December 28, 2004

Why Should I Shovel?

There's a law in our town that says public sidewalks on private property must be cleared of all snow, which at one time probably served a purpose when the kids had to walk to school, people didn't drive everywhere, and joggers .... well, joggers always ran in the streets; so, no change in that department. I haven’t bothered to shovel the sidewalk … ever. Our old neighbor, the doctor who didn’t talk to me until he retired (I think that’s one part of the Hippocratic oath – "And above all, don’t talk to lawyers."), would sometimes snowblow our sidewalk. But he and his wife moved away two years ago.

We had snow last week. I looked out over the 200 feet of sidewalk in front of the house this morning. There is not one human foot print in the vicinity of the sidewalk. It is a pristine vista of glowing white, marred only by the track of one deer. I think it's the track of one deer, but it could be the tracks from eight tiny reindeer. But there are no human footprints out there.

Why should I shovel the sidewalk if nobody walks there? Seems like a lot of wasted effort to me.

Posted by Bill at December 28, 2004 10:16 PM
Comments

I agree with you - leave it and IF someone complains then deal with it :-)

Posted by: Michelle at December 29, 2004 02:12 AM

I'd suggest you stay inside and whip me up another batch of peppermint bark.

Good talent ought not be wasted.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

Posted by: Kathy Howe at December 29, 2004 11:05 AM

Ooohhh, dem's fighting words, Mr. Bill...

Maybe there are no footprints there because NO ONE COULD WALK ON YOUR UNSHOVELLED SIDEWALK. And maybe, as a parent, I'd like for my child to be able to walk safely on the sidewalk to his friend's house or to the school bus stop, or to walk safely myself when I walk the dog- and not risk life and limb by having to walk in the street because SOMEBODY didn't shovel his SIDEWALK!!!

:blushes:
/soapbox /pet peeve

Posted by: lucy at December 29, 2004 05:48 PM

This post is just stupid. You say that people don't walk on sidewalks anymore? what kind of moronic statement is that?

So you are too lazy and selfish to spend less than 15 minutes to make the sidewalk nicer for eveyrone. What a sheer lack of class you show. (As you imply you are a lawyer, that is not surprising.) I just hope someone with even less class than you (if that is possible) purposely falls on your sidewalk and sues you. Because as a lawyer, you should know that he WOULD win. Hmmm. 15 minutes of shoveling, or tens of thousands of dollars? You decide.

Posted by: QC at January 19, 2005 06:18 AM