Snow Plowing Question

Terrabus · #1 01/30/13, 01:56 AM

I live in a small village where the most popular hobby seems to be complaining about the new guy driving the snow plow. The other one retired a couple of years ago and so the "kid" is now doing it. I have no idea how old he is, who he is or anything else.

Seems like he's doing a good job but nobody else will listen.

The main complaint seems that he pre-salts the roads and streets in advance of freezing rain and snowfall. That really gets people's blood worked up around here.

To me, that seems logical because we are in a hilly area, but no.

I've never driven a plow in my life and I can already tell you couldn't pay me enough to do it in this town. But are these people onto something or is it just folks with nothing better to do?

Bearfootfarm · #2 01/30/13, 02:05 AM

Quote:

just folks with nothing better to do?

I think that's your answer
They always do it ahead of time around here if they are SURE there will be freezing precipitation

Micheal · #3 01/30/13, 04:39 AM

Observation: The "new" guy isn't doing the plowing like the "old" guy did...... Therefore cause for complaint; but that's not saying people were happy and not complaining about the "old" guy and the way he plowed or salted.....

Around here they use mostly sand (little salt) so they sand as they plow - not before.

**fordson major** · #4 01/30/13, 04:48 AM

we have a GIRL plowing the streets in the village, she does a great job !! female operators do a much better job from what i have seen. they do put down salt ahead of freezing rain but not the truck operators call, that for the white hats to decide!

arabian knight · #5 01/30/13, 07:58 AM

Yes that is common around here to salt and sand just before the freezing rain starts or just at the very beginning of it. That way they get a good start at it before it has a chance to freeze on the roadway.

geo in mi · #6 01/30/13, 08:03 AM

Usually, how good a "new guy" plows depends on whose brother-in-law he is.

geo

geo in mi · #7 01/30/13, 08:04 AM

And whose mailbox he takes out....

geo

homemaid · #8 01/30/13, 08:10 AM

Tell them to move over to Michigan, we get very little salt or sand where I live. We just drive on very icy roads or stay home. If it is bad for a few days they will sand the intersections.

arabian knight · #9 01/30/13, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geo in mi

And whose mailbox he takes out....

geo

I have very good ones going past me, in fact just saw the sand truck with plow just go past, been here over 14 years and have yet to have my mailbox taken out.

Danaus29 · #10 01/31/13, 02:06 PM

Had to laugh at geo in mi. We had the advantage (???) of being behind a snowplow a few storms ago and saw a whole line of mailboxes as they were sent spinning away from the road.

Here the main roads are "salted" with a liquid ice melting solution a few hours before anticipated snow or freezing rain.

LittleRedHen · #11 02/01/13, 07:37 AM

Here in Michigan I get to shovel sidewalks for a company that also plows. Anyone who complains about anyone who does snow removal can get out of their warm comfortable beds at 3-4am and do the job themselves! Then they will not be so critical. Even in a warm truck it is early hours and they risk their lives to be out getting the roads clear. I have gained an awesome amount of respect for plows both county and private business. It is NOT as easy as it looks... and yes- salt before the storms. Why wait til people have to slide around on ice before salting? duh! do it first. I am thankful for a county that takes plowing more seriously than my home county. I will gladly pay taxes to keep the roads clean cause paying for me to replace my van when it blasts into a tree or someone elses car when they cannot stop at an intersection aint cheap.

MO_cows · #12 02/01/13, 11:23 AM

Sounds like just grumbling about change. We, on the other hand, have a legit complaint! When there is deep snow or drifting, they will run a road grader down our (gravel) road. Wonderful. Thank you, county. Except, the rocket scientist who is doing it now, keeps the blade set so the snow goes on the north side of the road. We live on the north side of the road. Nobody lives on the south side, it is just cropland. So why not move the blade and put the snowbank on the side where it doesn't inconvenience anybody?? Maybe he is watching us with binoculars and snickering when we shovel out 3 or 4 feet of snow at the end of our driveway???

mamita · #13 02/01/13, 01:34 PM

we feel blessed when we get plowed out, so no complaints here! no salt ever. no pre-treating anything. you have 4-wheel drive, or you live elsewhere.

Ozarks Tom · #14 02/01/13, 01:53 PM

Your mention of the "new guy" reminds me of a conversation I overheard in the mountains of NC. Somebody had just bought some property, and another guy asked if he'd got the loan with a local banker. The first guy replied no, he'd gone to the "new guy" at another bank. I learned later the "new guy" had been there 20 years. He'll die the "new guy".

diamondtim · #15 02/01/13, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terrabus

I live in a small village where the most popular hobby seems to be complaining about the new guy driving the snow plow. The other one retired a couple of years ago and so the "kid" is now doing it. I have no idea how old he is, who he is or anything else.

Seems like he's doing a good job but nobody else will listen.

The main complaint seems that he pre-salts the roads and streets in advance of freezing rain and snowfall. That really gets people's blood worked up around here.

To me, that seems logical because we are in a hilly area, but no.

I've never driven a plow in my life and I can already tell you couldn't pay me enough to do it in this town. But are these people onto something or is it just folks with nothing better to do?

Maybe the old guy retired to rid himself of the complainers in town. I, currently in my present job, deal with some who are lavish with their complaints and parsimonious with their praise. And they get more attention than others. Some are never satisfied.

Limon · #16 02/01/13, 08:46 PM

Reminds me an incident from the late 80s. A neighboring township over the state line in Pa. couldn't understand how we got our roads opened so fast and so well after a snowstorm. (This was one of the few years we got a lot of snow.) They sent their plowmen over to ride with our county drivers. As soon as it started snowing, the guys got ready to go and get started. The Pa. guys didn't want to go out since it hadn't stopped snowing yet. Why plow now when it's going to snow more?

Pife · #17 02/01/13, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO_cows

Sounds like just grumbling about change. We, on the other hand, have a legit complaint! When there is deep snow or drifting, they will run a road grader down our (gravel) road. Wonderful. Thank you, county. Except, the rocket scientist who is doing it now, keeps the blade set so the snow goes on the north side of the road. We live on the north side of the road. Nobody lives on the south side, it is just cropland. So why not move the blade and put the snowbank on the side where it doesn't inconvenience anybody?? Maybe he is watching us with binoculars and snickering when we shovel out 3 or 4 feet of snow at the end of our driveway???

The large county plows that I have driven the blades are fixed so that they only throw to the right.

DAVID In Wisconsin · #18 02/02/13, 06:52 AM

Everyone complains about plow drivers no matter where they live. Not much else to pass the time in winter.

arabian knight · #19 02/02/13, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVID In Wisconsin

Everyone complains about plow drivers no matter where they live. Not much else to pass the time in winter.

Not me. What I do is go to the end of the driveway and snowblow the snow AWAY from the left side of the driveway. Do this for about 40 feet, and wide enough out into the road, and far enough to the side, so when the plow gets to the driveway it is pretty much EMTPY~!
Been doing that for the last 10 years. takes about 5 minutes, Problem solved. Then I start blowing the driveway etc. But do that road section first. As I pretty much know what time they are blowing, get out and do this before hand and bingo no huge amount at the end of the drive. Now on Huge snowfalls say over 12 inches where I may NOT get the blowing done right away this type of blowing does not work, but that is why when buying a snowblower I got a 10 HP one. LOL

chayseb · #20 02/02/13, 08:46 PM

when we plow we always pre-salt the hilly and worst part of the roads.