Thursday, January 7, 2010

Three Things I learned

I shoveled snow today. I have never truly "shoveled" snow because I HAD to. It was extremely un-fun.

First thing I learned:
- Wear Gloves.

My hands hurt SO bad when I came back inside. After 15 minutes I couldn't feel them anymore... really. I thought I had done something bad. Yes, I know wearing gloves would have been smart so I don't need comments on that....

Second thing I learned:
- When snow sits for a week and people walk on it every day it turns to ice.

Third thing I learned:
- You can't shovel ice.

So. Those are my three helpful hints of the day about shoveling ice/snow.

Why did I choose 7:30 am in -3 degree weather to shovel snow do you ask? I'll tell you. When I came home from dropping off Paul at work I saw my downstairs neighbor was out there. I would have felt bad for weeks if I didn't help. So I took my trusty red and yellow toy shovel out to the sidewalk and offered to help. :) (It's the only shovel we have.)

That's when I learned that the city had told her she had until 8:00am to clear the sidewalk completely or else they would send someone out to do it and we would get the bill. Apparently several people on the street had received this notice because we were not the only ones out shoveling snow before the sun came up.

I would like to be the City Sidewalk Police. OR I wonder if someone told on us... maybe the lady across the street who sweeps her sidewalks clear three times a day told on us. But at least now I know why she sweeps her sidewalks three times a day. She must have already learned the "Second and Third Things" that I only learned today.

So Erin, I hope this was an amusing enough of a story for you. I hope you enjoyed Hawaii and playing in the sand and sun and swimming and snorkling and hiking. I got frostbite today and it was fantastically wonderful. :)

7 comments:

Pete said...

Yes houseowners are required by Danish law to remove snow from the sidewalk outside their own ground.

The law says:
1) Snow should be removed as soon as possible after snowfall
2) Prevent slippery sidewalks as soon as possible after they become slippery by speading sand or by other means make sure it's not slippery [could be by spreading salt to melt the ice].

Usually you are not required to keep the snow away before 7 a.m. (8 am. on Sundays) and after 10 p.m.
Unless you live somewhere where there's normally people at night, e.g. a movie theatre where there's people late at night or a daycare where people meet before 7 a.m.


If someone slips and get hurt at the sidewalk outside your ground, they can sue you. But they have to prove the sidewalk was slippery from ice or snow. Often this means they have to have witnesses to the fall.
Normally these claims are covered by the house owner's liability insurance.

If a house owner does not keep their part of the sidewalk clean they can get fines and the kommune is entitled to clean the sidewalk for you and send the bill to you.


Here's a campaign website about keeping your sidewalk clean: http://www.skovlsne.dk
They even have an online snow cleaning game.

Kelli Nørgaard said...

I knew this from Mads but was still SHOCKED on the first morning I drove in and saw all those people shoveling!!! IT was crazy!

Garkbit said...

This is also the law in some parts of the USA.

Monica said...

I have to admit...the same rule applies in Michigan. In the town we moved from you are allowed 24 hours after a snowfall to clear the sidewalk - or the city will clear it for you and send you the bill! :) Although, I have to say I never actually saw them enforce the policy!

PiNG aka Patti said...

See, this is exactly why the location of our house is simply awesome... we have NO public sidewalks, we're just on a corner surrounding by a box hedge. The sidewalk is on the other side of the street!

Roger said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Who the heck is "Pete?" Is his name really Jens or Morten or Jesper? Is he the resident Dane that likes to spew "truths" to all the expats? Do we need to explain sarcasm to him?

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