Despite what you see, Philadelphia is enforcing shovel rule
Philadelphians are legally required to shovel a 36 inch wide path within six hours of the end of a snowstorm. There are still plenty of treacherous snow-covered sidewalks out there, but the city insists it is enforcing the law: so far this winter Philadelphia has issued 855 tickets for uncleared sidewalks. Art Museum neighborhood resident Lori Arnold is still fighting a different sort of ticket she got from the city: for allegedly having trash mixed in with her recyclables. She’s outraged by the recycling fine, but she said ticketing people for not shoveling is a lot more reasonable.”Shoveling your sidewalk is a part of public safety,” Arnold said. “It’s a part of contributing to the community as a whole. It makes it difficult for people to get around and Philadelphia is so pedestrian-friendly. The difference between that and the recycling is, they’re opening your trash. I see it as a violation of privacy. Shoveling your sidewalk? Yeah, I think you should do it.”Last winter, the city issued just over 4,000 tickets for snow-covered sidewalks.Non-shovelers risk a $50 fine.
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