Snow on the home entrance path?

[Coldicote]

I hear different views about clearing entrance pathways of snow - should we or shouldn't we? Apart from practical difficulties of quantity, safety is a main consideration. A path made quite clear of snow, but not dry, could become covered with a thin film of ice and be more dangerous to walk on than an inch or two of snow. My thinking is to clear it partially but not completely. How do others deal with this?

[Postdog]

Accident snow not cleared - act of God
Accident snow cleared - home owner liable.

[yogi-bear]

Hi Coldicote

I've cleared most of the immediate driveways and paths that lead to the house at the front of the house, and where our detached garage is at the back, left it covered in snow, as it's much easier to walk on, and does'nt ice up as would have done, if i cleared most of the snow and left a film of ice, leaving it very dangerous to walk on...The back gardens look lovely.....haven't touched them......(we've run out of spreading salt till tommorrow maybe).....but not bothering, as due to be hit with more snow at the weekend here on the south coast.

I now have to get ready to drive to my gig a good few miles away, as i'm a DJ, so hope roads around that area are driveable......coming home in the very early hours, so most roads will be like ice skating rinks by then.:0(

Take care, and have a good evening and weekend. :0)

[grasscarp]

crazy world. anything you do to try and help leaves you open to being sued!

[grasscarp]

You drive back safely Yogi. From what I have seen you have many friends here.

[yogi-bear]

Hey grasscarp........Belated Happy New Year to you and all yours.

Thank you so very much....i really appreciate that and i'll be careful. :0)

Have a great weekend, and be careful yourself if you have snow in your area or get any more falling over the next 48 hours or so.

Thanks again........yogi out

xxx's if you're a lady, and a Hi 5 if you're a guy.........i have spoken to you before on quiz threads....and like you a lot :0)

[factor-fiction]

Whilst I usually agree with postdog I'm not convinced by the widely held claim on AB that if you clear the snow and someone has an accident then you become liable. There has to be negligence. If you deliberately sprayed water onto ice and made it a foreseeable hazard then yes, it could be considered negligent; but simply clearing away snow can't be considered negligent can it? Has anyone got any case law?

[carlton23]

I posted this tip in Home & Garden. Clear snow from path then sprinkle ordinary table salt on the path, this will prevent ice forming. Do it again every 3 days if much snow starts to settle.

[Bert]

A colleague of mine who had lived in Germany for some time while in the army told me that there it was the householder's responsibility and duty to clear snow from footpaths in front of his property. I presume that some exception was made for disabled or elderly residents. I would guess that this was during the 1970s or 80s.

[fredpuli47]

It's an urban myth that snow is an Act of God and you can't be sued for not clearing it' You can and will be sued ,by virtue of the Occupiers Liability Act for not taking reasonable care of any visitor, including a trespasser, to your premises who is injured in consequence of your leaving your pathways in a dangerous state. It's a nice point whether the path is more dangerous cleared or uncleared ! Either way you can be liable as an occupier because the law puts a burden on occupiers which it doesn't do to others.
It's also really a myth that you'll be sued successfully for clearing the public footway in front of your house.The practical and legal problems of establishing such a claim are,,realistically,far too great and insurmountable .The claimant would have to prove that you acted so very carelessly or recklessly as to create a new risk which was obvious to any reasonable person and which would not otherwise exist.,If there was a risk of a passer falling over before and so no new risk of their falling over after, your clearing, then they've got no case in negligence.

[boxtops]

I always understood postdog's answer was the right one, and having staggered round the shops this morning,this was told to me today by one of the shop managers - so we're not the only ones who believe this!