Winter weather is officially here again after! After just getting our first two real snowfalls of the year, I am again reminded of something that annoys the bajeebers out of me. This time, I am not referring to
Snow Drivers and the 4WD God Complex.
Has this ever happened to you? It has just snowed, and your local streets crew has been at it for hours clearing the roads so you can get around. They've done a pretty good job and the street is basically clear of snow and ice so you are traveling along at a normal speed. All of a sudden you pass in front of someone's driveway and it sounds like your car has just hit an animal. On top of that, you lose traction for a second. What just happened? You continue on. You pass another driveway, and BAM!, the same thing happens. You look back and what do you see?
That's right, someone has shoveled, plowed, or (as is most often the case) snow blown the snow from their driveway out onto the street. This creates a sudden patch of bumpy, slippery snow on an otherwise clean street. In my opinion this can create an unsafe driving condition when it is entirely unnecessary. Just think of the slippage that would be possible if this happed on a curve or near a stopping point.
Not only is this a hazard, but I find that this practice is just plain rude. The people doing this obviously have no concern for drivers that may pass in front of their house. Nor do they have concern for their neighbor whose driveway will end up plowed in due to their extra snow in the street. They also, apparently, think that they are too good really take care of their own snow. They throw it out in the street in hopes that the city plows will come take care of it for them. These people are so rude, that they will often snow blow out to the street even as cars are passing! Yes, I have been hit with projectile snow while driving. That's just plain rude.
Lastly, I believe that most communities have ordinances against this type of behavior for the reasons listed above. So depending on where you live, this practice may also be illegal.
So it's unsafe and rude, but it's also not very environmentally friendly. When you throw your snow on the road, it will eventually be taken care of by a plow. Snow plows make large piles of snow all along the road. And in the spring, the snow melts and become
Urban Storm Water Runoff. If you haven't heard of it already, urban runoff is a growing concern because it can overwhelm the destination streams and rivers. The water can not be absorbed by paved roads and must run into storm drains which eventually empty into streams and rivers that can't handle the influx of water and may flood. Unnecessarily adding to the amount of this runoff is not environmentally conscious.
But what
should be done with the snow from their driveways? These people should do like 90% of other people and move the snow from their driveway to their yards. Yes, their yards. This would completely eliminate the hazardous driving condition and people would not longer think you were rude (at least not for your snow removal practices). On top of that, the snow that melts in the yard will have a much higher probability of soaking into the ground to replenish our ground water supplies rather then just running away to eventually end up in a river.
I can't be the only one who finds this annoying. If you do as well, let your voice be heard! Leave a comment to this post.
If you are a blow-into-the streets kind of person, perhaps you should consider changing your ways.
