Why do people shovel driveways?

[Murpheeee]

Originally posted by: deftron
I'm patenting my idea of using a flamethrower instead of a shovel.

actual news story here last week......

Some guy was trying to melt the ice off his gutters using a blowtorch......and ended up setting fire to his house :beer:

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: Murpheeee

Originally posted by: deftron
I'm patenting my idea of using a flamethrower instead of a shovel.

actual news story here last week......

Some guy was trying to melt the ice off his gutters using a blowtorch......and ended up setting fire to his house :beer:

HAHA

 

[Triumph]

why do people shove driveways? ............. i'm just flabbergasted that someone would ask that question.

 

[Bootprint]

It's also harder on the asphalt, that extra ice and water will create potholes in the driveway. Potholes in the asphalt and in the accumulated ice as it melts.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: Triumph
why do people shove driveways? ............. i'm just flabbergasted that someone would ask that question.

Why do people wipe their asses? Assuming I can walk around fine with a crusty cake between my cheeks, what's the big deal? I mean, it'll just get dirty again anyways

 

[RGN]

To answer the question without being a smartass, it is because of the weeather patterns. When It snows, it is usually in the 20's (degrees F) Shortly there after, like the next day or so, it warms during midday enough to start melting the snow. Then as midday turns into night, it freezes. THis makes the driveway and sidewalks a sheet of ice. I don't know about you, but landing on my ass while carrying groceries or something is not my idea of fun.

 

[FoBoT]

another transplanted KC guy here, i think the "natives" are excited because this is the most snow in several years

they enjoy it or it makes them feel good or something

it will be 32F tomorrow and either sunday or monday it is supposed to be in the 40's , so my driveway will melt by then

i did have to do some shoveling yesterday when i got home from work, my little mazda is too close to the ground, i got stuck at the end of the driveway

 

[Howard]

I missed a few snowfalls and I spent a whole evening breaking up the layer of ice that grew atop my interlocking driveway (it was 4" in some places).

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: Howard
I missed a few snowfalls and I spent a whole evening breaking up the layer of ice that grew atop my interlocking driveway (it was 4" in some places).

Same here. I slacked off one day, and figured I'd do it the next morning. Well, the next morning it was a sheet of ice 2-6 inches. THat would not have been fun to walk on without knowing it was there.

 

[mdcrab]

If you just keep driving over it you end up with two paths. Which is fine except for people slipping and falling, but as it turns to ice you can put some salt or calcite on it to melt it and give some traction.

The real problem occurs when the first snow which you did not clear is followed by another major snow fall. Then you have a real mess that is impossible to get thru and almost impossible to clear. Under the new snow you have a lot of ice which is burried and you do not have a good surface for clearing.

mdcrab

 

[FoBoT]

it isn't going to snow in KC again this year, well not before this snow melts anyway

 

[Amused]

Why shovel when you can install a radiant heating system in the concrete or stone?

 

[mdcrab]

Why install a radiant heating system, when you can just park at the end of the driveway and use snow shoes to go between your house and the car.

 

[IlllI]

what is all this 'snow' and 'ice' that you people speak of??? i have never heard of such a thing down here in south florida

 

[BurnItDwn]

I shovel the driveway so
1. I don't have to walk thru a lot of snow
2. friends/ family members don't slip or fall down on an icy driveway
3. Easier to back the car out shovelled than with snow piled up, especially since the plow truck piles up ice chunks at the far end of the driveway.

 

i don't shovel

i pay someone to do it for me

 

[VTBigBear]

you never paid me!!!!

 

[GeekDrew]

In my city, it's illegal to not shovel, snowblow, or otherwise clear your driveway, is snow is above X inches deep. I don't know why... it just is. I don't even know the depth, I just snowblow it when I think it needs it.

When I lived down in the country... I would fire up the tractor, and spend a few hours plowing the driveway & parking lot (we ran a farm, and had a gravel parking lot type area) every time it snowed any amount at all. Even high set 4-wheel drive vehicles wouldn't make it in when it snowed unless I plowed the drive. Snowdrifts accumulated in the driveway, and it just LOVED to turn to ice if I neglected it in the least bit.

Why does my dad plow the roads (he's a road worker)? People should just go buy high set 4-wheel drive vehicles. They know what kind of area they live in, and how the weather behaves.

 

[rh71]

BECAUSE it sucks when you leave it there and it turns to ice.

<-- been waiting for 2 weeks for the unshoveled spots in the driveway to melt... damn ice...

 

[DrPizza]

Well, I'll agree with you dandruff. There doesn't seem to be a really good reason to me. We get plenty of snow here, and I rarely bother with the driveway, unless it interferes with the car driving down the driveway. A couple people mentioned that it's hard to stop if ice forms in their driveways... what do they do? Turn into the driveway at 50mph? We have no, nada, none pedestrian traffic on our driveway.

However, I keep the sidewalk clear almost all the time, and put down extra salt to help make sure no one's going to slip.