What should I do about neighbors that do not shovel the snow from the sidewalk?

Question

Almost half of the people on my block did not shovel the 2" of snow we got last night from the sidewalk in front of their house. It took me about 2 minutes to do it myself this morning; it has frozen solid everywhere that is wasn't taken care of today. Should I:

Leave an anonymous note for each person, telling them what a bad neighbor they are?
Leave a signed note for each bad neighbor?
Leave a note, in full view of everyone who walks by, suggesting that the lazy OR infirm hire OR ask nicely a neighbor to do it for them next time?
Spend an hour doing the whole block myself next time (before it freezes solid)?
Slip on an unshoveled walk on purpose and sue the person responsible?
Ignore the issue and accept the fact that many Americans are lazy and irresponsible and selfish?

Answer 1

Well, I hate to say it, but not everyone is concerned about a few inches of snow on the ground. Do you know your neighbors well enough to say that they are lazy and irresponsible and selfish? Isn't it possible that they can't shovel the walk, or can't afford to pay someone to do it, or are ashamed to ask? If this bothers you so much, why not just do it yourself? You would be setting a great neighborly example, and quite possibly make some new friends, not to mention perhaps giving a little charity to an elderly or infirm person. Who knows, maybe you'll wake up one morning, and somebody shoveled yours for you.

Answer 2

mizerock, Here's the deal. I'm lucky if I can get my car out of the drive way and I only shovel when I am stuck. Which doesn't happen very often. I had a fleeing thought about the sidewalk dilemma. Should I shovel or shouldn't I. Guess what, Why I was pondering this thought the city sidewalk snow blower came by. He blew the sidewalk off. Looks great and is much wider than the people down the street that have just the width of the shovel. I have a 3ft. clean sidewalk now. I'd say he blew about 24 inches deep of snow in just the amount of time for me to give it thought. We pay big bucks to the city for just this reason. So I guess if you want the walk shoveled have at it. Some of us don't have the body or the time to do it. It's not lazy, it's the cities job so let them do it. If everyone shoveled the poor old guy wouldn't have a job anymore and how would that make you feel. Its been a slow winter, the mans happy to get a pay check. So on that note, none of your answers work for me.

Answer 3

You said almost half of the block didn't shovel their sidewalks. So, in answer to your question-no-to all of the above. You are close to the right answer-but instead of you being the only doing the shoveling, what about incorporating the other neighbors who did do some shoveling to help you with the rest? Also, could there be some physical reason (ailment, handicap, etc.) as to why at least some of the neighbors who did not shovel their sidewalks, didn't? Or maybe, they had to leave for work super early-earlier than you and the others who did shovel their sidewalks? Have you checked with the city you reside in to find out about property owners/renters rights and responsibilities when it comes to the sidewalks, and shoveling the snow off of them? Or insurance companies for home owner/renter insurance policies? I hope this helps. Take care. And, thank you for being a responsible person that shovels your sidewalk in this snowy, cold weather.

Answer 4

bill is actual, it is frequently a regulation that sidewalks must be shoveled oftentimes interior of 24 hours of the most suitable of the snowstorm. What you probably did grow to be very impressive and that i'm particular that anybody (even the former people) savour you shoveling their sidewalk. it is impressive to make certain that persons are nonetheless doing solid issues for people. you're maximum ideal that leaving it no longer shoveled will make it more beneficial risky. Leaving snow no longer shoveled will reason it to p.c.. down on the sidewalk a million)making it harder to shovel later and 2)a lot more beneficial risky at the same time as people attempt to stroll on it. you probably did the right aspect.

Answer 5

What are the community rules, spoken or unspoken like, in your neighborhood? Here in my neighborhood in the Netherlands, pretty nice sub-urban residential, we get very little snow but when we do NO ONE shovels their sidewalk.... well I think last year 1 person did in the whole street (just over 100 residences). No one ever thinks of it, I don't think most of us own a snow shovel (we only have enough snow to shovel a couple days a year, some years none at all).

In other countries I know there are towns where people are expected to shovel their own sidewalk, there you'd have more recourse. Most people shoveled their sidewalk when I lived in Colorado, there I think some neighbors did speak to those who didn't, although that was in my college years and I personally didn't really get involved, I lived in the college dorm so I didn't have my own sidewalk to do & I didn't really worry about slipping if anyone else hadn't done theirs. But some of the people I knew in town simply spoke to their neighbors about it I think.

Any time I have something to take up with my neighbors I simply talk to them, I don't think anonymous notes or rude comments are called for, unless perhaps as a last resort. Whatever happened to ringing the door bell & simply talking to people? Or do you live in a place where you're too afraid of violence? I may not have much experience with snow but in general & in most neighborhoods there's really no reason not to communicate with your neighbors, on other things -parked cars in inconvenient spots, fallen branches that don't get cleaned up- it's always worked for me.

Answer 6

I'm not shoveling any snow no matter how much we get. I have tendonitis in my elbow and I get cortisone shots for the pain so no way I'm shoveling. My widow neighbor on the right is 75 years old. I don't expect her to shovel. My neighbor on the left has had back problems for years and just recently got back surgery. How do I know? I actually checked in on her several times during her recovery. I don't expect her to shovel. Do you really know your neighbors? Our city actually has an ordinance that says snow must be shoveled from driveways within 24 hours of snowfall accummulating at less than 2 inches and shoveled within 48 hours if more than 2 inches. If hardly anyone shovels in our neighbor, I seriously doubt the city is going to come after all of us. I would think city officials (and you) have better things and real emergencies to deal with in this severe weather than to ticket all of us for not shoveling.

Answer 7

I' m not moving no matter what you do neighbor.

just kidding, I was out there again, for the 3 rd time in 24 hours. Where I live, you can't get away with that. I don't care if they shovel or not, I am not planning on a nice walk today, not in this nasty weather. I don't even go for walks when the weather is nice. I don't even know if they have sidewalks and don't care.

so I would say, relax. OR pick up your shovel and go knock on their doors, offer to do it for them for a fair price. When I was a kid, I made big money doing that. Talke advantage of it$$$$$$

Answer 8

They are by LAW obligated to pay someone to do it or do it themselves. This is true in virtually every urban and suburban municipality in the US.

You can place a call to the police and ask them not to use your name, if you don't want to get 1/2 the neighborhood mad at you personally. (But, they WILL K KNOW that one of you "good-two-shoes sidewalk clearers" was the culprit.

I'd suggest making the call if you really believe it's a problem rather than a pet peeve. If it's a pet peeve and you don't get snow constantly, maybe let it go.

Frankly, if it only takes two minutes to do it, there is no excuse not to. They could hire a kid to do it for $5 at that rate.

Answer 9

Actually you can't sue someone for slipping on the sidewalk in front of someone's house. A sidewalk is city property, not a homeowner's property. Just let them slip and fall on their own sidewalk and only walk on your own. I don't shovel my sidewalk. I generally think if it snows and it's not safe to go out, it's not safe to walk on the ice and snow either. Spread salt.

Answer 10

Well if you want to be technical...if they don't shovel and you slip and fall, you can't sue them and WIN. If they do shovel it and then you slip and fall, you have a case. If you leave a note, be a "man" about it and sign your name. If it is that big of an issue then do it yourself. Afterall, they don't OWN the sidewalk, it is the city's.