Rambling Thoughts after the Blizzard of 2016

[WNYPCRepair 1,923]

7 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

I was thinking John...if you just had a couple of kids, you would only need the generator. 

 

 

You can buy a lot of tractors and attachments for what a couple of kids cost to raise.

 

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

The third day after the snow ended and the county is yet to do their part. The whole county appears to be snowed in. Years past they would at least keep the plows moving to lessen the accumulation to the extent that now it will need to be removed by front end loaders through the county! I wonder when the county executive is up for re-election. I can recall a Chicago mayor getting the boot after a storm.

 

So I have had more time to think and wonder if a SCUT or Compact tractor with a 50" +/- snow blower would be able to blaze a trail 3/4 of a mile to the arterial road? It sickens me that there could be a medical emergency - or a fire that would be uncontrollable. At least the basement could be saved.  

[doc724 925]

John, I think the problem has to do with the volume of snow and that typically your area just doesn't get that much at one time.  As a result, there is little opportunity to learn and prepare.  Last year in MA, we had one like this and the next morning the roads even in my little plat were passable (narrow but passable).  The town has their small fleet of plows but contracts with independent operators to keep the roads open.  Plows are out all night long.

 

That being said, the MBTA (Boston's Mass Transit system) was hammered and did not get back to full operation for a month.  They had the national guard out shoveling the tracks by hand-why?  Not enough or powerful enough train based plows.

 

Going back in history, in 1978 we had a blizzard here that dropped over 30 inches of snow over 48 hours.  I barely got my car into the driveway and it was almost buried by the end of the storm.  Our street was not cleared for at least 4 days and that was only by a giant front end loader (the kind that every shopping mall has parked there now to clear the lots).  A state wide state of emergency was declared and cars were banned from the roads for a week.  Route 128 (the technology belt highway around Boston) was a parking lot for a week.

 

Everyone learned from that debacle and now as soon as the first flakes fly, there is a run on the stores for bread and milk.  And yes, up here in the rural areas (those with lots of trees and private wells) we ALL have generators!  We joke about it up here, but there is nothing like experience to make us all wiser.

 

 

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

Don, I hear you. It's just that this county touts itself as the best in MD. They have 175 county vehicles and 500 contracted vehicles. The latest claim to fame is "the largest under-roof salt storage shed East of the Mississippi." You would not believe how haphazardly they plow the roads. Examples I have seen are having the plowed path on a two lane highway cross the double yellow line, merge lanes ending abruptly, and to all of a sudden have a lane disappear on a multi-lane road is not safe. 

 

Their snow map shows all the streets that are blocked as "In Progress." I guess that means that they meet the criteria of needing attention! We are "Up-County" which means the response will be slower. Late today they have made the decision to make "one pass" to at least have access by 7:00 am Wednesday. It is at least something.

 

Eeek! I've turned into a curmudgeon!  

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

A contractor plow arrived last night around 11:00 pm. Today we can work on EOD - and finally get out!

[rmaynard 16,393]

Fortunately, I live in Carroll County, the most conservative county in Maryland. Montgomery County where you live is the most liberal. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but our road was open Saturday morning, and the rest of the county was passable by Monday evening. Maybe we're living right up here.  Just sayin'

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

I hear you, Bob! I'm not sure if it is more liberal but there certainly are more bureaucracies A lot of revenue was lost over the last five days including Maryland's only county-run liquor distribution and stores, plus the speed cameras with no one driving!

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,362]

Not to break in about local gov'ts lack of work on snow removal.( We finally got mail today) . What brand and style of chains do you guys use  ? If you fill tires with fluid do you leave it in year round ( I plan on using tubes in the tires)  Notes on using 310-8 yesterday to try to move ice,water snow mixture , Wheels never stopped turning ,would lose tractor and dig holes  raddled my guts and bones to death. Still sore as hell today.  Manual lifting of snow blade wears me out after an hour - need to get hydro or electric lift - also case on Ben Gay for left arm . Don't wait three days to start on removal it will kill you. Consider blower for next year.

[cod 121]

23 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

Don, I hear you. It's just that this county touts itself as the best in MD. They have 175 county vehicles and 500 contracted vehicles. The latest claim to fame is "the largest under-roof salt storage shed East of the Mississippi." You would not believe how haphazardly they plow the roads. Examples I have seen are having the plowed path on a two lane highway cross the double yellow line, merge lanes ending abruptly, and to all of a sudden have a lane disappear on a multi-lane road is not safe. 

 

Their snow map shows all the streets that are blocked as "In Progress." I guess that means that they meet the criteria of needing attention! We are "Up-County" which means the response will be slower. Late today they have made the decision to make "one pass" to at least have access by 7:00 am Wednesday. It is at least something.

 

Eeek! I've turned into a curmudgeon!  

At the risk of being deported from MD, in the 25 years I've lived in Harford County, I've never been "thrilled" with their snow removal plan ( if they have one ).  Certain road are snow emergency routes and they are plowed fanatically.  It's common to see 5 plow trucks cruising up one lane where the first two are plowing and the next three must be drafting.  I get that main roads should be clear but how in blazes do you get to one or how do emergency crews get to you if the back roads aren't plowed.  Seems like it would make more sense to have more trucks working the back roads instead of just the most important ones.  I just need to find a way to slave a gas turbine to my snowthrower so I can blow snow about 100' feet away.  The Kohler twin is nice but filling in a driveway 3 houses away could be rather entertaining... 

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

When I started this thread, I mean't it to be on equipment that I would like to have - for next time. I lead it off into complaints of local government as it does sort of fit the umbrella of the title. My fault on that though.

 

I have both rubber chains and steel two-link chains but didn't put them on for this storm. With the magnitude that we received, I knew that it would be the two-stage walk-behind kinda storm. I did use my 518xi with the plow to scrape it later. Last year I had a pair of loaded ags on my diesel with the snowthrower which worked 90% of the time but I had to breakout my C-105 with a plow and my walk-behind two-stage for the other 10%. 

[Retired Wrencher 5,875]

Well I guess I will jump in. I pick up a 3hp paddle blower for the deck. I hate shoveling the deck. I have my Ariens pro model 13 to 15 hp. What a best. 3` no problem. But it is really to big to use in a small drive ways. It is just about 6` long. I have used back packs for light stuff this year works great. I just pick a nice 3.5hp Ariens blower 60 vintage nice little blower for the 1to 5 storms  that works for me now. OOHH I also the have the rat Commando with a make shift blade on it for light stuff.  Blade tractors I found are more work if you do have a lot of space to put the snow =  the city or the s/burbs. This is just my  Gary   B....