walking downhill. The houses are close together so no one really has alot of work to shovel. Just to mention this woman is late 20's/early 30's in the military so I am not picking on a senior citizen. We also have the 24-48 hours snow removel policy in the boro.

 

[mickeyboat]

Our town has a sidewalk plow (it is actually more of a snow blower). After every storm it plows the sidewalks and puts down salt and sand. That's one benefit of living up here in the frozen north!

Denae

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I shovel from edge to edge and all the way down to the pavement. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I want the sidewalk and drive way completely clean.

 

[Crankyshank]

We don't have a sidewalk

 

[aprilgail2]

How I shovel depends on my mood and how much snow is out there...if its a little I shovel a wider path...if its deep I shovel the snow shovel width and that is it...many neighbors don't ever shovel their sidewalks...sometimes if I am working when it snows I end up not shoveling it for a day or two...

 

[Tiggeroo]

if you don't shovel your sidewalk and somebody falls wouldn't you be liable? We were brought up as kids to shovel as soon as it snowed too.

 

[POB14]

if you don't shovel your sidewalk and somebody falls wouldn't you be liable? We were brought up as kids to shovel as soon as it snowed too.

Quite the reverse, actually . . . you don't have any duty to shovel at all (unless there's a local law sayiing you have to), but if you DO shovel, and do it badly, and someone falls, you're on the hook.

More than you ever wanted to know about the law of snow shoveling

 

[Free4Life11]

Well I just found out that my city has a snow removal ordinance! I am going to take down that number and keep it handy. It's sad that people are so lazy these days that you have to report them just to get the sidewalks clean.

The biggest thing that bugs me is that none of the Greek houses shovel! Why a Greek house with 30 college-aged kids cannnot shovel the small sidewalk infront of their house is beyond me. In fact I think I'm going to email Greek life because I think it's plain RUDE. Especially since the Greeks claim to be so big on community service.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Around here we supposedly will be fined if you don't shovel your sidewalks within 24 hours of a storm ending. Don't know how well this is enforced though.....

That's the way it is in NYC...if our super doesn't shovel within an allotted amount of time, the building is fined. It works great, as you never have to slip and slide on snow and ice as you walk down the street.

 

[kilee]

Our village does our sidewalks too. I think it's the only amenity we get for those village taxes. Anyhow, as for my driveway- I'm only shoveling what I need to to get out. Not doing anything more. I would spend 1/4 of my winter shoveling and I have 500 other things I'd rather do.