As we continue to dig out of last week’s snowstorm (which came on the heels of the previous week’s snowstorm) we can’t help but yearn for the “good old days.”  You remember those days like December 19, 2009 (just eight weeks ago) when only seven or eight inches of snow fell over our area instead of the 32-plus inches that were dumped on us so far in February.

                The latest snowfall kept many people homebound and shoveling snow last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Some even spent the weekend finishing the job.  Through it all, our municipal road crews kept plowing, salting and cindering.

                Often with little rest, these road warriors in florescent yellow battled the elements in an attempt to stay one step ahead of the accumulating snow.  When white-out conditions made us glad to be in the safety of our homes, they were struggling to find the road’s edge with their plow.

                All things considered, they did a fine job of keeping the roads open.  When the snow stopped falling, they did a fine job of cleaning up.  Yes, in some cases it took more than a day to clean off all the secondary streets and roads, but this was an extraordinary storm.  No police, fire or ambulance vehicles were unable to complete their tasks during the storm or after – that’s a good barometer to use when formulating your opinion on how the cleanup went.

                There were a few mailboxes and signs knocked over but they were the exception, not the rule.  After all, that’s what happens when you push 30 inches of snow into a 20-inch space.  To lose only a few is a credit to the skills of the local road crews.

                  Patience is something few of us are willing to display during major snow events.  After all, isn’t it usually right after you shovel your sidewalk or driveway that the snowplow drives by and covers it right back up?  Next time, try shoveling a few extra feet to the left of your driveway so that when the truck goes by, the plowed snow will dump harmlessly into the void you created instead of at the entrance.

                Whenever possible, leave a wall of snow between the street and the path you shoveled on your sidewalk.  In most cases, that wall will keep the snow plowed from the street from reaching your shoveled area.

                If your neighbor shovels out a parking spot for his car, don’t be a jerk and park your car in it.  That’s rude and will only lead to other neighbor issues.

                When you’re shoveling out your own parking spot, don’t throw the snow back into the street.  In addition to creating a hazardous condition, the snowplows will only push the snow back into your cleanly shoveled spot on their next pass – and then you’ll complain.