snow on public sidewalk

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
Snow is still on the public sidewalk on my block. No one seemed like that wanted to do it - even people with snowblowers that have been doing it lately. I went out yesterday afternoon and chopped, hacked and scooped for 20 minutes at a 3 x 3 foot section and still hadn't reached the down to sidewalk. It's about 20 deep inches of hard, impacted show from the road plow piled up. I thought I was going to have a heart attack - I don't know what to do now. There aren't even kids anymore that go around and offer to shovel your sidewalk for a buck. The village says a $50 a day fine once the storm is over if you don't clean off the public sidewalk in front of your home. What do I do?

snowdeep.jpg
 

I doubt that you will get a fine but if you do pay it.

Snow in New York state is not a new thing, start looking now for someone that can clear your walk on a regular basis so you will be ready for next year. We still have plenty of young folks in my area that shovel snow but not for a buck, if you pay a fair price for what is really quite strenuous work I'm sure you will find someone that would be glad to take on the task.

Good luck!
 
Since I live in a Seniors' residence I don't have to worry about shovelling snow any more.
More of the residential street in our area do not have sidewalks, only the main streets.
When we lived in our home we had the driveway plowed for us and my hubby had a
snowblower to do the walkways and the patio at the back of our house so that our
dog had a place to go.
 

RadishRose said:
You call the Village and ask them what to do.
Click to expand...

Yeah....good luck with that. I've tried to call them about issues before and I'm either given the run-around or put on hold indefinitely. Even in a small town there's red tape.

There was some talk last year about the village getting a sidewalk plow, but some trustees were against it saying thr cost was prohibitive and that is what the sidewalk ordinance is for - to make the homeowners responsible for maintaining the public sidewalk in front of their homes.
 
We have to clear the snow from our sidewalk in winter time too Deb, and when there's a big storm warning, we often times shovel while it's snowing and only 2 inches or so. That way, it's not a big job or too heavy on the shovel, and it hasn't hardened up yet from freezing/thawing, etc. When a couple more inches are down, we repeat. So if 18 inches fall, we don't have heavy shovel loads to sling around. Only way to avoid doing it, is to pay someone. I don't know any kids these days who will do anything for a buck, even if you pay $20, they may not do as good a job as you like, or be available for the next snow. I'd look in local papers for handymen who provide this service cheap, and who you can make a contract with.
 
Stay on hold. Drink coffee, file your nails, watch TV but stay on the line.

Would you rather chop ice and shovel snow?

Would you rather pay for shoveling? (no one does anything for a buck)

Maybe the Village has a solution for an elderly or disabled person who can't afford to pay for shoveling. If you qualify, they will tell you. If you don't, pay the price.
 
Okay - it's been above freezing the last two days. I saw that my NDN did his front walk, SO I went out and did mine. The snow has softened up considerably and I was able to chop through it to the sidewalk and shovel out some big chunks. I had to stop and rest between "sessions" but I was able to get a narrow path open. My problem is that I live on a curve and when the public plows rip by, there something about the physics and momentum that makes my yard seem to get more "pile-up" than other neighbor's walks.
 
This is a subject near and dear to my heart. Many years as a mailman wading through knee deep snow, because folks decided that shoveling was not a priority. You can't tell me that there aren't at least a couple, low income, no income hustlers out there that don'rt want the work. There have got to be a few that wouldn't mind making 30 or 50 dollars that social services doesn't know about.
I deliveres mail in Ithaca, a town of 30,000. every storm there were several folks with shovels over their shoulders heading to the middle class areas.
Put an add on craigslist, truthfully state the amount of work needed and pay fairly. You have experienced how hard the work is.
 

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