# Snow blowing strategy



## Mike247365 (Jan 14, 2018)

Well. After getting “plowed in” several times and having to snow blow more dense snow plow snow, I came up with a new strategy to prevent this. I actually know the rough time the plow starts in the morning. So I’m up before the county plow. 
I blow the driveway and then at the end of the driveway in the direction from where the plow comes I actually cut into and blow the road two snow blower swaths wider than what was plowed. I do it about 20’ before the driveway. The length of how much I blow is really a visual estimate of the volume of the co plow blade. When it gets to the double swath area I blew out, the plow blade empties and there’s no snow to plow me in.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

there are quite a few guys here that have been using your strategy for years, there is an old post about it


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I get the theory of this idea..but..it doesnt really make sense to me, because:

maybe I dont fully get it!  but it seems to me that using this method, or using the "regular" method, you are still moving the exact same amount of snow, and you are taking just as long to do it, (or longer) but you are just moving it from different places.

*First time snowblowing:*

Regular method:
You clear the EOD (End Of Driveway) snow from the end of the driveway. all the snow the street plow gave you. the end.

The "cut out method" - you clear the EOD same as always from the end of the driveway, but then you also make the cutout outside of the driveway, in antipication of the next snowfall.

On snowblowing episode #1, you are clearing *twice* the amount of EOD snow. 

*Second time snowblowing:*

The "cut out method" - you made your cutout from the first time, lets see how it worked out: You now have approx half of the snow from the snowplow in your cutout, and half in your driveway..yes, there is *less* in the driveway..but..so what?  You still need to clean out the end of the driveway, and you also want to clean out the cutout again in anticipation of the 3rd snowfall..so you are clearing the same amount of snow..and probbaly taking longer to do it because you are clearing twice the EOD square footage.

So the first time, you clear double the EOD snow amont, the regular amount from the driveway, then the same amount again from the "cutout"

then on the next uses, you are clearing the same amount of snow, but half in the driveway, and half in the cutout..and probably taking longer to do it...So, where is the real benefit? am I not seeing an important aspect?

thanks,
Scot


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Moving light fluffy snow is alot easier on operator and machine than the typical eod deposit.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

It sounds like you are doing the same EOD work but choosing to move snow that has had time to set, freeze and settle and compress. I agree you don't want to feed the upstream bank because you will just get it back.

I often start with a beeline to the EOD to get it out of the way. Also, if I'm there at the end of the storm I'm moving the mid storm bank and the final town pass will be quick work when they come by latter. If I'm lucky this happens before I go in or my neighbor beats me to it.


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## bigtim1985 (Jan 31, 2016)

Makes perfect sense as long as you can get out there before the plows come by. I'm on a main road, so they plow it multiple times per storm. I just try to throw everything on the far side of the EOD to limit how much is pushed back when the town comes around doing their final passes.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

nwcove said:


> Moving light fluffy snow is alot easier on operator and machine than the typical eod deposit.


But light fluffy snow isnt part of this discussion..at all.
we arent talking about the undisturbed snow in the middle of the driveway..that snow is the same with either method.
the difference between the two methods is totally concerned about the EOD snow only, the snow that has been deposited by the plow.

Scot


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

I have over 600' of frontage and employ such a technique, and the benefit is that I don't have to go back out a 2nd time after the State's Snowplow goes by . . . . for the 20' or 25' preceding my driveway, they just don't have anything to shoot back on my driveway because I took it away.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

bigtim1985 said:


> Makes perfect sense as long as you can get out there before the plows come by.


ohhh.. (the lightbulb goes on)
thats a thing that actually happens in the world? 
Here in western NY, no one gets out before the plows come by..ever..because the plows come by after the first couple inches..then again after the next few inches, then again after a few more inches..

And I only go out once, when the storm is over..by then the roads are clear, the plows have been by several times, (the plows are usually completely finished plowing) and the EOD is thick and heavy. So im always snowblowing after the plows have already finished..never before.

I suppose if you live waaaaaay out in the country, (or in areas that dont get a lot of snow, and so arent used to plowing all the time) then you could get out before the plows come by..but that a very tiny minority of "snowblower people" overall who have that option. (at least in my experience, my entire life in Upstate and Western NY)
I honestly never even considered, until this thread, that getting out before the plows, with the full and final amount of snow for the storm, was even a thing that could happen! huh..

so..this method still doesnt work for most people..
If you go out once per storm, when the snow is finished, with the full amount of snow already fallen, for most people you already have thick EOD snow..in which case the "cut out method" doesnt help you..

So i suppouse it could work for some people..but for me it could never work, because I dont have the right conditions for it.
which explains why I couldnt understand it. 

interesting!
Scot


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

With a typical V plow and wing set up on most DOT equipment, I think you are all fooling yourselves thinking a couple of swipes with a snowblower on the edge of the road will reduce EOD deposits. The plow is constantly loading with snow starting all the way in the center of the right of way and the tiny bit of snow you are clearing from the path of the last couple of feet of the wing is inconsequential.


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

I've tried it and it doesn't really work too well for me. 

I have to go back much further than 20' and then that puts me in harms way as I'm at the top of a hill and the county plow trucks are going pretty fast at that point, plus as Scot mentioned, they plow in intervals and there can be as much as 1 hour between swipes as my road is 5 miles long and there are 2 other roads they clear that connect to mine.

Good idea though.


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## FullThrottle (Apr 7, 2017)

I have done this for years ,my neighbors think I'm crazy,but it sure pays of rather than have all that snow dumped in your driveway.



Mike247365 said:


> Well. After getting “plowed in” several times and having to snow blow more dense snow plow snow, I came up with a new strategy to prevent this. I actually know the rough time the plow starts in the morning. So I’m up before the county plow.
> I blow the driveway and then at the end of the driveway in the direction from where the plow comes I actually cut into and blow the road two snow blower swaths wider than what was plowed. I do it about 20’ before the driveway. The length of how much I blow is really a visual estimate of the volume of the co plow blade. When it gets to the double swath area I blew out, the plow blade empties and there’s no snow to plow me in.


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## d3500ram (Feb 5, 2017)

I snowblow about 50 feet of frontage as the OP describes but for different reasons. and will clear up to 6 swaths (about 15 feet deep or so.)

If you can picture this: I have a 2 level house whose upper floor entry level is at street level. The the rest of the house is on the lower level with the garage on one side; the driveway slopes from street down to it (street higher than garage) The grades are such that the highest point of the frontage gutter is opposite side from the down-sloping driveway. If you can following the visual of what I am describing the situation is this: All snow that is in the street gutter eventually melts and runs towards and down my driveway... at least once it rolls down the driveway it does slope away from the garage. 

It really sucks in the springtime when upwards of 3 feet of gutter chunder (as well as the rest of the street) starts to melt. If I reduce the pack that is in the road, it reduces how much runoff comes into my driveway- I toss all that snow throughout the winter from the street into the front yard where it eventually leaches down into the lawn. 

I have a shallow ditch that the county grader carved across the EOD apron and I need to go very slow when entering end exiting when I go drive out; I really need to install a culvert across it as this would correct the condition.

You may have read my very critical post about my disappointments in my new Ariens... I will say this positive about it: since it is a track model, I can adjust the auger housing up and down. When clearing the front (no curb, road and yard transition at the same level) I can raise the snowblower to its highest position and clear a portion into where my lawn would be. 

I am sure my neighbors look at me shaking their heads wondering what that crazy Pole-ack is doing clearing the lawn... but it pays off in the spring because there is significantly less runoff coming down the driveway.

I still get grader snow in front of my apron as there is always some scrape off the plow that is dispersed there.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

i give the driver a pepsi once in awhile and he lifts his blade before going by my drive.


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## Blackstar (Dec 27, 2010)

sscotsman said:


> I get the theory of this idea..but..it doesnt really make sense to me, because:
> 
> maybe I dont fully get it!  but it seems to me that using this method, or using the "regular" method, you are still moving the exact same amount of snow, and you are taking just as long to do it, (or longer) but you are just moving it from different places.
> 
> ...


I do this too (but it also clears out my neighbour's EOD and his mailbox) The way I see it is I can get most of the clearing done the first time. When the plow comes by I don't have to pull the blower out again, maybe just a few swipes with the shovel. It's more convenience that cutting the work load. Blow me now or blow me later...


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## jim5554 (Mar 18, 2017)

I try clear out 50' x 10' to the left of my driveway. I'd rather do 10" of soft pack snow than the 30" of hard pack left by the plow, but that's just me. Of course, if I could train the wife to shovel, none of this would be a problem.


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## The Q (Dec 19, 2016)

I do the EOD first then the rest of the driveway, walkways and neighbor if it`s a significant snow event at first light so everyone can get out. Then when the plows go buy again, I just go out and do the EOD again. I`m retired so I have no problem going out again and again.


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## csonni (Dec 26, 2017)

I’ve followed this approach for a number of years now and, yes,it does lessen the impact at the EOD when the plot comes by, at least for me. Better to prepare while you’re out there with the blower running than to have to bring it back out just to clear the EOD to be able to get your car out without getting hung up.


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## SnowG (Dec 5, 2014)

Blackstar said:


> snip. Blow me now or blow me later...


LOL! yup -- in the end you're just blowing the same amount of snow. 


As someone wrote above, this only works for people who live on side streets, not main through-roads. On busier roads the plows make repeated passes during a storm, and spread a lot of salt too (especially on elevated roads and hills). 


My system is a lot less complicated -- I wait until the snowfall stops (unless it's a monster storm, e.g. 20"+). When ready I clear a path to the EOD, clear it all out before it sets up hard, and then I make my regular passes on the driveway. 


By saving the virgin snow driveway for last, it also clears out most of the salt and road sand from my machine so I put it away with cleaner snow (less corrosion).


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