Ethics on clearing neighbor's drive ways and private lane

[TomSeller]

When I lived in another neighborhood in Boston, a guy knocked over my motorcycle with his car. Only damage was a $25 EZPass. He said he'd pay, then started avoiding me then got hostile about it.

Every time it snowed for the next two years, he would laboriously shovel out his space and leave for work. And I would put all the snow back with a snowthrower that moves about 1,800 lbs of snow a minute. I figure he paid that $25 back at about a dollar an hour.....

Two wrongs don't make a right. You did this multiple times over two years?

 

[TugHillDog]

To the OP:

I remember hearing The Mills Brothers sing "you never miss the water til the well runs dry."

Be good to your good neighbors and be indifferent towards the others. I would venture a guess that when the weatherman plays his hand, you might see some milk of human kindness from the previously callous souls.
THEN its time to talk contribution to the highway maintenance fund.

I do the same thing for a short 1/4 mile stretch of dirt road going to seasonal houses. But I'm the LAST one, so the rest of the owners get some for free. But when gravel resurfacing comes, I don't mind asking for contributions when I have the occasion. Calling myself the Self-Appointed Highway Superintendent gives me permission to at least make them aware of the cost on my end. Truly that does not always translate into contributions, but something is better than nothing!

I have on my year-round place several neighbors that I regularly clean out. Some are occasional and I get asked now and again while on the road if I will clean another. I generally will after looking it over to be sure its safe for my equipment. I gladly accept donations, but I also add that I'm not in the business, so accepting money for the job at hand is not the same as taking on a client for the winter!

For your piece of mind, I would let it be known through the "good" neighbors that the freebies are coming to a close and let them do the word-of-mouth advertising through the neighborhood.

Good LUCK!

 

[Garandman]

I have on my year-round place several neighbors that I regularly clean out. Some are occasional and I get asked now and again while on the road if I will clean another. I generally will after looking it over to be sure its safe for my equipment. I gladly accept donations, but I also add that I'm not in the business, so accepting money for the job at hand is not the same as taking on a client for the winter!//

I won't take any donations because I don't want to feel obliged to help them the next time.

 

[TugHillDog]

I won't take any donations because I don't want to feel obliged to help them the next time.

To be completely honest, I have refused a few donations for just that very reason...just felt like more than the job at hand...
You are smart not to become entangled!

 

[2ndhalf]

This is somewhat different than plowing snow but very related.. I once offered to rewire a ladies house who went to my church. Nice older lader and a widow. I made it clear I didn't want paid but also that I wasn't in a hurry and if she wanted it done quick I wasn't the guy. She was fine with it. I did a room at a time on the weekends and sometimes since my kids were still young had to skip weekends due to their activities. They also helped me some. She reimbursed me for parts/supplies and all was good.

About 2/3rds of the way throught the project, enter her male friend who she started dating/seeing. He decided he wanted to become my project manager and start calling me and asking me when I would be done with things and pushing me etc. After about three weeks of that I said, tell you what I have re-wired about 90% of that house I think I'll let you take it from here. This guy was fairly loaded and offered to pay me to finish and I said I wasn't doing it for money... and gave him the name of an electrician I was sure would be glad to finish it up for pay.

 

[David P]

We got a decent amount of snow here in MI earlier this week and I decided to plow out a neighbor that my family is quite friendly with. When I plowed them out a couple weeks ago their 4-year old was watching me in the window from start to finish. I figured I'd see his head pop up in the window this time as well. Sure enough, as soon as I pulled in I could him grinning like a mule eating briars (to borrow a phrase from my dad lol) and flailing his arms all over the place. Not only did I plow the driveway but I used the loader to move most of the snow from the driveway into a huge pile for him and his sister to play on. I got a huge amount of satisfaction just from watching the little guy watching me. It sure made his night, that's for sure.

We make maple syrup so I try to keep the trails through our woods plowed out so the gator doesn't get stuck when we're collecting sap. So after I plowed out my neighbor I went through the woods and cleared the trails. It takes some time as we have over a mile of trails back there. When I got home I noticed that I had a facebook message from his mom.

I opened the message to find a video message from the little guy who was watching me. He very nicely told me how thankful he was the I cleared their driveway and that of the two tractors I drive near their house, that the red one I plow with is his absolute favorite and that he has big plans to buy one when he's older. What a great way to end the night.

I have plowed them out for a few years now and they thank me every time.... but this was something special.

 

[ultrarunner]

About 2/3rds of the way throught the project, enter her male friend who she started dating/seeing. He decided he wanted to become my project manager and start calling me and asking me when I would be done with things and pushing me etc. After about three weeks of that I said, tell you what I have re-wired about 90% of that house I think I'll let you take it from here. This guy was fairly loaded and offered to pay me to finish and I said I wasn't doing it for money... and gave him the name of an electrician I was sure would be glad to finish it up for pay.

This has happened to me... all of a sudden a boyfriend/relative is in the picture with lots of ideas... going to show his lady how it's done... like when I was only mowing and not edging... heck, I was doing it for free so it wouldn't look abandoned...

Anyway... it's always a good time to bow out when an expert arrives on the scene...

 

[ultrarunner]

I opened the message to find a video message from the little guy who was watching me. He very nicely told me how thankful he was the I cleared their driveway and that of the two tractors I drive near their house, that the red one I plow with is his absolute favorite and that he has big plans to buy one when he's older. What a great way to end the night.

I have plowed them out for a few years now and they thank me every time.... but this was something special.

I get along great with kids... always have... when I had a mower route I would have kids just wait for me to show up... sometimes they would have pictures they made and other times just wave.

These are the years that shape them and a little kindness and interest goes a long way...

One of the parents said her child simply will not do anything she tells him to do and wanted to know my secret... I said I almost never tell a child to do anything... I ask... as in asking for help... I say I really could use some help raking or sweeping and they just beam... in part for the attention and in part because they are helping...

I'm sure you will have friends for life... my Japanese friend in Japan it is not what you do for me... it is what you do for the ones I care about... and kids/family would be at the top of the list.

 

[2ndhalf]

.
I opened the message to find a video message from the little guy who was watching me. He very nicely told me how thankful he was the I cleared their driveway and that of the two tractors I drive near their house, that the red one I plow with is his absolute favorite and that he has big plans to buy one when he's older. What a great way to end the night.

I have plowed them out for a few years now and they thank me every time.... but this was something special.

Great story! Goes to show that payment comes in many forms. Smart of that mom to teach the little guy how to say thanks too.

 

[farm boy00]

We got a decent amount of snow here in MI earlier this week and I decided to plow out a neighbor that my family is quite friendly with. When I plowed them out a couple weeks ago their 4-year old was watching me in the window from start to finish. I figured I'd see his head pop up in the window this time as well. Sure enough, as soon as I pulled in I could him grinning like a mule eating briars (to borrow a phrase from my dad lol) and flailing his arms all over the place. Not only did I plow the driveway but I used the loader to move most of the snow from the driveway into a huge pile for him and his sister to play on. I got a huge amount of satisfaction just from watching the little guy watching me. It sure made his night, that's for sure.

We make maple syrup so I try to keep the trails through our woods plowed out so the gator doesn't get stuck when we're collecting sap. So after I plowed out my neighbor I went through the woods and cleared the trails. It takes some time as we have over a mile of trails back there. When I got home I noticed that I had a facebook message from his mom.

I opened the message to find a video message from the little guy who was watching me. He very nicely told me how thankful he was the I cleared their driveway and that of the two tractors I drive near their house, that the red one I plow with is his absolute favorite and that he has big plans to buy one when he's older. What a great way to end the night.

I have plowed them out for a few years now and they thank me every time.... but this was something special.

Should let the kid come out and let them drive. That would send him through the roof.