Shoveling East Dulwich

[JS33]

In addition to being loads of fun to play in and quite pretty, the snow may make the neighbourhood quite dangerous if it ices over, especially for the elderly and others who are mobility impaired. See http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,580870,page=2. If you have time over the next few days, are physically able, and have or can borrow a shovel from a neighbour or nearby business, please think about clearing a bit of the pavement near where you live, which might prevent the neighbourhood from turning into the ice rink we had a few weeks ago.

I've spent a couple hours today shoveling a (sadly, very narrow) path along Gowlett Road and will be back out in a bit to finish the street. If anyone nearby happens to own a proper snow shovel and would be willing to lend it out, please PM me -- the garden-variety makes for a much harder job!

[Dr De Soto]

I fully endorse this, shovel away any loose snow or slush before it turns to an ice rink.

[pebbles]

Once i've shovelled should I then put salt down to stop it icing over or is that pointless? Thanks

[JS33]

Disclaimer that I'm not an expert on snow/ice, but here are my thoughts. Salt is a very effective de-icer, but it has some drawbacks, because it's not great for the environment, metal or shoe leather. Growing up we would sometimes sprinkle a bit of kitty litter (sand) on the pavement after shoveling, which helps with traction, although it doesn't actually melt any snow.

That said, I don't think sprinkling pavement-clearing-sized quantities of salt probably make much difference to the environment, vs. on miles of highway, kitty litter is also awful for leather shoes. I clearly need to just buy a pair of wellies!

[KidKruger]

are you the lady down gowlett road clearing snow on the pavement who I offered the chance to come and do outside my house on Crystal Palace Rd ?

you were doing a fine job !!

[Alec John Moore]

you can offer your shovel for loan on www.streetbank.com

I seem to be the only one who clears the snow done my street so it makes me wonder how useful my efforts are. I did make a start on it today and then it snowed again! I'll give it a go again tomorrow if fresh falls of snow are not forecast.

[Jeremy]

If anybody can lend me a shovel (Ivanhoe Rd) please send me a PM! Thanks.

[Marmora Man]

Pathway cleared last night for my corner of Marmora & Scutari and junction gritted this morning also as grit lorries do not visit the side streets.

Almost got involved in "Grit Wars" tho' when picking up a wheelbarrow worth of grit to spread on the road at Marmora / Scutari junction to ensure cars don't slide & skid into the many parked cars close to the junction. The nearest pile of grit (TY to Southwark for doing this) had been exhausted so I went a bit further which turned out to be, just, in Lewisham, where I was challenged for "stealing" Lewisham grit to use in Southwark!!

[bonniebird]

I live in Lewisham, they havent gritted our road either (Dunoon) its very hilly and dangerous, don't know why they don't do it. I went out and did the front of our house, the pavemnet, my shovel is a narrow one though, so I didn't do a brillient job, but its better than it was (tu)

[JS33]

Thanks to an hour of help from a neighbour, we now have a narrow, crooked path down the length of Gowlett! No grit, though, as there isn't a grit bank nearby and I don't have either a wheelbarrow or a car to fetch/steal any from Lewisham or anywhere else.

Jeremy, I hope you found a shovel (I borrowed one from the local pub), and I'm so glad to hear others are doing what they can as well. I'll do it again next time, and possibly also try to tackle one of the more heavily-used paths around, like the one through Goose Green, especially if I can find a proper snow shovel.

[bonniebird]

I need a snow shovel too, weirdly I quite enjoyed it :-$

[karter]

Pouring hot water on the pavement is a bad idea as it will freeze further down the line and somebody may break something.

[strawberry]

Yes I agree.

Just use a shovel.

Quite rewarding and a bit of exercise.

(tu)

[Eileen]

Alec John Moore Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I seem to be the only one who clears the snow done

> my street so it makes me wonder how useful my

> efforts are. I did make a start on it today and

> then it snowed again! I'll give it a go again

> tomorrow if fresh falls of snow are not forecast.

it is really worthwhile to clear the snow even if it snows again. If the snow has been cleared once it means that if it snows again it sometimes doesn?t lie so much. Even if it does, it is much easier to clear as it hasn?t got the hard ice under it. So the best approach is to try to clear the snow as soon after it has fallen as possible - even during a snow fall if you aren?t going to be around for a long time afterwards. I think I am the only person who clears in front of my house in my street. I keep hoping others will take the hint, especially where there are children in the house - good exercise for everyone, and good role models for simple easy ways to think about other people. Thrilled to hear of the snow clearing in Gowlett Rd ? just round the corner from here. Great work!

If this goes on, and certainly for next winter, can we lobby for grit distribution so we can scatter it ourselves on the roads? They are skating rinks already and I fell yesterday crossing the street outside my house.

[Penguin68]

Where do you all clear the snow too? - into the street (road) simply adds to the driving dangers, into your own garden (if you have one) is possible but a huge effort over walls etc., into someone else's pavement space hardly helps - many pavements are not really wide enough to have a snow mound and a cleared space. I ended up piling a lot onto my daughter's car which I know won't be drivem until there's a thaw - but that's hardly a commonplace solution available to us all.

The Canadian requirement which has been discussed assumes a very different street topology than what we have in ED I'm guessing.

[Marmora Man]

P68: It's easy - you clear a lane about two shovels wide and throw the snow / ice to the wall / garden side of the path so as not to block the gutters. It's not necessary to clear every iota of snow away - just aim to make a safe, ice free pathway.

[bonniebird]

Marmora Man Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> P68: It's easy - you clear a lane about two

> shovels wide and throw the snow / ice to the wall

> / garden side of the path so as not to block the

> gutters. It's not necessary to clear every iota of

> snow away - just aim to make a safe, ice free

> pathway.

Agreed

[Marcus]

I think it's absolutely fantastic that people are showing such initiative and clearing the snow from the front of their houses. If only that spirit could be applied to so many other aspects of our broken society. Unfortunately, I've been unable to participate because it's a bit nippy out and I have a sore arm. But well done everybody.

[MitchK]

Good for you. This is what the Big Society is all about. We shouldn't expect the government or council to do everything for us all the time. If 50% of people cleared the patch in front of the house, it would make a big difference.

[JS33]

I very much second the advice to shovel early, if you're going to do it at all. I wish I'd done it right when it stopped falling, or while it was still coming down, even if it would have meant a second pass, because it's so much easier before the snow gets packed down. By yesterday afternoon it was already turning to ice, and I'd say it's pretty much an impossible job to shovel now (although there may be another chance if it thaws a bit).

Is anyone interested in being part of a slightly more organised collective effort next time, for instance meeting up to shovel each other's roads or to clear major thoroughfares that no one necessarily lives on, like the Goose Green path? Although I'm happy to keep doing what I can on my own, I have to say that the most pleasant part of the experience was having a neighbour come out to help. Yes, believe it or not, that beat the many people who invited me over to shovel their own walks, which just made me feel like a complete idiot for bothering at all.