DO: scrape them all the way down to bare pavement
DO NOT: leave 1/4" of packed snow and ice on the surface.
DEFINITELY NOT: warming up a car in the driveway or anything else that produces a meltwater stream to run down over the sidewalk and freeze into sheets of ice.
If you can't clear the sidewalk properly, consider not doing it at all. Snow is safer to walk through than ice is.
I am so glad someone posted this. I appreciate neighbors' industriousness when shoveling their walks. But when done incorrectly, it makes things SO much worse. I end up walking on the parking strip in the snow rather than risk the slick surfaces. PLEASE folks -- do it right or not at all!
walking home from grocery store last night, there was only 1 house that completely cleared their sidewalk; I was so happy, almost went up to knock on their door to thank them; but my hands were freezing carrying grocery bags and it was snowing sideways; so THANK YOU to all the great folks who clear their sidewalks for those of us who cannot drive during snow, so have to walk to go anywhere
I left my snow shovels in Boston when I moved here. I do agree with you about walking on the snow instead of ice.
sbre
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I don't' use a snow shovel when I clear the walkways, instead my regular flat-head comes out to play.
When using the snow shovel to scoop large amounts of snow over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over, that weight tends to put a strain on the lower & upper back and shoulder muscles. Loads that you’re probably not used to experiencing.
Of course when using a smaller shovel MANY more reputations are needed but the strain on the body is A LOT less.
Just something to consider for those who need to move pain-free the day after.
Party on Garth...
365Stairs
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I only chuckle a little bit...because there will be the RANT post sometime this week when people "fail" to even attempt to clean the sidewalks of 4" to 14" of snow...
$500 fine (a day) for not maintaining your home's sidewalk - "Rarely Enforce..." I suspect the city will be looking closely at this...
Damned if you do...Damned if don't...such is the way of the WS Blog-o-family...
sam-c
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wish we had sidewalks to shovel!
dobro
Member Profile
Laws aren't meant to be absolute. That's why we have judges and a judicial system to determine how correctly/incorrectly laws are enforced and applied. In a place like Seattle, where a 14in. snowfall would be highly unusual, I wouldn't think the city would be running around handing out tickets to people who may or may not be able to immediately hew to the letter of the law.
I live in an apartment building maintained by a rental management company. We have a sidewalk in front of our building. Does the management company have an obligation to come and shovel our sidewalk?
sbre: my husband bought a roofing shovel to supplement our snow shovel. Works great on breaking up and scraping up packed ice. (We don't have a sidewalk but we live on an alley that is often used by pedestrians. Makes it easier for cars too!)
I was running in Highland Park yesterday and if anybody driving was wondering who the idiot was running on the road--it's cause none of my neighbors had shoveled their walks. Not a one that I could see. Pfeh.
When it is our local "wet" snow I usually use a push broom to clear the sidewalk. If it is the rare "dry" snow like skiers want, then I crank up my electric leaf blower with the compression tip and the 100 foot cord and carefully gauge the prevailing wind direction... and just move the snow to someplace that is not sidewalk or driveway.
When it comes down at more than an inch an hour I go inside and start calculating how long until it turns to rain :)
I am not busting up 3 inches of ice with a 40 lbs fence tool like I did in 07.
Gina
Member Profile
If I am home, I shovel. Not like I can work in the yard or weed when it snows.
I found that the garden hose and a couple hundred gallons of water clears the sidewalk quick.
They actually spoke about this on the news last night. Apparently the owner of the actual building/property is responsible for maintaining the sidewalks during the snow, not a management company. Those that refuse to do this can get a fine, or even get sued if someone gets hurt.
zachr: I hope that was a joke.
The pacific Islanders across the street tried that a few years ago. They ended up with a two inch thick sheet of ice for a week around their car and into the street.
In 2 days this round of snow will be gone. Plus according to my wife who went to safeway today there is no way anyone will need to buy groceries.
Yes, Bostonman, but even if we have a fridge-full of food, the impending snow is a nice excuse to stock up on goodies. Cookies! Candy! Chips! Because we NEED them when we're snowbound.
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