A Pro-tip for Not Getting Your Driveway Plowed In

It's that time of year where we'll all be out sweeping the snow off our vehicles and shoveling our walks and driveways. One of the most frustrating things that can happen with larger storms is getting your driveway all shoveled just to have the plow come down your street and have it dump all that snow at the end of the driveway. Well the plow kings at The City of Warrensburg are sharing a pro tip so that doesn't happen to you.

The City's pro tip is simple. Pile the snow you shovel downstream of the plowing operation. And clear the sidewalk and curb area that's approximately 10 feet before the start of your driveway. That 10 feet will give the plow a place to drop the snow it's been plowing. And by piling the snow you shoveled downstream, it won't end up back on your driveway.

It's a great idea, and maybe it's not that difficult for someone that has a snow blower to push the snow around. Or someone that has a small driveway. Yet, what about those of us that live in a duplex? And there are plenty of us that live in a duplex. I live in a duplex on the left side as you're facing out to the street. There's no way I'm going to shovel my driveway and carry the snow across my neighbor's driveway to put it downstream of the plowing operation.

I am more likely to shovel the walk and curb area to create a pocket for the plow to drop the snow. But this leaves me with a question. Why is the City suggesting this, when they also want us to shovel the sidewalk in front of our home?

So I shovel that. The plow then deposits snow back there, and I have to shovel it again? I'm not sure it matters anyway if it snows on a day where someone is parked in front of my house by the driveway. (We don't live on a snow route.) If that happens the plow goes around it and maybe my driveway and my neighbor's stay clear.

I have a pro tip to share with you that I learned last year. There are storms where shoveling your driveway and sidewalk will make your life easier. And there are storms, like the one we just had, where it'll melt away rather quickly. For these small nuisance storms, my pro tip is don't bother shoveling. Just let mother nature melt the snow away.