Have a snow thrower? Why not?

[megacorp-firee]

I don't think snow usually lasts very long in southern Missouri.

You may want to check on that ...

 

[W2R]

You may want to check on that ...

Good idea. No snow in the streets there today. The 24 hour live traffic cams in the area are helpful, as is the local newspaper (online). Remember Springfield is only about 50 miles north of the Arkansas line.

 

[travelover]

I live off a gravel road and the blower doesn't work for me (throws rocks through windows). So I use a snow blade to push it with my garden tractor. When the piles get too high, I use the front end loader on my emergency back up tractor.

Plus snow blowers always seem to find things buried in the snow - new telephone books, landscape lighting, ropes, wires, lost tools.........

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

new telephone books, landscape lighting, ropes, wires, lost tools.........

...the reason why you havent gotten your newspaper in 3 days.....

 

[travelover]

...the reason why you havent gotten your newspaper in 3 days.....

Oh, that explains the confetti blowing around the neighborhood.

 

[Nords]

If you need one, why didn't you get it?

I grew up shoveling snow in Pittsburgh.

In the long run it seemed cheaper to join the Navy and relocate to Hawaii. No complaints so far...

 

[Goonie]

I have a little 16" Toro 2-cycle, single-stage snow thrower. It does a really good job whether it's heavy & wet snow, or light & fluffy. But I still prefer to use a shovel......a lot less noise! Besides I really don't mind being outside, even in the cold and snow.....as long as it's on my terms, i.e. - mid to late morning or maybe even some time after lunch. I really enjoy being out in the fresh air (and hopefully sunshine), and also don't mind the much needed exercise!

I only used the snow thrower about twice last Winter, and only once (so far) this Winter. The only problem that I had this year, was that the dumb@$$ that used it last year (me ), forgot to to put Stabil in the fuel.....then forgot to drain the fuel out in the Spring.....what a moron! I took the spark plug out and shot with some cleaner, and then shot a squirt of ether in spark plug hole and another shot in the carberator....pulled the cord, and it spit & sputtered a little bit....but then took off running just fine! It threw the 5-6" of heavy, wet, sloppy snow about 10-15'. I've got about 100' of sidewalk, about 200 sq ft patio, and 600 sq ft driveway. It takes about 30 minutes to clear a normal snowfall with either the snow thrower or the shovel.....of course it usually ends up being more like an hour, because all of us neighbors stand around and b.s. for at least a half hour!

If the snow is deeper than about 1', the little Toro is light enough (~35 lbs) to pick up and set on top of it, and let it work it's way down!

(note to self: empty the fuel tank this year! )

 

[Ronstar]

I use my ATV with a plow for the driveway and shovel the sidewalks. But I broke the shovel after the last snow. Hope that means that the snow is done for this winter.

 

[Shredder]

My 1991 sears 5 hp snowblower finally died this winter, well it did not die but you can no longer get parts for it, I shelled out $900 for 9 hp husky. I clear the drive, walks, and paths for our pooch in the back yard. I actually like being outdoors stomping around in blowing snow, I guess it's a sickness.............Shredder

 

[Buckeye]

I keep asking DH if he wants to buy a snowthrower but he says "no." He said buying a second shovel for me would be much cheaper but I declined. I told him then it's a good check of his cardiovascular health. Lots of shoveling in very cold weather multiple times with no negative results is a good sign that all is well at 58. The massage for the sore back muscles on the last go around was only $50 so I guess that wasn't too bad.

 

[jazz4cash]

Code for "I want a new snowblower"...................

you can no longer get parts for it,

 

[SteveR]

I used to have two of them. Now down to one. At the cabin I had a 14hp Ariens two stage. My driveway was gravel but was 150 feet long with a turnout in front of the double garage. We got over 500 inches over the winter season. The steps and deck I had to shovel. If I were going to have a heart attack it would have been there. 4-5 feet of snow on a 500 sq.ft. deck in -zero weather at 8000 feet elevation. Not too bad for a old fart.

At the house I have a Honda 8 hp two stage. I have 2000 sq.ft of concrete to clear. I usually use a shovel if it is not too deep. I am OK shoveling 2-4 inches but if it is heavy or deeper I crank up the blower. The house borders the driveway on two sides so there is a lot of distance involved in moving the snow so if I don't blow it I either push it and then shovel it on to the snow banks or carry it there.

We also have short legged dogs so I also shovel off a part of the back yard so they can do their business without getting lost in 3 feet of snow. We averaged 2 snowfalls a week during late Dec, most of Jan, and most of Feb. That translates to a lot of shoveling.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

CTV.ca | Que. man faces firearm charge in 'snow rage' case

 

[SteveR]

CTV.ca | Que. man faces firearm charge in 'snow rage' case

I can see shooting the snowplow driver who shoves a three foot wall of ice, snow and salt at the end of your driveway that instantly freezes into a glacier and requires picks and shovels to remove; but not just blowing snow into your yard like in the cases in the link above.

We are always blowing snow into our neighbor's yard...it is unavoidable and tolerated...but blow it into a freshly cleaned off driveway...now you are talking homicide.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I can see shooting the snowplow driver who shoves a three foot wall of ice, snow and salt at the end of your driveway

Nah, you follow him home and after he goes to sleep, you hook up a garden hose and turn it on and lay it on top of his car. By morning, his car and driveway will be a beautiful ice sculpture!

I'm sure he'll greatly appreciate it.

 

[Goonie]

I can see shooting the snowplow driver who shoves a three foot wall of ice, snow and salt at the end of your driveway that instantly freezes into a glacier and requires picks and shovels to remove......

Back while I was still employed, our department would occasionally get called upon to help out the street dept. plowing during big snows. We tried our best not to bury driveways, but it wasn't always easy most of the time. If I saw someone out shoveling (especially an elderly person), I'd try to turn the blade enough the other direction to keep from putting any pile by their driveway......I've even veered over into the end of their driveway to 'bulldoze' it clear for them.

However.....there have been a few times where the homeowner would snow-blow, plow, or shovel the snow from their driveway or sidewalks into the freshly plowed street, instead of just moving it to the sides of the drive or walks. I understand that once in a great while there's just no other place to move it to, and we were fine with that, but those fine people that were able to keep from moving it into the freshly plowed streets, were introduced to the wrath of the plow driver! They found out quickly how much snow could instantly accumulate over the end of their driveway, and with how little effort on the driver's part it could be done! Most learned quickly the first time......but some of the 'denser' people took 2 or 3 plow pilings to get the message across.

A few years ago, one of my co-workers was plowing the street I live on, and he called me on his cellphone to inquire about a minivan that was parked a few doors down from me. He wanted to know if it belonged to the dopers down the block. I said "Yep!" He said "Watch this!" He then proceeded to plow almost all of the snow for about 2 blocks (about a 3" snowfall), up all around their minivan! By the time he finished, there was only about the top 3 or 4 inches of the minivan still visible......it took the dopers hours to dig it out.....it only took my buddy less than about 5 minutes to bury it!

He called me back and asked me if he did a good job. Naturally I told him that he had. He said, "See.....I was paying attention when you showed me how to plow last winter!"

 

[Walt34]

He wanted to know if it belonged to the dopers down the block. I said "Yep!" He said "Watch this!" He then proceeded to plow almost all of the snow for about 2 blocks (about a 3" snowfall), up all around their minivan! By the time he finished, there was only about the top 3 or 4 inches of the minivan still visible......it took the dopers hours to dig it out.....it only took my buddy less than about 5 minutes to bury it!

Great story! Gotta love them plow drivers!