Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Is it me, or do people just not clear the sidewalks in front of their homes any more?  I know that statement might be a little broad stroked, but it's a real pet peeve of mine.  I can almost understand folks who don't own a snowblower not wanting to shovel the sidewalk.  It get it.... It's a lot of hard work especially when the snow is wet and heavy.  But what's the rational for not clearing the sidewalk when you own a snowblower???  Just can't be bothered to spend the extra 10 mins to ensure folks don't have to walk in the street following a storm???   I live in a nice residential neighborhood at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.  Total of 10 houses with sidewalks on both sides of the street.  Of the 10 houses, nine of us own snowblowers and yet only 2 of us clear the sidewalks.  Doesn't matter if we get one inch or one foot of snow, only two of us clear the sidewalks.  I used to clear the entire sidewalk from my house to the end of our street which is about 450 feet of sidewalk, however about two years ago while clearing the sidewalk, my snowblower picked up a large branch (don't even get me started on leaf & stick clean-up  :)  and snapped two shear pins.  From that point on, I was done with sidewalk detail for the entire street.  I do the sidewalk in front of my house and that's as far as I go.   I actually had a neighbor ask me, "why do you bother to clear the sidewalk on this street, no one uses it during the winter.  My response was, "You see that fire hydrant over there? Why should I go through the trouble of  digging it out every time it snows since no one has used it in the 18 years I've lived here?". But I understand his point.  Not many folks use the sidewalk on our street. The mailmain and newspaper carrier both deliver to roadside mailboxes.  But to me, that's not the point.  I use the sidewalk.  My dog uses the sidewalk.  My kids use the sidewalk.  The girls scouts delivering my 12  boxes of Caramel Delite cookies use the sidewalk.   And anyone who feels the need to not walk in the street can also use the sidewalk.   Maybe as I'm getting older I'm becoming more cynical and setting the expectation bar too high.  To me it's just common courtesy learned as a child from watching my dad shovel the sidewalk clear after every storm.   Sorry for the rant.... stepping down off my snow cleared soapbox.      

Around here it seems like the richer the neighborhood the fewer the number of sidewalks cleared. I wonder if the inner city people rely on walking and public transportation more so clearing the sidewalk seems more important to them?

Probably just a lost social courtesy. In my daughters neighborhood it's part of everyone's deed that they clear their own sidewalks in a timely manner. If they don't their homeowners association clears it and sends them the bill.

Around here, if you don't clear the sidewalk, the city will give you a hefty fine.  Part of the reason is that the mail delivery uses it (still have boxes along the sidewalk and by the front doors), but liability is also a good reason.  If someone slips and cracks there head open because you didn't clear the sidewalk in front of your house, you could be held liable.

I see a lot of the newer neigborhoods around the country don't have sidewalks.  Folks would rather hop in their SUV's these days and drive to the park five miles away, instead of pushing the strollers around their neighborhood.  I specifically looked for a neighborhood with sidewalks when I went house-shopping, as I enjoy walking, even when it's too snowy to drive around.

in my town the municipality sends out a sidewalk plow, but many of us still clear it so people don't have to wait.

Our town has the sidewalk plow as well, however they only plow the sidewalks in close proximity of schools or town offices.   Sidewalks on the "less traveled" residential side streets are not plowed by the town...nor should they be.   Bad enough the sidewalk plows have to contend with the 10ft snow mounds left behind by the guys who plow driveways and plow the snow onto the sidewalk at the end of the driveway.    Just another example of ignorance over etiquette attitude.

In my current house on a court we don't have sidewalks but I also clear my Dad's property which is in a 30+ year old subdivision. I clear both his drive and sidewalk but the sidewalks get out of level with age and I can't tell you how many times I've had a handlebar impaled on my stomach from hitting a lifted sidewalk seam with my single stage and coming to a rude halt! I usually don't make the same mistake again...until the next winter!