The Snow

Of course you could just go out there and shovel it your self. Especially for the sake of the older folks. It will probably take you the same amount of time to try and find someone to report them to and then make a report.

Plus you may just generate some good will on the block. Wouldn't that be nicer than getting someone ticketed?

Soooo you see it as your job around the neighborhood to teach us all how to behave? Um, thanks.

Sorry, but it's not the person who expects others to act responsibly and obey the law who is guilty of being a rude neighbor.

Which is not to dismiss the idea of taking different approaches...

Streets Department Customer Affairs Unit at (215) 686-5560.

More info here and here.

I wanted to teach some people a lesson in how to behave last night after trying to walk the few blocks to the bus stop at Cedar.

Most of the south side of 2400 Boston was unshoveled and as slippery as a skating rink.

Ditto. I'm fine with shoveling my block (and my neighbors are great; we often take turns). But I had to flyer for zoning today and it was an absolute disaster. I can't imagine having to get around if I wasn't relatively young and healthy. I found it an incredibly frustrating experience.

Yeah, I'm all for calling the authorities on folks who don't shovel. We found it hard to get out there as early as we wanted to clear off our sidewalk yesterday, but when we did we were still one of the first walks to get cleared. It's just rude...not to mention dangerous. I get that renters usually aren't obligated to do it, but they should FEEL obligated to either nag their landlord to do it or get out there and do it themselves because it's the nice thing to do.

What about people who happen to be out of town on an emergency (say several thousand miles away) and didn't have enough time to arrange for house/shovel-sitting because they literally bought the plane ticket right before going to the airport and skedaddled outta town?

Or, say said home-dweller is 88 y/o with COPD and mobility problems but everyone on the block hates his guts but nobody wants to suck it up anyway to clean off 55sqft of pavement. Should said person be deluged with a litany of fines out the wazoo in hopes it will push said person into insolvency and eventual foreclosure?

I've always wondered about the "you must shovel 6 hours after the last snowflake hits the ground" rule as it's written into the City Code. Naturally, every stinking person in the City is likely to be violating the law if the last snowflake hits at 11:30PM but you don't wake up until 7:45AM.

It all has to be balanced using reasonableness. If you have neighbors who always shovel, but miss one time, I think you have to assume there's a reason. You may even want to pitch in and shovel for them.

If you have neighbors who never shovel, it's time to take some further action. You might want to start by reminding them of their responsibility. After that, a phone call is not inappropriate.

Oh great. Passive-aggressive nastygrams on Post-Its(TM).

meh, I shoveled my entire block in about an hour. Best way to deal with it is just do it and don't worry about what others are not doing. This is of course when it's a light snowfall.

When I rented, it was always in the lease that I was responsible for snow removal...at least when I lived on the first floor. I'm sure all leases are different, but most landlords didn't actually live around here back then, (don't know if that's changed in the last 30 years) so they certainly were'nt going to do it.

This. Let's face it, there are some people who will never shovel - the same people who will not pay a ticket from the city probably. So by reporting them you've really solved nothing. Except making yourself feel better.

Chances are if you go out and start shoveling, other neighbors will lend a hand and you'll be able to do the whole thing in half an hour (Yorky lives on a long block).

And if you still feel like a sucker - tell yourself you are a shining example to others; a shining beacon all alone in the night.

Here's another way to look at it:
1) you are seriously concerned about the elderly slipping on your block. Solution - shovel it to make sure this doesn't happen.
2) you are more concerned about teaching your neighbors a lesson and not appearing to be a sucker - don't shovel and hope an elderly person falls and sues the neighbor (to teach them a lesson).

Where's it at? I'll go fall on it for ya.

Can I push?
Or would that remove liability from the non-shoveler and place it on me?

I won't tell...we'll both get some satisfaction.

Hmm that's just in time for that new option on those security cams that automatically finds the defendant's workers comp status and files a fraud claim with an attached video of them being all-ambulatory and such.

Ok Kenzo...you can push me...

I think people who don't shovel their sidewalks should be beaten down by the neighbors. It's very hard for wheels to get traction on ice.

But I don't want codergorilla to get hurt or anything. Maybe somebody could push Kenzo instead.

Must be somebody who knows me.

pretty easy call on who did not shovel on the blocks around me, almost universally, young renters who have been around less than a year, the same neighbors that don't make eye contact or say hi. Lots of the houses are managed by the same mgmt co I would have called them and given them hell today but I knew it would all melt. Sorry kids you don't live at the piazza anymore so grab a shovel, I have one, you can borrow.

This reminds me... save up some $$$ to break up the pavement and install a sidewalk heater that I can control from remote. Don't want to have all of fishtown.us on my butt while I'm sipping on pina coladas in Puerto Rico in 80F weather.

p.s. also save up $$$ for a winter trip to puerto rico and some pina coladas.

I can install a sidewalk heater for a lot cheaper than most companies. I learned how to do it on the internet.

But if you really want to save some money, I'm available to clear your sidewalk. I just give my dog a LOT to drink and then bring him over and he clears the sidewalk naturally. If you need it done really fast, I'll just charge you the extra cost of buying McDonald's coffee for him.

My neighbor shoveled my sidewalk and path to the porch.
Sometimes I shovel their sidewalk,

neighbors.... we're cool like that.

We just moved in two months ago. We shoveled. I'm sorry if you have crappy new rental neighbors on your block. We have crappy handed down from mom and don't give a crap and contribute nothing to society meth addicts next to us. I'd take an unshoveled sidewalk any day! One that I would just go ahead and shovel. I guess coming from the county where we have a driveway that leads to the garage I just can't see what the big deal is about a few squares of cement.

I love the snow!

This snow, my neighbor had shoveled most of the area in front of my house so I did the rest of the sidewalk plus in front of the house on the other side. Two years ago we were up in the Poconos when a big storm that dropped over 8 inches of snow hit the city. On our drive back (about 4 hours after the storm passed) we were all prepared to have to shovel out a parking spot and shovel the side walk. When we got home we were lucky enough to get a shoveled spot right in front of the house, plus a neighbor had shoveled and salted in front of our house. With the sidewalk all cleared, I went and shoveled out other parking spots on the street (which I'll still do depending on how much energy I have).

And I'm a young renter

Snow Karma. Good job!

Renter high five!