# plowing driveways



## gmcdan (Nov 4, 2011)

I only plow my own driveway because I feel my plow isn't suitable to be going around for money and I don't want to intrfear with the pros who have a lot invested and need the work, I see some people push snow accros the street wondering if that's legal procedure or a no no. I have enough room where I can put snow but was just wondering incase im asked to help someone else; how about the snow infront of mailbox technically is the road. tried looking it up but found no answers 

located in mn.


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## Moose's Mowing (Oct 6, 2012)

A good number of my drives have to be pushed outwards and across the street. No complaints yet but I'm always sure to clean up and not leave piles of snow on the road. Sometimes I'll plow out around a mailbox for the mailman too. All depends on the situation I guess. The places I do push across the street aren't in to anyone's front lawn either. So I'd say use your discretion.


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

A quick call to your local municipality will answer that question for you. Usually nobody will care as long as you don't leave a pile in the road or a bunch of trails.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

This is our local ordnance.

_§21-306. Snow and Ice Not to Be Placed on Plowed Street; Penalty
.
Any owner and/or occupant or other person
who removes, snow, ice, slush, or any
combination thereof from the sidewalks or from any other places within the Township
of East Pennsboro or anywhere else shall not
place the same on any public street, road,
highway, or thoroughfare when such snow,
ice, slush, or any combination thereof is
removed after such time as the public street, road, highway or thoroughfare has been
plowed or cleared for the purpose of allowing free and safe passage of vehicular traffic
thereon. Any owner and/or occupant or person
violating the terms and provisions of this
Part, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine or penalty of not more
than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of
imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues
shall constitute a separate offense_

Now if I understand our ordnance correct it is allowed until the township trucks have plowed the street.


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## Fantastic (Dec 2, 2012)

Here's from Ontario.... 

Section 181 of the Highway Traffic Act

"Deposit snow or ice on roadway"

Fine: $110.00

No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing to do so from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for the maintenance of the road.

But it has to be a lot of it for someone to call it in... City plows where I am just plow through it and don't care too much.


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## myzx6 (Nov 17, 2013)

From what I get out of those ordinances, you can't leave snow in the road, I didn't read anything about pushing across the road????


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## Fantastic (Dec 2, 2012)

myzx6;1692802 said:


> From what I get out of those ordinances, you can't leave snow in the road, I didn't read anything about pushing across the road????


Exactly  Push away... But don't leave a flake behind!!


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

myzx6;1692802 said:


> From what I get out of those ordinances, you can't leave snow in the road, I didn't read anything about pushing across the road????





Fantastic;1692811 said:


> Exactly  Push away... But don't leave a flake behind!!


Best to err on the side of caution. I don't push into, onto or across the street. Just not worth the risk of some old retired person complaining and me ending up with a fine.

But if you do decided to push across the street just have to be mindful of where you are pushing it to. Few years back a guy plowed the drive across the street into my front yard, in the process he snapped the top of my water box. Goes without saying I was pissed. Pretty sure most people would be unhappy about someone pushing snow onto their property.


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## Fantastic (Dec 2, 2012)

kimber750;1692832 said:


> Best to err on the side of caution. I don't push into, onto or across the street. Just not worth the risk of some old retired person complaining and me ending up with a fine.
> 
> But if you do decided to push across the street just have to be mindful of where you are pushing it to. Few years back a guy plowed the drive across the street into my front yard, in the process he snapped the top of my water box. Goes without saying I was pissed. Pretty sure most people would be unhappy about someone pushing snow onto their property.


Yeah, hitting something or ticking someone off over a pile of snow would cause a lot of unwanted garbage.... Common sense when/if you have to do it is key.


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

In NJ it's called the "anti-snow dumping act"

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=130262

Penalties from the state start @ $250, but some individual towns here have increased it depending on where you are.

http://www.politickernj.com/50380/norcross-anti-snow-dumping-act-now-law

EDIT:

We also have another "snow related" law that just went into effect. Remove before you go law

http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/ice-and-snow.html


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## MattR (Jan 4, 2009)

Gmcdan, the best thing you can do is ask your city or town clerk. I asked mine and he was nice enough to look it up for me and even supply me with a copy of it in case some crabby person calls the cops on me.

This is what my town clerk provided me with.... 


> A common complaint about citizen activity is that they are pushing snow across the public highway when plowing out their own driveways. There is no statute directly covering this activity. A village or town with village powers would have to create a local ordinance to prohibit it. Otherwise, you could check to see if your county sheriff's office could enforce SS 346.94(5), which states that no person may place upon any highway any substance that is or may be injurious to any vehicle. The penalty is $50 for each offense. SS 346.95(3).


So you can bet I am carrying a copy of this in each truck and tractor I use for plowing snow. Whenever possible, I avoid going across the road with the snow, yet I do have a couple that almost require pushing it across the road because there is basically no room to pile it. In those cases, I have the property owner get written permission from their neighbor across the road giving permission to pile the snow on their property, and I get a copy of that.


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## Snoviper (Jul 10, 2003)

In New York it is a violation to push it across the road. people here still do it. It gives them the ability to give you a ticket if someone complains. it also may be because there are a few drivers that leave big piles in the road while pushing across. Need to check your local laws.


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## ppkgmsy (Jan 18, 2008)

There's probably some legitimate public safety issue to having such an ordinance on the books. I can't imagine trying to enforce it here in rural VT, though. We've got ot put the snow somewhere. Everyone seems to try and do the right thing and I've never heard of anyone getting hassled.


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## 2ExploreSnow (Aug 30, 2011)

In a small town in Upstate NY, I was involved in a small fender-bender due to someone in a plow truck not looking before pushing across the road. He didn't slow down coming down the driveway and I don't think even looked before crossing until too late. There wasn't much line of site due to grade, curves, and trees around. Speed limit is 55mph but that part is more like under 30mph and even less that day.

I'm don't have a problem, just use common sense and pay attention to traffic, whether in town, suburbs, or deep in the mountains. Also, as others have mentioned clean up the windrows and don't use neighbors as dumping grounds.

As far as mailbox, so long as the carrier can reach the mailbox from vehicle AND not get stuck (very important) you're good. The 4wd-right steering Subaru & Jeeps have an advantage here. Otherwise, they do need to be cleared of snow. ... Basically a plow/bucket width or 2 before and after the mailbox is good enough unless you are getting some serious drifting or it's next to a wall. ... Landscape Designers -- Please avoid the temptation of installing bushes/trees/pretty rocks next to mailbox -- especially in areas that receive more than a few inches of snow


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

In Minnesota it is illegal to push snow across the street. I did it ONE time and got a talking to by the police. Didn't even leave anything in the road. Cleaned it up real nice and it was only about two passes worth.


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## WingPlow (Jun 18, 2007)

what you need to remember pushing across the road is your putting snow on town or state owned land,
and many towns do not want ANYTHING on or in their right of way...

now mind you, if you push it far enough off the road and leave NOTHING behind you probably wont get hassled, but leave a mess and it will haunt you for a long time.

also be very mindful of catch basins and drainage ditches...block one of those and I can almost bank on you
getting at least a talking to if not a fine


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## gmcdan (Nov 4, 2011)

nope not going to do anything if someone asks ,just going to say Im not insured properly eqiped etc. they need to pay piper or do it themselves . also have county roads mixed with city streets im sure the fines are more strict on county roads than the city streets . 

only had 1 person ask when we got that 9-10 inches of wet heavy snow last year his driveway was in and around a farmhouse id say easily 500 ft . he must have been a renter had no tractor or truck.:realmad:


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