I used to clear snow with the FEL and a rear blade. Took hours to clear a tenth of a mile if the drifts were bad, which they usually are.
This past winter I bought a 51" 3ph blower. I can now clear the drive in 15 minutes, have no banks on the edge of the drive, and chew through the deepest of drifts with no problems. As for looking over my shoulder, I'd have to do the same if I was using the rear blade or FEL as the blade is behind me, and I'm going in reverse just as much as going forward while doing loader work. I'd rather have to crane around for 15 minutes than switch back and forth from forward to reverse for three hours.
I haven't ever used a front mounted blower. I imagine they are pretty darn cool, but for the money spent I'm in love with my rear mounted unit.