# Is It A Thing That Cities "Pull All The Plows Off The Road" When There's Too Much Snow?



## blocktreats (12 mo ago)

Hi all,

Registered an account to ask this question of the experts!

I recently moved to an island (PEI, in Canada) where they pull all the major road and highway plows when the snow fall gets to be "too much", then put them back on the road when the snow's stopped falling.

My wife had to sleep at her job that's only 3 miles away for the day because the city / province isn't plowing the major city streets, they just give up until the snow stops, and it's continued for 24 hours. It seems like there's lots of private plows and tractors running around, but the primary government fleet stands down.

This seems like the most insane thing I've ever encountered, but it's treated as normal here. I'm no expert, however, so I thought I'd check with the experts! Appreciate any insight!


----------



## Unique Landscaping (Dec 17, 2020)

When you have government workers running things, nothing surprises me anymore.
Yes they should be out, but unions run the show.


----------



## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

How much snow did you guys get?

NYH1.


----------



## SHAWZER (Feb 29, 2012)

They have pulled the plows off of the town roads here a few times . Low visibility makes for unsafe conditions .


----------



## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

Makes sense in blizzard like conditions. All you're doing is building up snow banks, which the wind just fills in with higher drifts almost right away. It ends up making things worse because you go to clear the drifts and just make more and higher piles, then repeat the cycle again. Better to wait until things calm down.


----------



## Landgreen (Sep 8, 2007)

SHAWZER said:


> They have pulled the plows off of the town roads here a few times . Low visibility makes for unsafe conditions .


Same here. Road commission will pull all their trucks off due to visibility. Its happened on occasion during a blizzard here.


----------



## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

Like stated. If you’ve been out in conditions like that you understand. We try to plow with the storm but not having the visibility can make more problems.


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Western1 said:


> Like stated. If you've been out in conditions like that you understand. We try to plow with the storm but not having the visibility can make more problems.


Pft… Visibility. Who needs visibility?!? Use the force Luke!


----------



## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

I guess eventually they will be driverless?


----------



## blocktreats (12 mo ago)

That's why I'm asking the experts, thanks! Makes sense!


----------



## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

blocktreats said:


> That's why I'm asking the experts, thanks! Makes sense!


Where are you moving from? I had a roommate from PEI, much more laid back lifestyle on the island


----------



## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

blocktreats said:


> My wife had to sleep at her job that's only 3 miles away for the day because the city / province isn't plowing the major city streets


So is this a bad thing...


----------



## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-winter-storm-1.6314790


----------



## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Truth is most vehicles out is a major snow event are out just messing around buying milk and lotto tickets and impeding snow removal. 

Personal, I think all non event related personal should remain @ home, work or at the girlfriends house.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

So if she couldn't make it 3 miles, maybe conditions were pretty bad?

Doesn't do any good to have a plow truck drive into the ditch because the operator can't see anything. 

Which, same here, trucks have been pulled due to visibility, not too much snow.


----------



## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

I think I should be at my girlfriends all the time but my wife doesn’t!


----------



## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Ajlawn1 said:


> So is this a bad thing...


Must be some dirty dishes in the sink or some vacuuming that needed to be done.


----------



## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

Snowmobile?


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Blizzard or no blizzard you’ll see signs around here stating this road is not plowed between the hours of 9 PM and 6 AM or something like that.


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

1olddogtwo said:


> Truth is most vehicles out is a major snow event are out just messing around buying milk and lotto tickets and impeding snow removal.
> 
> Personal, I think all non event related personal should remain @ home, work or at the girlfriends house.


Apparently, this is also a good time to go for a run, ski or mountain bike ride…


----------



## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I am working towards never being out when it snows. 2 years ago we had a major snow event overnight that closed every road in the county. I went out at my usual time (unaware of the closure) did my route but there were times that I was driving completely blind on the highway.
One particular open stretch I counted (by seeing their hazzard lights) 17 cars in the ditch, but dare not stop due to the visibility. My wife texted me the closure announcement when she got up to go to work. Finished my route at the regular time and the sun came out...
Years back we had an ice storm that forced the town guys to chain up, the worst thing about that wasnt the roads it was the heavy branches over the roads. A friend who worked on the Roads department told me they broke a ton of mirrors off the trucks just driving trying to sand the roads.


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

Mr.Markus said:


> I am working towards never being out when it snows. 2 years ago we had a major snow event overnight that closed every road in the county. I went out at my usual time (unaware of the closure) did my route but there were times that I was driving completely blind on the highway.
> One particular open stretch I counted (by seeing their hazzard lights) 17 cars in the ditch, but dare not stop due to the visibility. My wife texted me the closure announcement when she got up to go to work. Finished my route at the regular time and the sun came out...
> Years back we had an ice storm that forced the town guys to chain up, the worst thing about that wasnt the roads it was the heavy branches over the roads. A friend who worked on the Roads department told me they broke a ton of mirrors off the trucks just driving trying to sand the roads.


We had 2 of these storms in Dec. City,county and state pulled all plows.
The wind was so bad I couldn't see across the parking lots of my accounts.
We had about 14" of snow .
Nothing to do but wait it out. When I started a few hours later I realized that taking the tractor out was simply not possible till the streets were plowed.
Yesterday I was plowing a church I do on a by pass on the edge of town.
The MnDOT truck was coming down the road, so I waited in the approach for him to pass, visibility was zero for a good 20 seconds after he passed, and this was clear skies and no wind.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

A pic from PEI...










Seems like pulling the trucks oof the road might be a reasonable decision.


----------



## Mountain Bob (Nov 12, 2017)

Yep


----------



## SHAWZER (Feb 29, 2012)

Might be Toronto later today .......


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

hwy212 can be closed just from the wind 
Blowing the snow around. 
But yea they will pull the plows when it's no longer safe to be out there

and on places it's closed for the winter because of snow.
https://snowbrains.com/us-212-beart...s-early-for-the-season-due-to-snowy-forecast/


----------



## Mountain Bob (Nov 12, 2017)

Hydromaster said:


> hwy212 can be closed just from the wind
> Blowing the snow around.
> But yea they will pull the plows when it's no longer safe to be out there
> 
> ...


Very beautiful drive in the summer. Probably the best in the state.


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Or the in the lower 48
It has been called “the most beautiful drive in America”


----------



## Mountain Bob (Nov 12, 2017)

Hydromaster said:


> Or the in the lower 48
> It has been called "the most beautiful drive in America"


Ya,but the Blueridge Parkway Is quite beautiful.I'd call it a toss up.


----------



## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

We had a storm about 10 years ago I think. I couldn't see my neighbors house 50' away. I got up a few times to check conditions, waiting for the wind to subside. When I finally left home, there were a couple major streets plowed for fire trucks. I stopped at the gas station to fill up and had to plow around a car in the entrance so they could get out and I could plow my way to the gas pumps. 
They were there because the freeway wasn't plowed and had gotten off the exit and made it to the gas station entrance. 
Plowing anything that night would have been useless, because it would have immediately drifted back in.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

EWSplow said:


> We had a storm about 10 years ago I think. I couldn't see my neighbors house 50' away. I got up a few times to check conditions, waiting for the wind to subside. When I finally left home, there were a couple major streets plowed for fire trucks. I stopped at the gas station to fill up and had to plow around a car in the entrance so they could get out and I could plow my way to the gas pumps.
> They were there because the freeway wasn't plowed and had gotten off the exit and made it to the gas station entrance.
> Plowing anything that night would have been useless, because it would have immediately drifted back in.


Wait...thought we were supposed to "plow with the storm"?

Are you saying this is a fallacy? Perhaps put out by those who have never seen a storm such as this? Or snowfall rates at a couple inches per hour?


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Wait...thought we were supposed to "plow with the storm"?
> 
> Are you saying this is a fallacy? Perhaps put out by those who have never seen a storm such as this? Or snowfall rates at a couple inches per hour?


It's on the back of all those old Meyers snowplow's "plow with the storm".
sew it has to be true.

Maybe if they just go out there pre-plow once in a while they wouldn't have this issue


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Reminds me of a storm a few years back. Was predicted to start at 4ish and significant snowfall to occur after that. I don't recall the exact amount predicted, but it was a lot. 

Started snowing around 4, called everyone in. Had a few questions about why as there was aboot a 1/4" down. By 9 we had 12" down and the sun was oot. 

Fun times.


----------



## SHAWZER (Feb 29, 2012)

Some major Highways around Toronto are jamed with stuck vehicles and Transport trucks . Snowplows cannot get around them .....


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

SHAWZER said:


> Some major Highways around Toronto are jamed with stuck vehicles and Transport trucks . Snowplows cannot get around them .....


No need to get around them...that's what the big hunk of metal hanging oof the front is for.


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Hydromaster said:


> Blizzard or no blizzard you'll see signs around here stating this road is not plowed between the hours of 9 PM and 6 AM or something like that.


Or DOT just closes the gate on higher use roads.


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Jeep


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

WIPensFan said:


> Jeep


Take it to the "But I have 4wd!" Thread


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Hydromaster said:


> Take it to the "But I have 4wd!" Thread


I'm gonna take it to the "get off the road, only I should be out here" thread.


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

Hydromaster said:


> hwy212 can be closed just from the wind
> Blowing the snow around.
> But yea they will pull the plows when it's no longer safe to be out there
> 
> ...


I was just going to say, don't be so quick to discredit the wind. Some of those drifts get set in hard. Hitting them with a plow is like running into a bridge piling.


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

BUFF said:


> Or DOT just closes the gate on higher use roads.


I have a friend, I think I've mentioned him before, he's the foreman on the " hot hand " crew they are the ones that get the call when transmission lines go down in a storm. They put them back up,in the Storm, live.
He has a " let this individual through" pass for when the roads are closed.
They are based out of Fergus, but their territory runs out to western ND and SD.


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Teenagers, 
I was at the brewery and I had millennial sitting next to us he got triggered when he saw this pic. "you know there's a fine for being on the wrong side of the gate".

Relax The gate isnt closed. I'm probably one of the last few vehicles to come down the pass.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Hydromaster said:


> View attachment 230985
> 
> Teenagers,
> I was at the brewery and I had millennial sitting next to us he got triggered when he saw this pic. "you know there's a fine for being on the wrong side of the gate".
> ...


Is that a Newfie in front of the truck?


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Is that a Newfie in front of the truck?


Black sharpie


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

More from PEI.


----------



## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

We could use some of dat


----------



## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

Western1 said:


> We could use some of dat


You can keep it...I vote seasonals with no snow


----------



## Landgreen (Sep 8, 2007)

Mark Oomkes said:


> More from PEI.
> 
> View attachment 231005


What is PEI?


----------



## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

Landgreen said:


> What is PEI?


Marks fantasy land


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

m_ice said:


> You can keep it...I vote seasonals with no snow


Grinch


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

m_ice said:


> Marks fantasy land


Not in Kannuckia...



Landgreen said:


> What is PEI?


Prince Edward Island...a small but beautiful province in the Maritimes of Kannuckia.


----------



## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Not in Kannuckia...
> 
> Prince Edward Island...a small but beautiful province in the Maritimes of Kannuckia.


That's nice


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=prince+edward+island&t=newext&atb=v250-1&iax=images&ia=images
Setting for Anne of Green Gables apparently.


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

T


Mark Oomkes said:


> More from PEI.
> 
> View attachment 231005


That must've been a big water heater .


----------



## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> https://duckduckgo.com/?q=prince+edward+island&t=newext&atb=v250-1&iax=images&ia=images
> Setting for Anne of Green Gables apparently.


Who's Anne and I presume green gables is another name for twin peaks?


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)




----------



## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

Hydromaster said:


> T
> 
> That must've been a big water heater .


Let me know if anyone's interested...


----------



## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

Ajlawn1 said:


> Let me know if anyone's interested...
> 
> View attachment 231025


No thanks


----------



## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Ajlawn1 said:


> Let me know if anyone's interested...
> 
> View attachment 231025


I would have to drive quite a ways. Can you come down in price?


----------



## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

EWSplow said:


> I would have to drive quite a ways. Can you come down in price?


I was just offering to grab it for any interested parties...


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Landgreen said:


> What is PEI?


A place with a whizz load of Light Houses...


----------



## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

BUFF said:


> A place with a whizz load of Light Houses...
> View attachment 231027


That's a lot of places to plug in the Jeep. I'm moving there…


----------



## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

BUFF said:


> A place with a whizz load of Light Houses...
> View attachment 231027


Lighthouse lovers dreamland


----------



## 2017F150XLT (Aug 4, 2021)

I plowed for Maine DOT for 2 years, we never once got pulled off the roads for "unsafe conditions", that's *WHAT WE WERE THERE FOR*, to *MAKE* the roads safe.

Freezing rain - We were there pounding the salt to roads and trying not to end up in the ditch ourselves
Full on Nor'Easter with several inches an hour - we were there scraping the roads and setting back every couple passes
Drifting - I was sent to go scrape where it was drifting, hit it with salt and scrape it again


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Cool!


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/bo...de-road-conditions/maine-road-conditions-map/


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

2017F150XLT said:


> I plowed for Maine DOT for 2 years, we never once got pulled off the roads for "unsafe conditions", that's *WHAT WE WERE THERE FOR*, to *MAKE* the roads safe.
> 
> Freezing rain - We were there pounding the salt to roads and trying not to end up in the ditch ourselves
> Full on Nor'Easter with several inches an hour - we were there scraping the roads and setting back every couple passes
> Drifting - I was sent to go scrape where it was drifting, hit it with salt and scrape it again


BTW...2 whole years? And that means it's never happened?

I haven't pulled my trucks off the roads in that long either. Neither has MDOT or the local road commission, doesn't mean it's never happened.


----------



## 2017F150XLT (Aug 4, 2021)

Ok, I can see where the way I wrote my statement made it sound like I meant it's *never *been done, I did not mean that in my statement…

However, the State does have some very strict regulations in relation to the roads being cleared, I was in the southern Region of Maine DOT, that's how MEDOT classifies areas of the State, maybe one of the most Northern Regions would have done that as _some_ point, but I find it unlikely.

Like I said, we operated *through* ice storms that would leave the road a sheet of ice, a quarter to a half inch thick +, we never heard any talk of waiting until the morning time or after the storm to go and lay down salt or any other thing ‍♂

It was always "don't go in the ditch, and if you do, someone will be there sometime ti get you out"


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

FWIW, I've never pulled my trucks off the road due to conditions. I did pull them off from salting during an ice storm a few years back because it was raining so hard I could and did literally watch the rain wash salt off the pavement into the storm drain. First time I ever saw that, hopefully the last. Fortunately, this also kept it from glazing up really bad. 

I'm not sure I remember the road commission pulling trucks around us either, I do remember a couple times the sheriff's dept pulling the patrol cars unless it was an emergency so they wouldn't get stuck.


----------



## RichardBongIII (Dec 8, 2021)

If you get 40+ inches in a 24 hour period it is hard to keep trucks moving no matter what. And if you have 30-60mph winds as well that means you have difts over 60+ inches deep. As others have stated wind blown snow can get hard-- my grandfather used to talk about the snow in Greenland becoming so hard you could easily drive a 5ton truck on snow banks without sinking in. 

So, I can see why the PEI road authority would pull the trucks under certain conditions. Did the OP get high winds coupled with low temperatures and massive snow fall?


----------



## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Mark Oomkes said:


> BTW...2 whole years? And that means it's never happened?
> 
> I haven't pulled my trucks off the roads in that long either. Neither has MDOT or the local road commission, doesn't mean it's never happened.


At one time, the busiest truck route in the country was 94, between Milwaukee and Chicago. If I'm not mistaken? Now I believe it's 80 through northern Indiana. 
I know first hand 94 between Milwaukee and Chicago gets closed and no plowing at least once about every decade. 
So, yes they do pull plows from freeways when it isn't logical to try to keep up.


----------



## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

EWSplow said:


> At one time, the busiest truck route in the country was 94, between Milwaukee and Chicago. If I'm not mistaken? Now I believe it's 80 through northern Indiana.
> I know first hand 94 between Milwaukee and Chicago gets closed and no plowing at least once about every decade.
> So, yes they do pull plows from freeways when it isn't logical to try to keep up.


https://www.chicagotribune.com/weather/chi-110201-monster-snowstorm-2011-pictures-photogallery.html

I can confirm 100% they stopped plowing in this storm.


----------



## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Philbilly2 said:


> https://www.chicagotribune.com/weather/chi-110201-monster-snowstorm-2011-pictures-photogallery.html
> 
> I can confirm 100% they stopped plowing in this storm.


Yes sir, they certainly did.



EWSplow said:


> We had a storm about 10 years ago I think. I couldn't see my neighbors house 50' away. I got up a few times to check conditions, waiting for the wind to subside. When I finally left home, there were a couple major streets plowed for fire trucks. I stopped at the gas station to fill up and had to plow around a car in the entrance so they could get out and I could plow my way to the gas pumps.
> They were there because the freeway wasn't plowed and had gotten off the exit and made it to the gas station entrance.
> Plowing anything that night would have been useless, because it would have immediately drifted back in.


----------



## Mountain Bob (Nov 12, 2017)

Here,as said before, the state will stop plowing highways when wind and snow is bad,especially in sub zero temps. Sometimes Bozeman will wait till light out to plow.


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

https://511mn.org/@-92.6389,46.8465...iving,weatherWarningsAreaEvents,stationsAlert


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Not sure if they still do, but the county south and west of me used to plow from 7-5 M-F. Once in awhile if it got bad they would roll out on the weekends. They're right along the lake and get some nasty LE bands. MDOT does the highways for them, so those are kinda plowed.


----------



## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

EWSplow said:


> We had a storm about 10 years ago I think. I couldn't see my neighbors house 50' away. I got up a few times to check conditions, waiting for the wind to subside. When I finally left home, there were a couple major streets plowed for fire trucks. I stopped at the gas station to fill up and had to plow around a car in the entrance so they could get out and I could plow my way to the gas pumps.
> They were there because the freeway wasn't plowed and had gotten off the exit and made it to the gas station entrance.
> Plowing anything that night would have been useless, because it would have immediately drifted back in.


This sounds like the correct time frame and storm that 8 of us headed to the Keweenaw for a snowmobile ride. White out conditions roads closed were a big problem. Lucky for us we had a kid with us that was good with his phone and we had just enough service areas to be able to weave our way across the U.P. The trip should have taken 7 hours but took us 13.


----------



## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

LapeerLandscape said:


> This sounds like the correct time frame and storm that 8 of us headed to the Keweenaw for a snowmobile ride. White out conditions roads closed were a big problem. Lucky for us we had a kid with us that was good with his phone and we had just enough service areas to be able to weave our way across the U.P. The trip should have taken 7 hours but took us 13.


Had a few of those trips....
Biggest detour was on trip coming home from Togwotee.... I80was closed due to snow/weather at Sincliar Wyo with no easy alternative routes due to roads being closed. Had to go west aboot 50miles to come into Colo to US40 in Craig Co. Took US40 over Rabbit Ears Pass to Co 14 ending up north of Fo Co Colo then home. Detour added 6hrs to a 7hr trip.










One thing a lot people don't do is fuel up before you set out when the next fuel is 100-150miles away, you just never know how mulch backtracking or how mulch of a detour you may have to take.


----------



## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

Philbilly2 said:


> https://www.chicagotribune.com/weather/chi-110201-monster-snowstorm-2011-pictures-photogallery.html
> 
> I can confirm 100% they stopped plowing in this storm.


I'll never forget that storm, worst drifting I've ever seen. We tried to go out around midnight to start chiseling away at the snow, but it took 30 minutes to get 1 mile before I turned around. My brother lived across the road at the time, and called me as I was pulling back in to help pull his Case 621 out of the ditch, he made it a whole 1/4 mile before "beaching" it.

The county definately pulled all of their trucks that evening, it just wasn't safe anymore, and there was no sense in attempting to keep the roads clear when they were going to blow back shut within minutes. When they can't see the next power pole, and can't differentiate between a drift and a drift with a car buried in it, it makes sense to pull off.

I remember getting a call form the leader of the local snowmobile club asking if we could run some gas to a car stuck and idling about a mile up the road.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Philbilly2 said:


> https://www.chicagotribune.com/weather/chi-110201-monster-snowstorm-2011-pictures-photogallery.html
> 
> I can confirm 100% they stopped plowing in this storm.


Pffft...that was nothing. We only had aboot 16" and a bit of drifting. We were fortunate as the wind only lasted 5-6 hours instead of however long they had predicted, which was way longer.

The guy I bought the Kubota for was sledding up north and cam back the day after, so I ran the Kubota. First decent storm and I was hooked on plowing with tractors instead of trucks. Of course the broken frame on my '05 Furd 550 6.POS that night didn't help. Come to think of it, having 3 6.0s didn't help.


----------



## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

That storm I was at a Wal Mart in the middle of corn fields. The wind was blowing so bad that you could only find the other equipment in the lot if they had a mars rotary light. The fancy LED flashy lights... could not see them at all.

Had to plow my way down US30 to go fix a plow that broke on one of my trucks 10 miles away at a Toys R Us.

Came up on a cop car in the ditch cop was flagging me down with his flashlight. I stop, he comes up to my window and tells me 30 is closed ahead, there are 20 or 30 plus cars stuck up the road.

I asked him if he had any idea what it looked like where I just came from? He told me to go back to where I came from. 

I told him to tell the cars that had jumped in behind me while I was plowing my way there to move so I could turn around. Comes back up to my window and asks me if I think I can make it to the hospital up the road.

Tell him I am going right past it.

Guy in the car behind me was taking his wife to the hospital as the ambulance got stuck on the way to his house and his wife was injured.

Plowed to the hospital, went on my way to the toy shop.

Never went back to my house for 7 days following that storm.


----------



## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

Philbilly2 said:


> Never went back to my house for 7 days following that storm.


And your marriage was never stronger?


----------



## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

jomama45 said:


> I'll never forget that storm, worst drifting I've ever seen. We tried to go out around midnight to start chiseling away at the snow, but it took 30 minutes to get 1 mile before I turned around. My brother lived across the road at the time, and called me as I was pulling back in to help pull his Case 621 out of the ditch, he made it a whole 1/4 mile before "beaching" it.
> 
> The county definately pulled all of their trucks that evening, it just wasn't safe anymore, and there was no sense in attempting to keep the roads clear when they were going to blow back shut within minutes. When they can't see the next power pole, and can't differentiate between a drift and a drift with a car buried in it, it makes sense to pull off.
> 
> ...


I'd have to dig through old pics, but I had some of the drifting. 
I've posted in other threads about the apartment lot I couldn't get to because the street had a 6' drift a block long. 
3 days after it was done, the city subbed a loader to clear that street.


----------



## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

jomama45 said:


> And your marriage was never stronger?


Wife's car was burried in the windrow at the end of the driveway until the neighbor kid dug it out for her.

She thought her honda civic was grave digger


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

When I worked at the bakery our manager lived about 30 miles north east of town on a lake. In 1996- 97 we had 108" of total snowfall. One storm my boss's road didn't get plowed for a week.
We would come in in the morning and there would be a note from the night manager.
" Bob says no plow yet"


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

Site checks this morning. 40 mph winds yesterday afternoon/ evening. 
Nothing really bad at any of my accounts.
But one of my accounts is on this street.


----------



## FourDiamond (Nov 23, 2011)

blocktreats said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Registered an account to ask this question of the experts!
> 
> ...


Short answer is yes. Here in PA they have done it several times. It is fairly rare, however.


----------



## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

my blizzard 36' in 24hours, we tried to plow with it futile it was like the scene in Star Wars when the Millennium falcon goes hyper space, I was in a s250 and you could barely see your bucket, when my other skid went in the ditch get him out and back to the shop.
next morning skidoo to the shop roads are closed it took the better part of a week to get it all open.
when you can't see to work, sleep then work more.


----------



## fireball (Jan 9, 2000)

In Pa the lack of visibility has become an excuse for mechanical breakdowns and lack of manpower. The political establishment has seized upon the excuse as standing operating procedure. My local state representatives standard response to any unplowed road is; "I don't see the problem, just don't go that way"


----------



## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

Correct, don’t go that way… if the roads aren’t plowed and you have a car or some SUV that isn’t suitable for the driving conditions then stay home or purchase the proper vehicle for the conditions.

When they pull the plows here, you’ll usually see a couple of them parked in front of the fire hall so if there is an emergency they can
plow a path.

I think this should be in the thread people get but hurt when they’re told no.
“Some “,,, don’t like it when GovCo intervenes in aspects in your life, but heck will happen if GovCo doesn’t plow the road 24/7.


----------



## TwiceStroked (Feb 8, 2010)

Mark Oomkes said:


> So if she couldn't make it 3 miles, maybe conditions were pretty bad?
> 
> Doesn't do any good to have a plow truck drive into the ditch because the operator can't see anything.
> 
> Which, same here, trucks have been pulled due to visibility, not too much snow.


Tell that to nysdot.
Never pulled trks because of visability, ice or accumilation.
Think about how much a life (albeit a dumb one) is worth?
Trks and its drivers are replaceable in mgmt words.


----------



## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

TwiceStroked said:


> Tell that to nysdot.
> Never pulled trks because of visability, ice or accumilation.
> Think about how much a life (albeit a dumb one) is worth?
> Trks and its drivers are replaceable in mgmt words.


there will always be someone willing to push it, some time back in Quebec I think Montreal a plow guy killed a pedestrian from lack of sleep I think.
after the fact there was a inquest and much hand wringing I'm sure.
at the end of the day the guy in the plow is responsible.


----------

