Chicagoist: Today's Weather: Lull

sarahmazing

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:49:29 -0600

@Joshie I grew up in New England, and lived in Wisconsin for years. It took me ten minutes to figure what I was hearing when a snowblower came by at 1 in the morning last night. It was the first time I've seen my block cleared in four Chicago winters.

Ajayne

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:45:01 -0600

I saw a woman in a wheelchair shoveling her sidewalk after the first snow. So, I got off my lazy ass and bought a snow shovel....I'm not going to let a wheelchair-bound lady look tougher than me! (She actually did a better job than I did, though)

Stealth

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:09:15 -0600

joshie, it used to be like that. You'd either look out in the evening and see dad's getting home from work and immediately going out with the shovel and the rock salt (in case it was still snowing). Or in the morning on weekends you'd see the kids out there trying to clear the walk, etc. (Why the f*ck did my parents have to get a house wtih a big ass driveway?) Now, not sure. I live around more apartment buildings than single family homes, so that might have something to do with it; the maintenance guys may not live on premises and may not get there for a couple of days or the building doesn't have a real maintenance man, just an owner who lives in the burbs somewhere and only comes by to collect the rent once a month.

smussy

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:27:30 -0600

i got an email from gene schulter (yes, i'm on his email list) that the side streets would be plowed, and it appears they have been. good thing, because i'm SURE no one would have remembered plowgate '98 when it comes time to re-knight the king again.

A

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:21:26 -0600

@Joshie. Don't I know it--- the biggest offenders are the condo units--- long ass stretches of icy sidewalk b/c these jerks can't sell their overpriced, low quality homes-in-a-can. I get an awesome satisfaction calling my alderman about them as often as possible.

joshie

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:58:47 -0600

As of 8am my street hadn't been touched by plows yet. Moving here from northeastern Wisconsin, which gets plenty of snow, one of the biggest surprises was how few people bother to shovel and/or salt their sidewalks in a timely manner (or at all). Back home, that was taken for granted. When it snows, you get out there with the shovel or the snow blower and clear it off. If that means getting up early, then so be it. This morning I had to trudge down three blocks of almost entirely un-shoveled sidewalk, through ankle-deep snow. I've been here for years, so I've come to expect it but it's never ceased to annoy the crap out of me.

mich

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:58:11 -0600

hahaha! Sad trombone!

Ingrid

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:43:50 -0600

Yes, suddenly I too am hearing the snow plows going up and down my area like there is no tomorrow. What's up with that? And don't I HATE it when, after we're done shoveling, those mother bleeping snowplows come by and push two feet of packed snow back into the driveway. I just hate that.

Von Erich

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:32:00 -0600

Thank you for the sad trombone link. It is priceless to send it to some people in the workplace and hear it off in the distance.

A

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:31:33 -0600

for the first time since winter started, our side street was finally salted and plowed, and I saw the truck circling in roscoe village. maybe daley got the drift?