OT - Snow

[purplepoe]

Just got back in from the first of what looks to be many shoveling sessions.

Anyone have an good (or bad) stories about the snow?

I don't know if anyone else lives in a townhouse with head in parking in front of the houses but I do.

And it's amazing how idiotic some people are. They shovel their cars out by piling snow behind or next to their neighbor's cars!

Anyway, just thought it might be fun to hear about other stories during this insane amount of snowfall.

PP

[HoustonRaven]

Just got back in from the first of what looks to be many shoveling sessions.

Anyone have an good (or bad) stories about the snow?

I don't know if anyone else lives in a townhouse with head in parking in front of the houses but I do.

And it's amazing how idiotic some people are. They shovel their cars out by piling snow behind or next to their neighbor's cars!

Anyway, just thought it might be fun to hear about other stories during this insane amount of snowfall.

PP

I was always amused but the numerous, disgusting lawn chairs that would be left behind, marking someone's dug out spot. As if other folks in the neighborhood didn't dig out a spot themselves and they had the only parking spot in town.

I used to move the chairs and watch the owners of said chairs got bat shit crazy I took their spot when there were 10 other ones right around the corner.

But hey, I also enjoy driving slow in the fast lane just to piss off other drivers.

Might explain why I am not married come to think of it ....

[RavenScallywag]

I'm a young homeowner...My wife and I owned a house in Hanover, PA together for a year, we've been in Westminster about 2 and a half years...

After this year, I'm really starting to weight the cost versus benefit of getting a snowblower. Shovelling wasn't so bad the past two winters, but this has been absolutely ridiculous. I luckily had a neighbor down the street help me finish off my front walkways as he was trying to work his way up to one of his buddies houses up the street from me. This did take me back to the storm we got in 94 or 96? My brothers and I were still in grade school, and when you get this much snow shoveled, you get some GREAT fortmaking piles.

It's a shame my son is only 21 months...Really wanted to start teaching him the art of snowball wars.

[POPSinPA]

All I gotta say is I'm glad there is global warming or this could be really bad.

And yes the snow blower is a good investment. At my age it's a necessity.

[Mista T]

How's up going up north? The snow was coming down like a blizzard a few hours ago, accumulated about 3", and abruptly came to a dead stop. No snow for about 2 hours now .... is it over?

[Drkraven]

I live in a townhouse and its getting ridiculous. Some of my neighbors have lost their ever loving minds, my next door neighbor cussed out my teen-aged son yesterday because someone snow blowed his wife in and our machine was down at the time :eyes: Thank goodness we got it back up and he is not taking care of his spot.
Right now we have an extra parking space and it is 4 feet high right now, we are also blowing snow into my husbands pick-up bed and dumping it along the rail road tracks. We also piled snow on the common areas, dumped it down the storm drain, its now full.
We have an unwritten rule--You clear it, its your spot.

We have always had a blower and 4x4 because I am an RN and my husband a RRT/PA so we needed to get to work no matter what. I LOVE being a stay at home mom and not needing to go out in this crap anymore.

My son is now clearing a neighbor out who is heading into work early, she is a Respiratory Therapist .

[Drkraven]

How's up going up north? The snow was coming down like a blizzard a few hours ago, accumulated about 3", and abruptly came to a dead stop. No snow for about 2 hours now .... is it over?
WBAL just said the storm is intensifying, some upper level warm are made it change over south of Baltimore. Its snowing like a fiend North and freakin West of the City!:ralph:

[RavensDomination]

But hey, I also enjoy driving slow in the fast lane just to piss off other drivers.

You're that guy... :grbac:


Might explain why I am not married come to think of it ....

Why am I not surprised...

[Mista T]

I also enjoy driving slow in the fast lane just to piss off other drivers.

There used to be a guy just like you, who would play out his passive aggressiveness by going 55 in the fast lane of I-495. He would call in to DC area traffic report shows to brag about slowing down the traffic. Local drivers got furious about his antics and some allegedly offered a bounty.

One day, another driver shot & killed him. The shooter was never found, even though there were dozens of witnesses. True story.

[RavenScallywag]

How's up going up north? The snow was coming down like a blizzard a few hours ago, accumulated about 3", and abruptly came to a dead stop. No snow for about 2 hours now .... is it over?

Consider this the "eye of the storm"...what's coming now is blowing snow and more heavy fast snowfall.

And my wife says there's already another storm expected on Monday! The winter that will never end...

[Beerracuda]

I live in a townhouse, but most of my neighbors have been very friendly during this whole ordeal. The community even brought in a bobcat and plowed out vacant parking spots after the last snow.

Yesterday, however, I spotted a guy sitting on a lawn chair in his parking spot. I casually asked him "are you on guard duty or something?", to which I didn't even get a reply, or even an acknowledgment. Him sitting there made absolutely no sense at all, since there were numerous empty plowed out spaces just a short way up the row of homes.

Something tells me this guy was a bit off his rocker.

[mojorob]

Here's a hilarious snow story:

On Jan 31 I slipped on the snow while walking the dog. Landed square on my shoulder. I knew I messed it up,but I was shocked to find out I tore my rotator cuff and will have surgery next Wednesday.

So here I am,delegated to the role of observer during the storm of my lifetime.I am a firefighter and will be unable to work for months. Fortunately,I have great neighbors that are helping my wife dig out. Be safe out there.

[HoustonRaven]

There used to be a guy just like you, who would play out his passive aggressiveness by going 55 in the fast lane of I-495. He would call in to DC area traffic report shows to brag about slowing down the traffic. Local drivers got furious about his antics and some allegedly offered a bounty.

One day, another driver shot & killed him. The shooter was never found, even though there were dozens of witnesses. True story.

Har Har. ;)

I overstated my use of said move for comedic effect. It's not something I do anymore, especially in Texas where I do believe it is a death penalty offense.

[Captain Offense]

I live in Carroll County and my shared-driveway is 1/4 mile one way to the road. I got a blower years ago just to clear the normal stuff. I put it to use numerous times on the day before the Ravens game in December just to make sure I could get out on Sunday. If not for my neighbor and his front end loader, I would be cut off for days. I would highly suggest a blower for normal winters, especially with any shoulder and back aches like me. I was already out this morning to clear the parking area and part of the driveway, but the storm is mocking the efforts. As it looks now, I am locked in until my neighbor brings out his toy.

My wife and I are planning to go to our place in Nags Head for the weekend. That depends on how much the roads are cleared before Friday. If I make it, I will not need my snow blower for a while. I just hope I can get back to the house when we return. Did somebody mention a Monday storm?

[purplepoe]

Wow.

The snow is coming down at a ridiculous pace right now.

PP

[Beerracuda]

Nearly total white-out conditions outside my window right now.

Incredible.

[The Fanatic]

Checking in from Manchester, Carroll County here where we are just getting buried alive!!
I'm not amused anymore!!
This shit is impressive to say the least.
We have a double wide driveway about 65' long on about a 30 degree slope.
It holds 6 cars easily.
Shoveling this monster is not for the faint at heart at all.
The walls along the sides of the driveway are so freakin' high right now from the last go 'round I'm not sure what or where to go with the stuff.
My neiighbor (thank god) is out there with his snow blower giving me a head start as we speak.
That thing is having a hard time getting it over the walls that are already there.
Dude told me since his first path he made it has already snowed another 3 inches in less then an hour.
The real fun part is the giant wall at the bottom that the plow piles in.
With winds picking up now the drifts will be incredible.
There's parts of my 5' high fence in the back yard that I can barely see the top of right now.:bag::bag:

Edit: add-on- Only a small portion of the lamp post head at the bottom of the driveway is visible now.
Shouldn't be too much longer before it is completely sucked up by the fury of mother nature.

[RAVENOUS52]

My boss is pissed off because he was supposed to be attending a weeklong conference in D.C. (his hometown) and had it cancelled due to snow and airport closure.

At the rate things are going, that conference won't be rescheduled until the freakin Ravens are in training camp!

[Greg]

We dug last night and earlier today just to try and keep up. We have gotten another foot or so this time to add to the existing 24-30 inches we got last time.

The snow is so high on the sides of our driveway Amy is having a hard time tossing it up on top when she is helping. I have to wind up with each shovel full to get it over the 5+high foot walls. We have dug out the backyard to the grass so the dog can do his business and out to the hot tub to keep the cover clear of the weight of the snow.

You guys with hot tubs, use a snow broom like you would on a car and get your covers cleared of snow. The heat from the tub is just enough to slowly melt the snow enough to make it very heavy with moisture. If they start to cave they will be useless soon enough and if they cave in now you have big problems.

Plus, after we get done shoveling out the hot tub is a great place to relax the muscles.

[camdenyard]

Two blizzards in 5 days. Holy shit!

Like others, I am now struggling to pitch snow over 6' walls. My wife has no chance.

Suffice it to say, I'm getting weary of this. Give me 90 degrees and humid any day over this.

[Sephy]

Give me 90 degrees and humid any day over this.

Oh god, no WAY.

[FellsPointRaven]

I'm in my office downtown. I think, along with a few vagrants, I'm the only one in downtown Baltimore today. Walked a mile and a half from my house to get here. Just went out for lunch and it's like The Day After Tomorrow - no traffic and virtually no people.

Can't wait to walk home in a few hours :eyes:

And when I get back I've got to shovel the front of the house and try to see if I can access the roof deck to keep heating exhaust pipe clear and clean off the satellite dish.

We do have reverse angle parking on our street and I have dug the car out twice in last two weeks. Luckily the wife's gone to Tampa and my brother in law has the car, so I don't have to worry about doing it again this week.

[phatboy]

Do not forget your heat pumps guys. Mine was burried and a block of ice. One defrost cycle may not clear it.
I have the blower nozzle vituall pointed straight up and letting the wind carry it over. Something our kicker never figured out. OOOOpps that was indoors wasn't it.
48 total inches up here in Blue Ridge Summit 1300' above sea level.

[FredGrau]

I'm out of toilet paper AND I have to take the Browns to the Super Bowl!!

When I retire and have no parents to take care of, I'm living in Florida during the winter months.

Snow still sucks!!

[The Fanatic]

Give me 90 degrees and humid any day over this.

Rack It!!!:thumbup:

One day if I'm lucky enough I hope to be able to retire someplace where the likelihood of this type of weather happening falls around the same odds of the Browns winning the Superbowl.

Ever since that trip we all took out to Arizona a few years back I have been aiming my sights on out there.

I keep telling the Mrs. that that is where I want to go.
Her response is that she ain't going to Arizona, too freakin' hot.

My response....

I'll call you from there from time to time!!:rocking:

Yup, give me sweating an A/C anyday of the week and twice on Sundays over this shit!!

[RavensDomination]

Man...maybe getting deployed wasn't so bad after all! :D

Although I do feel bad I'm not home to help my wife shovel.

[Drkraven]

Rack It!!!:thumbup:

One day if I'm lucky enough I hope to be able to retire someplace where the likelihood of this type of weather happening falls around the same odds of the Browns winning the Superbowl.

Ever since that trip we all took out to Arizona a few years back I have been aiming my sights on out there.

I keep telling the Mrs. that that is where I want to go.
Her response is that she ain't going to Arizona, too freakin' hot.

My response....

I'll call you from there from time to time!!:rocking:

Yup, give me sweating an A/C anyday of the week and twice on Sundays over this shit!!
IF I could get to the condo in FL, I would so be there. Thinking warm thoughts is not helping.

[purplepoe]

It never ceases to amaze me how dumb people are.

We've got people in our neighborhood who put their trash out Sunday night to be picked up Monday.

Gee, what do you know. It wasn't picked up.

Recycling gets picked up on Thursdays.

There are a few bags sitting on top of 10 foot piles of snow.

Unreal!!!

PP

[Mista T]

Rack It!!!:thumbup:

One day if I'm lucky enough I hope to be able to retire someplace where the likelihood of this type of weather happening falls around the same odds of the Browns winning the Superbowl.

Ever since that trip we all took out to Arizona a few years back I have been aiming my sights on out there.

I keep telling the Mrs. that that is where I want to go.
Her response is that she ain't going to Arizona, too freakin' hot.

My response....

I'll call you from there from time to time!!:rocking:

Yup, give me sweating an A/C anyday of the week and twice on Sundays over this shit!!

I agree with your Mrs.

This year is just a freak. What do we average: 18" of snow per year? How much snow did we get last year: 5"? I recall many snow-less winters in Maryland, just a few dousings of freezing rain.

This 90 inch shit is just an aberration! But one thing that you can count in in Phoenix is 110+ degree days every summer. Or, the heat & humidity in the South: I've lived in Alabama & Louisiana, and still spend a lot of time in Texas, Florida and Louisiana, whose heat & humidity don't get worse than ours, but instead of a one week 90+ degree heat wave for a week, it's like that for six months!

[Dave Lap]

I'm snowed in in Severna Park at the house of my female friend Sandy. (Things could be worse :) Her daughter is studying marine biology in the islands of the Turks and Caicos. In her last communication she told us that she was "a little chilly" after her afternoon of snorkeling. She skyped us while dressed in a bikini.

AT least we have power. Last storm the power went out on us. We built a roaring fire, cooked on a campstove, and slept under like 98 blankets.

Tonight she announced that she is going to start drinking.

[Ravenfanmike]

Tonight she announced that she is going to start drinking.

What took so long.

[Jessterr]

[QUOTE=The Fanatic;197553]Rack It!!!:thumbup:

Ever since that trip we all took out to Arizona a few years back I have been aiming my sights on out there.

I keep telling the Mrs. that that is where I want to go.
Her response is that she ain't going to Arizona, too freakin' hot.


Take her up to the high country around the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon. It's not hot up there due to the elevation, and it's the most beautiful place God ever created. If she sees that and doesn't change her mind, it's hopeless.

[3RDRowRaven]

I drove into work yesterday (Downtown) with my 4x4 Dodge Ram and made it in OK.
But afterwork yesterday I descided to stay Downtown at the Renaissance Hotel, 2 blocks from my job. There was about 6 of us employess that stayed there and my Boss pulled out his corporate american express card. Free room, free meal and free drinks!

[Mista T]

Take her up to the high country around the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon. It's not hot up there due to the elevation, and it's the most beautiful place God ever created. If she sees that and doesn't change her mind, it's hopeless.

And, at the moment, Baltimore's 80" is the second largest snowfall this season among US cities. Topping the list, with 100+", is Flagstaff, Arizona, gateway to the Grand Canyon in the heart of Arizona's high country.:grbac:

[braven98]

Im loving it...wish it would snow like this on a weekly basis. Hate any temp over 50

[RAVENOUS52]

Im loving it...wish it would snow like this on a weekly basis. Hate any temp over 50

Who are you, that Viking dude who hangs out in the endzone at the Metrodome?

[braven98]

Who are you, that Viking dude who hangs out in the endzone at the Metrodome?

now thats funny..i just like cold temps..give me a sweat shirt and im happy. My heat is on 64 and my electic bill in under 100...in the summer its about 400.

[Beerracuda]

I'll tell you this much: I just got my car out and drove down the road to the liquor store. Total Kudos to the roads crews out there, as the roads are down to bare pavement in most places. Even the side streets. Of course, they're not as wide as normal, but still very very drivable.

Of course, this is in the Parkville/Hamilton area, so it might not be as good elsewhere.

[Dave Lap]

It never ceases to amaze me how dumb people are.

We've got people in our neighborhood who put their trash out Sunday night to be picked up Monday.

Gee, what do you know. It wasn't picked up.

Recycling gets picked up on Thursdays.

There are a few bags sitting on top of 10 foot piles of snow.

Unreal!!!

PP

I know. While on the subject of DUMB things people do in the snow.....During the last snow I was watching live local news as they interviewed residents clearing out their walks and driveways. Right after talking to two guys working a snow blower one guy sticks his hand in-yes that's right-his hand in- to clear a clog and then says in disbelief as he yanks his hand out "I just chopped off two of my fingers!"

Yep. Saw it happen live on the news.

[Jeremiah W]

I know. While on the subject of DUMB things people do in the snow.....During the last snow I was watching live local news as they interviewed residents clearing out their walks and driveways. Right after talking to two guys working a snow blower one guy sticks his hand in-yes that's right-his hand in- to clear a clog and then says in disbelief as he yanks his hand out "I just chopped off two of my fingers!"

Yep. Saw it happen live on the news.

That was the dumbest thing I ever saw, and it happened on live tv.

I was like he is using his hand???!!!

[Dave Lap]

You saw it too? That guy was just not thinking....All it takes is a few seconds of dumb and you're screwed for life. I play guitar so maybe the thought of losing fingers freaks me out a just a little more than usual. All I know is I had a hard time forgetting about that. :179421:

[Rza52]

I was always amused but the numerous, disgusting lawn chairs that would be left behind, marking someone's dug out spot. As if other folks in the neighborhood didn't dig out a spot themselves and they had the only parking spot in town.

I used to move the chairs and watch the owners of said chairs got bat shit crazy I took their spot when there were 10 other ones right around the corner.

But hey, I also enjoy driving slow in the fast lane just to piss off other drivers.

Might explain why I am not married come to think of it ....

The spots in front of my house are meticulously maintained and are for me and my wife and kids. i leave chairs behind because people have no consideration and need the reminder that obviously they should not park in front of my house in a spot that I worked very hard maintaining while they probably sat on their ass. If you moved my chairs and took my spot I'd break your fucking knee caps. Want my address?

[Losac]

The spots in front of my house are meticulously maintained and are for me and my wife and kids. i leave chairs behind because people have no consideration and need the reminder that obviously they should not park in front of my house in a spot that I worked very hard maintaining while they probably sat on their ass. If you moved my chairs and took my spot I'd break your fucking knee caps. Want my address?

http://www.joeydevilla.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/internet-tough-guy-magazine.gif

[Drkraven]

The spots in front of my house are meticulously maintained and are for me and my wife and kids. i leave chairs behind because people have no consideration and need the reminder that obviously they should not park in front of my house in a spot that I worked very hard maintaining while they probably sat on their ass. If you moved my chairs and took my spot I'd break your fucking knee caps. Want my address?
So you have met my dumbass neighbor :grbac:

[purplepoe]

So you have met my dumbass neighbor :grbac:

It's shocking to me that anyone would think of parking in a spot that someone spent hours clearing out.

Well, I guess it's not really shocking anymore.

PP

[Drkraven]

It's shocking to me that anyone would think of parking in a spot that someone spent hours clearing out.

Well, I guess it's not really shocking anymore.

PP
This is the same guy that cussed out a teenager and everyone is ready to bury him in a snow drift--it only takes 1 to unite the rest. :laugh:

[RavensDomination]

With that much snow, taking someone's shoveled out spot is grounds for an ass kicking.

[Dave Lap]

No easy answer to this one, I don't think. On one hand a guys spends lots of effort to clean out the street, but on the other hand it IS a public street.

If there is no where to park what are people supposed to do? Not park anywhere?

If someone does park in "your" spot what do you do? Besides breaking his kneecaps, of course. :grbac:

[HoustonRaven]

The spots in front of my house are meticulously maintained and are for me and my wife and kids. i leave chairs behind because people have no consideration and need the reminder that obviously they should not park in front of my house in a spot that I worked very hard maintaining while they probably sat on their ass. If you moved my chairs and took my spot I'd break your fucking knee caps. Want my address?

:laugh:

Decaf perhaps?

[Beerracuda]

I've never understood the whole "lawn chair in the shoveled out spot" mentality. I understand that people don't want others taking their parking spot that they spent so much time and effort to dig out, but think about it: If someone is Neanderthal enough to park in an obviously shoveled-out parking space, do you really think that a simple lawn chair is going to stop him? The best that could happen is that he wouldn't park there anyway. The worst that could happen is that he not only parks there, but you also lose your lawn chair as well.

Decent people won't park in other people's spots. There's no stopping assholes though.

[HoustonRaven]

The point I was trying to make that, at least in my old neighborhood, everyone had to dig out a spot. As such, there were spots to be had all around the block.

The people placing the chairs and such marking their spot would go ape shit when their one spot was taken all the while 5 other spots in the same area were open.

To some, it didnt matter that there were open spots. They wanted THEIR spot. Neighborly patience, be damned.

[Drkraven]

In my neighborhood, buttheads will move the chairs so a friend of mine has gone so far to put the bag she scoops her 120lb Labs poop in--NO ONE will touch that. She happens to live across the street from a bunch of inconsiderate teenagers and their friends so desperate times take desperate measures. :laugh: I will be so bad when this white death goes away.
Luckily 99% of the neighbors are wonderful and considerate. We actually started taking pick up truck loads of snow to an open field hopefully this helps before Mondays snow.
We still have people that have not dug out their cars--not sure what they are waiting for.

[braven98]

some of our local medias arent to swift,doing live shots in the middle of the road

[Beerracuda]

We still have people that have not dug out their cars--not sure what they are waiting for.

There are a few of those in my neighborhood as well. I'm guessing that the cars in question are either owned by elderly or disabled people who cannot physically shovel themselves out, or it could possibly be a family's second car.

In any case, this much snow is not going away any time soon. If it does, we'll have other problems to deal with. If temps go up drastically one day, there'll be plenty of flooding problems to deal with. First, roads will be flooded from meltwater with no place to go due to blocked storm drains. Then rivers will eventually rise. Ahh, the joys of winter....

I distinctly remember one bad day: January 26, 1978. We had about 6-8" of snow already on the ground. The temp shot up to 60 degrees overnight, and it rained fairly heavily. There was a lot of flooding all around town, as well as our basement, which had at least 2 feet of standing water throughout. Not a pretty sight.

[Drkraven]

You had to mention the "F" word :eek: My entire stair well is entirely full of snow--thats where the drain is.

[Greg]

We've got people in our neighborhood who put their trash out Sunday night to be picked up Monday.
We set ours out Sunday night, along with the recyclables. The recyclables were picked up but not the trash. We left it out and on Tuesday they got the trash.

Of course, in Carroll County we pay for a service and we don't pay if they don't come.