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Do you clean your neighbor's driveway?

  • Yes

    Votes: 91 68.4%
  • No

    Votes: 38 28.6%
  • Only if they pay

    Votes: 4 3.0%

Do you snowblow your neighbor's driveway?

50K views 161 replies 103 participants last post by  Mdjamesd 
#1 ·
I feel like a jerk for even bringing it up, but I've been the guy with a snow blower for over 25 years. In heavy snows where I see my neighbors darn near about to die, leaning on their shovels and looking over here, I always give in and go back out there and help them. Problem is, I'm now 56, with a bad back, operated-on shoulders and a hand that won't close all the way. Additionally, I've had to replace equipment they don't have to purchase, maintain, fuel, or store. Several of them don't mark their driveways with stakes before the storm, so I don't know where I'm going or what I'm into.

Still, when the shift hits the fan, I feel like a heel if I don't go and help everyone. I'm not sure why that is, but I guess it's the way I was raised. My wife tells me to stop, and even gets angry with me for doing it, but I end up doing it regardless. Now I got the Mrs. PO-ed at me on top of it. My wife reminds me -- "they know where the snow blower dealers are, just like you do!" She's a sweet lady, who's just looking out for my old carcass.

Well, this year I bought what I hope will be my last machine. Spent a bundle on it, so it'll probably never snow again. Blacktopped the driveway last year. Now I really don't want to go sucking up gravel in this new machine from the neighboring driveways where they don't bother to sweep the stones even at the end like I used to, so you're going to suck it up and strip the paint.

So what do you guys do? Do you find it a b**ch to just put the machine away and go inside, like I do?


Am I a sap!?
 
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#2 ·
I am in good enough shape still to help my neighbors out. One has offered sweet Bonny and me the use of his house in Myrtle Beach, S.C. we're going to take him up on it. Another neighbor will clean the sidewalk off for us so that is a good thing. There is another neighbor who gives me a gift certificate for $50.00 to a local restaurant. However, I don't feel necessarily beholden to any of my neighbors to do any of their work for them. If they never offered anything or if they didn't thank me I would simply stop but they all seem to show some appreciation. Really, thanks is enough.
If you're doing the work for your neighbors and there is no reciprocity of any kind I would simply do my driveway and sidewalk and go inside. Your wife is thinking right. It's nice to be nice but it's a whole other thing to be taken advantage of.
Just my humble opinion.
 
#4 ·
If you can help great, but don't kill yourself or wear out any more joints or body parts just to be a nice guy. If you end up unable to operate your machine, who's going to bail you out?

I am somewhat older than you are, and have the back problems, knee problems, and others, and by the time I finish my sidewalk and driveway, I'm pooped.

During heavy storms, I have been known to loan the machine to the neighbour so HE can do the work on his driveway.
 
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#7 ·
I have 2 close neighbors.
One is a late 60's lady, I snowblow her driveway but I also take care of the grass and leaves for a reasonable fee.
A few times I've offered to do the snowblowing service free of charge to my other neighbor (late 40's lady with 3 teenager kids) when we have considerable snowfalls and have gotten a NO thanks for an answer.
If I see a neighbor in need of snowblowing, I have the time and they allow me to, I'll be willing to do it free of charge if needed be.
:snow48:
 
#8 ·
After the huge Winter storm here in CT 2 years ago, I helped the neighbor lady clear her driveway. Her husband was underway on a submarine, and she only had a snow shovel. Yeah, they didn't prepare for CT Winters!
I cleared their driveway because the 2 feet of snow that fell would have taken her forever to clear. Our other neighbor was an elderly man and his plow guy didn't show up after 2 days, so I cleared his driveway. Both were very grateful, and that's all the payment I needed!
I certainly didn't make it a habit of clearing the neighborhood driveways every time it snowed, but in an emergency, I'll help my neighbors out.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I think it really depends on the people you are helping.

Do they stay outside and help you clear the snow? Or do they go inside and watch you while you work? Do they offer thanks, or just shrug it off like you owe them something? What about "payment". I know you probably dont ask for anything, but some people give back (baked goods, gift cards, cash etc.) even when they aren't asked.

If they just shrug it off like they expect you to help, then I say f**k 'em and let them suffer. But if they are super thankful and offer goodies as "payment", I'd be tempted to help too.

EDIT: You said you had purchased a new machine for your nicer, clean driveway. Why not use the old one on their driveway, so if you suck up gravel, it wont damage your new, clean machine? Just an idea.

EDIT 2: This past winter, I was the only one who didn't have a snow-blower. I was trying to do mine by hand. All of my neighbors around me had a snow-blower, and not one offered to help. However, I am not one of those people who expects help (in fact, i hate asking for it). It didnt bother me that they didnt offer, and if they did help, I would have surely did something to repay them. Luckily my dad was able to plow my driveway when it got too deep for me to shovel. This year, I bought a blower so I could be a little more self-sufficient.
 
#12 ·
Thought about using the old one, but it's only a year old and it's really a brand new Cub 528 SWE, except for a few scratches inside the impeller area from their driveway. If I keep the old one, in other words, it's costing me the $700 that I would have sold it for, just so I can clean stuff for neighbors and not mess up the new one.


When my father-in-law was living across the street before he died, he was sick and I was mowing their 1.5 acre plus my own. The neighbors all saw it and did nothing to help -- similar to your situation with the busted blower and no one jumped in to lend a hand.


Thing is, the folks right next door are a sweet young couple, and she did come help me mow my bank once right after I had shoulder surgery. It was great of her. I just don't know how much I should continue to do anymore. I'm on the fence about it and wondered what you all were doing. What I need is a younger me somewhere close by -- to take the reigns to help others with his young back and his equipment and fuel. I'd like to pass the torch I guess is what I'm saying.


I'm very impressed with everyone on here. Everyone is helping in one way or another. I fully respect those who say no, too, as that's where I'm getting to be at this point. We probably all did it at one point. I think I've paid my dues and it's time for those I've helped to step up, is all I'm saying.

Still, I think I know what's going to happen when I see them leaning on their shovels about to pass out .... I think I need a backbone!

I think it really depends on the people you are helping.

Do they stay outside and help you clear the snow? Or do they go inside and watch you while you work? Do they offer thanks, or just shrug it off like you owe them something? What about "payment". I know you probably dont ask for anything, but some people give back (baked goods, gift cards, cash etc.) even when they aren't asked.

If they just shrug it off like they expect you to help, then I say f**k 'em and let them suffer. But if they are super thankful and offer goodies as "payment", I'd be tempted to help too.

EDIT: You said you had purchased a new machine for your nicer, clean driveway. Why not use the old one on their driveway, so if you suck up gravel, it wont damage your new, clean machine? Just an idea.

EDIT 2: This past winter, I was the only one who didn't have a snow-blower. I was trying to do mine by hand. All of my neighbors around me had a snow-blower, and not one offered to help. However, I am not one of those people who expects help (in fact, i hate asking for it). It didnt bother me that they didnt offer, and if they did help, I would have surely did something to repay them. Luckily my dad was able to plow my driveway when it got too deep for me to shovel. This year, I bought a blower so I could be a little more self-sufficient.
 
#13 ·
Yeah, I saw that, Uber. It makes you stop and think. And then scratch your head. Most folks are a joy to help, and you feel good about yourself afterward. Except anymore when I look at the machine I had to replace and I realize -- had I not done that for everyone else, I'd still have the old machine in working order, not worn out, and more funds like the neighbors have for not investing in the equipment.
 
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#15 ·
Agreed. I'm mostly talking about those who know I have the machine and they want me to do it.


Then, you do it. And again. And the next time. And the guy up the road and his neighbor because you can't say no. In other words, it's when they want it done and they've live here long enough to know what happens in these storms, but they'd rather let someone else have the expense of buying and maintaining the equipment. All they need to do is utter "thanks!" while someone else shells out the dough. I don't know. I guess it's because it's a new machine and I don't want it messed up yet. Kind of like when you get a new car and park away from everybody until it has a few dings, then who gives a ****, park right up front next to the carts.
 
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#17 ·
I'll gladly admit it-I'm the one who chose "only if I get paid".Here's why:

My two closest neighbors are VERY wealthy-I'm not at all.The house across from me(I snowblow for them only) is owned by a couple from RI who own the vacation home here,two houses in RI and are looking to buy another here.

The area I live in is a gated community.All of the residents,except me and occasionally my RI neighbors, only live here in the summer.Although there is an association(I'm not a member),nothing ever really gets done about road(gravel) maintenance ,roadside mowing,ditch cleaning,etc.I take care of it and certainly don't get paid for it,or even a "thank you" from 99% of the residents.

We had a big snow storm here one winter and my RI neighbors just happened to be here.I went out,blew out my drive and walks and put my machine away.My neighbors spent the day shoveling and didn't bother me in the slightest-they never offered once to help me with any of the work I do for free for the association .Tough toenails,baby!

The next winter,another storm,neighbor lady walks across the road and asks me to do her drive.I agreed,did it,put my blower away and after lunch walked over to neighbors house where I presented them with a bill for my services.

I could tell she wasn't very happy,but she paid me and has been ever since.
 
#18 ·
Mike, I think you're a hero. You helped that neighborhood so often without compensation or even thanks. It's a special breed who can walk up to your neighbor like that and present a bill after the fact, and by my estimation you did it well. I applaud her for coming to ask you, rather than doing the pity routine, but she stopped short of telling you she'd pay you for it. The effort can be like asking someone to clean out their garage and haul it away. Will someone do that for free? And if you suck up their newspaper and cut off your fingers trying to clear it, will they take your blood-spewing carcass to the hospital in their car? Anyway, I've always said "that's okay" about the money in the very rare cases where it was offered, so it's my own fault. But maybe they should have stuffed in in my coat pocket. Right is right. Gas isn't free. Machine wasn't free. Etc.


Anymore, I just don't want to wreck my equipment and I figure they know what things are like by now and somebody besides me should buy one -- and if they've been helped, then now it's their turn to help. But year after year -- nobody steps up. Again, probably my fault. Maybe they're thinking -- "Old Tom would be disappointed if we did it; he's been doing it for so long." That's a stretch. They know the score. Get a machine and offer to do mine when it's 2 feet, for a change. Ain't happened in over 25 years.


Me thinks this year it's going to change. I'll do mine and hang tough. We'll see how long I can last.

I've been around sweet gray-hair old ladies who privately laugh about how they got the guy down the street to do something for five bucks. They know the score, believe me. I've seen them jeopardize a guy's back rather than pay for two people to do it safely, just to save a lousy fifteen bucks or so to get someone to help the guy. For them, if the guy gets hurt, it's "Next!" If he won't do it someone will feel sorry for me ....
 
#19 ·
had to vote yes on this one, but i dont clear neighbors driveways so to speak. the people north and south of me have the drives plowed....but the dot plow comes much later than the contractors and dumps the eod. i open my main driveway after a storm and then clean up the eod stuff for myself and both neighbors. they are people that are 70+ years old and i couldnt ask for better people to live near, when i say near....both their driveways are at least 1/8 mile long, so i rarely see them !
 
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#20 ·
I only help two of my neighbors...an elderly lady that lives with her two daughters, and an older gentlemen that is retired, and has a bad arm. I don't help my other neighbor because he is just as capable of clearing his snow as I do mine. He is the type that only comes out to clear his snow after everyone has cleared theirs, and has never offered to help anyone either...I have NO simpathy for people like that.
 
#22 ·
#23 ·
I also help my neighbors with snow. It's easy for us to knock them for not buying their own blower, but many people are clueless about maintaining gas powered equipment & they are afraid to purchase their own. Some people think we just walk behind the blower, and it does all the work. They have no idea how heavy these machines are to maneuver around. That said, I still blow up & down the block. Most neighbors thank me & I'm fine with that.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Well I am 51 this year. I have been clearing my property since I was a kid. My dad would (not) allow me to stay inside while he cleared. So I started early with snow shoveling. I took over the Sno Thro duties back in 1985. Between the neighbors on both sides of us, we all help one another. Both neighbors are about 10 (+) years older then me.

The neighbors on my driveway side have a putt putt single stage machine which I have to say... is pretty impressive because they do get done what needs to get done with it. It takes a bit more time, but it does do the job. Annoying as they are with how there sound. I pretty much always help them especially in the apron area.

My neighbor on the southern side of me as a nice Ariens 10H.P. machine that he bought in 2000. I usually start clearing his driveway when I am done with my north side clearing. I either try to just get an opening cleared for him in the front so he can pull in off of the street and he can finish clearing. Or I do his whole property for him before he gets home. It depends on time of day and how I feel.

Now we have new neighbors on the other side of my southern neighbors. They are younger and he said that between all of his room mates, they can clear with out a machine. Well good luck, because we have hinted at what we can get for snow, especially over the last few years. So... if you do not want to prep for winter, just be ready to have a sore back for the next few months. :smiley-shocked029: Maybe once or twice with a kind helping jester, but do not get used to it.

All in all, I do usually just try to do as much as I can so that the neighbors do not have to do too much simply because I do try and get out there as soon as possible. But it is nice to have great neighbors who help everybody. It just makes it so... much easier to get through the winters.

And a couple times over the last few years after the plows came by again to clean up, it was so... great to see my front apron cleared and not have to go back out and clean up. Man that is a nice feeling. It just showed me how my neighbors must feel when I do it.
 
#25 ·
This is my first winter with a snow blower. I'll probably do what I did previously with a shovel. I shoveled the sidewalk in front of the house to the right of me and the two houses to the left. If any of those neighbours are on vacation, I shovel their driveways. I really don't expect a thank you because they are close neighbours and they reciprocate when they get a chance to. I don't know of any elderly neighbours, or else I would do their driveway too. I have a problem clearing snow from able body neighbours who are too lazy to clear their own driveway and sidewalk.
 
#26 ·
So I need a little advice from you guys regarding this topic.

My neighbors to the left have snow-blowers, and they have no issues doing their driveway. Same with the guy across the street. however, on the right, there is a woman and her son who live in that house. She rents the house from her parents (older couple) and the father is usually the one I see out blowing snow from their driveway.

I have spoke with the woman a few times (mostly the people on our street just keep to ourselves), and she is a very nice woman. I was thinking about offering to help her father, but I don't want to do it in a way that would offend them / make them mad.

What do you guys think?
 
#37 ·
I think the lady and her son should get off their donut-eating duffs and help her father/his grandfather. I don't know how old the lad is, and I don't know the situation, but I'd be as frosted about it as you appear to be.

Answer to the question: When using snow blowing equipment, it could be at the request of the operator (the woman's father) that people stay clear. I would view the situation with that assumption and, if your driveway is already cleared, go over and offer the old man a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream, if you want to show him some recognition or kindness. He'll set is aside for a bit, but you're gesture will be known.

Answer, Part II: Yes, you will offend the woman who lives next to you if you go and help her father. They both know the score by now, with her borrowing from her father and the child either being too young or a lazy so-and-so. If the old guy was willing to create that monster, you shouldn't interfere.

Again, I am assuming from your writing that the lady and son are able-bodied, and all of this is offered in my very humble opinion.


So I need a little advice from you guys regarding this topic.

My neighbors to the left have snow-blowers, and they have no issues doing their driveway. Same with the guy across the street. however, on the right, there is a woman and her son who live in that house. She rents the house from her parents (older couple) and the father is usually the one I see out blowing snow from their driveway.

I have spoke with the woman a few times (mostly the people on our street just keep to ourselves), and she is a very nice woman. I was thinking about offering to help her father, but I don't want to do it in a way that would offend them / make them mad.

What do you guys think?
 
#27 ·
Nope for liability reasons, no good deed goes unpunished:

[Other ] Snow Removal Liability Question - Home Improvement | DSLReports Forums

...A coworker who also did gratis neighborhood snow removal said that he used to do that too, until he removed snow from a neighbor's driveway and a guest of that neighbor came by later that day. The guest slipped and fell, and was injured in the fall. The neighbor's guest ended up suing my coworker, claiming that he failed to properly remove the snow and ice from the driveway, causing the fall. After spending a lot of money on legal fees, he LOST the case and was found responsible, and because it wasn't on his property, his homeowner's policy would NOT pay the damages. He ended up losing a LOT of money trying to be a good, helpful neighbor....
 
#31 ·
Funny how many horror stories there are out there about helping someone and getting jammed - but there are cases I guess. I am not against helping out the ones are not capable to do it. My 93 year old lady a few doors down insists on paying me but I started doing it for free. I always have plenty of machines around, and I don't mind doing it. now, my next door neighbor 20 something welfare/drug dealing ones I wouldn't pee on if they were on fire! Able bodied but as worthless as cheech and chong - well, worse because they aren't even funny. They don't work and have no desire to...... I figure I'm doing them a favor letting them get some exercise the old fashioned way. ;>P
 
#32 ·
Snow days around me are a holiday. Most of the neighbors have blowers and the ones who don't stick beers in the snow bank as a signal they need help. I get the Deere out and tie sleds to the back of it and pull the neighborhoods kids around the development. This is the only time I've ever had my wife ask to drive tractor so it's great. I did have a blower failure last year clearing a neighbors end of driveway during the 30+ inch storm but another neighbor stepped in. Luckily it was the last bit of cleanup and ironically the last straw with Troybilt. I ended up getting an old MTD 5 hp for free for that neighbor and I spent a little upgrading to a new ariens this year. Nearly everything is paved so it's same plan as usual this winter.
 
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