Discussions

As I sit here looking at this fresh snow I wonder what ebrandon folks thoughts are.  
Is 6 am to early to start clearing snow with a blowpac?  
Reason why I want to know is I have a few apartment buildings to keep the walks cleared. Some days I would like to start at 6 but I hold off to seven. If I was to get at them at six it would make a huge difference as the snow has not been walk on much and will blow off . Where as if I start at seven some of the properties I maintain have already had foot traffic on them that has pack the snow. By the time I get to the last of the properties. Therefore making it a little more of an effort to remove the snow.

I think if you are clearing snow for other people you start whenever it suits you. It would be much better done before residents are out and about.

From the city of Brandon prohibited noise bylaw:  
“the sound resulting from the operation of any motorized lawn mower, snow clearing device, chain saw, motorized garden tiller or motorized toy in any residential area between 2200 hours of any day and 0700 hours of the next following day (10:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.)”  
 
So I wouldn’t start before 7 unless you want to risk getting a ticket.  
 
https://brandon.ca/images/pdf/bylaws/5806.pdf  
 
Edited by Summertime, 2022-11-20 07:21:12

Is this by law ever enforced? I hear snow blowers at 3am. There's a snow clearing outfit which plows a parking lot that's next to my apartment 3am. My apartment shakes when they plow. That parking lot only gets used one day a week. It wouldn't be as bad if they plowed the parking lot at 7am but 3am is a bit over the top in my opinion.

Noise is complaint only. You have to call it in. As for the plows that doesn’t violate. Impossible to have functioning town of snow clearing can’t happen overnight.

Its been awhile since I read them but I do believe you can get an exemption to start earlier from the police chief. As for myself I still start at six but I just do property that I can scrape by hand.

I say go for it till someone complains. People who work early greatly appreciate the cleared paths. It's not that loud and doesn't take too long.  
 
Better to keep your clients safe and happy.

Live in a condo that contracts a local company to clear snow and most of the time they will be there anytime around 5:30-6 AM to start and it doesn’t bother us one bit, in fact I actually appreciate getting up for work at 7 and having the paths already cleared. They’re just doing their jobs. In this day in age someone’s gonna complain no matter what you do so just go out and getter done when you want to. Most places will appreciate having it done early

I say go for it! We live in MB, we all know how important snow removal is and honestly, the handheld/backpack blowers aren’t that loud. I’m sure many would appreciate the early snow removal.

I find the blowers outside my apartment window at 5:30 am very frustrating and disruptive and would prefer they come at 7:00. I can understand the need to get going early but they are just too much noise at that time.

But if you worked at 7 am would it not be better, faster, safer to get out the door and to work on a cleaned sidewalk?  
 
Besides your place the snow removal companies have other buildings to get to. Someone's building has to be the first one.

There's lots of things worse than being awoken from a well needed / deserved sleep in this world I suppose. There are many people that don't need to be awake at 6 or 7:00 AM. I guess that's probably why the city has noise by-laws.  
 
It's pretty hard to accommodate everybody's needs but I really think 6:00 AM is too early to be making enough noise to interrupt peoples sleep. If you need to be up at 6:00 AM, how would you feel if your neighbor was running his blower at 3:00 AM?

How often do we get snow? It is not like it snows every day. It is a no win situation for you. If you do it early someone will complain if you are late someone will complain. Most should appreciate that it is done for them and not having to do it themselves. People will complain when plows aren't on the roads even if the roads are closed.

We live at Fernwood properties and the caretakers there usually clear around 6am and we are so appreciative as we both work around 7. Anybody who is a jerk enough to complain about clearing after 6 needs to really consider how much time they have on their hands.

And people who work regularly hours generally appreciate the sleep.

Respect the by law. Shovel until 7.

The op clears snow at several apartment buildings. Residents should be grateful to those out there clearing snow to enhance everyone else’s convenience. People are so entitled nowadays.

Milwaukee makes a great blower, one runs dual batteries I believe. Might be worth looking into. It would get you out there when you wanted to be.

It is about clearing the snow before I go to work. I hate packed snow on my walkways or my driveway. If it means starting to shovel or blow before I leave and that is maybe at 630 AM, I will start. The last thing I want to do after coming home from work is deal with the snow that has been driven on. It does not happen that often. To me no different than the city clearing the streets thru the night. It does not happen very often and we are pleased when it is done.

Two stroke gas blowers are one of the most polluting things on the planet. Use a shovel and start any time you like. Or An electric would be quieter and a better option.

Them 2 strokes got nothing on a cattle farm . For the OP most places will do residential starting 6am-9pm. Private lots work mostly at night.

It's understandable, with your schedule/last of the properties, that you would want to start early.  
 
There are a lot of people who 1) are retired & may be night owls: 2) work shifts and don't get off work until well after midnight: 3) some have sleep issues and don't really get a good sleep until 3 or 4 AM onward.  
 
We have by-laws for a reason. Please be respectful of them, everyone.

I think you could make the same argument that people that believe they are above following the bylaws are entitled.

You all are fussing over the difference of an hour..... Never in my life have I been woken up by the snow plows running in the middle of the night and been that annoyed, as I prefer roads to be clear. I just pop my earplugs in and go back to sleep, it's not that hard.  
 
OP, I would say go for it if you want to, but be aware that some folks might complain and put the kibosh on it.

Good for you, you haven’t ever been woken up by snow clearing. But we have. One company here in Brandon used to do my neighbours house at all hours of the night. Sometimes 1 am, sometimes 5 am. They’d run the snow blowers outside my kids window (which was right beside neighbours driveway). Then they’d snowblow paths to the shed, the front sidewalk, to the back lane, etc. it’s lovely having your child woken up at random times from a snow blower, every time it snows. Try getting that child back to sleep on school nights. One hour can make a lot of difference in the loss of sleep.  
I’m not popping in earplugs on my entire family, cause someone can’t wait till the proper hours. Nor would I expect anyone to do that for me.  
 
I am one that called by-law numerous times. They gave the company warnings, then proceeded to stop it.  
My neighbour was elderly and had no idea they were doing it at those hours. Her bedroom was on complete opposite side, so it didn’t affect her. 3 of our bedrooms are on their driveway side. She called them and said that was ridiculous, as there was no reason her driveway/yard, etc, needed to be done at those times.  
 
So bylaw has hours in place for a reason, in residential areas, follow them.  
 
Edited by Cheezies, 2022-12-30 21:42:19

Reading comprehension is a skill, but perhaps I could have phrased what I said more clearly. I stated that I have been woken up by clearing snow, and have never been annoyed by it. What I do is put in a pair of trusty earplugs to block out the noise and fall back asleep. If you aren't interested in doing the same then by all means don't, that's none of my concern.  
 
OP isn't asking to run the blower at 1am, or even 5am. They asked about running it at 6, which is only an hour before 7. Many people are awake to get ready for work at that time. I personally wouldn't run machinery at that time, but each individual can make their own life choices. OP asked a question and I answered it based on my own experience.

That’s fair, I did miss the part where you had mentioned not being that annoyed by it and simply popped in ear plugs. My bad.  
I used 1 am and 5 am in my situations, but 6 am has happened and it’s the same thing. It may just be one extra hour to some, but it could affect others lives differently. So if people say it “is only an hour”, the next person can say well it’s only 2 hours, so why can’t we start at 5, etc. many may be up at that time, but many aren’t. My alarm is for 7am. That’s the reason the by laws are there, so everyone can be on the same page.  
Also just giving my experiences.  
 
Happy New Year!

Reading comprehension is a skill. So is following laws and by laws apparently. Happy New Year!