I don't think I've ranted about anything lately

[smg01]

The city has a newish (or newly enforced, I'm not sure which) ordinance requiring residents to clear sidewalks within 48 hours of snow. We've been getting more snow this season than we've gotten in years, so the fines for not shoveling have been getting a lot of attention. I'm a little mad at how many people are acting like the ordinance is stupid and how no one should really care about it.

I get that it's bitter cold. I get that some people are elderly or physically unable to shovel or don't have the resources to hire someone. I really do understand that and I feel for those in that situation. I don't hold an unshoveled sidewalk against those people.

But you know what? Cleared sidewalks aren't just a luxury that everybody can easily do without. I'm relatively young-ish and more or less able-bodied. I do, however, have a dog that needs walking two or three times a day. I don't have a fenced back yard that I can just let him roam in. A lot of sidewalks on our route remain uncleared. I don't mind trudging through an inch or two of snow, but the snow on the sidewalks has been much deeper than that and harder to slog through. This means that in many cases I've had to walk on (a pretty busy) street because that's the most walkable option. This in turn means that I walk hoping that:

1) A car doesn't hit a slick spot and slide into me;

2) I don't slip and fall into the path of a car that can't stop in time;

3) A driver just plain doesn't see me because they're concentrating on the road itself or other traffic;

4) It's all even more fun after sundown.


But you know what else? Not everybody has the option of getting into their car in a nice warm garage, driving where they need to go, then scurrying inside. And some of those people can't get around easily and do have to get out. Some people are on crutches or use a cane or a wheelchair. Or are elderly and shouldn't be trying to walk through snow with uncertain footing. People who aren't as mobile might need a cleared sidewalk in order to get to work, or to the bus stop, or to walk to class. Apparently they're either supposed to suck it up, or, just plan to be housebound until the snow melts?

It bugs me that so many people seem to think that cleared sidewalks don't really matter, like it's some sort of concession to whiny, entitled people. I'm sure that there are plenty of whiny, entitled people who want sidewalks cleared. But there are also plenty of good reasons why a sidewalk should be shoveled. Besides, it's a neighborly thing to do. And it comes with the territory of being a homeowner.

Comments

[themusesbitch.livejournal.com]

Couldn't agree more.

It would be nice if the city could put some sort of program in place for the elderly/those who are physically unable to shovel who can't necessarily afford to pay to have their snow cleared.

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

It does only seem fair that if we have the regulation, we should have an assistance program but I don't think we do.

[raithen.livejournal.com]

there are some kids in Edmonton, I believe it is, who have actually started a group to shovel sidewalks etc for elderly people in their neighborhoods, at no cost. I heard about it on CBC and it was very cool!

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

That is very cool. There are a lot of really good kids out there and I'm not sure that gets recognized enough.

[lostvoice.livejournal.com]

AMEN.

[buffys-beasley.livejournal.com]

TVD was a letter carrier, according to over-heard conversations, the only people who bother to clear their sidewalks are the little old ladies who probably shouldn't be shoveling.

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

I've walked past houses that I know are lived in my older people. Those are the sidewalks that I expected not to be cleared (and I wouldn't have really been bothered by it). Almost uniformly, those are the ones where the sidewalks have been the best attended to.

*sigh*

[divalicious.livejournal.com]

That ordinance wouldn't have worked too well in my hometown... winters of sometimes +200 inches of snow, that keeping your sidewalks cleared daily might be fairly difficult. I can't speak from experience because my street had no sidewalks, but the main thing that we did have to try to keep clear was the access to the mailbox for the poor mail carrier, who just couldn't be expected to scale a snowbank just to deliver your mail. It was basically a kind of "yeah the amount of snow is insane, but if you want your mail you'll clear the access to it" kind of feeling. You just sorta did your best as you could.

There was a nice neighborly feeling about it... there was often one person in the neighborhood who had a truck with a shovel and they'd go around and clear the snow blocking people's driveways.

Why yes I don't miss the heavy snow too much... hehe

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

You just sorta did your best as you could.

With that volume of snow, I think that's all you can do!

(In spite of my complaints above, and my readiness for spring now, I'm a little happy that we've gotten an honest to goodness snow that's staying on the ground for awhile. If nothing else, it helps keep the flea and tick population in check.)

[uufarmgirl.livejournal.com]

Troy had a similar regulation. Take a wild guess on how well that worked in the absentee landlord-ridden student ghetto. One year after a few accidents caused by pedestrians in the roadway, and city went around and jackhammered out the 8+ inches of solid ice that had accumulated in front of some homes and wrote all the property owners with uncleared sidewalks tickets. Let me tell ya, those must have been some tickets because the next time there was an inch of snow every single sidewalk was clear. I was really hopeful, but it turned out the effects only lasted one winter, because the next year, it was right back to the lazy.

This included my landlord, who actually lived two doors down. I'd clear a narrow stripe so I could get in and out, and he'd swear up down and sideways he'd do the rest with the big plough, but he never quite seemed to get around to it. When I pointed out to him he'd dodged a bullet, he got all huffy and told me it was legally my responsibility, so I produced the actual statute and pointed to the section that said "owner". He still never cleared it the rest of the way though.

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

...because the next year, it was right back to the lazy.

Just like little kids who are good just until they're not being watched anymore...

[shehawken.livejournal.com]

This is my third winter in this apartment. We live on Main street and the town takes care of the sidewalk (with a pickup truck!) but the big slab in front of the entrance door to the building and the alleyway to the back parking lot is not their responsibility. For two winters, I have shoveled the snow every time but twice that I can recall. We've gotten a fair amount of snow this year and I've only shoveled it once (when the wind drifted the snow up so much that we could only get the front door halfway open).For a number of reasons I just don't feel like it this year. And since I'm not doing it... no one is.

Maybe I'll go back to doing it. I do occasionally worry about my wife or about the couple across the way with the new baby or myself. I used to spend all kinds of time shoveling at my last apartment building. I'm just snow fatigued. Thankfully there are no elderly in my building or, as far as I know, using the alleyway.

[shehawken.livejournal.com]

oh, and the parking lot will be an ice skating rink for the next 3-4 months, too... but I don't own a plow or a sander.

[suzannemarie.livejournal.com]

At a certain point, once the snow and ice gets nice an polished, there's not much that can be done until stays consistently warm. Makes walking quite an adventure!

It gets pretty tiresome to be the only responsible one. We all reach our limits eventually. (Wonder if your landlord would offer any sort of break on rent in exchange for shoveling? Probably not.)