Ethics on clearing neighbor's drive ways and private lane

[aczlan]

Had the tractor out today plowing my driveway, my neighbor was out trying to shovel out 6" of wet heavy slush in her 100 foot driveway. 3 or 4 passes and I had it cleared for her. Not planning to make a habit of it, but today's snow was exceptional, and a heart attack waiting to happen!

I did that for several neighbors. The plow bank was close to a foot thick, the rest was a little deeper, but not as packed.
One had shoveled our their driveway by hand, I pushed out the banks on each side and the turnaround.
Another neighbor has a plow, but it apparently broke on Sunday.
Another doesn't have a plow or a snowblower, he usually just drives over the snow.
Another has a snowblower, but he leaves work around 4am and doesn't get home till after 5.
All in all, I had a good time and got the front mount snowblower on the tractor well tested...

Aaron Z

 

[City Farmer]

I always help where I can but refuse to be taken advantage of by anyone. About 14yrs ago my neighbor was bragging about how he doesn't do outside work and spent $30k on landscaping. To this day, the cheapskate won't buy a snowblower. I would wait until he was about half done and spent 2hrs shoveling, then start my blower and finish in 15min. I'd wave, put it away and close the garage door. If they have the means to buy a 1/2 million dollar home, they can afford to pay someone to clear the snow or buy a tractor to do it themselves. Your being taken advantage of. They need to learn the value of a good friend/neighbor, don't mistake kindness for weakness.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I would wait until he was about half done and spent 2hrs shoveling, then start my blower and finish in 15min.

So you do half his driveway for him, is that what I read here? If so, why?

 

[aczlan]

So you do half his driveway for him, is that what I read here? If so, why?

I read it as he blows his own driveway in 15 mins after the neighbor spent 3 hours hand shoveling theirs

Aaron Z

 

[City Farmer]

So you do half his driveway for him, is that what I read here? If so, why?

I do mine and a couple other neighbors all the time. He's a nice enough guy but I refuse to do his snow. I'll go around his side walk on my way to someone else's house. He's one of those guys that tells you he doesn't need a self propelled lawn mower. But the next time you talk to him, he wants to try your zero turn on his lawn. The best is him saying "shoveling is good exercise". The winters of 14 & 15 were brutal around here, he got a lot of exercise.

 

[TheMan419]

I am surprised at how much attention this thread has gotten. It seems to me the ethics is clear. If you are not contracted to do it, do it if you want to. If you don't want to do it.... don't. If my neighbor randomly showed up and cleaned my drive you bet there would be payback. Either I would get his the next time or drop of a six pack, or a pie or something.... not just ignore it.

What is with people these days?

 

[lilranch2001]

I have always helped my neighbors out
On one neighbor that is somewhat anti social, never really said thank you or f off, or anything throughout the year I always helped him out, one day he came home from work, as I was plowing, drove in his driveway right past me, and went into the house.
That was the last time I helped him
I still help everyone else

 

[cat fever]

I think the ethical thing here;
The neighbor getting the help should at least say thanks and offer to pay something. Those doing the work can take the money or say one day I might need help don't worry about it. But like lilranch, if that happened to me it would be the last time.

 

[2ndhalf]

Funny a year and a half ago I lived at another address and plowed most of the people on my street if I had time, one widow every time. Now I live by my father in law (Farmer) and I have to tell him to stop plowing my drive.. I like to do it and I don't want rocks in my yard. He had a 70hp IH and keeps getting gravel in my yard.

He is just trying to pay it forward because he keeps saying it will be my turn some day. He doesn't realize it but I would plow him even if he wasn't my FIL just for being old and a veteran. He is old school though and doesn't want any cherity. He has done enough to help me and my wife that he will never have to worry about snow again.

My rule for neighbors was that I would do them if I had time, I two widows who told me no hurry and I would get them as soon as I could and they were ok with that. I never expected pay though they would sometimes pay something. Funny that the older ones were more likely to offer $$ than the younger neighbors. I also had a neihbor pay it back to me when he came with his big IH with a blower, one of the few years that I was without a tractor or snow blower. I thanked him and gave him some money and offered him some diesel I had in a tank. Was kind of nice to have a neighbor help me for a change, kind of hard to let him.

 

[mark02tj]

When I lived in the city and had a city-sized lot (35' wide, 80' deep - no driveway, garage access in the alley) I used to just shovel my walk and the walk of the widow next door to me. It took me less than 10 minutes to do both. She couldn't actually get out of the house, but I wanted to make sure that her family could get in to bring groceries, etc.

One year, one of the neighbors bought a big 8hp, 2 stage self propelled snow blower. He wanted to put it to use so he did the public sidewalk on both sides of the street for the entire block!! :thumbsup: The weirdo neighbor across the street from me called the police on him for disturbing her snow!! :confused2: Cops came and told him not to do her walk in front of her house any more. Next snowfall came and he went up and down the street but turned off the impeller in front of her house. Looked pretty funny with all the snow cleared except her house and two tire tracks running through it! :laughing: