# Plowing Snow Across the Street



## Kenyou (Oct 13, 2007)

I haven't paid much attention to plowing snow across the street as I never needed to do so. In the city, that would only be plowing snow onto the neighbors property. Not Good. I also noticed the way our city of Alpena plows their streets They do plow all the streets here. I was driving down the street the day after a storm and when I went across every intersection after intersection, I was being jolted in my truck from hitting these twin - 10 -12 inch windrows at every intersection. I guess that it is not against the law for the city to do this and leave the windrows for the cars to pack down. From what some of the guys on P.S. have said, watch out if a private plow truck driver leaves a little snow on the street. Just for GP, I called our police department and they said that as long as the snow left by private plow companies doesn't cause a traffic hazard, then they don't get involved.

When I lived in Detroit, the different neighborhoods had to hire people like us to plow our streets because the city wouldn't do it and they never left a mess like that. That was the rules the city set for private plow companies.

Has anybody else seen this kind of plowing?


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

Here durring a storm there is usually windrows across intersections. Within about 2hrs of the storm being over though they are all cleaned up and most everything is just wet.

If your asking if anyone plows across the street? Sure. I do, I make sure though that before I leave that location the street is just as clean as it was when I got there or cleaner. I make sure there isn't even the slightest windrow left and no snowballs in the middle of the road.


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## CityGuy (Dec 19, 2008)

Kenyou;727909 said:


> I haven't paid much attention to plowing snow across the street as I never needed to do so. In the city, that would only be plowing snow onto the neighbors property. Not Good. I also noticed the way our city of Alpena plows their streets They do plow all the streets here. I was driving down the street the day after a storm and when I went across every intersection after intersection, I was being jolted in my truck from hitting these twin - 10 -12 inch windrows at every intersection. I guess that it is not against the law for the city to do this and leave the windrows for the cars to pack down. From what some of the guys on P.S. have said, watch out if a private plow truck driver leaves a little snow on the street. Just for GP, I called our police department and they said that as long as the snow left by private plow companies doesn't cause a traffic hazard, then they don't get involved.
> 
> When I lived in Detroit, the different neighborhoods had to hire people like us to plow our streets because the city wouldn't do it and they never left a mess like that. That was the rules the city set for private plow companies.
> 
> Has anybody else seen this kind of plowing?


I can speak from a PW standpoint.( I worked PW for a year) First priority is the heavily traveled roads then the secondary roads followed by residential streets. Now if you do it right and startplowing and then continue with going right you should not have this problem. I can;t believe that a PW department would leave windrows at intercestions?


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## N&CLandscaping (Oct 14, 2006)

I push snow accross streets all the time. During a storm, the big city trucks usually help me out if I am on a main road. ill push it out and they will wait then come by and push it out. I have never had a problem. As long as I clean up after myself, no one will bother me. Just my 2cents


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

you get HUGE fines in my part of ct for pushing across roadways.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

Our town windrows and then blows it into trucks to be hauled away. They LET us put snow in the windrows. I make sure to clean the street very well when I push across the street too.


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## MileHigh (Nov 6, 2007)

THEGOLDPRO;728011 said:


> you get HUGE fines in my part of ct for pushing across roadways.


yup...my area too.


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## DCSpecial (Nov 16, 2008)

I don't push across the street.

One of the gated communities that I plow in will fine you and no longer let you in to plow if you do.

In another neighborhood I swear 1/4 of the drives are pushed across the street onto someone else's property. Problem is that no one pushes the piles completely off the road so after a few big storms it was basically a one lane road as you had to stop to let other cars pass. It's a private subdivision so the company who plows the roads is just using pickups so they can't push the piles back.


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## downtoearthnh (Jan 16, 2009)

*Plowing across the street in a small NH town*

I am put into a position of having to plow across the street, as the new construction homes here in NH where I plow are not designed with plowing in mind. Stone walls, garages, shrub borders are all placed directly on the edges of the driveways, and so there is no place for the snow on the site. We have to get written permission from our road expert, and advise the PD or they will fine us for each violation. 
Same courtesy applies, we push the snow back beyond the bankings of what the road agent plows, clean up windrows, and do not obstruct a neighboring mailbox or view line.


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## Snowaway (Sep 10, 2008)

I was pushing snow across the road the other day and went a little to far. My front tires dropped off the pavement and I got stuck. The truck was almost competely blocking the road. I walked down the block and asked another plow guy if he could give me a yank. By the time we got back to my truck the big a$$ city plow was waiting for me. Hooked up and got out the way. All the city guy did was give me a big friendly wave as he plowed on.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

up in the city were I plow, if you push across a street, you can get in alot of trouble. The police tell you that you cannot put your snow on somone else's property. 

We plow the public schools up there and I do my best to keep the snow that lands on the property on the property.

I can tell you that if someone is pushing snow across a clean road and leaves large winrows, I angle my blade and throw it back in the drive it came from.


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## Joe D (Oct 2, 2005)

I never push across the street, around here across the street is in front of someones house. If the drive has no where to push the snow you need to snow blow it. I use to have some driveways like that, had to be done with the blower and paid good.


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I push my own driveway across the street, but it's the only one I do. Where I live though the city owns the first 5 feet of all properties, so as long as I clean up the street, no one complains.


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## haligan125 (Dec 17, 2003)

*PW viewpoint*

I plow for the local PW up here and I have got to say that the biggest issues I have with people plowing across my route are: Not cleaning the road up after plowing across it, and not getting the snow far enough off the other side of the road.
Believe it or not, once those banks get big enough and freeze, it has the ability to send my dump truck into the oncoming traffic lane, wreaking havoc on my wing at the same time. Usually if I see someone doing this on my route I stop and ask them nicely to make sure it is all the way off the road. This usually works, and if it doesn't we make complaints to the fuzz to go talk to them. I also will stop and take the time to pull it out with my dust pan and put it on the other side of the road. (My route consists of rural roads and side streets so traffic is usually light). This takes time, but I try to take pride in my route and it makes my trip easier the next time.
Lastly, typically the windrows across the intersections are cleaned up at the end of the storm. Usually the intersection windrows are created by the main route plows. They can't stop and clean every side street intersection as it would take forever. On my side street route, I typically do not leave windrows. I do leave some snow in the road where it sneaks through my plow and wing when I am turning corners.
We're not big bad guys you know, just tired and annoyed of dealing with people who don't care, or don't understand.


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## jjmcnace (Dec 6, 2007)

hydro_37;728020 said:


> Our town windrows and then blows it into trucks to be hauled away. They LET us put snow in the windrows. I make sure to clean the street very well when I push across the street too.


I do not plow across roads here in Iowa. The PW Department here are serious dicks about it. I cleaned out and entrance to a Commercial property after the plow truck plowed it shut and got all but 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket worth of snow back on the business's side of the curb. Plow truck drove back by...driver basically ran out of his truck all but swinging his fists at me threatening to have me ticketed. Guess he was having a bad day or something. What is funny is that the city is about 3-4' from the curbs when they clean the streets. What a bunch of tools

The next day I actually went and talked to the mayor about the incident.


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## haligan125 (Dec 17, 2003)

Jim, please don’t place us all in the tool category, we’re just men and women doing our job. Like you, we have to put our snow somewhere, and the law allows us to place it on the side of the road. We don’t have the resources or the time to clean up driveway entrances, so we do our jobs as best we can. My suggestion is to clear a space up wind of your driveways about 20 feet or so to allow our moldboards to clean off, then your driveways will be much easier to clear. When I can I try to feather my wing up, especially if I see people shoveling. But contrary to popular belief we don’t sit at the end of the road waiting for you to finish so we can fill you back in. ( I actually had someone complain that I did this) And if you see us smiling or laughing as we drive-by, most likely we heard something funny on the radio.


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## KC2LLW (Dec 14, 2006)

I had a guy that plowed my neighbors house across the street and would plow the snow on to my yard right in front of my mail box every time he plowed one night confronted him (no speak English) but I think he got the message. I would never push snow across the road or on to someones yard!


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## ABES (Jun 10, 2007)

I never push snow across the road although many people in this area do. One of the yahoos that plows the lot next to one of the ones i do, plows it across the street but not over the curb so he leaves big piles 5-6 feet on the edge of the road and always leaves the spillover and windrows in the street. It probably wouldnt bother me if he just did a neat job and didnt leave it all in the street.


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## jjmcnace (Dec 6, 2007)

haligan125;728301 said:


> Jim, please don't place us all in the tool category, we're just men and women doing our job. Like you, we have to put our snow somewhere, and the law allows us to place it on the side of the road. We don't have the resources or the time to clean up driveway entrances, so we do our jobs as best we can. My suggestion is to clear a space up wind of your driveways about 20 feet or so to allow our moldboards to clean off, then your driveways will be much easier to clear. When I can I try to feather my wing up, especially if I see people shoveling. But contrary to popular belief we don't sit at the end of the road waiting for you to finish so we can fill you back in. ( I actually had someone complain that I did this) And if you see us smiling or laughing as we drive-by, most likely we heard something funny on the radio.


You sound like a cool guy. Keep up your good work. Wish guys like you worked for our PW dept.


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

i also plow for a town and the biggest issue is guys not plowing up thier windrows or pushing back all the way
we try to stop and ask people but some just dont care. one that really bugs is me is on a 1way street all hoses are on the right side so we windrow everything to the left and 1 guy still ahs to plow out and make a mess so he gets his snow back!
interesections typicallly get cleaned at the end of a storm or once it becomes unsafe we will clean them a bit.
also we try to help people out if they are shoveling, we will angle away pull out or sometimes even push out the end of the drive and then go on our way


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## oldmankent (Mar 2, 2001)

I have a couple accounts where the best option is to push snow across the street. I always clean up very well though, and push the pile back as far as possible. The pile is in the woods, not someones lawn.


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## unimogr (Feb 18, 2004)

I plow for a town too. There are some real slobs out there but most care about where they put snow. I've been bumped into the oncoming lane by frozen snowpiles pushed across the street. 

My biggest peeve is snow piled on hydrants. I mean what the hell are they thinking?


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

well apparently they dont think the hydrant is important
we have that same bs most people will shovel them out and then 1 guy just burries the thing
he got a nice talking to
and also the people with the damn snowblowers .. why do they put snow in the road when they can throw it anywhere they want?


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## nrplowguy (Apr 15, 2008)

in WI you will get a 600 dollar fine and a day in court to tell your reason why you where pushing the snow from where you were plowing across the road and leaving it as a possible hazard


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## DODGEing (Jan 12, 2009)

8 houses on my City street(dead end) I plow 6 of the 8 drives the other 2 are retired and love to play with their snow blowers. I plow the street they blow the walks and the city loves the fact they dont have to bother with it. Rarely do we get enough they would any way. Other than my street NEVER but I could see the odd property that might require that but you better leave it better than you found it !


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## 7.3 Plower (Jan 19, 2009)

IMO plowing across the street is very unprofessional. Around here it's illegal. As far as I'm concerned unless you have all traffic stopped and you clean up perfectly it should be illegal.

I can't even begin to count how many idiots leave windrows 3" high going across the street. They leave snow a few feet into the road. And the worst part is that WHILE they're breaking the law and plowing across the street they don't pay attention and I've had several almost hit me. And that's just this winter.

If a homeowner is pushing snow across the street that's one thing. If someone that claims to be a snow clearing professional does it. That's a whole other story. 

If you can't do a driveway without plowing across the street you might want to rethink your method of clearing that driveway and perhaps use a snowblower. 

Plowing across the street is downright dangerous. Plus if you were ever did hit someone or you got hit while you were plowing across the street it would be your fault no matter what since you were breaking the law by pushing across the street. Explain that to your insurance company. 

*End rant*


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## Blazin (Mar 18, 2007)

Where I am in N.H. it is not legal to do so. I do have two driveways that if we have a foot or more snow I back up the hill and push it across the road, past the town bank. The road agent said he is OK with it as long as there is no mess, and its pushed beyond his banks. Most times around her it Johnny homeowner that is the ignorant jack ass that leaves a hug pile against the opposite bank and a big mess in the road. Was chatting with the road agent about one guy in particular that has a little 4x4 tractor with a bucket. He said he would like to see someone stuff all the snow back in this guys driveway. I told him consider it done. Spent twenty minutes carving out the snow he piled up in the street then stuffed it all back in the end of his driveway. Big stack about 5' tall, and 10' deep. When he complained to the police they told him it was cheaper for him to remove the snow, and pile it on his side of the road than pay the fine for blocking the road. They figured he got what was coming to him.


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## mikeyfff1011 (Nov 30, 2008)

i have a 3 family house i plow for someone in bristol ct and i was waiting in front of the driveway then a plow truck drove up past me and turned around to come back and the police chief came flying and pulled him over and yelled at him to fix the snow he pushed across the street or hes getting a $500 fine so i guess here in parts of ct its a no no


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

7.3 Plower;728559 said:


> IMO plowing across the street is very unprofessional. Around here it's illegal. As far as I'm concerned unless you have all traffic stopped and you clean up perfectly it should be illegal.
> 
> I can't even begin to count how many idiots leave windrows 3" high going across the street. They leave snow a few feet into the road. And the worst part is that WHILE they're breaking the law and plowing across the street they don't pay attention and I've had several almost hit me. And that's just this winter.
> 
> ...


There are times when it is necessary to push snow across the street. There just are some driveways, lots, alley ways, etc that you just have no other choice, and no, snowblowing is not a realistic option. One could argue that you should use a shovel and wheelbarrow too, but it's not practical.

One thing for everyone to keep in mind, we don't all plow the same type of driveways. Some are in the city, some in the 'burbs and some out in the country. There are instances where it's perfectly fine to push across the street, and NOT be "downright dangerous". Now I'm not saying it's legal, I'm just saying there are times that it's practical and NOT dangerous.

Now if the street is cleared and is bare pavement, then one shouldn't push across. However, if the street is still snow covered, it hurts nothing to move snow across it, as long as one doesn't leave ANY windrows or 'snowballs' and they can safely do so without impeding traffic.

As for those who are worried about their driveway getting filled from the street plow, a simple solution is to push most of the snow to the "lower" side of the driveway, and be sure to push back 20-25 feet on the upper side. By doing this, it doesn't leave anything for the town plow to push back into the driveway.


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## Joe D (Oct 2, 2005)

MSS Mow;730051 said:


> There are times when it is *EASIER* to push snow across the street. There just are some driveways, lots, alley ways, etc that you just have no other choice, and no, snowblowing is not a realistic option. One could argue that you should use a shovel and wheelbarrow too, but it's not practical.
> 
> One thing for everyone to keep in mind, we don't all plow the same type of driveways. Some are in the city, some in the 'burbs and some out in the country. There are instances where it's perfectly fine to push across the street, and NOT be "downright dangerous". Now I'm not saying it's legal, I'm just saying there are times that it's practical and NOT dangerous.
> 
> ...


I fixed it for you. I use to do driveways and there were a few I had no option but to get out and use the blower. The snow could only be put in one area so you had to constantly reaim the chute. I have yet to see a driveway where the snow couldn't go somewhere


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

One of my drivers had a town plow driver stop & b*&^ch at him, even called his supervisior because he was back blading drives in a complex we do (122 drives), they had yet to plow the street. Our systemic way of doing this is back blade everything then stuff the ends. Amazing how we can't complain that they mess it up after were finished though & get called to come back & reclean the ends. As one of my senior drivers said its perspective, hitting all the little piles would've spilled his coffee. Most of the towns drivers are a joke around here. They tried to cut in mail boxes like we do (to clean out so seniors can get to mailbox), in a complex of 77, they hit 3 in one visit, we've yet to hit one in 4 years. Weekends forget about doing Residentials befor 8 am, town WILL not have plowed neighborhood roads, then I get bic*&ed at because I used common sence as 8" in the road would of blocked driveway in again. Another town we had three truck plowing in one subdivision (the one with 77 drives), the town jokers keeps buzzing around at around 40 mph, on snow packed roads in about a 35,000 lb truck, I told the guy to stop & wait for the idiot to leave. The homeowners all joke about it & how the wait for us to finish, so they can come bury the drives in, but the homeowners are the ones that have to wait (a couple hrs) for us to free up a truck for a cleanup run. I prefer the places where we do everything from main road back.


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

Joe D;730320 said:


> I fixed it for you. I use to do driveways and there were a few I had no option but to get out and use the blower. The snow could only be put in one area so you had to constantly reaim the chute. I have yet to see a driveway where the snow couldn't go somewhere


 Thanks for "fixing" it for me. Unfortunately, it didn't need fixing. There ARE times when it is NECESSARY, and not just EASIER to plow across the road. Whether it be a building or fence or rock wall or trees or etc, etc, etc in the way, it can be necessary. Like I said before, as long as one doesn't leave ANY windrows or 'snowballs' and they can safely do so without impeding traffic, it is not any more dangerous an activity than any other part of plowing is.

Perhaps we can respectfully agree to disagree? :waving:


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## downtoearthnh (Jan 16, 2009)

*About the plowing across the street*

I am appreciative of the opinions about plowing across the street, and think that the concept of keeping the snow on the site is okay, but reality has another view. Snowblowing is probably the best way, but I have a $45K truck, 35 driveways and a schedule. Taking half an hour to snow blow may be the way to go, but doesn't work in the real world. I think that a common sense, responsible approach is the way to go.


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## bmac32 (Jan 7, 2011)

unimogr;728514 said:


> I plow for a town too. There are some real slobs out there but most care about where they put snow. I've been bumped into the oncoming lane by frozen snowpiles pushed across the street.
> 
> My biggest peeve is snow piled on hydrants. I mean what the hell are they thinking?


this pisses me off as a firefighter it so so annoying to find and dig out the plug from 5' of frozen snow while someone house burns down
:realmad:


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## yamahagrizzly (Dec 29, 2010)

i push across the street on some drives. never on anyones lawn. i was only asked once too stop. she was nice (it wasn't even her property but the previous owner wouldn't like it) and i stopped. I plow a development and 1 home owner does 3 of the houses there and pushes snow across the street and doesn't push it back. I talked to him 3 times already and had to hire a bobcat to move the snow. and he still doesn't push it back. his famious comment is " what am i supposed to do? i have to clean the driveways" followed by " my dodge could move them banks why cant you?" i hate people some times


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## bub3020 (Feb 25, 2009)

if u have to push it across the road at least clean up good, people who dont should be beaten with their own snow shovel!!


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## JTVLandscaping (Jan 1, 2010)

Even worse is when you have driveways close to one another, yours is done and the guy who plows next door plows afterwards. He makes a mess of the road, cleans it up sort of but in the process deposits the snow in your clients driveway. Maybe I'm the only one who experiences this but its kinda frustrating. I've cleaned up the street and left snow in the neighbor's driveway but I always clean it up.


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## KM81 (Dec 18, 2010)

Anyone that says pushing across the street is NEVER appropriate obviously does not plow in the middle of a city with alternate parking.


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## jhenderson9196 (Nov 14, 2010)

I was the head of public works for 2 years, until I couldn't stand the politics of our small town any longer. We had no problem with folks pushing across the street in our rural setting. If you left ANY snow in the road the homeowner got a warning, 2nd offense , $100.00 fine, 3rd offense $500.00 fine. This seemed to work much better than chasing plow drivers. Homeowners policed their own contractors better than we ever could.


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## fiveoboy01 (Aug 18, 2006)

nrplowguy;728547 said:


> in WI you will get a 600 dollar fine and a day in court to tell your reason why you where pushing the snow from where you were plowing across the road and leaving it as a possible hazard


Never heard of that one. I have several properties where I push it across the street and as long as it isn't left ON the street, there are no issues. The police have even told me it is fine to do so, after being called out by a public works department plow driver who had a serious case of PMS.

Homeowners don't own the property between the sidewalk and the curb anyways... Though if someone called to complain, I would find elsewhere to put the snow.

I always clean up any windrows left when I'm done and never leave a mess of snow in the street.


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## Avitare (Sep 22, 2007)

Fello Michigan resident
Think we have a State law that prohibits plowing across roads (across any traffic lanes)
Any accident causes by a private plow going into a road (not even across the road), holds the contractor responsible

I read that a long time ago

Also found out that strobe lights are 'permitted' and not required. (but can only be amber)
tc


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## dpglandscapes (Nov 17, 2010)

there is one guy that pushes everything from his long driveway across the state road that i plow. It gets to the point were the combo trucks ask me to take the backhoe and come at the pile head on and push it back, its a wicked pain especially when were shelfing and pushing back, so i make sure that on the way back if front of that driveway me and the combo burry the end of his driveway. I mean i have personal driveways to that i need to push across the street but i tell my brother to drive the snow as far back as he can, i just dont see y this guy cant


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