Awaiting the Snow Fall . . .

For five days now we've been hearing about yet another big snowstorm heading our way, which has the potential to leave us with a new foot of snow for the shoveling. Of course, looking around our neighborhoods, one would think that there was still a foot of snow on the ground, given all of the parking spaces being "reserved" with everything from kitchen chairs to parking cones to mattresses. Really, how long after a person has shoveled out this space should they reasonably expect that it be there for them when they get home?

This got us to thinking about other issues of "snow etiquette." In fact, several weeks back, a number of our readers were in a "commenting war" over just who should be responsible for making sure sidewalks are shoveled or, even more critical to public safety, digging out the fire hydrants near their houses. Frankly, we believe the good neighbor policy would dictate that each individual and business should be responsible for clearing their own sidewalk of snow. If you have an elderly neighbor or a neighbor who, for whatever reason, is unable to take care of the task for themselves, what do you lose by helping them out? An hour or so of your time? And by shoveling out a fire hydrant, you could be saving someone's life -- maybe even your own.

Of course, there is also the dilemma of where to put the snow, especially when there is such a
large snowfall. Many people feel that throwing the snow back out into the street is a good option. Why? First of all, the plow is only going to push it back into your driveway. Second, it can help form dangerous ruts and bumps in the road, particularly when it's done once the plowing is finished. And third . . . believe it or not . . . it's a violation of city ordinances to throw snow out into the street. It takes a little extra work to shovel the snow up onto an existing snow bank or to walk back to your lawn to dump it . . . but it's worth it to help keep the street clear. Folks with snowblowers even have the option of aiming the path of the snow they are clearing, and yet, some still choose to blow it back out into the street. How does this make sense?

Snowstorms are one of those rare times, in today's frenzied world, for neighbors to help each other out. Those old enough to remember the Blizzard of '78 may also remember walking the streets and meeting neighbors they never knew they had and helping neighbors to whom they might otherwise not even say hello. Why wait until the weather paralyzes us into being good neighbors? Take what could be the last opportunity of this winter season to do the neighborly thing -- clear your sidewalk, dig out a fire hydrant, and keep the snow out of the street.