(02-26-2019, 08:14 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]Every year is different, but this hasn't been a particularly hard winter.
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It hasn't been a very difficult winter for sidewalk clearing, in my opinion.
Subjectively, and subject to all sorts of cognitive biases, I've found it considerably more difficult to keep my sidewalk clear to concrete. That's in part because I'm trying to do it without salt and the ice makes that more difficult (although some of the alternatives are very effective, especially volcano rock stuff).
But in broad strokes I would rather have a steady temperature winter with nice curvy temperature changes and regular snow fall. Even if that steady temperature is closer to -15, and even if there's a significant volume of snow. It feels (I'm not trying to persuade anyone so I'm not going to collect data, just sharing my perception) like the variance in temperatures is higher and when that is the case I have a harder time with the acclimation piece.
(02-26-2019, 11:59 AM)robdrimmie Wrote: [ -> ] (02-26-2019, 08:14 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]Every year is different, but this hasn't been a particularly hard winter.
...
It hasn't been a very difficult winter for sidewalk clearing, in my opinion.
Subjectively, and subject to all sorts of cognitive biases, I've found it considerably more difficult to keep my sidewalk clear to concrete. That's in part because I'm trying to do it without salt and the ice makes that more difficult (although some of the alternatives are very effective, especially volcano rock stuff).
But in broad strokes I would rather have a steady temperature winter with nice curvy temperature changes and regular snow fall. Even if that steady temperature is closer to -15, and even if there's a significant volume of snow. It feels (I'm not trying to persuade anyone so I'm not going to collect data, just sharing my perception) like the variance in temperatures is higher and when that is the case I have a harder time with the acclimation piece.
Our condo building's snow clearing company certainly has struggled to keep up with the clearing over the past little while. It's not the temperature, and it's not the sheer amount of snow, but it's precipitation combined with temperature swings that has made sidewalk (and driveway/parking lot) clearing more challenging.
(02-26-2019, 11:59 AM)robdrimmie Wrote: [ -> ] (02-26-2019, 08:14 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]Every year is different, but this hasn't been a particularly hard winter.
...
It hasn't been a very difficult winter for sidewalk clearing, in my opinion.
Subjectively, and subject to all sorts of cognitive biases, I've found it considerably more difficult to keep my sidewalk clear to concrete. That's in part because I'm trying to do it without salt and the ice makes that more difficult (although some of the alternatives are very effective, especially volcano rock stuff).
But in broad strokes I would rather have a steady temperature winter with nice curvy temperature changes and regular snow fall. Even if that steady temperature is closer to -15, and even if there's a significant volume of snow. It feels (I'm not trying to persuade anyone so I'm not going to collect data, just sharing my perception) like the variance in temperatures is higher and when that is the case I have a harder time with the acclimation piece.
I have a strong preference for the kind of winter you describe (consistently cold, regularly occurring snowfall), but not for reasons of sidewalk clearing. It's better for a lot of other things, too- winter sports, gardening come spring.
I don't use much salt, either (I try to use it in advance of rain fall, if I can, not too melt formed ice after the fact). I've found the thaws to make chipping away any ice relatively easy. Generally, my observations line up with jamincan's: most sidewalks were eventually fully cleared, by Sunday. Only the most egregious offenders were still uncleared, so I don't think they would have a leg to stand on trying to blame the weather.
I was about to say. How "Hard" the winter is for you is entirely subjective and everyone will have a different opinion.
I've found our sidewalk very difficult to keep clear for all of the aforementioned technical reasons above. I'm sorry to anyone walking by our house but Monday was the first day I was unable to keep perfectly bare to the concrete. I have no salt available, and after spending an unreasonable amount of time and effort on it I put some sand on it. The few particles of snow and ice will have to lie where they are. I'll try again tonight to go at it.
This has been a difficult winter for clearing because of the ice. I too would far prefer a steady-state below-zero with only snow to deal with. The constant wild swings have wreaked havoc on surfaces.
(02-26-2019, 11:59 AM)robdrimmie Wrote: [ -> ] (02-26-2019, 08:14 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]Every year is different, but this hasn't been a particularly hard winter.
...
It hasn't been a very difficult winter for sidewalk clearing, in my opinion.
Subjectively, and subject to all sorts of cognitive biases, I've found it considerably more difficult to keep my sidewalk clear to concrete. That's in part because I'm trying to do it without salt and the ice makes that more difficult (although some of the alternatives are very effective, especially volcano rock stuff).
But in broad strokes I would rather have a steady temperature winter with nice curvy temperature changes and regular snow fall. Even if that steady temperature is closer to -15, and even if there's a significant volume of snow. It feels (I'm not trying to persuade anyone so I'm not going to collect data, just sharing my perception) like the variance in temperatures is higher and when that is the case I have a harder time with the acclimation piece.
I have found it challenging this year too to keep my sidewalk clear. It's still not completely clear (and has narrowed over time too!) but it's taken a ton of work to get it to even the condition it is now. My elbows can't take much more ice chopping! I'd rather deal with the consistent (even heavy) snowfalls then this stuff. As a preschool teacher, I know I have a classroom full of kiddos who would agree
Also, we used to have that volcanic rock stuff but have not been able to find it as of late. Anyone know a name brand of it, or even better, where I can pick some up?
(02-26-2019, 12:32 PM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]I was about to say. How "Hard" the winter is for you is entirely subjective and everyone will have a different opinion.
I've found our sidewalk very difficult to keep clear for all of the aforementioned technical reasons above. I'm sorry to anyone walking by our house but Monday was the first day I was unable to keep perfectly bare to the concrete. I have no salt available, and after spending an unreasonable amount of time and effort on it I put some sand on it. The few particles of snow and ice will have to lie where they are. I'll try again tonight to go at it.
This has been a difficult winter for clearing because of the ice. I too would far prefer a steady-state below-zero with only snow to deal with. The constant wild swings have wreaked havoc on surfaces.
Yeah I'm in much the same boat right now. I am going to be attacking the sidewalk with some amount of vigour when I get home from work tonight though because clearing tomorrow's 10cm of snow off of my partially cleared sidewalk will be terrible. I've completely given up on the top third of my driveway until we get a real thaw because there's places where there's probably 15cm of pure ice up there, and it gets enough shade that even this weekend didn't put a great dent in it.
(02-26-2019, 02:04 PM)dtkmelissa Wrote: [ -> ]Also, we used to have that volcanic rock stuff but have not been able to find it as of late. Anyone know a name brand of it, or even better, where I can pick some up?
My wife found it at the Sunrise Centre Canadian Tire sometime last week when all the stories about the lack of salt were going strong. I don't know the brand name, it's not the same brand that was featured on Dragon's Den, but it appears to be a very similar product - tiny, green, very porous rock. This is the first time we've seen this type of product locally in several years, and we're glad to have it. It tends to do a decent job of providing traction too, even when it's below -10 or wherever salt stops being effective.
She also picked up an ice clearing liquid that is really good for putting down on concrete and asphalt in advance of the storm (as recommended for salt use up-thread), but it hasn't done as good a job on existing ice so we use it for pre-treatment, the volcanic rock stuff to work on the hard stuff, and we've used sand a fair bit especially during gentle thaws when there's a thin layer of water that becomes super slick and super difficult to see (do we call black ice beige ice when it is on concrete?) if left alone.
(02-26-2019, 02:59 PM)robdrimmie Wrote: [ -> ] (02-26-2019, 02:04 PM)dtkmelissa Wrote: [ -> ]Also, we used to have that volcanic rock stuff but have not been able to find it as of late. Anyone know a name brand of it, or even better, where I can pick some up?
My wife found it at the Sunrise Centre Canadian Tire sometime last week when all the stories about the lack of salt were going strong. I don't know the brand name, it's not the same brand that was featured on Dragon's Den, but it appears to be a very similar product - tiny, green, very porous rock. This is the first time we've seen this type of product locally in several years, and we're glad to have it. It tends to do a decent job of providing traction too, even when it's below -10 or wherever salt stops being effective.
She also picked up an ice clearing liquid that is really good for putting down on concrete and asphalt in advance of the storm (as recommended for salt use up-thread), but it hasn't done as good a job on existing ice so we use it for pre-treatment, the volcanic rock stuff to work on the hard stuff, and we've used sand a fair bit especially during gentle thaws when there's a thin layer of water that becomes super slick and super difficult to see (do we call black ice beige ice when it is on concrete?) if left alone.
Excellent - thanks!
I look like popeye from all the ice-chopping... the one I have is really heavy so it works well but it doesn't always break through. I've managed to keep the sidewalk clear but we've used a fair amount of salt. I'm gonna have to buy softener salt if there is any left around.
Here I am in Montreal. Somehow it was exceptionally bad and it is actually extremely icy on city cleared sidewalks. They are treated so not as slippery as they could be. But still. This is not normal, mind you.
Well, with tonight's light snowfall, I guess the bylaw resets and property owners have until Tuesday morning before there's any risk of enforcement.
On my family's walk this morning, I would guess about ten percent of the properties had not cleared their sidewalks- and they are exactly the same offenders as they have been all winter.
Seems like the focus should be on targeting the repeat offenders who never make an effort then.
The problem with focusing on repeat offenders is the bylaw is completely broken, we go more than a week at a time when the bylaw is not in effect, so during those 5-10 days, the city cannot clear the snow from the property because the property owners are not expected to have cleared the snow.
And I mean, if everyone in the city worked to the rule, this would be even more evident, but most people far exceed the bylaw requirement.