Snowblower

[Mike Buckley]

Considering that my next-door neighbor was using his snowblower on my sidewalk, photographing him was the least I could do.

I have shoveled my driveway and sidewalk four times during the 39-hour snow storm of which three hours of it have been officially proclaimed a blizzard. Thanks to the wind that blew snow everywhere, I have to shovel again and this time I will shovel more snow than any previous time. At least I can see the sun for the first time in three days.

EDIT: Shortly after this photo was captured, my neighbor gave up using the snowblower. The large amount and weight of the snow rendered the snowblower relatively ineffective.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[DanK]

Nice shot. My condolences about the storm. Having lived in the DC area for 25 years, a span that included a number of bad snowstorms, I know how poorly the city and surrounding counties handle this sort of thing. My street was once snowed in for 5 days. Having grown up in the snow belt in upstate NY, I found it quite startling at first. Hopefully, they will do better this time. Meantime, be careful of your back when shoveling, and see if you can find a way to get far enough to enjoy the beautiful fresh snow.

If this will make you feel any better, here is one from my town during a particularly bad winter:



And my driveway, last February:



Ironically, this storm gave us only 1.5-2" (4-5 cm), while you got really socked.

[Mike Buckley]

Dan,

You probably lived in DC in the late 1970s (I think 1979) when a really large snowstorm hit on George Washington Birthday weekend (before everything was changed to President's Day). I think the snowstorm we experienced the last couple of days is the largest one since that one.

[DanK]

Mike,

yes, I was there for that one. However, the time we were snowed in for 5 days was much more recent--I don't recall exactly, but I would guess about 15 years ago. It wasn't as bad a storm, but it was still more than Montgomery County could cope with.

Dan

[Mike Buckley]

As a taxpayer, I have no problem when a storm that comes by every ten years or so overwhelms the resources for getting rid of the snow. I believe in paying for the resources required to handle storms 90% of the time rather than 100% of the time.

[DanK]

As a taxpayer, I have no problem when a storm that comes by every ten years or so overwhelms the resources for getting rid of the snow. I believe in paying for the resources required to handle storms 90% of the time rather than 100% of the time.

Not that DC has problems only with big storms, if I recall. I remember problems with very small amounts of snow (e.g., a week or so ago). Here's a way to lessen that dilemma: contract with folks like landscapers, who have trucks but too little work in the winter, and pay them hourly to augment local plowing only when needed. That's what we do. My street is almost never plowed by public employees with public equipment. Even here, with much more snow, it would be wasteful and impractical to have enough equipment to handle peak loads.

Our big problem is simply space for the snow. Many of the streets are very old and too narrow to accommodate traffic when enough snow piles up. In high-density areas, the crews sometimes scoop the snow with diggers and drop it in 'snow farms', the largest of which didn't fully disappear last year until July. Montreal does something similar, on a much larger scale. However, that is far too expensive to use everywhere. Last year, some streets had to be converted temporarily to one-way for this reason.

A bit off track for a photo site...

[Wavelength]

Excellent

[Mike Buckley]

Not that DC has problems only with big storms, if I recall. I remember problems with very small amounts of snow (e.g., a week or so ago).

Yes, that was less than an inch and it took some people hours to get home. It was so bad that the mayor publicly apologized with national media including live television covering her press conference. When a politician apologizes you know something has gone very wrong.

Personally, I think every time a new mayor is elected in DC, the area should be declared a disaster. That's because the DC government is a disaster.

[IzzieK]

Good conversation about snows...I'd like to say something political but I rather not... Good shot of your environment there, Mike...We heard our neighbour plowing snow off our driveway. He lives across the road from us and he does that everytime we have over 3" and no, we don't pay him either, he has more money than us. but we say thank you. Thinking of you people overwhelmed over there, 3" is nothing and am glad I don't live up that part near the equator.

Nandakumar...aren't you glad you live where you are and do not have to plow snow? I don't like winter...too cold.