To Shovel or Not?

To Shovel or Not? I live next to a street with a bike lane. After the recent storm I went out to shovel the sidewalk. I always do this. I saw that the City Plow had pushed snow and slush into the Bike Lane. So I shoveled and salted the bike lane for the block. A bicyclist riding down the lane stopped and yelled at me for doing this indicating that the bike lane was "safer" covered in Ice and Snow. Uh... should I stop? Its not that big a deal to shovel the bike lane for the block after a storm and the salt holds the ice down...

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Permalink Reply by blair on February 5, 2013 at 11:08am

First of all - thank you!

Sometimes snow keeps me off my bike when the bike lanes I use are covered in slush plowed over from the car lane. Not sure how ice and snow are "safer"?

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Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on February 5, 2013 at 11:15am

I guess it has to do with the concern that snow provides more traction than ice and by scrapping off the snow I am reducing traction. Personally, I think that the snow just hides the ice.

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Permalink Reply by blair on February 5, 2013 at 11:17am

Agreed.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on February 5, 2013 at 11:38am

You should have stopped just long enough to smack him in the head with your shovel. ;)

BTW, Thank you very much for being a good neighbor. Please continue your good work

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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on February 5, 2013 at 12:10pm

There's no chance of ice at the moment unless your locality isn't using salt. Which around Chicago is pretty much impossible.

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on February 5, 2013 at 12:32pm

I second both of Duppie's sentiments. Thanks for the effort David.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on February 5, 2013 at 6:00pm

Gee this can be a weird issue. The best is always clear pavement but this is not a perfect world and if there is any snow then there is a possibility of ice and packed snow in the zone outside of the ruts that misbegotten autos always seem to ride in. (except me, I try to avoid the ruts if only to breakdown the walls that build up along the ruts).

However once the iced ruts are built up the only safe place to ride is out in the traffic lane as hardpacked snow of any consequence will drop you faster than flat ice.

If snow is to be cleared it must be done early before the ruts get ingrained, packed or iced.

Anyone that clears the walls of snow should be granted a warm place in heaven.

Jeff

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Permalink Reply by NYC (7.0 mi) on February 5, 2013 at 7:44pm

Thanks, dude. You are a neighbor than me. And certainly better than the idiot that yelled at you.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 5, 2013 at 11:57pm

+1

Duppie 13.5185km said:

You should have stopped just long enough to smack him in the head with your shovel. ;)

BTW, Thank you very much for being a good neighbor. Please continue your good work