Could This Be You?

[Pelican]

I see quite a number of members refer to themselves as "newbies" and we have a lot of information here on how to operate a successful snow business.

After what I witnessed with our recent storm, I thought I'd post a few things on what not to do.

Don't leave a mess behind.

I took on a new account this storm and the previous contractor had been there once before I arrived at the job. What he left behind was atrocious! There were trailings everywhere, and the sides weren't pushed back at all, there was just enough room for a car to pass between the banks. Portions of the banks had spilled back into the driving area, he left these behind. Your customers are paying for the job, make sure you give them a good one.

Do not deposit snow in the street!

I came around a curve in the road this storm to find a pile of snow in my lane the size of a small car a contractor had pushed there from a drive. Fortunately for me there was no traffic coming in the other lane and I got around the pile safely. Not only is this illegal, but it creates an extreme safety hazard for motorists. If any accident were to result from you putting snow in the street, you'd be liable for damages and subject to lawsuit. Believe me, someone will find out who you are.

Along the same line, make sure you don't make a mess of the street where your job borders it. Clean up all trailings and leave it in better condition that you found it. Someone who does a few drives on my route habitually makes a mess of the road. I've had the County plow driver stop and scold me for his actions thinking it was me since I was working next door. Again, this is illegal and creates a safety hazard.

These are a few things that I saw this storm, our members here can list additional don'ts for you. My lecture is over for now:soapbox

[roblandscape]

Wow, I never saw anything that bad, If I did, I would plow it to the side:burnout

[JohnnyU]

I second what Steve said, especially about pushing snow in the street. Although I didn't see it this past time, there is one site where the contractor always pushes his snow across the road into a ditch. I've even stopped and asked him if he knew it was ilegal, to which he replied: "So arrest me. No one is out right now, and the city will clean it up." Ignorance and neglegence such as this gives the rest of us a bad reputation. :argue

[Got Snow?]

excellent points pelican!

i had the exact thing happen with my sub. he said he was just making access for the customer. i said do it right everytime, thats what there are paying for and you dont have to go back!

on certain accounts i have to push the snow across the street. my local by laws state that you can't push snow across the street "to impede access". so what i do is make sure all the trails are claened up (so they dont freeze up on the street) and push the piles past the street banks.

also, another thing to do is make the mailbox accessable. it's a nice finishing touch for the customer.

as pelican mentioned, push the piles at the end of the driveway BACK. gives you a place to put future snow and helps with visibility in cars.

[Pelican]

SnowyBowtie makes a point I meant to mention: The actions of a few can reflect on the whole indusrty and can result in restrictive laws being imposed on everyone.

We have the same law in place that GotSnow mentions, it is illegal to push snow across the road. I have a few accounts where this is absolutely necessary, fortunately this law is not enforced unless someone has caused a traffic hazard as I described.

If you must push across the road, make sure the snow you deposit is back far enough not to restrict anyones visibility or interfere with the operations of the municipality. Then go back as GotSnow suggests and make sure you leave the street as clean as you found it. If you carry salt, it wouldn't hurt to spread a little on the area where the residue remains.

[Got Snow?]

i'd like a little credit please.....LOL:shades

[Pelican]

Oops!

Fixed it!

[jbutch83]

We had a local business in town that the owner plowed his own lot, and he would push everything into the street, and I mean everything. That stopped when the city came by with their payloader, and put it all back in his lot, right in front of his front door. I guess he learned his lesson, when he had a 15 foot pile of snow in front of his door.

John