New shoveling rules start Saturday
Come Saturday, Lawrence residents will have new snow-shoveling regulations to follow. Enlarge video
Snow-shoveling tips
The physical therapists at Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s Kreider Rehabilitation Services offer the following advice to help avoid injuries:
• Before shoveling, prepare muscles with 10 minutes of light exercise.
• Wear light, layered, water-repellent clothing because it provides ventilation and insulation. Avoid falls by wearing shoes or boots that have slip-resistant soles.
• Snow shoveling and blowing are aerobic activities. Take frequent breaks and prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids. If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath or other signs of a heart attack, stop and seek emergency care.
• Try to push the snow instead of lifting it. If you must lift, do it properly. Squat with your legs apart, knees bent and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. Holding a shovelful of snow with your arms outstretched puts too much weight on your spine. Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that stresses your back.
• Check with a doctor before shoveling if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, smoke or lead a sedentary life.
• If you have a history of back problems or heart problems, don’t shovel snow.
Shoveling can trigger a heart attack in three ways: the increase in activity requires your heart to work harder; without realizing it, you may hold your breath as you lift, which can trigger a sudden rise in heart rate and blood pressure; and cold weather causes blood vessels to constrict, so the heart has to pump more blood.
Come Saturday, Lawrence residents will have new snow shoveling rules to follow.
City commissioners this month gave preliminary approval of new regulations that will make it easier for the city to ticket property owners who don’t shovel their sidewalks within 48 hours following a snowfall.
City commissioners at their meeting Tuesday gave final approval to the regulations, with an effective date of Saturday.
The new regulations give property owners 48 hours to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice. The current ordinance gives 24 hours, but also requires that property owners be given a five-day grace period before the city assesses a $20 fine. The new ordinance eliminates the five-day grace period.
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classclown (Class Clown) says…
I don't have a snow shovel so I am unable to shovel the sidewalk. Instead I scooped it up with my hands and made what must be a couple thousand snowballs which I stockpiled on my porch.My dogs let me know when anyone gets near my house. So when they tell me, I go out and start hurling those snowballs at whichever whiny crybaby that needs a pristine sidewalk happens to be going by. How do you like your sidewalk now whiners?It's really quite fun and as an added bonus good exercise. Both for me and the whiners running away and trying to dodge the snowball fury. I recommend it to everyone.
handley (anonymous) says…
AS of 2 P.M. yesterday afternoon there had not been ant snow pushed off of Iowa st. 23rd st. or 31st st. These are main arteries into Lawrence.
Informed (anonymous) says…
48 hours? Well, when I checked last night, it was still snowing lightly at about 10pm. Therefore I have until 10pm or later on Thursday. Looks like the snow will be gone by then -- at least the bulk of it.
Connacht (anonymous) says…
So, the city intends to fine people for not removing snow AND ice from sidewalks? That seems just a tad hypocritical when Lawrence's streets remain snow and ice packed for days, or even weeks at a time. Come to think of it, I've never seen the city actually remove ice from the street except a feeble attempt to dump sand and salt.
gilly (anonymous) says…
The city does a poor job of clearing streets after a snowfall, and does almost nothing effective during a snowfall, when the snow is easiest to remove and hasn't turned to pack or ice. During this last snowfall and after I saw plenty of trucks--city and otherwise--with plows on major arteries, and none of them were plowing. I didn't see sand or salt spreaders, either.It's not as if the city didn't know the snow was coming. The city had plenty of time to get adequate plans in place.Yesterday's morning rush hour was unnecessarily hazardous, and that could have been prevented by a better snow removal effort by the city. Chicago has learned how to keep the streets operable after a snowfall; I think a trip of appropriate city employees to Chicago so they could learn how to do that, too, would be a good idea.
gr (anonymous) says…
There's no "ordinance" against throwing snowballs is there? Let's join classclown!
grammaddy (anonymous) says…
What a bunch of babies. You guys are worse than my kids, if I get on susie about something , her reaction will be,"but so and so didn't do his job either".Why don't all you "adults" get over yourselves and go shovel some snow. The city is trying to deal with a lot more than just your front sidewalk.And Classclown; go by a shovel.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
Grammaddy, of course, is absolutely right, but I won't hold my breath waiting for the fools and blowhards here to admit it. Respect for elders is as rare nowadays as concern for your common neighbor. "Cut my taxes." Then watch me moan about poor city services and then watch me cite the low levels of service as the excuse for not doing the right thing myself. What a miserable, rotten, selfish, unadmirable lot so many of you have "grown up" to become.
grammaddy (anonymous) says…
Thank you scott3460, I watch this happen every year with the first snow of the season. You'd think every person in this town was born somewhere else where it never snows.Check the map, you're in Kansas,this will happen numerous times before April(and maybe once or twice after).It usually melts within 72 hours if it's not replaced with more. Eventually it will pass. I'm out to shovel what fell after I cleaned it off the first time.
mommaeffortx2 (anonymous) says…
To darn cold to shovel today at least right now any way I would think it would be better to wait until it no longer is a risk to your finger, nose and toes. But I have a great son who did it for me yesterday against my better judgement. Looked like a icecube when he got done.
classclown (Class Clown) says…
grammaddy (Anonymous) says….And Classclown; go by a shovel.============================Nah. I like my way a lot better. In fact, I'm working on putting a sort of spud gun together to launch them so I can get more of a thwap. If you don't want to get thwapped with a snowball, then don't walk in front of my house. It's that simple.
jafs (anonymous) says…
I hope anyone who gets hit by classclown's snowballs files charges and prosecutes him/her.
gr (anonymous) says…
"Why don't all you “adults” get over yourselves and go shovel some snow."Why don't all you “adults” get over yourselves and wear appropriate footwear to meet the prevailing weather conditions. Don't be such crybabies when the snow falls and some gets on your feet. If you need your mommy to watch out for you, maybe you shouldn't be out in such weather.
xbusguy (chris Ogle) says…
I put my shovel out yesterday, and it hasn't done a darn thing. Don't tell me I have to pay my shovel a living wage. It is going to be outside until the snow is gone.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
"I hope anyone who gets hit by classclown's snowballs files charges and prosecutes him/her."Then, no doubt, we'll be treated to lectures on the "abuses" of the legal system and how the lawyers are out of control and no one should be able to sue, etc....My wish for the Clown is that he learn the value of community within which he exists.
xbusguy (chris Ogle) says…
I like the spud gun idea. Would someone come over and make my ammo. It's too cold out for me to do it.
Connacht (anonymous) says…
"My wish for the Clown is that he learn the value of community within which he exists."What community might that be? It seems that Lawrence doesn't have much of a community identity, though I suspect it's the same in most places and no doubt rooted in the very individualistic attitude most people seem to take. With so many people living just temporarily in Lawrence, a community identity is hard to develop. A few weeks ago, while walking downtown past various "homeless" people who looked perfectly able bodied, I got to witness one of them whip it out and proceed to urinate on the side of a building. Not to mention all the college aged "homeless" drifters traveling across the country, (who for some reason, have money enough to smoke and pierce various body parts but not buy food) don't exactly make me proud of my community.
Jaylee (anonymous) says…
wow talk about a tangent of a tangent!wow talk about not about being able to take a joke!i didnt know which one to say, so i just said them both.i borrowed my neighbors shovel though and shoveled my driveway and my neighbor and my sidewalks to our house then laid melt. took maybe 20 minutes. the melt took care of the additional snowfall as well booya!
classclown (Class Clown) says…
You people can't handle a snowball or two? You people will whine about anything. It's all about compromise. If you can't handle a few snowballs, then I won't bother to clean the sidewalk. If you want the sidewalk cleaned, that's fine. I'll do it. But you'll also get a few complimentary snowballs. Not to mention the exercise you'll get from trying to outrun them. I mean, you all preach with your holier than thou attitude about walking and getting exercise instead of driving so in a sense I'll be helping you out.And another thing, you should quit being ungrateful. After all, I have provided a nice clean sidewalk for you to run on. You don't have to worry about slipping on the snow and falling.
merrill (anonymous) says…
A stiff push broom and a scoop shovel work well. The sooner it gets done the easier. The broom did great on the new snow,,,followed up with a scoop shovel. Crank up the boom box , grab a glass of wine, grab the push broom then the shovel and go have fun.
honestone (anonymous) says…
I get the first complaint and I want a ticket issued. I did as directed but then the citys plows came and recovered all that I did. The city gets the first ticket...or are they going to ticket the driver of the plow?
BigPrune (anonymous) says…
What if one area of town gets snow that lasts for 12 hours and another area of town gets snow that lasts for 8 hours? When exactly does the City declare the snow has stopped? Is it based on certain areas of town? If the snow is intermittent, is it when the snow finally stops or is it when the snow stops the first time? What will the City use to declare the start of the 48 hour time period? What if it snows on Monday night through Tuesday morning and then it starts snowing again early Wednesday morning and stops Thursday morning? Does the 48 hour clock start Tuesday morning or Thursday morning? Will the cold be a factor in removal of snow? What if the temperature is -20 degrees outside? Will the City be out enforcing the snow removal even though the citizens might get frost bite in order to abide by their order, whenever that time period begins? Just some things I haven't seen addressed....