Helping in the snow
Discussion
Sitting here feeling guilty because I can hear a neighbour shovelling snow off the hill outside and another wheel spinning. But should I feel guilty?
I would normally go out and help but last year it became my full time job and I got no work done ( I work from home). This year I have consciously decided to resist becoming an unpaid council employee for the week. I live on a cul-de-sac hill, just at the point where it gets steep enough for any snow and ice to stop people getting up the hill witgh resultant spinning wheels. I ended up pushing , shovelling and gritting all week and then find out that the people were just 'popping to see what the snow looks like on the golf couse' or 'going out to get away from the wife'.
FFS stay at home. You don't need to go out and I am not helping you do it, and neither is my OH who did her back in pushing a neighbours large vauxhall up the hill so he could pop to the golf club bar for a lunchtime sniffter.
rallycross said:
Sounds like you are in a bit of a unique spot where you are, I always help people who are stuck as I hope the same will happen to us next time we get stuck.
I once got stuck on 31st Dec on a hill road in the middle of nowhere (on way home) and I really thought I was in trouble, even though I had a shovel I couldnt get it out and was on my own.
The snow had been blown across the field and was exiting via a gated entrance so I'd suddenly hit 3 foot of snow across the road whereas everywhere else it was only a few inches. Was contemplating walking back to the nearest village (3 miles) when a load of hill walkers appeared from nowhere and helped me dig/push it out! What a bit of luck that was.
Yeah most of my neighbours are older or own 4X4, I just wish they would keep their journies out to the critical ones. They tend also not to be the most confident or competent drivers on snow (think rev the arse off it stylie), not helped by the builders leaving a skip on the hill so if it starts to go they are inclined to give up and roll back rather than keep going risk the back end sliding into the skip.I once got stuck on 31st Dec on a hill road in the middle of nowhere (on way home) and I really thought I was in trouble, even though I had a shovel I couldnt get it out and was on my own.
The snow had been blown across the field and was exiting via a gated entrance so I'd suddenly hit 3 foot of snow across the road whereas everywhere else it was only a few inches. Was contemplating walking back to the nearest village (3 miles) when a load of hill walkers appeared from nowhere and helped me dig/push it out! What a bit of luck that was.
Doniger said:
Cogcog said:
Sitting here feeling guilty because I can hear a neighbour shovelling snow off the hill outside and another wheel spinning. But should I feel guilty?
I would normally go out and help but last year it became my full time job and I got no work done ( I work from home). This year I have consciously decided to resist becoming an unpaid council employee for the week. I live on a cul-de-sac hill, just at the point where it gets steep enough for any snow and ice to stop people getting up the hill witgh resultant spinning wheels. I ended up pushing , shovelling and gritting all week and then find out that the people were just 'popping to see what the snow looks like on the golf couse' or 'going out to get away from the wife'.
FFS stay at home. You don't need to go out and I am not helping you do it, and neither is my OH who did her back in pushing a neighbours large vauxhall up the hill so he could pop to the golf club bar for a lunchtime sniffter.
I'm in a very similar situation to you, except my road isn't a dead end - and it's very steep. I spent ages out there last year helping people out for the sake of it - didn't expect anything in return but of the dozen or so cars I dug out only one driver even said thank you.I would normally go out and help but last year it became my full time job and I got no work done ( I work from home). This year I have consciously decided to resist becoming an unpaid council employee for the week. I live on a cul-de-sac hill, just at the point where it gets steep enough for any snow and ice to stop people getting up the hill witgh resultant spinning wheels. I ended up pushing , shovelling and gritting all week and then find out that the people were just 'popping to see what the snow looks like on the golf couse' or 'going out to get away from the wife'.
FFS stay at home. You don't need to go out and I am not helping you do it, and neither is my OH who did her back in pushing a neighbours large vauxhall up the hill so he could pop to the golf club bar for a lunchtime sniffter.
A few days into the ridiculous conditions someone driving like a cock slid down the hill, across the road and smashed into one of my parked cars on my driveway, and then had the temerity to get abusive with my family.
It was at that point I decided that everyone can go to hell - I'm helping NOBODY this year.
Munter said:
Cogcog said:
I see that 'Golf Club' man has moved his car off his steep drive and left it at the bottom of the hill ready for a run at it.
Does your phone happen to capture video?... Yesterday he went home and took his wife's Kompressor which was slightly better in the snow and got him out. We have had another fall overnight, larger than yesterday so how he hopes to get ouit todaty when he couldn't yesterday God only knows.
OK, relented and helped a neighbour going to Luton airport dig out with the assitance of the dung scraper from the farm. Can't see he will make it frankly as the M1 is partially blocked Jct 28 and he only has 2 hours to do a trip that normally takes him....2 hours. Snow was so heavy that by the time he got out of the road after almost 2 hours digging, you couldn't see where he had been 30 minutes before, and it put 6 inches of snow on his roof in the 2 hours.
Call at about 11am today from my neighbour:
Her; "I have just swept the snow off our step and it looks really powdery. I think if WE (read 'You') moved the snow off my drive (40 yards long and a foot deep in snow, almost 3 feet deep around her car) I could get down to the road and out"
Me: "Why do you want to go out? The roads are all snowed up anyway once you get to the top of the hill, even if you could get up the hill, and then you could be stuck because you won't get back up your steep drive if you go out"
Her: " I need some milk"
Me; "Much easier to walk up to the shop than clear the drive if you just need milk, or do without. Why not get XXXX (16 year old son) to walk to the shop or clear the snow?"
Her: "He's in bed and won't do it"
Me; puts down phone.
Her; "I have just swept the snow off our step and it looks really powdery. I think if WE (read 'You') moved the snow off my drive (40 yards long and a foot deep in snow, almost 3 feet deep around her car) I could get down to the road and out"
Me: "Why do you want to go out? The roads are all snowed up anyway once you get to the top of the hill, even if you could get up the hill, and then you could be stuck because you won't get back up your steep drive if you go out"
Her: " I need some milk"
Me; "Much easier to walk up to the shop than clear the drive if you just need milk, or do without. Why not get XXXX (16 year old son) to walk to the shop or clear the snow?"
Her: "He's in bed and won't do it"
Me; puts down phone.
Edited by Cogcog on Wednesday 1st December 18:55
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