Sidewalk Snow Removal Laws - Nanny Governments Cause Heart Attacks (my title)

Davenport and Bettendorf take an aggressive stance, to the point of clearing your walks and billing you for it if you don’t do it yourself.

Rock Island is just the opposite; although the city would like you to clear your walks, its legal department says sidewalks are on public property and homeowners can’t be forced to clear them.

Sidewalks must be cleared of ice and snow within 10 hours after the end of a snow greater than two inches. If not, the city can hire a contractor to clear your walks and assess the cost to you. City employees respond to complaints and personally monitor walks within a three-block radius of schools. For questions, call 326-7704.

Sidewalks must be cleared within 48 hours after snow ceases. If not, property owners are sent a courtesy letter warning them that if the walks are not cleared within 24 hours of the time the letter was written, a contractor will clear the walk and the cost will be assessed to them. Priority is given to complaints, walks around schools and walks used by joggers, such as those along Tanglefoot Lane or Devils Glen Road. The minimum cost is $50 per hour. For questions, call 344-4055.

Sidewalks must be cleared of ice and snow within a reasonable time after a storm ends. Reasonable means within 12 hours, or if the storm stops during the night, within 12 hours after daylight. For questions, call 797-0475.

The city doesn’t have a policy on removal or enforcement. “Our legal department is of the opinion that we cannot force people to clean our property,” Bob Hawes, public works director, says. Since sidewalks are on public right-of-way, it is public property. For questions, call 793-3465.

Sidewalks must be cleared of ice and snow within 24 hours after the snow stops falling. For questions, call 752-1573.

Unfortunately, you are attacking a problem without suggesting a workable solution.

The reason the sidewalks are on public property (right-of-way) is because that is where most of the utilities run. Its not there for the sidewalks. If you give that property to the property owner, you will have to pay EVERY property owner whenever ANY utility wants to run something along the street. That is sewers, electricity, gas, water, even the cable or phone line you use to post here. As it is right now, most road projects pay MORE for right-of-way or easements than they do for concrete (remember that the next time you parrot the claim that a person who goes through condemnation is having their property stolen -- but that is a whole nother subject). That is just for the streets, not all the other utilities. And guess who would end up paying for them all. You. Your solution would only make things worse.

You did not answer what your choice was. Pay more taxes to hire people to shovel peoples sidewalks or pay more taxes on lawsuits. And, anyone who thinks that "Use at your own risk" acts on a lawyer like holy water to a vampire is a fool. Lawyers are not driven away that easily.

I remember sledding down the hill next to my parents house most of the winter when I was a kid. Not any more. Is that because of global warming? NO. It is because the City did not plow residential streets 40 years ago. The expectations of people like you have risen since then. They not only want ALL streets plowed. They want them plowed down to bare concrete and they want it RIGHT NOW. And they elect people who promise that. That costs extra money. A lot more money. Remember that when you bitch the next time. You want more than you got 40 years ago, but you want to pay less. It does not work that way. You need a reality check.

Your solution would only make things worse.

Ok, so giving or selling the sidewalk to the homeowner isn't feasible.

You did not answer what your choice was.

I gave another solution: Cut the budget in one of the countless areas the city should never be funding to begin with, and use the money to fund the basic, essential services the city was created for.

And in post #18, DeathfromBelow gave another, prison labor.

Use at your own risk" acts on a lawyer like holy water to a vampire is a fool. Lawyers are not driven away that easily.

That has to be done with tort reform, it won't stand alone.

The expectations of people like you have risen since then. You want more than you got 40 years ago, but you want to pay less.

I think you make the mistake of lumping me in with others. I don't want more government than 40 years ago. I want less. A lot less.

I think you make the mistake of lumping me in with others. I don't want more government than 40 years ago. I want less. A lot less.

As do I. I think this story is a good example of why. When I was a kid, people shoveled their sidewalks without govt coercion, because it's easier to come and go when your walk is shoveled, and nobody expected the govt to do it either. Now people have gotten accustomed to the idea that govt must do everything that needs doing. It's a bad idea fostered by politicians of all stripes (conservative politicians like for govt to do such things too--just not the same things).

Time to start bringing these boys to heel! Of course there will be terrible consequences--people will have to grow up a little. O the pain the pain.

When I was a kid, people shoveled their sidewalks without govt coercion, because it's easier to come and go when your walk is shoveled, and nobody expected the govt to do it either. Now people have gotten accustomed to the idea that govt must do everything that needs doing.

Thank you for that insight. I believe you have touched on an important part of this issue.

I personally would shovel the sidewalk in front of my house of my own free will. But pass a law that says I have to, and I'm very tempted to stop.

I live near Chicago and thankfully we don't have oppressive sidewalk clearing laws. In fact, I refuse to clear mine due to the lawsuits that can be slappin on you if you clear your side and someone falls. Not clearing it becomes an "act of God".

When I walk my dog I have to sometimes walk on uncleared sidewalks but shrug it off. It's unfortunate but I'm not about to be sued.

> I think you make the mistake of lumping me in with others.
> I don't want more government than 40 years ago. I want
> less. A lot less.

Well I am glad to hear that. I agree with that also. However, no politician will ever get elected with that platform. Unfortunately, when I hear a supposedly conservative politician say, "I will improve services and won't raise taxes. I will cut waste instead.", I know he is lying.

If he said, "I will cut services and cut taxes.", I would vote for him, but very few other people would.

As a Civil Engineer who has worked on street and sewer projects, I know how expectations have risen in the last 20-30 years. The City I live in has fairly few employees. They farm out about 90-95% of the engineering to consultants (whats where I come in) along with 90-95% of the inspection, 100% of the construction to contractors, 100% of the garbage collection, about 50% of the snow plowing, and are negotiating to sell the wastewater treatment plant to a private firm. About the only thing the City does anymore is fill a few chuckholes, repair traffic signals, and plow small snowstorms. But, taxes have not gone down.

Those increased expectations cost money.

> When I was a kid, people shoveled their sidewalks
> without govt coercion, because it's easier to come
> and go when your walk is shoveled, and nobody expected
> the govt to do it either. Now people have gotten
> accustomed to the idea that govt must do everything
> that needs doing. It's a bad idea fostered by politicians
> of all stripes (conservative politicians like for govt
> to do such things too--just not the same things).

I agree with this entirely. Especially the part about conservative politicians being just as bad as liberal ones at expanding government. I have worked with several of them on engineering projects and have found that there is absolutely NO difference between them. Both want to expand the project (make it cost more) because one of their "constituents" wanted special treatment. There is absolutely NO difference when it comes to money -- as long as it is spent in their district, it does not matter what it costs.

Folks, just do what I did when we bought our house 3 years ago...

I bought a snowblower - I thought "corner lot, long sidewalks, good driveway...no way I'll shovel all that"....

What happened? NO SNOW since.

I've used it three times in three years - where prior, at the older house, I had to shovel three times a month or more.

Snow blowers = no-snow insurance!

What whiners in this thread. Just put on a pair of boots when you go outside and slog through it. What's the big deal?

Got that right.
Just a bunch of pisant extremists who don't want to conform to any normal obligations associated with living in close proximity to neighbors in a small community. Sidewalks are the simplest form of public conveyence in small towns, and facilitate convenient & safe walking for their residents. While the town itself may have originally installed the sidewalks, residents are often required to provide mainentance and upkeep for the portion that crosses their property.

No big deal, it's better than paying increased taxes to support a full time sidewalk maintenance department for the town. If a resident is physically unable to keep his/her sidewalk clear, there's usually a neighborhood teenager available who'll do it for a few bucks. (And if you're not a crotchedy old coot, odds are that the teenager's parents will insist that he do it for nothing, just to be neighborly.)

Y'all sound like a bunch of lazy, liberal, whining boobs who want the government to take responsibility for everything in your life. Sheesh! Get off your lazy butt for 20 minutes and shovel your own walks for crying out loud. The reason intrusive laws like these are passed is because people won't take responsibility to do their duty and make their own neighborhoods a safer place to live.

If you think you're too old and fear you're going to have a heart attack, I have two suggestions. 1) Pay some 12 year old neighborhood kid $10 bucks to do it, and 2) Stop being such couch potato and get a little exercise once in while.

I'm a retired mailman. About 25 years ago right after a huge snowstorm I had a guy yelling at me for his mail. I told him I wasn't walking through waiste high snow to get to his house. He yelled back at me that God put it there and God can take it away. I told him God could deliver his mail too. The next day it was all shoveled.
The past 20 or so years we found that young people don't clear their sidewalks. Most older folks do.

Our town of about 300 (plus 800 college students) has a street department consisting of one part-time worker, who also runs the sewage treatment facility. He was too busy plowing streets during this weekend's 18-inch snow storm to worry about sidewalks, needless to say. We all shovel our own sidewalks, and those who are able take care of the elderly or infirm neighbors. I think that's the way it should be.

Of course, I wrenched my back after doing our front walk and couldn't move for the rest of the day yesterday.

> I live near Chicago and thankfully we don't have oppressive sidewalk clearing laws.
> In fact, I refuse to clear mine due to the lawsuits that can be slappin on you if you clear
> your side and someone falls. Not clearing it becomes an "act of God".

You obviously have not had any experience with lawyers. If someone falls on the sidewalk in front of your house, YOU will be sued, along with the City of Chicago. If you are lucky, your insurance company will make a deal to settle for the amount of coverage. Then the lawyers will use that money to sue the City. If you aren't lucky, they will take the coverage to let the insurance company off the hook and still sue you in addition to Chicago.

Whoever told you that "act of God" thing has never been in court.

Good story.

This is the first house I've ever lived in that had a sidewalk. I clear it, but then I've only got about 20' of sidewalk, being on the outside of a bend. The guy across the street on the corner has quite a bit more. Such is life.

I have a snowblower, so I'll usually go up the sidewalk a couple houses in either direction from mine, if they haven't already gotten to it. I used to help my neighbours on either side do there driveways, too, but as they don't seem inclined lately to do any snow clearing at all, I figure they can just live with the smushed-down snow/ice in their driveways. It's not like they're very old or crippled. Just lazy. Personally (as long as it's within reason and not too often), I enjoy getting out in the clean air and getting a little exercise.

We all shovel our own sidewalks, and those who are able take care of the elderly or infirm neighbors. I think that's the way it should be.

We didn't have sidewalks in the suburban neighborhood where I grew up, but there were plenty of driveways that needed shoveling whenever it snowed. (not many people had snowblowers or little tractors back then.) Anyway, there were about 5~6 teenage guys my age in the neighborhood, and after we shoveled our own family's driveways, we usually banded together and helped the rest of the neighborhood quickly finish theirs, whether the neighbor actually needed help or not. Heck, we were out there anyway having a good time, and we figured a courteous gesture towards some of the neighbors worked in our favor considering some of the other times we got a little mischievous.

! Some personal responsibility is reqired!

I've got to agree with that!!! Whomever owns the item needing maintained should absolutely take responsibility for it or get rid of it. Where I live the county owns the property but refuses to take responsibility for it. Rather, they tell me to take care of their property or they will fine me! Ahhh... dictatorship at it's best!

If the parents are afraid for their children they should take personal responsibility for them. This personal responsibility thing is great!

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