Mumsnet Talk

So we have some snow. Not all that much but enough to make the pavements etc tricky. First thing this morning I cleared the front of our drive and salted it so I could take dd1 to work. Then I came back, took other dds sledging and then cleared the pavement from our house up to the corner. I did this stretch because otherwise it never gets done and as that side faces North it takes an age to melt and makes getting out in the morning (I cycle) a bit scary Fine, that's my effort to put in, not a problem. I also gritted it with our own personal grit and it's pretty good now. However a whole fine, not too cold day has passed and NONE of my neighbours has cleared so much as an inch otherwise. A family round the corner have done their bit and somebody else has cleared their drive and that's it. AIBU to be a bit annoyed about this. I know who lives in all the houses on our street. They are all able bodied. Two of my neighbours have watched me clearing the stuff and done nothing. Not even asked if they can borrow my shovel. There are lot of kids on the street and they've been rampaging playing all over meaning that lumps of ice etc have got chucked or kicked (looked like kicked tbh) on to the cleared path - meaning it had to be brushed again. The parents have done nothing to prevent this.

AIBU to feel it's a shame everybody hasn't pitched in? It would have been so easy to do this morning before it got trampled. Now of course it's packed down. I thought maybe I should do a bit more but tbh I'm quite tired now.

Hmmmmmm only one person has done any here and it wasn't me!

If it was a long lasting thing maybe but it's always gone in a day or two anyway.

I remember when we had proper snow in the 80s we used to do out paths and front.

Has anyone slipped over on it? I was going to clear our drive and the pavement outside yesterday but after seeing a couple of kids running past at full speed (and it's downhill) I had second thoughts.

If it's packed down and icy then it would have been nice if they'd have cleared a bit earlier but if it's slushy like ours then I don't see what the problem is.

I think yabu TBH. I dont think its a big deal. They're probably busy

Maybe they have other plans for their weekend.

And as for parents having done nothing to prevent their kids chucking snow about...are you serious?

YABU

well done northern .. really I mean that .. thats a good job well done

Unfortunately we dont all have your work ethic...(not sarcy- some of us genuinely dont have ) some of us are sat in thinking cool northern has cleared that pavement thats brilliant.. that will make it easier

If we were good friends as neighbours I would bring round a bottle of wine to say thank you

but I wouldnt do any more just cos you had

Says more about you than me doesnt it [grin}

I haven't cleared my drive. It's pointless.

I can not believe you are whinging about children playing in the snow and throwing it! Are you Victor Meldrew?

It was your decision to shovel. It was their decision not too.

No one here has done anything. It will probably be gone by Monday anyway.

Genuine question, after having a horrendous walk into town earlier. What do you do with the snow that you cleared away? A few people round here have done either their drives, or the bit in front of their path or garden, and just dumped the snow in a great big pile in the road. It's going to be there long after the rest of the snow has melted. The worst ones are the ones who have piled the snow in a heap across half the pavement.

I will await my wine......

We've lived here for 4.5 years and I know - and everybody else should know - that unless there is a VERY quick thaw - the foot traffic is enough to pack it down but not to help it go away, so it will be very icy in a day or two.

The kids thing - I am being a bit grumpy about it because it is annoying that some of the kids are allowed to behave as if the street and everybody's front gardens is a giant park and they run in and out the front gardens seemingly at will. Where the snow is piled up this leads to it getting kicked when it wouldn't otherwise be. They all have back gardens too. My neighbour has a small hedge of shrubs and the one nearest the street is really stuggling having been mauled over the summer by dcs playing in and around it. I don't allow my children to do that and I don't expect other people too. I am grumpy though must be my age. I accept iabu.

As a child I hated people who cleared snow, they ruined the sledge towing routes.

Mum used to get in big trouble if she cleared the snow round the house. It hardly ever snowed and it needed leaving alone.

As for the council salting our road, that was the crime of the century.

Of course as an adult, I was delighted to see the gritters been along our lane this morning.
Mind you, I still love virgin white snow and don't clear anymore than is essential.

That's awful controlgeek - my snow piles ae at the end of my drive and on my front flower bed. Then there is another further up under a bush and by a fence. NOT in the path or the road. How unhelpful of those people!

I think YAB a bit U.

My boiler stopped working today so I have spent most of the day ringing plumbers, finding one, making him tea, borrowing electric heaters etc. Both kids are poorly with some kind of horrible virus, crying and begging me to make the painful throats and ears better. DS2 fell asleep on the settee and did a wee so that needed cleaning. Both kids wanted lots of cuddles so I've achieved very little else. The state of my drive and adjacent pavement has been the last thing on my mind! I'm a single parent so no one to delegate the task to either.

YABU to expect children to not throw snow or think your neighbours are obliged to do a bit just because you did.

Noone asked you to clear the pavement or use your own grit for it.

´Tis the law over here.

Must keep drive & path in front of house clear between 8am & 8pm.

Yesterday morning I happened to be up at 6.30 & cleared in front of my house, neighbour´s house & next door but one.

Only did my drive though.

So tbh I do find it odd that people don´t bother.

What about people with pushchairs/wheelchairs?

I've done a route to our front door and the pavement outside the front of ours but I'm the only one in the street. I'm not too bothered, it seems like clearing is an old fashioned thing to do but I like to do it and it means guests are less likely to bring snow in with them.

We're near Edinburgh, not a lot of snow, but we live at the back of an estate with no through traffic, so DH cleared all the pavement in our street this morning. Not a big job and the neighbours thanked him. YWNBU if it looked like the snow was going to last but no real need to clear otherwise.

My house has a shared drive with three other houses.

None of us have cleared the drive, two of the three houses have used their cars today.

None of us have cleared the path in front of our house.

Nor has anyone else on my street.

I am just that you have a child old enough to go to work.
Making me feel old

I get annoyed at people who clear the snow!

Not everyone has to go out, not everyone sees a bit of snow/ice for a few days a big deal.

Sorry, u think Yabu. And are a bit of a grump.

Snow is forecast for us all week now so worth doing.

I know it's the law in some countries - really good idea I think.

Whyriskit - it's SO easy to do if you do it when it's fresh isn't it. I don't think anybody is going to thank me

I have just moved into my first house (flat before that) and did not know there was an expectation to clear the pavements etc. Looking out my window now and no one else appears to know either!

It's great that you managed to do that NorthernLurker but it may be unfair to think your neighbours should be out doing the same. I look able bodied at the moment and so does my DH but I have gallstones and he is recovering from a hernia op so neither of us feel like clearing snow (especially as more is forecast tonight/tomorrow). Just another point of view!

Well done Northern Lurker. I am in complete agreement with you.

If only all able bodied people did this, life would be so much easier, especially for those who rely on using pavements rather than cars (ie often the less able bodied / elderly / those with children).

The snow doesn't always melt quickly, pickledinapeartree, the temperatures are going to remain low for a while so if not cleared, the pavements will soon be lethal.

Its saturday and if no one in the household has to go out/ go to work then the snow is not a problem. There is a good chance it will be melted by monday.

Its up the individual family whether they choose to grit/ clear their driveway. I have gritted and cleared our driveway for MY benefit. Its up to other people what they choose to do.