[VENT] Effing city plow drivers

Every year it's the same crap.  The plow drivers push mountains of snow onto heavily used sidewalks where streets dead-end at the boulevard. Many which have already been cleared by local churches and schools. Same thing with every one that isn't protected by a guard rail (24th place/California, Francisco/24th Blvd, 24th/Marshall, 23rd place/Marshall, 22nd place/Marshall.)

Been dealing with the exact same thing for about 8 years straight.

24th/Marshall, tonight:

No trouble walking on the sidewalks down the boulevard except for this.

Stoopid stoopid stoopid.

No answer at 311.  Online service request not functional.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 8, 2014 at 6:16am

The PTO handles all the hydraulics for the whole truck, what you see on the front of the truck is actually the hydraulic pump.  I'm not positive but I think on the trucks the city uses it is actually driven directly off the engine and not a PTO but same concept.

Tricolor said:

So the PTO handles the blade hydraulics?  That makes sense.  Plus I guess they can operate as emergency lawn mowers or threshers if needed!

David P. said:

Refuse trucks that are so equipped have the same plow attachments that the salt/plow trucks do, and can use the same blades.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on January 8, 2014 at 9:49am

You can use the 311 system to report unshoveled commercial properties?  Be still my beating heart! I can't describe how many jokers there are in my neck of the woods who obviously took the time to plow/shovel out their drive ways for motorist access, but who then ignored the actual sidewalks between the curb cuts.

Walgreens, Subway, every strip mall and gas station operator in existence it seems, I'm looking at you...

Anne Alt said:

I found lots of uncleared sidewalks on my walk home from the train tonight - both commercial and residential locations.  Most folks on my block do a good job. Why can't these others, especially at commercial properties?

I was rather underwhelmed to find that online 311 reporting was non-functional. Tried several times with the same result.  I had no desire to spend a long time on hold to get a sub-par 311 operator and then give my list of addresses.  Will have to try again later or tomorrow morning. Grrr!!!

Permalink Reply by David P. on January 8, 2014 at 11:24am

City refuse trucks use a hydraulic pump driven off a driveshaft (and located roughly under the center of the truck) by a transmission-mounted PTO. The hydraulic system powers the hydraulics for the refuse body, cart dump, and the plow (if used.) Plow/salt trucks use essentially the same setup for the hydraulic system.

(Sorry if this is too anorak-y for some of y'all!)

notoriousDUG said:

The PTO handles all the hydraulics for the whole truck, what you see on the front of the truck is actually the hydraulic pump.  I'm not positive but I think on the trucks the city uses it is actually driven directly off the engine and not a PTO but same concept.

Tricolor said:

So the PTO handles the blade hydraulics?  That makes sense.  Plus I guess they can operate as emergency lawn mowers or threshers if needed!

David P. said:

Refuse trucks that are so equipped have the same plow attachments that the salt/plow trucks do, and can use the same blades.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 10, 2014 at 4:18am

There's a block of Wood St. that I usually walk down on my way to the train in the morning. When I was 1/2 block away from Wood, I saw a city plow truck going down Wood, heading for the snow-clogged block I'd be walking on next. It stopped at the cross street and turned around. At first I was cursing the driver, then I saw why he turned around. On a block that's clearly posted "no parking 8-10 a.m. M-F", there was a parked car, making the street too narrow for the plow.  If I'd had anything nasty to leave, I would have given that &*#($ driver a special gift.

Permalink Reply by Davo on January 10, 2014 at 4:23am

I've seen many cars on snow routes that have clearly been there before the plows came through. In the past, didn't the city tow or at least ticket these vehicles? If they aren't doing it now, whats the point of having those signs.

Anne Alt said:

There's a block of Wood St. that I usually walk down on my way to the train in the morning. When I was 1/2 block away from Wood, I saw a city plow truck going down Wood, heading for the snow-clogged block I'd be walking on next. It stopped at the cross street and turned around. At first I was cursing the driver, then I saw why he turned around. On a block that's clearly posted "no parking 8-10 a.m. M-F", there was a parked car, making the street too narrow for the plow.  If I'd had anything nasty to leave, I would have given that &*#($ driver a special gift.

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on January 10, 2014 at 5:35am


I agree...  The city needs to go back to towing those cars so the streets can be cleaned properly. I also saw a lot of cars that were plowed in this year.  That's also revenue for the city!

Tow them!

Davo said:

I've seen many cars on snow routes that have clearly been there before the plows came through. In the past, didn't the city tow or at least ticket these vehicles? If they aren't doing it now, whats the point of having those signs.


Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 10, 2014 at 5:39am

Exactly. How is this mess going to get cleaned up anytime soon if the plows can't get through?

Davo said:

I've seen many cars on snow routes that have clearly been there before the plows came through. In the past, didn't the city tow or at least ticket these vehicles? If they aren't doing it now, whats the point of having those signs.

Anne Alt said:

There's a block of Wood St. that I usually walk down on my way to the train in the morning. When I was 1/2 block away from Wood, I saw a city plow truck going down Wood, heading for the snow-clogged block I'd be walking on next. It stopped at the cross street and turned around. At first I was cursing the driver, then I saw why he turned around. On a block that's clearly posted "no parking 8-10 a.m. M-F", there was a parked car, making the street too narrow for the plow.  If I'd had anything nasty to leave, I would have given that &*#($ driver a special gift.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 15, 2014 at 1:42am

Yikes! And 6 beers seems a bit high for .08 for the average person.  I'd think that 6 beers would put them significantly over .08.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on January 15, 2014 at 3:36am

What is even more interesting is that a driver with a CDL (Commercial driver's license) who is found guilty of driving a commercial motor vehicle (weight over 26,001 pounds) with a blood alcohol ration of .04 or greater will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for one year.  A CDL holder will also be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for a period of one year if the license holder is found guilty of a standard DUI regardless of whether the person was driving a commercial vehicle at the time of the offense.

Permalink Reply by mike w. on January 15, 2014 at 4:03am

Also, i have been told by a CDL holder that police are generally not inclined to ticket truckers for things that might be career-threatening/ending for those drivers. That is to say that some infractions may only lead to warnings rather than citations. Something to do with giving a working stiff a break? i'm not really sure i believe this, BUT, for example, i have seen semis blow by cops at 10-15MPH over the limit with impunity, and for all the over-the-road driving i do i seldom see a commercial vehicle hauled over.

 

i would certainly hope that a conviction for impaired driving would be a career ender for a CDL holder, and more than a wrist slap for any driver.
 
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:

What is even more interesting is that a driver with a CDL (Commercial driver's license) who is found guilty of driving a commercial motor vehicle (weight over 26,001 pounds) with a blood alcohol ration of .04 or greater will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for one year.  A CDL holder will also be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for a period of one year if the license holder is found guilty of a standard DUI regardless of whether the person was driving a commercial vehicle at the time of the offense.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 15, 2014 at 4:40am

Thanks Tom! that site/tool is pretty great. However there is no category for snow issues. I thought I'd try it out to report the ice and crap dam blocking the eastbound 18th St bike lane under the viaduct at (150 W) but found no applicable category for it.

I'll use the online 311 form now that it is back online.

EDIT: the online 311 thing is still broken (or perhaps differently broken) - I choose Viaduct Cleaning, filled out an address and the next screen just showed the address but no form to fill out.

EDIT 2: The "Ice and Snow" category seems to work now, but there is no applicable "nature of your request" option for unplowed or blocked bike lanes. I added a note in one of the phone number comment fields describing the actual situation. I dunno if that will work or not.

In case anyone is tuning in late, the crusty old version of the City's online 311 form is here: https://servicerequest.cityofchicago.org/web_intake_chic/Controller.

my request:

Location of Request:

151 W 18TH ST , CHICAGO, IL 60616

Flex Questions

  1. What is the nature of your request?  Street has not been plowed
  2. What kind of street is this?  Main Street
  3. Input cell # to opt-in for text updates. If opted-in, add cell # to caller info.


Tom Z said:

I've had great success using:

http://en.seeclickfix.com/

There is an app available for all four smartphone OSs.(Android, Windows, Apple, and Blackberry)

It will send a message out to all services and others (alderman, etc.) monitoring the feed for that area.

You can take a picture, notate a location, description of the issue, etc.

You can then track the progress of the report.

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