Why Do You Leave That Pile of Snow at the End of My Driveway?

We asked to answer some frequently asked questions about snowplowing city roads:

My friend lives on a cul-de-sac and it was plowed at 10 Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, my big street has yet to be plowed. Does this make sense?

There are 13 big plow trucks in the city and three smaller trucks. The big plows can't often plow around the cul-de-sacs: they are just too big to make the turns and plow at the same time. That work is assigned to the drivers of the smaller, 4-by-4 trucks, who work separately from the drivers of the bigger trucks.

I just shoveled my driveway. Then the snowplow came along and shoved all of the snow from the road onto the end of it. Do the drivers like making us mad?

No, it's just part of the job. Fox said he tries not to take it personally when residents yell at him from their driveways or give him angry looks from the openings in their face masks. He says it's just part of life: If you want your road plowed, you'll have to put up with the pile of snow that will end up at your driveway's end.

Instead of being angry at the drivers, Fox suggests this tip: don't wait too long after the snowplow digs out your street before shoveling that driveway pile. The longer it sits there, the harder it will be to shovel away.

The snow stopped 12 hours ago. Did the city forget to plow my road?

Because the drivers have their specific assigned routes, and because the same drivers typically are responsible for the same subdivisions storm after storm, it is rare that a street would be forgotten. Fox suggests residents be patient.

You took out my mailbox. Why can't you be more careful?

Drivers are instructed to get close enough to the mailboxes for the mail trucks to deliver the mail. So, inevitably, Fox says, mailboxes get broken or knocked over in every storm. If a driver accidentally damages your mailbox, city workers will repair it.

I parked my car on the street and then it was towed. Why didn't you just plow around it?

The cities of Rochester and Rochester Hills declared a state of snow emergency this week. That meant no cars were allowed to be parked on city streets so the snowplows could travel down them safely and easily.

Finally (because after reading all of these answers, we know you are wondering), what can I do to make your job easier?

Fox has several suggestions for residents. First of all, keep the kids up near the house when the snowplow is on the street. The trucks have many blind spots, and it's sometimes hard for them to stop, too.

Second, don't blow or shovel your snow into the street. Pile it up on the side of the driveway to keep the roadway clear.

Third, take the sign on the back of the truck seriously: the trucks do back up often. Keep your distance from the snowplows so they can do their jobs.