Thursday, January 06, 2005
Winter (Finally) Arrives
by Tom Bozzo
Yes, there are cars under there. I should resign myself to the likelihood that they will be partly snow- or ice-covered until Spring.
An interesting challenge will be the total lack of snow removal from our street. A report on how my traction- and stability-control electronics fare against Newton's First, Second, and (hopefully not too dramatically) Third Laws of Motion may be forthcoming.
Update: I hitched a completely uneventful ride to work in the AWD wagon with Suzanne and the kids, who were headed to the Co-Op Nursery School. I learned that even though the Co-Op Nursery School is one block from the house, the usual route goes via the drive-thru Starbucks on University Avenue, three miles away (and a few blocks from the office)...
Additional comment: Nina's ethical laws of shoveling do not necessarily extend outside her neighborhood, with one notable exception: snowblower owners are pretty much expected to do some clearing of adjacent sidewalks. One neighbor seems to do pretty much the whole block face unless asked otherwise, which our very fit next door neighbor did, as I was approaching the property line from the other direction. My other immediate neighbors did no additional clearing, but we all have corner lots and thus have even more sidewalk to clear than our middle-west-side friends.
Readers from milder climates or jurisdictions that otherwise are more relaxed about snow removal might note that failing to promptly clear one's sidewalk in Madison can result in a $64.80 ticket.
Yes, there are cars under there. I should resign myself to the likelihood that they will be partly snow- or ice-covered until Spring.
An interesting challenge will be the total lack of snow removal from our street. A report on how my traction- and stability-control electronics fare against Newton's First, Second, and (hopefully not too dramatically) Third Laws of Motion may be forthcoming.
Update: I hitched a completely uneventful ride to work in the AWD wagon with Suzanne and the kids, who were headed to the Co-Op Nursery School. I learned that even though the Co-Op Nursery School is one block from the house, the usual route goes via the drive-thru Starbucks on University Avenue, three miles away (and a few blocks from the office)...
Additional comment: Nina's ethical laws of shoveling do not necessarily extend outside her neighborhood, with one notable exception: snowblower owners are pretty much expected to do some clearing of adjacent sidewalks. One neighbor seems to do pretty much the whole block face unless asked otherwise, which our very fit next door neighbor did, as I was approaching the property line from the other direction. My other immediate neighbors did no additional clearing, but we all have corner lots and thus have even more sidewalk to clear than our middle-west-side friends.
Readers from milder climates or jurisdictions that otherwise are more relaxed about snow removal might note that failing to promptly clear one's sidewalk in Madison can result in a $64.80 ticket.
