Pushing Snow Across the dirt road and down into the ditch

[puckgrinder85]

Unless there is some other reason not to, I would. We do it around our mailbox so the plow isnt bearing down into the bank trying to push it back and ends up snapping off our mailbox.

 

[paulharvey]

You own to your property corners, ie on many roads ~20 ft from edge of road. The center line thing is for private roads. The state/county/city owns the ROW, and you have the right of access, or at least in Florida. You are allowed to build a driveway for instance, but it must meet there codes/specs because it is on there property. I run into people all the time who complain about grass in "there ditch." And have to explain we only stabalize "our" swale, and dont grass the for residents viewing/mowing pleasure. Im not saying I agree with making someone put in a $4500 driveway for a car port by any means just explaining some of the Why.

 

[DABSGT]

Depends where u live. In my town the state or city can own up to 15 ft in from the curb and your driveway entrance is a right of way. An example would be a neighborhood with sidewalks, technically the sidewalk belongs to the city even though home owner is responsible for maintaining it, clearing snow. In that case especially if the ditch is for drainage it would be a problem. But in most cases the problem comes from inconsiderate plow operators leaving snow on the road causing a hazard.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[aczlan]

You own to your property corners, ie on many roads ~20 ft from edge of road. The center line thing is for private roads. The state/county/city owns the ROW, and you have the right of access, or at least in Florida. You are allowed to build a driveway for instance, but it must meet there codes/specs because it is on there property. I run into people all the time who complain about grass in "there ditch." And have to explain we only stabalize "our" swale, and dont grass the for residents viewing/mowing pleasure. Im not saying I agree with making someone put in a $4500 driveway for a car port by any means just explaining some of the Why.

Depends on the state then. Here in NY our deed shows that we own to the middle of the state highway that goes across the front of the property. IIRC when I was working for a surveyor in GA it was the same way in some places (some subdivisions had the road deeded separately IIRC).

Aaron Z

 

[Karl2]

It seems awfully odd to worry about how much snow ends up in the ditch if it doesn't obscure visibility. That's where it will all end up anyway. I wonder if large snow berms caused the ditch to backup during the melt, and partially wash out some roads.

That is the only reason I can think of.

 

[cqaigy2]

Unless there is some other reason not to, I would. We do it around our mailbox so the plow isnt bearing down into the bank trying to push it back and ends up snapping off our mailbox.

On our road, we used use 30-50 gallon barrels half full of rock with the post of the mailbox stuck inside. So when, not if, the snow plow knocked them down, you could "easily" put them back up. Looked like a toxic waste dump all along the hi-way though.:laughing:

 

[5picker]

I don't know what the laws are in my county but I can tell you around here, both the county and the state use front end loaders to push the snow into and across the ditches on both sides of the roads.
They take down fences and mailboxes when it gets deep enough they can't see 'em.
They often pile it up 20' high along the side of the roads.
I'm not guessing they will ever get after me when I push some snow across the road.

 

[Tig]

Back when we used to get big snow, the plows would wing the banks back and make the road look as wide as a four lane highway. Visitors from town would always ditch their cars not realizing that in winter the road was as narrow as it was in the summer.

 

[dave1949]

He lives 2 miles away, and doesn't own the land across the road from you? WTH? Could senile dementia or Alzheimer's be involved?

 

[daugen]

I'm still amazed that a guy who lives two miles away from you decided to give you this civic lecture.
Maybe he was a supervisor wannabe...

Snow is water, and we can't let run off go on our neighbor's property unchecked. We are responsible for our water...
Seems seriously stupid to worry about when like us stuff melts pretty quickly, but if that snow stayed there for months on end,
it's going to attract attention by people who look for these "opportunities to be of service".... or to be a PITA.

 

[dave1949]

I'm pretty sure, as has been posted, we aren't to push snow across a road here. I don't think it's legal to even drop your plow on a public road when driving.

I don't, but it's more because there is a low rise in one direction that limits driver's sight distance. I wouldn't want to be blocking the road if a car or truck comes over that rise, especially if the road is slick, which it normally is if I am out plowing the driveway. Normally, a car could stop, heavy truck--maybe. If they can't, or panic and wreck, guess who is going to be blamed? I just don't want the risk of that.

I clear what I can to the edge of the road, then back through what is left and push it up the driveway and stack it off to the side. I can do that and clean in front of the mailbox staying in one lane.

 

[PILOON]

Think of it. The ditch is the best place for the snow as when spring thaws come it is where it should be IN TH DITCH!
Around here they purposely overplow the ditches with a side wing so that it melts there otherwise with the freeze thaws that occur overnight driving would be very dangerous.
Even on main highways the public works were out last week pushing holes in the banks because rain/freezing rain was forecast.

 

[PILOON]

Think of it. The ditch is the best place for the snow as when spring thaws come it is where it should be IN TH DITCH!
Around here they purposely overplow the ditches with a side wing so that it melts there otherwise with the freeze thaws that occur overnight driving would be very dangerous.
Even on main highways the public works were out last week pushing holes in the banks because rain/freezing rain was forecast.

 

[D7E]

Think of it. The ditch is the best place for the snow as when spring thaws come it is where it should be IN TH DITCH!
Around here they purposely overplow the ditches with a side wing so that it melts there otherwise with the freeze thaws that occur overnight driving would be very dangerous.
Even on main highways the public works were out last week pushing holes in the banks because rain/freezing rain was forecast.

But here we spend a large part of the budget digging it out of ditches just before thaw to speed field run off and prevent flooding . It's a big sin for any of our guys to push into a ditch . Snow plows travel fast to wing over the ditch into the field .

 

[Karl2]

There are still cities and towns where homeowners are responsible for clearing and cleaning the sidewalk bordering their properties? On my street there is a strip of grass lined with several large elm trees between the sidewalk and the curb. I mow and trim the portion in front of my house but that's just because city employees do it only once a month or so and I don't like having a miniature jungle in front of my home. Even when they do it they don't use weed whackers so the base of the trees look unkempt.

 

[Karl2]

Think of it. The ditch is the best place for the snow as when spring thaws come it is where it should be IN TH DITCH!

It could be because of road salt, or the concern that someone would take to systematically pushing snow into the ditch which would over the winter create a miniature iceberg that would clog meltwater running down that ditch and flood surrounding area. If the area in question happens to be farmed for crops spongy soil could delay accessabilty for agricultural purposes.

 

[CJONE]

There are people that are busybodies that have nothing better to do. I would never plow across a highway but a small backcountry dirt road with little to no traffic I have no problem with it as long as it does not cause any flooding or problems. Now if you cause a accident or your moved snow does, well it would not be a good thing. Use common sence any you will have no problems. CJ

 

[NS Gearhead]

I'm lucky to live on a cul-de sac. I do put some on in and push to the edge... and I'm sure to clean up very well when I'm done. It has a 10' drop so no lack of room to put snow!

 

[Gary Fowler]

It could be because of road salt, or the concern that someone would take to systematically pushing snow into the ditch which would over the winter create a miniature iceberg that would clog meltwater running down that ditch and flood surrounding area. If the area in question happens to be farmed for crops spongy soil could delay accessabilty for agricultural purposes.[/QUOTE
I think you may have hit upon the neighbor who suddenly says no snow in my field. Salt contamination would kill the ground and anything in it so I could understand his rant if one year you had salted the driveway then pushed it into his field so the following year nothing grew there.
I talked to one Canadian from Nova Scotia who said the city used to haul the snow to the harbor and dump it then EPA Canada said no more it is contaminating the ocean.

 

[gssixgun]

I live on a Private road, in fact the road is actually deeded to my property, looking at the road Maintenance agreements that everyone (5) have signed over the last 40 years of the road being here is rather interesting.. The agreements of course favor my property which is also the farthest one back, it basically says everyone is responsible for any part of the road that touches their property, and that part of the road must be kept clear enough for "Passenger Car" access.. Now being as I am the farthest back and my wife has to get out each morning guess who actually has to clear the road

Now just recently two of the neighbors who own Bulldozers decided to clear their own drives, the problem comes in that they push from their driveway across the road and into the ditches.. The heavy push right over the culvert might become a problem in the spring but that is their issue until it happens to take out the Culvert (last April).. The bigger problem for me at the moment, is that the Dozer blades cut into the road itself and spread mud and loose gravel across the road which makes it an issue for my blower when the next snowfall happens (tomorrow)..

I try not to be inconsiderate of my neighbors regardless of what they do, I always turn my discharge chute when I get near their drives, even though I do not have to. I clear the entire 1 mile of road and have never asked for a dime, even though legally I could charge each landowner a reasonable fee for clearing their sections... But honestly when somebody pushes across the roadway and makes my "Free" snow removal a harder chore that does kinda piss me off..

To the OP look at it from as many possible angles as you can think of, perhaps there is an issue that you are not seeing